The Washington herald., 1922-02-11
SPIELERS OF EAST
SIDE NOW ATTEND
CILDED DANSANT
Guests Dwindling at Fa-
nous Balls of HelPs
Bells.
By o. o. M'INTYRE.

NEW YORK. Feb. 10.-The deatn
knell has sounded for the Heil's.
Bells balls, for years the superla-
tive soiree Of the East Sides social
calendar. Chuck Conners started
them in the fourishing days when
his pearl-buttoned coat and coster
Bowler were as famous as the Bow
cry itself
Chuck arrived at midnight with
STATS" his "skoit." and together
the pathetic falsetto they warbled
up In Dear Sing Sing After that
II was time for pistols to blaze and
knives to nash and morning always
found the street outside changing
with ambulances.
The Hell's Bells balls have been
given ever since, put each year saw
q dwindling in guests At the last,
Trip Bolivar's hall had only fifteen
guests and not a soul came from
swell uptown" to see the East Side
spiel Its inimitable Bowery steps.
The gang grudges and under
world feuds were settled at these
balls in the old days. At 1880 in
the afternoon the clans gathered In
the dim-lit groggeries to prime
their courage for the night to come.
The girls went home from the
sweat-shops to don their cheap nm
cry that had cost them hours Of
patient. back bending toll over
whirring machines and then rushed
to the dance hall unescorted to
meet their men. 1t was at the
Helfs Bells that boys like Gyp the
Blood-so called for his fine clothes
Whitley Lewis. Lefty Louie and
Beazer the BAN, showed their
nj hAl
for gang leadership.
In this changing world the East
Side has not stood still. The neigh
borhood ball has become old-fash-
ioned. There Is no uptown any
more. The East Side spielers are
as much at home in the gilded dam
SAINT as they formerly were in the
candle-sputteringc cellar dives.
The other evening at place
that charges a IS convert and bars
those not In evening clothes, there
sat at one table a man who rose
from the proprietorship of a chain
Of East Side stuss houses to the
ownership of chain OF haber-
dashery shops. With him in ermine
and gold cloth were two footlight
favorites. He was once elected
from a Helrs Bells ball for throw
ing q cuspidor at a gsngster's girl.
A scar still shows on his cheek.
The telephone Is sometimes an
noying. l was in the office of a
busy man who was interrupted
every few minutes by the phone
ringing. Finally he let II ring for
several times, grabbed off the re-
ceiver and shouted: wrong num-
berv
Prohibition produces some cold
blooded thirsts. A visitor to one
Of the large hotels wanted some-
thing to refresh the inner man. A
bootlegging employe brought him
a half-pint. He had poured out q
drink and settled himself in a chair
for a pleasant libation when his
eyes glanced toward a newspaper
on the table with headlines scream
ing: Wood Alcohol Kills Six" He
put down his drink and went to the
lobby where he picked up a chance
acquaintance and invited him to his
room for a drink. The stranger
accepted, but the host let him drink
alone-saying he didn't care for
anything. 81 watched him for q
half-hour after he took the drink"
he explained. Nothing happened.
so 1 took a shot myself" In the
theatrical world that is called
trying it out on the dog"
The latest New York magazine is
called Il Confessr' 1t is a bold
publication and each contributor is
anonymous. 1t is said that many
prominent people. long desiring to
bare unsavory pasts, contributed to
the first issue. One well-known So
ciety woman Is said to have re-
vealed a love affair that had the
town by the ears a few months
ago, and the magazine was sold
out at all newsstands two hours
after it was placed upon them.
The most fastidious of New York
producers does not countenance his
stars being seen overmuch in pub
lie or mingling with the herd in
hotels and cafes. For those whom
he .favors such strict rules are laid
down that their lives do become set
apart, consecrated to that uncer-
tain deity known as art. In this
there is a thrill for the ordinary
layman, because for his part he
prefers to hold the illusion-to
keep the stage a shadowland Of
mystery and its inhabitants almost
NEUROLOGICAL beings about whom
his Imagination can run riot. The
whole effect of the scheme is for
publicity. for this producer gets
publicity out of everything-even
his reversible collars. Yet It has
proved a beneficial restraint for
many OF his young stars catapulted
into sudden fame and unable to
Withstand the razzle dazzle. Just
now New York is witnessing the
descent of the star in a most sue
cessful musical play. Drink is the
cause. Any day a new name may
go up in lights where hers once
flashed.