Evening star., 1943-11-04
After Dark
News and Comment of the Night Clubs.
BY the Spectator.

, affable. likely looking fellow wedged
in among half dozen patrons, all
having dinner on the cuff you sur
mise roughly and perhaps unfairly.
Halo, my fran" retorts the ro-
bust shiningly bald-pated pro-
prietor. Long time no see. Where
in dash you been?"
You are glad to see Louis. You
are invariably glad to cast your
dimming gaze upon Louis uouis
O'Calve, the scattered Irish element
calls him).
Have a chair. have a beer
Monster Louis continues. Good
band. huh?"
1t is a new band. another in a
long series of new bands. But you
must admit the four of its members
are capable of knocking a rumba
from here to there with no trouble
at all. This you attribute to the
pianist, Leone: the trumpeter (un-
Identified and particularly
voluptuous looking singer and
maracaS- agitator whose name is
Anita. The results of the ensembles
efforts are, on the whole, satisfying
They are downright irresistible to
the couple who are on the floor
gyrating in manner associatable
either to stark Cuba or the seven
days twitch.
We'll, Wot you going to say, my
franz says Louis, picking up the
strands of conversation severed by
an especially vehement shake of
maracas. 'Wot you going to say:
You came in Copacabana and old
Louis still dronk' Ha ha ha, that S
your item, yeS?'
That would be entirely unsuitable
and a bit remote from the facts.
On the other hand, Armando, the
chef and occasional maitre d'hotel,
put in several appearances entirely
sans apron and partly sans inclina-
ton to discuss the night club labor
situation or the latest political turn
OF events in France and Italy.
All, these Copacabana nights.
liz III ST ltSNbIl II lllRlll IltD 1ldD IL
ue must learn is to accept every
thing he sees with utmost compla-
CenCy. He must have that steelv grip
on his nerves that calmness of spirit
which will enable him TO smile caSu-
ally even should the roof of his
favorite haunt suddenly fall upon
his table.
BetimeS a Herculean taSk-like a
few nights ago in the Balalaika
Two Well-dresSed and rational
looking fellows wandered in shortly
after midnight. They had not much
to say; they simply drew up chairs,
and waited quietly for a waiter
When that elusive fellow appeared,
the boys unhesitantly ordered one
glass of plain soda water COX. so
We'll pay the minimum anvwav.D
The soda delivered. one reached
into his pocket and withdrew a pair
Of those plastic white seals which
adOrn the bottles of a Well-knoWn
alcoholic beverage He dropped them
into the bubbling glassful. where
upon he and his companion bent in
tently over the spectacle of bobbing
seals
The boys were simply laying bets
on which seal would rise to the slgr-
face of the soda the most times An
other order Of soda and several gen.
erous sprinklings Of salt. and they
were satisfied. At least they looked
mighty contented AS they departed
The harmoniCa as an instrument
of night club entertainment being
unique in the after-dark annals of
Washington, this department trun-
died rather eXpectantlY around to
the Neptune Room where the piano
harmonica duo, the HarrLses, are
playing.
It cannot be said that anything
unusual developed, except that har-
monica vlrtuOSO are better off in
such sheerly display media as the
stage, the original medium of Mr..
Harris we might add.
Aside from that conclusion Mr.
Harris huffs and puffs a creditable
recital. he is not bothered by head
aches due to his professional rou-
tines; he is about to have patented
something new in harmOnicas, an
electric one. which works, we gather.
on principles similar to the nova
chord. And for details don't ask Mr
Harris. He will only smile secre-
tiNplJ