Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-09

Lee?"
For answer he leaned over and kissed
the curved line where her lips met
| + X X
| THE acte de resistance Of the Forty
Thieves extravaganza opened with
a stealthy plucking Of muted violin
strings device popular for the mys-
terry it twangs and insinuates. Gradual
lights disclosed a papiermache cave
glowing with Unsupported stalactites
and stalagmites and a bent-backed, pus-
syfooted chorus Of red-hooded gnoInes
winding through its It's sui subte crane
| A tremolo OF drums rumbled to an
ear-splitting crescendo, and four wind
sprites, tossing their veily draperies,
bounded from the red mouths Of four
up-stage caves, singing an off-key sup
pliance to the Storm King and sustain
ing high with faces strained and
stained to deep vermilion. From the
right wing, in shirt sleeves and with an
eye to nature, Mr.. Charley Lee directed
the lightning, and between flashes
manipulated the wind machine. Above
the song Of the gale his voice rose and
fell through the improvised megaphone
Of his cupped hands.
| Hurry them ponies back there
swing 'em on-dang 1t. swing 'em on.
Speed 'er up back there-speed! rSpeed!'
| Suddenly from behind a stalactite
drop the raindrop. chorus descended
from heaven in a carefully selected
shower.
A patter Of applause passed through
the audience
Dangling midair from silver wires. a
score of the effulgent creatures swung
pendent, silver legs houndering, silver
/ hOnnCin0 Qh0WarfnO silver
roses from shallow silver baskets. And
in their center, dangling highest from
the stalagmite floor and further distin-
guished by silver wreath placed as II
In blessing on her brow. Miss Lola
Laladay sparkled like dew in sunshine.
"All Hail the Storm King" sang the
ballet. dangling on their wires.
From the gloom Of the right wing Mr..
| Charley Lee let out a generous lightning
flash and in its white flare clapped his
hands together and smiled up at Miss
! Laladay. She tossed him a token from
her shallow basket.
| "All Hail the Storm King" trilled the
| four winds. waving their bony arms.
! "Ali Hail the Storm King chanted
the pussy footed gnomes. turning
Suddenly the silver wire jerked Miss
Laladay higher still and she poised,
limbs distended like a bisque angel de-
| pending from chandelier. A flower
| entwined trapeze descended from be-
hind the stalactite drop. framing her
from the waist up. The spotlight
| focused.
The song OF wind suddenly rippled
across the stage.
In the gloom Of that left wing, taut
| as gladiator, Mr.. AL Delano. clad in
| gold-colored tights. with a zig-zag of
| silver lighting down his front. bal
anced in waiting on the tip Of the
| titillating spring-board in readiness
for his fight across the stage.
His muscles sprang out and his BIZ
| ceps swel1ed to capacity. and beneath
| the gold -colored tights his diaphragm
great chest upward.
"All hail the Storm King"
Miss Laladay drew backward the
bar until it lay across her little bosom
| and. as the silver wire jerked her
ever so slightly higher. flung it from
arm tossed her silver wreath down.
! ward toward the figure beside the
| wind machine. and q little thrill of
! laughter went with it.
| Both hands there-cut that-wait!
| Al-wait-wait!"
peze Mr.. Al Delano leaped from his
spring board with the grace Of a wild
thing, turned his double somersault
midstage. in midair, and reached
| out for the hower-twined horizontal
bar. It swung back. but too slowly
to meet his straining clutch. Too
late to gather his strength against a
CHASTITY stimulation of an acrobat, and
then with the directness of a fowl
| shot on swift wing, hurtled down.
| ward, his legs doubled up under him
and his neck strained backward.
A moment of indacfa;on wonnor