The San Francisco call., 1910-08-21
Reported by Adnana Spadoni

ANSPOANOO Og A0ilolo Opo0Oui
M nickelodeon hend. It came upon
me gradually, crept over me in less
than a year. Now I am quite a hope
less case. once can remember.
thought they were dirty and cheap and
vulgar. It made me sick TO sit in the
dark with so many people. any one who
could pay a nickel, up close TO me. 1t
doesn't make me sick now, not even in
the small ones that get close and hot, so
that ] can feel the air over my mouth
like wool. It's only when I first go IN
soon get used TO II. OF course I have
my favorites. but I go TO the others,
too. I like them best at night when
they're all lit up with colored lights
outside and the electric piano plays
loudest- Sometimes I think I'll just
walk by and won't go in. Maybe
could If the piano didn't play. But 1
can't pass the electric pianos. There
are others like me. I often see them
the same faces, sitting in the same
places. But they're all men. mostly
tired looking old men. I never see an
other woman, always alone, the way I
am.
At first I used TO think that was why
] went, because I was alone and had no
one 20 talk TO. But once when one Of
the girls at my table in the factory was
laid of and came to stay with me to
save room rent somehow we went just
the same. She was company. but think
=
understand what was happening and
she could never tell ahead of time
always know after the second picture
just how the story's coming out can
tell the people in the different pictures,
too. But she couldn't. If the same girl
was a queen in one place and an Indian
IN another, she thought there were two
people. 1t was an awful trouble having
to explain things TO her. 1 was glad
when she went away. There was a
little boy behind me the other night
who had TO do the same thing for his
grandmother. 1t was the first time the
old lady had ever been to a cent the
ater. but the little fellow had seen
every picture nine times. He just talked
right along. telling her what was going
to happen and what to look for. The
old lady was so excited she kept bob
bing around trying to get it all at once.
When the roll came around to the first
picture again the little boy took her
hand 10 help her up 1 could feel in my
back she didn't want to go and then I
heard her whisper. Lets stay, Jimmy
want to see 'em once more Maybe I
kin tell EN- by myself now" I guess
that's why / don't get tired of seeing
them more than once-not the good
ones. After / know the story real well,
like to find the same people in differ
ent pictures, and watch the different
tricks they have in each part. I'm real
sorry when some of them have to do
things they don't like I'm sure they
don't like them because they act so
dead. There's one girl makes such a
fine queen. I hate to see her do any
thing else. 1 know exactly how 1t is,
because when they took me off shirts
and put me on overalls at the factory.
didn't care whether I stitched straight
or not.
wouldn't read stories like those.
I'd go to sleep trying to keep track of
whether the white girl or the Indian
one got him. / don't believe even some
OF those bank robberies could keep me
awake. But it's different to see It.
It's because people move as II they
were alive, I suppose. I've sat with my
heart in my mouth waiting for mine
to blow up. just as If the whole thing
were right there in front OF me. Why,
there's one piece, 1 guess I've seen 1t
ten times. and 1 grip the arms of the
chair every time. It's about the French
revolution. 1 always side with the
poor man. even when he's wrong, be-
cause you can be sure he's had enough
10 make him that way; but somehow
TO see that shrieking wild mob drag
ging out those ladies, such dainty,
frightened ladies in pretty dresses. and
those brave young men trying hard TO
defend their homes-well, no, I'm not
going back on my belief, but 1 guess
there are two sides to everything
I'm not the only one that forgets the
pictures aren't real. The other day a
well dressed man about 20 was in front
OF me and when the Indian girl, who
was bound 10 the branch OF q tree over
q swift river, began to wriggle. trying
TO loosen the ropes, he made me lose
track OF the picture myself watching
him. He leaned forward with his ell
bows on the chair in front of him and
hardly breathed till the girl undid the
knots and dropped safely into the water.
When she came UP. striking out for the
other bank. he sat back with q little
grunt OF pleasure.
I like TO sit near people like that
1t doesn't seem so lonely. After all
there's something kind OF sad about
nickelodeons when you happen to feel
that way. They're such passing things
The pictures, the people are always on
the move. going away, leaving you be-
hind. In a theater it's different
Everybody comes IN at the same time
and you feel you're all going to stay
there together till it's over. Every