The Washington times., 1922-12-10

the stage merely to display her figure and further
her acquaintance.
From my observation during the season spent
with the show, the English girls opinion is
than half true. Managers are beginning to realize
it, and 50 many English companies have been i'm
ported this year that loud protests arising from
the thousands Of American girls who have been
thrown out Of work by the hard-working. we'll
trained and serious-minded young English women
who have taken their place. And although the Eng
sh girls cannot be called particularly youthful or
goodlooking the public to the great surprise Of the
producers, seems satisfied.
Just now, however, the majority of chorus girls
consider that the great function Of their jobs to
make friends Each girl has her own method of de-
velopng her friendships, but the technique of max
ing friends is usually the same.
Perhaps the common way OF meeting man who
looks interesting is by the telegraph method This
are quite visible from the stage in spite Of the glare
Of the footlights. If girl notices that one of the
"baldies," as the midde-aged men who inhabit the
first few rows of the theatre are called is giving her
the "eye," she sizes him up, makes up her mind and
smiles-if she likes him.
It usually takes several minutes for the out-of-
town customer to realize his great good fortune. He
may be well-known citizen of the community from
which he comes, and he is taking no chances He
looks cautiously all around him to see If someone
finally dawps on him that he is the gentleman sin
gled out by her majesty he is overwhelmed with
pride and pleasure. Many time, standing in the
wings, have seen these old gentlemen throw out
their chests straighten their neckwear and slyly
poke their neghbofs in the ribs, whether they know
them or not in the hope that they will watch their
smoke.
Meanwhile the chorus girl is whispering to her
neighbor on the stage:
'Look at that big fathead in the fourth row
old grandpa. He thinks he's back in rompers."
Whereupon she gives him a second smile and
kick in his direction.
The old gentleman, now sure that these atten-
tons are for him, perks right up and begins to wig
wag and work his eyebrows up and down. In the
sign language Of the theatre this nothing but
show is out" ~ I#'.s. -. .-
The chorus girl mods and transfers her attention
to another eager face that looms from the orchestra
seats. / have known girls to make as many as
dozen dates in this manner before the end OF the
last act This enables them to make scientific Sc
lection later on, and they have systel iy which
the undesirables are dropped and tn regular
q moments time. r. s@
Sometimes this is accomplished by asking the
first admirer they meet on the curbing outside the
stage door where he intends to take them for mid
night supper. and establishing his financial rating
and willingness to spend by the type Of cafe that ne
suggests. Sometimes look will tell, but there are
80 many Of these "Johnnies lingering the door
that no chorus girl need be lonesome for minute
OF course. there are some girls, as said ct the
beginning OF this series, who are the exception 70
this rule. But all need to say Ii that these girls
are known to the rest by q rather singular name
fanatics" which is applied to them by the men
whose attentions they decline, as well 0 a
The girls who make acquaintanees in the manner