The sun., 1919-10-12


from them that have" ventursd ~
point out that 1t would be difficult f.,
take from them who had not, but nv
fippanuy did not check the expositorv
flow OF my charming companion. Not
even the advent of the late for
luncheon Man could more than mo.
mentarily interrupt her bravura hand.
ling OF her subject. Unlmpeded--in
fact seemingly insplred--by the proc
eSs Of luncheon, she proceeded TO cover
her ground with the quietly brilliant
assurance of the expert.
You men," she said "capitali,o
your brains, or your business ability
or your legal minds, or whatever other
darned thing you happen to have! So
why shouldn't we girls capitalize what
nature has given Hs--our good looks
and our ability to please and entertain
men? You men don't give something
for nothing-why should we? It's an
art to amuse men--to thrill them. TO
fascinate them. to make them happv
Why shouldn't we be paid for it? We've
got to live, and what's more, we've
made up our minds that we're going
to live darned well! Men like to be
with us--to be seen with us. Believe
me, they get more fun out OF 1t than
we do. Half the time, after the show
when we're out somewhere doing the
always merry and bright act with
them, we'd rather be home in bed. But
we sit up and entertain them and
help them to forget their troubles
And believe me again, It isn't Just the
rich 'dubs' and the gilded youths who
like to trot around with us. Judges
statesmen, big financiers-they all
like to be happy once in a while Just
for change. That's all that il
amounts to with a good many Of them
"Of course some of them slop over
and fall in love with us, but a lot of
them don't Some of them want to he,
we'll as intimate as they can with us.
and others like to sort of just hover
around! And by the way, | want 10
tell you something" she was vislbly
warming to her subject, there's one
little thing that lot Of us girls know,
and that Is the longer you can keep
man guessing the longer you'll hang
OH to him and the more youll get out
of hirn!''
ltS Itdlly ItIIltTktu
The Man admiringly, "how much some
or the girls get away with" He men.
toned, then, a Conspicuous example
an erStwhile beauty of the chorus now
playing a leading role. She was at
that moment to his certain knowledge
engaging the attention and inspiring
the affectionate hopes of no less than
four prominent men, one of them a
great publisher, another an endlessly
rich member of a KnickerbOcker fam
fly, the third a theatrical manager and
the fourth n newspaper magnate. The
latter, in particular, had been lavish
in his donations. A 100000 necklace
had been his latest tribute.
Tell me about some more Of the
gold diggers," I pleaded. She did.
There were plenty of others, II seemed
some almost as brilliant, technically
rs the young woman whom we had
been discussing-others less efficient
or cruder in their methods-but al
most all OF them amazingly prosper
Gus. There was one. for example, who
bad in some eight years acquired suf.
ficient funds to enable her to in
NtSt III nullult lIlOuT
sand dollars worth of Liberty bonds
not to mention a hundred and fifty
thousand dollars worth of other securi.
ties. She had real fair for business
this girl, and a keen ear for tips on
the market. Lucky hints from Wal
Street men, by the way, seemed TO be
road to fortune with a number Of
the most prominent gold dlggers.
We dawdled over our luncheon
while The Girl went on recounting
with increasing virtuosity, the eN-
ploits of the diggers. And then while
we chatted the idea suddenly came to
me-was there not here ready at hand
in the subject which we were discuss
ing the material for play?
A week or two later ! went Of an
| evening to see ID. B. as We who
know him we'll affectionately abbrc
viate David Belasco.
why not write n play for Ina
Claire?" suggested I'D. -" 1t would,
promptly replied, be a privilege and
pleasure for me 80 to do. But a play
of what nature? I suggested several
! themes, ID. H." listened with that
warmth of kindly interest which "a
| pands the heart and the imagination
of the playwright fortunate enough
to gain his ear. And then-not think
ing that it would particularly Interest
him--I mentioned tho subject of "The
Gold Diggers."
'Ill take it," said ID. b." instantly
go ahead and write that play III
take It'll"
So I did write IL, with the h7nca'
of David BelasCu's unfailinG Interest
and sympathy and OF his rich Suggest
| fulness.
1 had thought at first that my play
might be dramatic in its nature" 4
, friend of mine suggested that the
heroine might be a "vamp' vita
ruined gentlemen strewn thick aho'.
her. But little reflection ConvIace
me that the men of my acWa.1'ane
whose paths had crossed those or u'
ladies of the chorus had NOT bee"
driven to bankruptcy, suicide u- my
thing else properly dramatic. I'm iac'
they seemed, most OF them, To- boz nav
ing the time OF their lives
Make 1t comedy" advised "l' H.
but stick to tho truth about the -.lf
Show them as they are!' And ina.
is what Mr.. Belasco and l have .TleI
| to do. "Irhe Gold Diggors is o,'sFVl
neither as a condemnation nor az ~
apology for the members Of tn" meI'
merry" 1t is simply an attempt
present a colorful picture Of eer~'
aspects of their life and activities
| T.. . WHOM