Imperial Valley press., 1938-03-03

lunched with him, when IN pocket,
at Keene's chop house in the West
3O's, the Algonquin gathering
place Of the period.
Although he had a number of
short stories and a few books pub
lished he felt keenly an mdiffer-
enca to his work And the last l
saw of him he was rattling around
somewhat hopelessly fashioning
plugs for a pipe tobacco in one of
the advertising agencies.
Carl Grow, the expert on China,
is an old friend and admirer of
Lyon and is taking part in the
proposed rejuVenation of his works.
Theodore Dresser was among the
many to encourage Lyons fledg-
ling flights. So were Bob Davis and
the late Ray Long.
Most collegiates over from
Princeton, down from New Haven
or where-not meet their girl friends
under the Whopping clock in the
Biltmore lobby. This has been
trysting place since the hotel was
built. And the tryst was encourag-
cd by the late John NICE. Bow
man, who thought no hotel could
be prosperous without youth, al
though, strictly speaking it's the
least profitable trade. The Bilt-
more tea rooms also continue to
feature hundreds of canaries,
whose late afternoon obliggato is
so enchanting and often so pro-
nounced it dims the orchestra.
In the days of the Childs white
tiled walls and marble topped
tables, there was one in the chain
on West Gath street where I lunch
ed almost daily during period of
rocky going. AS a gesture in throw
back sentimentalism I dropped in
again the other day while in the
neighborhood. And ordered my
long-ago favorite-crisp corned
beef hash with poached egg. Such
things happen only in the movies
or on the stage, but a fellow op-
posite me had his paper carefully
folded to my column and seemed
to be enjoying it between bites of
a fruit salad. 1t was a bit silly and
sophomorish, but upon departing I
showed my visiting card under his
milk glass and walked out, feeling
quite a fellow!
Oddly, notable stars vince at
traVesties by mimics. They win
laugh at the impersonations of
others but freeze up when bur-
lesqued. More than any other class,
they can't take it. Some years ago
I saw Tallulah Bankhead at a pri-
yate gathering and first gracious
ly asking permiSsion-giye a deli
ciously sly take-off on the art of
Ethel Barrymore as that naughty
lady watched from the side lines.
The crowd roared, but Miss Barry
more gave a toss of her head that
showed unmistakable pique. Shiela
Barrett often has to change her
night club routine because of un-
intentional offenSe in delineations.
So has Mitzi Green. There may be
slicker representations but until
one comes along III still take Pert
Kelton in one of the Follies, who
appeared in a chic evening frock
and armed with a derby and black
detachable muStache, dOnned
them, and before your eyes slowly
became an amazing Charlie Chap
lin. Positively spooky!
Thingumbobs: Henry Ford likes
to play parchesi for relaxation.
Mary Livingstone still trembles
like a leaf before the microphOne.
Clay Morgan, N.B.C. publicity
chief, once a repertoire actor, is
still stage struck. Mrs. Vincent
Astor never misses a Donald Duck.
Frank Case knows more about the
niceties of English than many of
his famous writing guests. Doro-
thy Thompson no longer smiles
when introduced, as she so often
IS, as the wife of Upton Sinclair.