Arizona republican., 1922-05-26
BY FREDERIC j. HAskIN

NEW YORK CITY, May 16--Among
the many curious entertainment fea-
lures which New York has to offer is
the professional escort. No woman
has to be wallflower here as long as
she can afford the price of ONE. Be
she ever so lacking in masculine ad
mirers, and ever so unlikely to ac-
quire any, she may nevertheless en-
joy her share of the brilliant, enter
tanning night life of New York by the
simple expedient of hiring one of
these professional Squires of Danes.
Some earnest student of humani-
tartan problems has said that New
York provides the noblest form of So
cial service of any city in the world.
He was not referring to the Squire
of Danes. Yet the unique nobility of
this calling is self evident. Consider
its requirements: from early after
noon until past midnight, the squire
must devote all of his talents and
energy to the entertainment of lonely,
unattached ladies. He must escort
them hither and thither, in Difference
to their commands, to theaters and
cabarets, hotels, dances and chop suey
joints, to famous downtown restau-
rants and famous uptown roof gar
dens-anywher they want to go in
their pursuit of a good time. They
may be homely and badly dressed he
must guide them safely and deftly
about a ballroom floor. They may
be dull and slightly deaf: he must
keep up stimulating conversation.
Or they may be beautiful, gracious
and rich; he must keep his distance
and never presume upon the ac-
quaintance.
Under the circumstances. 1t is not
hos
studied the species that the profes
sional squire of DANES is born-not
made. There are only a few of them
in New York-neyer enough to supply
the demand-and even these are al
ways threatening to quit their calling
for less exacting trade. They are
not to be confused with the smooth
voiced lounge lizards who haunt the
cabarets and dance halls at night in
an unofficial capacity, nor with the
flashily y-dressed hangers-on in some
of the so-called dancing academies
on Broadway Women sometimes em-
ploy these types as escorts, it is true,
but they do SO with great risk to their
diamonds, good names and other ne
gotiable securities.
The squire of danes, on the other
hand, is reliable, discreet, and well
versed in social etiquette. His dress
and conduct are strictly conservative,
so that, If suddenly confronted by a
s friend or relative, woman can easily
introduce him as a perfectly proper
social acquaintance. His services are
not in demand by flappers or women
who are permanently addicted to jazz
but by the many lone women, young
and middle-aged, who come to New
York from far-off parts of the coun-
try, lured by the widely heralded at
fractions of metropolitan life
Customers Are Well to- Do
Some of these women, especially
those who are here only for Il brief
visit, stop at the best hotels. are lib
eraliys supplied with pocket money
and have a secure social position at
home. During the first week or two
they are content to shop and attend
the movies and few matinees, but
after that they begin to feel lonely
They realize that, without friends
particularly masculine friends-they
are missing the most interesting fea-
lures of the city. To the out of town
woman the fierce. magnificent glare
of Broadway is very enticing, and IT
is intolerable not to be able to ex-
plore it. But unfortunately that sort
of thing is not yet done by the lone,
respectable woman.
''The professional escort Just about
solves the problem for these lonely
DANES" said hotel man recently,
''and / wonder that the hotels thera-
selves don't supply such a service. We
have dancing hostess here, OF
course'-and he waved a hand to-
ward the large ballroom-''but what
woman wants to learn the latest
dance steps from woman if she can
get man to teach her? Besides, it's
only natural that they should want to
dance with a man on the Great White
Way and feel that they are part CT
it for the time being. Then they'll
have something really big to discuss
when they get home
These so-called squires of danes
don't advertise; they aren't listed at
the hotel information desk, and II IS
doubtful if they have a private office
among them. Their headquarters are
at the big public dance halls, where
they act as dancing instructors. IN
these places you can dance all exc
ming at a small cost, if you know
how, and if you don't know how there
are these instructors to teacn you at
whatever price you care to pay. No
set charge at all, you understand, but
if lady fails to pay at least dollar
for her lesson, she is not encouraged
to apply for another.
The squires are all canny business
men. They are constantly on the
lookout for prosperous appearing
women in the crowd. AS soon as one
enters the hall, she is apt to receive a
cordial welcome from one of the in
structors who, approaching her with
inc sicr nF oH Hf11ff at iota