New Britain Herald Newspaper, February 12, 1919, Page 10

“Seon-tasbe as ‘doin Sighing for New Worlds And TS Pectany for rmy of longing little maids and their families, who find their as- 50, this this pirations all too trying, many a time, since it is about two real flesh-and- blood young girls to whom all doors of society opened with the masic keys of birth and ancient linea turned their and who backs upon their own world and sct out to invade another and untried one, and did it so suc- cessfully that one now is a recog- nized favorite on the working side of the footlights, while the other is making a name for herself on the celluloid stage. The family started so far back that only historians and genealogists and people like that know anything about it. By the time the year 1748 came along it was so well established and knew so many of the “first families” that it was one of those households invited to the very first Assem- bly, that historic ball given on the water front in the city beloved by William Penn, in the when dances were given by candle light and began as the candles were set glim- mering and ended just about the time the present generation for a ball All of which establishes the family’'s days starts prestige and ancient lineage without the peradventure of a doubt and shows even to the uninitiated why Constance and Frederica Binney could Jjoin all the dances organized for the younger set; could call the other per- sons by their first names at a the dansant; could go to the Assembly balls in Philadelphia, the White House functions in Washington and the smartest dances in New York and Bos- ton by the time they had successfully passed their debutante teas. As one will clearly see, by the time the family traveled all the way down through the years that have elapsed since the first Assembly was held there had been so many intermar- riages with equally important persons in other cities that these two little maids had uncles and aunts and cousins in all the important social centers of the east. The urge of self-expression was felt by the Binney girls’ mother when she was a tiny girl some thirty years ago, and when she lived in staid old Philadelphia, where convention rules with an iron rod and where to do what one's neighbors and own social set does not do stamps one as being— well, queer, to say the least. The Mother’s Romance The Binney girls’ mother was Ger: trude Miles. Basil Miles, who is in charge of Russian affairs in Washing- ton and who once upon a time was secretary to the American ambassador at Petrograd, is one of the same family. Mr. and Mrs. Miles repressed the little Gertrude's longing to become a great dancer and firmly and irrev- ocably uprooted all the to them un- conventional urgings of their daugh- ter’s nature. Slowly they made her over into the customary young girl interested in her debutante reception and her first season's dances and din- ners. Eventually she found her Prince Charming, riding out West, which happened to be New York, on his milk- white charger and with his trappings of gold all polished and shining into her so ly that they inded her forever tealm of Might Have Been After the nty bits of lace eves brigh usuai time nd of collecting silk from Eu- 7ope and this country and the assem- oling of ali the 1 and mighty eousins from all corners of the land the sweet young girl emulated the ex ample of the titled 1ady in the poem, and “Across the hills and far a» Beyond their And deep into The happy princess followed him utmost purple rim, he dwing day Foi young Harold Binney, Gertrude Miles’s Prince Charming, was a rising young lawyer in New York, whe was practicing diligently in spite of the fact that he had enough of this world’s goods to supply his wife with all for which her heart longed. o e kg When little Constance, their first- born, was about four years old, she was enrolled, along with the other four-year-olds, in the fashionable Younger married set in which her par- ents moved and in a dancing class that met in a fa. ble ballroom in Wash- ington Square, Philadelphia. Now it just happened that Isadora Duncan’s sister, who had taught Isadora all her terpsichorean and graces, was looking for “an opening” and was en- gaged to instruct this class of children so that the future and beaux would be started right on the road to debutante popularity. There little attained airs belles Constance stayed until the mature age of eight vears, when she was moved to a dane- ing class for older children. The cla she in which she now was en- rolled was taught by a young woman who was reputed to be the greatest amateur dancer New York society.t Little Constance was fired with the ambition to surpass her teacher. Just at this time the great Pavlowa made her appearance in the country and that settled the matter once and for all in the little girl's mind and never once did she swerve in the years that have followed. Off to a Convent Mrs. Binney, remembering her early longings, encouraged the child to prac- tice, sent her to sce all the celebrated dancers that appeared and helped her i every wa of the mote r. But every other member family, even to the most re- opposed i, ridiculed it. and sought to instill in the minds of the child and her mother the for acquiring the usual fund of information required by a suc cessful debutante. They held out be. western branches, necessity her fore her the balls and dinner-dance they would give in her honor when she made her debut, This went on until Constance was fourteen years old, when the weight of the opinions of the combhined members of the Binney family (Horace Binney, the noted lawye was one of the an- cestors who had to be lived up to) was brought to bear upon the child’s father, with the that he held a family council, then laid down the law as ex- pounded by its head: “We will have no more of this nonsense. We will have no professional dancer in our family If staying here this idea in Constance’s head, off she goes to Eu- she will forget all about resu furthers rope, where short installed So a