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Show Is Thirty the Lovep Deadline AVste cawis io?ts a unique place in the hearts of her countrymen. coun-trymen. She is one of the most popular entertainers in the world. Iler early successes as star of "The Belle of New York;" "The Fortune Teller" "The Duchess," "The Vander-bilt Vander-bilt Cup," "The Hoyden," and numerous other plays, were entirely en-tirely eclipsed by the personal triumphs she scored when she undertook to write her own play, manage it and star in it. During the war she provided the enlisted men with such entertainment, en-tertainment, such sparkling humor, hu-mor, that she endeared herself to them forever. No other entertainer en-tertainer during the war ever achieved such popularity or won such undying affection from the boys as did Elsie Janis. She is unmarried. By ELSIE JANIS I have never euvied a philosopher bis power to philos. I have always thought It must be awful to know and understand everything. every-thing. The greatest moments ot my life have been the ones I could not understand. under-stand. And now after reading Mr. Durant's soul startling statement thru no man can love after thirty 1 feel a great sympathy not for all men over thirty, but for Mr. Durant. I would like to take his hand in mine and ask him gently what happened hap-pened to him when he was twenty-nine? twenty-nine? Or perhaps I should ask what did not happen to him that has made him choose thirty as the crucial age when all men give up loving and start lying? Because certainly most of the men 1 know who are labeled great lovers tire over thirty not much over and if they have their way it will be years before they move on from what is known as the early thirties. Is it possible that because they don't love they know how to love so well? I can think of three men if I'm not too conceited who bave been on my side of thirty. And if these men did not love or at least feel all the symptoms, then I'm ready to hand over all the palms I've been lucky enough to collect for doing imitations' for that trio. They can divide them while I, with my pride in the dust, will be heard murmuring through my sobs: "They ain't done right by me, Maw! they was only lettin' on!" I believe Mr. Durant really said men . over thirty are incapable of falling In love. Well I Maybe the men 1 have in mind now and certainly had in heart at different times, didn't fall maybe they just strolled in. I can only say that their service was satisfactory and to me, in my utter ignorance of philosophy and Its "uppercuts," they seemed just as capable of being in love as If they had fallen or even been pufhed into that delightful state. Mr. Durant said by love he meant true devotion. Ahl now there's the catch, True Devotion 1 The be devoted means, as 1 under - ' stand It, to devote one's time, atten lion, flowers, fruit, or whnl haven't you, to some one. Certainly a man of a certain age and a more certain salary can do ilia: better than a younger one. Cut true? Now if by true. Mr. Du rant means absolute fidelity, then I'll agree thai he Is right, only 1 wouldn't.-set wouldn't.-set any age limit. Don't misunderstand. I do not mean that all men are unfaithful, hut if it is accepted that "As a man thinketh. so is he." then I believe true devotion though much more talked about than the doilo bird, is jusi ahoul as rare. I have been asked whether I think a woman can fall in love alter thirty Of course. It takes the average worn- " an so Ion;; to reach thirty thai she's apt to be tired from holding oiii birth-days, birth-days, but being one whose years have been added up by experts who reiuem ber the date of my debut as a stai along with the dales of the Johnstown flood. Chicago tire. Japanese earth quake and other catastrophes, and having very little chance "f doing any subtle subtracting, I am here to ciiy that any woman who cannot . f;ill in love after thirty ought to he psychoan iilyzed, vaccinated or have her tonsils removed. Practice makes perfect, and some times perfect bliss. To many women love affairs under thirty can be classed as dress rehearsals. We prepare for war, for golt, ten nis, singing, dancing, even drinking he fore we become udept. Why not prepare pre-pare for the thing that makes the wot Id k'o round, and round, and some . times revet se? Very few women have the courage to rehearse without a license so they marry several men, not all at tine rime of course (although that would cut down rehearsal lime and expenses), and eventually they reach success. Whether they receive and give true devotion or not is another story, hu: they will usually assure you that they never really loved before. Certainly after thirty both men and women demand more of love than In extreme youth, that divine period before be-fore co-ordination of mind and body exists. I'lense notice I do not mention men-tion the heart In the combination for I believe the heart is about the last organ to let us down. There are surely men nnd women of sixty whose hearts still flutter at thoughtful attentions, kind words, and friendly smiles, but to love with the heart alone uius't be like trying to fly a plaue possessing only a rudder to guide it and wings to fly with If It could only rise to the sky. My theory is that at eighteen the heart In its youthful enthusiasm leads here and there, the body following joyfully, the mind saying I should worry! this Is not my alTairl Then at about twenty-live, the body says to the heart, l'ay a lot of attention atten-tion to me, I won't always be as beautiful beau-tiful as I am. I'd like something definite. The heart says, Oh! come on, let's Just browse along, it's such fun. And the mind says. It's ahoul time I stepped in. These two are making mak-ing a sap out of me. And the mind is right. Twenty-five is an ideal age for most anything, but not In the least discouraged by Mr. Durant's depressing observations, I say that at thirty the mind says to the heart and body, Listen, I'll be active when you two are helpless, so work with me. You each one do your stuff but let me help you, and a good time will be had by all. So let all of us, over the Durant deadline, stick together and prove that he is not entirely right. Personally, I'm going to keep on falling in love Just as long as I can And some one to rehearse with me. It may not be love but It certainly is extremely pleas-ant. ((c) 1928. by the Bell Syndicate. Inc.) |