Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-16

VEN h1IN1 else IN the dig bOl
l. of the Worlds Famous haltet
when the Angel Sisters wen
IL into the air. Theirs was a yer.
good act. The variety lay II
the personality and the presentation
Two unusually pretty girls made thei
entrance to the blare of trumpets ant
the accompaniment of solicitous maids
ascending to the rings with laughing
childish gyrations and tossing of flow
ers from their corsages into the audi
ence: these things created al
appearance of the juvenile that height
ened their performance marvelously
Al last, upon the rings. they bantered
pretended To be angry with each other
launched into their feats without thu
slightest apparent preparation. talked
and laughed and joked, even while
their most difficult performances were
on the way. ard the audience. taken
off its guard. failed to note that, in the
main, ChiS act was like a dozen Others
that had been seen for years upon the
Roman rings.
Fc. that matter. the audiences were
ignorant regarding several things. One
was that the Angel Sisters were not
named Angel, nor were they sisters
their communion of the air had come
not from birth, but through the offices
of a booking agency, CAUSED by the de-
parture of a previous Angel and the
necessity for a new seraph to take her
place. Shortly after this happening
Miss Ann Forsyth, being the originator
the beauty the brains, and the owner
OF the act. had again voiced an old
complaint to the effect that dark
Angels were all of that Herself thor
oughly blonde, with the necessity for
a brunette by way of comparison. the
senior Angel had chosen dot Mason,
black-haired. vampish Of type, and an
unpleasant companion. The audience
didn't know that either. just as they
did not know that a mechanical con-
trivance that was neither seen nor
meant to be seen was AS much part
of the act as the Angel Sisters them
selves.
That. too. had been Ann Forsyth's
invention. although she had need fol
nothing of the kind. But there was the
other Angel to be considered; the mat
ter of protection against drop to the
ring curbs, 20 feet below. was an i'm
portant one What the fair-haired little
head of the act needed more than any,
thing else was what is known as ad lib
the ability to suit actions and man.
nerisms to the moment. Upon that was
founded the success of the Angel Sis
ters: their capering and coquettishness
meant as much as the tricks they did
Hence the device, thin strand OF wire
stretched from Ann Forsyth to hel
partner. giving and taking slack as the
occasion demanded by means of small
spring roller concealed and anchored
to a belt of webbing beneath Miss For
syth's costume. If, by any chance, her
grip should slip upon the wrists of the
other girl. or either fail to make q
catch as they turned and twisted in
the air, the wire attachment would
function before a fall really began.
Naturally, it would leave an Angel Sis
ter dangling and ruin the act for a day
But circus moves to new town every
a. hours. Besides, the sharp eyes and
quick muscles of Ann Forsyth had never
failed yet; the safety wire was more
insurance than anything else, making
for peace of mind as Ann Forsyth and
her partner, whoever she might happen
to be, went through their aerial caper-
ings, performance often prompted
through its entirety by the swift-work-
ing mind of the girl who had conceived
1t. But today Ann Forsyth was far
from being the prompter. That office
was being filled by Dot Mason.
NCMILE, Dearie!" she commanded,
~ pulling herself from swinging
catch.
Don't call me dearie!" snapped Ann
"set yourself for the one-half slip
catch"
"AH right, dearie," answered Dot Ma
son. herself taking swinging position
"Ill set myself for the slip-catch. AMI
I'll set myself for something else. I
don't remember any agreement to
change my language when came over
here"
Perhaps you didn't. But there
provided for you to offend me, either "
oh" answered the dark Angel. Il
offend you, do I? Isn't that the ber-
ries!" This was accompanied by ges-
lures and shakings of the head. while
Ann Forsyth responded as vigorously.
The audience laughed. Such mimic
ouarrels preceded a good trick: nor did
those spectators know that only the
gestures were false as the two swung
back and forth, becoming more vehe-
ment in their heightening of action, and
more personal in remarks, intended only
for each other. Dot Mason doubled a
pretty fist and shook it at her partner.
"I'll have you know" she said. that. if
1t wasn't for my contract wouldn't
be here 10 minutes. 1t isn't my fault
that you picked lemon like joe"
We're not talking about joel"
use your hands, dearie." answered
Dot Mason. This acts dying on its
feet"
Sorry" Then: You leave Joe out
Of this!"
why don't you try it? You've beer
the grumpy one. came out here
happy. and you began gripping the min
ute started up the tape. My hair was
wrong and had on too much pow
der"
Eyes. and I still say the same thing.
That's your idea. / know how to
dress my act"
DO you? Why don't you dress ii
them"
I'm dressing it-you don't know a
good costumed act when you-"
Il know what kind Of costumes want
In my own act. I'll either have them, OF
I'll get some one"
Then get them, Dearie!" urged Dot
Mason, masking her seriousness from the
audience by burlesque attack upon hei
partners hair. Does that mean my
notice."
Just as you please!" answered the
other girl, returning the simulated at
tempt to reach her adversary.
We'll, that's done. Believe me
Dearie. the next time I work for some.
body, I'll know it, Just because the fell
low you picked couldn't keep his hands
off little money. l. that my fault? 1:
IT,
Cue for the scream" cut in Ann For.
syth.
Professionalism took the place of per
sonalities. With tumble of words, Do
Mason swung wildly, then, with Shrek
apparently forgot her hold on the rins
above. clawed at the other girl. ant
dropped IL a pummet, while the audi
cnce hesitated between a guffaw and {
gasp as Ann Forsyth slipped to hang
ing position from one foot, and, gauginl
her distance to fraction of an inch
shot forth a hand to grip that of Do
Mason and catch her up from the brinl