few weeks later found Constance very, very beautiful convent Paris, where all the students were either princess or marquises and where the little girl in a near was enrolled only because of the in fluence brought to hear by the Com- tesse Camporeali, a former Miss Bin ney, and Harold Einney's closest friend, Marquis de Schambrum, whom Constance calied “Uacle Pierre,” o close was the tie hetween the two men, <s Storer, of Chi- He had married a cago, whose brother murried a sister of Representative Longworth, the for- mer Alice Roosevelt's husband. The princesses bored the little American almost to extinction, and y thing that aroused any In- in the voungster used to the of her beloved United the dancing class that was held semiweckly, and in which she von all sorts of triumphs as a soio mstance decided that she stand i wite, ¢ to run away and could no nother m that try to swim Lome or something lik that, she was delighted to fird that she had appendicitis and would have to be operated upon. While the friends she had made sobbed and wrung their hands the little American turned a rew handsprings and executed the best and most intricate of her novcl steps and then permitted herself to be shipped off to London to the operating table. After the operation she was sent to Scotland, to some more relatives for the Binney family tree has struck its roots into every nook and cranny of the globe—where she spent the tire summer. By this time the war clouds were beginning to pile up abroad and it was thought best to send the little girl home—cured, as the family thought, both of appendicitis and stage aspirations. Once back in this country. she was sent to that haven for all debutantes- to-be, the fashiona finishing school at Westover, Conn. By Walter F. Dunn With Base Hospital No. 20, University of Pennsylvania, in Fran CrPHE ks are sitting on the world.” This is an expression used complimentary to our ‘gang” now that “Old Man War” has been put on the shelf. If you want to realize just how the trench-worn sol- diers are enjoying the fruits and flow- ers of victory board a P. L. M. rapide and visit the Riviera, a place respect- ed being Kurope most beautiful spot the good fortune this captivating coast at its and contentment. to the Nice press that the stice had been signed men from almost cvery nation in the world gave vent to their feelings. Sol- diers from almost every nation in the world are in some way or another en- gaged along the Rivicra. You can rest assured that American boys are ace-high and “sitting the world,” as the popular Zoes. A Yank always warrants a glance on Rue des Anglais, where only the rich- in of seeing revival of When word ease came rm on second est of the rich would dare to display their finery. Mesdemoiselles are as plentiful zs the flowers and in keep ing with the beatity thereof. After two days and a night of weari- some travel we landed in Marseilles, truly one of the most interesting ports in the world today. You can imagine the scenes along the wharves and rues, .with Arabs in native costume, Algerians, Hindus, Africans, Moroc- cans, Indians, Poles, Greeks, Guani- MISS FREDERICA BINNEY Public Ledser Co. But the Binneys had relatives Boston and these, like all the other branches of the family, while unrecon- ciled to having a professional dancer in the family, nevertheless were proud 1 of her accomplishment and anxious to secure her stance at all the charity productions staged by society folk. So the Boston relatives borrowed Con- stance from school during the Easter vacation a charity fete and Win- throp Ames was one of the guest At the Jittle received a very lucrative offer and a two years’ contract with Ames, which expired not 8o very long ago, and during which time she was starred in musical come. dies and was lent to a mu for a short term. for once gi cal comedy It was while being ese “First-Fa.ily’ “loaned” that offers from moving pic. ture corporations were made to her. The young girl refused all, saying that she preferred a lesser salary and the stimulus afforded by an audience When the offers became more persist- ent, however, she suggested that her sister might do. Frederica—"Fritzie” the family calls her—was going along in the conventional ‘“sub-deb” way, Danseuses LD Sijchae— with never a longing outside her own well-bred little world, attending the fashionable dancing classes and also school at Concord, Mass., and with no thought of following in her sister’s footsteps. For seven years “Fritzie” had made her home with an aunt, so her life had been entirely separate from that of Constance and no stage glamour had seeped through to her. MISS CONSTANCE BINNEY When one moving picture director heard that there was anotner like Con- stance at home he pricked up his ears and showed his genius by announcing that he would take both if “Fritzie” would screen as well as Constance— write two leads into his scenario and star both. When he saw “Fritzie” the play was rewritten at once. Then followed—for Constance at Jeast—a very hectic, scrambly sort of life, for she scrambled out of bed at in the morning, reported on location from at 9: home; scrambled away from the studio 30 and reported at the 0, sometimes miles away or location at 5 theatre in time to be dressed and ses that curtain go up at 8:1 Footlights ve. Cupid For eight weeks, until that blessed picture was made, this strenuous life was kept up, and when it was pro- duced both Binneys became famous in the eyes of moving-picture corpora- No less than four splendid were made them. “Fritzie” passed on to a position as leading lady with John Barrymore, but Con- stance's stage contract was still hold- tion: offers ing. Another allurement away from the presented itself to Constance last spring when so many officers were leaving to serve their country abroad, for a lieutenant, with his new shoulder bars, all bright and shining, well-born, well-bred, the son of a prom- inent composer, wanted to make the voung girl his war bride. For about a week the issue hung in the balance, then came the offer