The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-02-08
In New York
BY GEORGE ROSS
. ,W7HkA

New York, Feb. 8.--Along Broad
way, in Greenwich Village and from
the far reaches Of Coney Island
TO the Dutch Haven OF Spuyten
Duyvil, thousands Of tongues clack
merriiy about "the good old times. .
The other day q six-year-old
nephew began TO sigh for the
abandon with which he had play
ed when I was kid" and, with
appropriate variations, this Is the
tune they dance to In the night
life belt.
Some of our most eligible play
boys were lamentjng the passing
Of the late Mayfair Club Of
the lush pre-depression years,
surely the most glamorous Of all
night clubs before and since. The
Mayfair was q one-night-a-week
affair. All Of the towns better
celebrities would crowd It's mar
row confines at midnight satur-
day and never leave until dawn
poked inquisitive ! fingers across
the sky. The cover charge was
@f5 and the entertainment
Well, that was Informal, but
you couldn't have bought II for
o kings rangom otherwtsc. From
a table an internationally re-
nowned singer would add his bit,
q danccr-star Of q show would
do his or her turn. And this
went on all night. Former Mayor
Jimmy Walker used TO be one Of the
regulars.
Fire of Ambition
William Morris In coming 10 town
from his native North Carolina hills
and a friend confides that CATER
william probably will have a
wretched time wondering whether
the folks back home are taking good
care Of the fire In his cabin. Now II
seemed odd that anybody--even
a 76-year-old hill-billy would
worry about q little thing like q
fire, with every general store
carrying matches, but Our friend
explains that this Ia a very, very
special kind OF IRE. It has q pic
turesque history that goes way
back beyond the birth OF the ma
ton.
1t seems that when the Declara-
ton OF Independence WAS signed,
there was O Morris In the hills
who reckoned the revolutionary
War was stll good for a long
time. Perhaps, he reasoned, 1t
might be one OF those things like
the Thirty Year war In Europe
and the best thing for an Ameri-
can 10 do was TO be prepared. 30
he 1T a fire, summoned his fam
lily and told them that since the
wherewithal for starting blaze
was scarce and like TO become
scarcer II the English sent more
troops, he wanted the fire care
fully tended while he was out
pappering the British with grape
shot.
The Morris clan are literal folk.
One after another descendants
kept the fire burning and In due
course Of time the sacred duty
devolyed on william. lie has
been true 10 his trust and not
once has the fire even dangerous
ly fickered. During the Span
18Th American War William was
away for 10 days and got back In
that the fire had gone out. He
planted II 10 o new cabin.
Star Talkatlveness
Those case hardened gentlemen
vino meet the ships for the metro
p0litan newspapers are wondering
whether another trend" " in MAX
Ing. II oil started when Greta Carlo
returned from Europe almost un-
recognized because she was not
wearing her black glasses. When
finally the reporters were con-
WINGED by Hollywood press agents
that II was really the great Carlo.
they wrote mo comment next 10
her name on their note pads and
prepared 10 telephone their stories.
But no, Carlo wanted 10 talk. The
newsmen were revived by soIicitous
stewards and (after % few cognacs)
were able 70 carry on. /.
nov comes the almost reticent
Mariene Dietrich bubbling with
little nuggets Of information and,
oh, 10 eager 10 impart them 70 the
press. she was d little annoyed
when someone suggested that her
12.year- daughter WAS almost
~ tall a. she N ~ Isn't supposed
10 be healthy for 0 sex-appeal
star 10 have grown chiidrer), but
otherwise al Yves c0rdialitv.
WI M xsafsl9