to enter the cast of the “Oh Lady! Lady!!"” company for the entire season, and the lieuten- ant, just as fashionable society had done, lost. The stage won. stage “The Yanks Are Sitting on the World” .. .. ans, Serbs and green-garmented boche prisoners h to the Iping make sea port quite circus-like. It was in Marseilles where we talk ed for the first time in eight months with American sailors. Several had come from League Island, Philadel- phia, and were glad to sip Wine with boys in khaki. We told them how the Huns were being chased and they told of their trip from South America The excitement of people, voltures, trucks and tramways was almost too much to endure for men who had been lost in parts of the interior of France. We exchanged smiles with wild-eyed, dark-skinned soldiers wearing rings in mal hides for wear- their ears and a ing apparel. We saw Hindus going into movie shows with scanty attire and, moreover, we talked with young sters, wearing blue uniforms and tam- o’'shanter hats, who came from Sha- mokin, Scranton, Pittsburgh and Cam- den. They were in the Polish arm; We met a crowd of civilians who velled, “Gangway—coming through hot stuff.”” These men had new tan shoes American fashioned cloth- Ing. Upon satisfying our curiosity we and learned from them that they were Greeks coming from the States to help the world’s cause. As we rode about the bus vards of Marseilles we did whether to boara across the sea for Africa or sail to Egypt. We would have been at ease with any of the natives who exchanged tobacco with us. It rained the day we were leaving for Nice and we declded it Was bette: to accempany troops gomng ing boute- not know a “wagon” to that tropical town. The ride along the Mediterranean coast and through the bronzed mountains T never will forget. TIncidentally, it might be men- tioned that paying raiiroad fare was the least of our worriments. Yanks in nothing but “premiere classe” if approached by a conductor a ack of makings or a bit of ignorance will serve as passon. The last resort is to s1 Z @ cigarette coupon or an aged bagsage check. The slogan Is to go on and carry your own sugar, which is scarce and a luxury to French people. We visited Toulon and Cannes en route to Nice, where our headquarters Anglais, one of the tels aiong the Ri Rue de: were at the most fashionable 1 viera. Here we were given most luxu- rious chambers for ten francs a day Time and space will not permit de- tails of what goes with a Yank at su a palace. We found the resort at the opening of its winter season and saw Rue des Anglais and Monte Carlo highly illuminated for the first time since the outbreak of war. We saw boys who had long been in the trenches but were now riding in company with charming mesdemoiselles in horse- drawn voitures. We strolled along the great promenade with the pale green surf beating 2long the pebbled beacn We shook hands with boys whom we had not seen in the States in s every point of interest, where Yanks received glowing tributes from flower girls and retired mer- chants of world-wide financial fame. We sat along the promenade and talk- years ed to a banker from New England. He was attired in white suit and glisten- ing panama. Families with large motorcars beck oned to limping Yanks to join them in tour ong the Cote d’Azur and to dine in cafes built over the sea, where fish could be seen at home through large glass boundaries. We ate fresh oice wines and , pur- igs and olives, drank smoked good old American cigar: ckased at Red Cross cantcens. Polish boys from all parts gave us the pre ent popular cordial saying, “You tell ‘em boys, we were gassed.” It was the first time in France to hear the pop- ulation sing and to see them dance. The people are still holding “belles fetes.” At every resort where we visit- ed people appeared to celebrate the ab- dication of Bill in an entirely different nature from the previous point where we had been feted with confetti. Un- less kissed a mademoiselle who had hurled confetti at you she would plead “Non baiser pour moi?” Monte Carlo, as picturesque and ac- tive as ever, received us as far as the provincial law allowed. One day I took a chance, sneaked behind one of a great number of guards and watched the civilians around the famous wheel. 1t reminded me of the stock exchanges, but more silent. In my efforts to get out of the place before being taken captive I opened a door and found my- self inside one of the most elaborately ed auditoriums I ever hope to visit. Here I found wealthy appearing men and women listening to an orches- tra of some fifty pieces, from whick you furn came music that would have made the composers cry with joy had they lived to witness the appreciation of the audi- ence. Carmen was played as a result of request and you can take it from me that I could almost hear the motor- cars on Broad street near the opera house. This house the daily Grossman concert. out in Dborder. part of the famous gambling is open to Americans during concerts. I, in time, met and McConnell after the We had some tea and set our machine for the Italian Here we exchanged greetings with French and Italian guards. Many officers and nurses were met along the mountains, where we picked aweetly perfumed roses from ancient courtyards. We viewed and soats grazing on sharpedged sum- mits. We met a polite negro who sug- gested that we have lunch at his cafe. We were surprised at his Eng- lish and asked him where he learned it all. He said that he learned his English at Monte Carlo, but was born in Virginia. We made several trips in the Alps and found great pleasure in visiting the villas occupied by nativ The signs one observes along the routes are quite amusing in the afforts of the proprietors to attract the attention of English-speaking tour- cows ists. An American soldier, however, is not classed as a tourist, but a guest in most ca: I saw one sign that read: “Walk too slow, please;” an. other advertising an American bar was “Don't Mistook.” We saw an. other in a window that read “Ws sprecht English.” . . [