Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-24

operator. IT'S dollars to pins that every
man, woman and child of responsible age
down there among the lookers-on thinks
that somebody up here or somewhere-half
OF them don know where we are-mOVeS
the machine keep the picture on
the screen while that fellow walks along
the track. But such is not the case. You
VIII notice that this machine of ours is
screwed fast to the floor, and that l
couldn't move it if 1 wanted to. The fell
low with the camera does that moving
or following act. If You will stop and
think hard for moment you will soon
decide that he is the only person who
could produce that effect because, you
see he is the man who is taking the pic
ture."
Ghost pictures are shrouded in the
deepest mystery. Masonic signs and
words become of rare insignificance in
comparison with the silent, mystifying
looks and glances that confront the
quiZZeS as to how the moving ghost
pictures are produced. That is a secret
of the trade. and it is doubtful if any
man dare ask for information more
than once Not an operator or man
ager any person connected with
moving picture house in Washington
will divulge the secret. 1t borders on
the awfulness of what is or was tt
press the question.
Tears? Do we shed 'em sometimes
over the picture on the screen? Say.
mister and the operators eyes filled
and his voice Quavered as he laid
hand upon the shoulder of his visitor,
we do sometimes when the picture
shows something like We have seen at
home-something like a scene in my
own home, where my little girl lay
dead while 1 turned the crank and I'M
wound the film.
81 was alone in this box here one
night, turning off what we call funny
picture. when messenger boy came up
the ladder and gave me a telegram which
told me that my little girl was dead and
for me TO come home at once. With one
hand turning the crank. had opened the
telegram with the other, after tearing
aIart the envelope with the aid of my
teeth. Can you imagine more distress
ing ordeal? Again with one hand L turned
the crank of the picture machine, while
needed the other 10 keep the tears out of
my eyes so / could see how TO operate
the machine. The picture had been start
ed a few minutes before l received the
telegram. and. being alone, / was forced
to keep the motion picture going. 1t was
a funny picture, and every time the spec
tators were convulsed in merriment it
seemed TO me my heart would break. OF
course. the situation aided in increasing
my misery. and when the picture was
finally unwound and another man came
to go on with the work l almost fell off
the stool.
1T was all brought forcibly back when
l operated the machine a few months
later and saw a telegraph operator go
through practically the same thing-the
death of his child while he remained at
his key through the night, and thus saved
the lives of many. perhaps, by his respect
for attention to duty.
again, il is not all sadness here. We
enjoy the pictures as a rule just
much as the spectators. except that
they become tiresome before the day
is ended, provided, of course. we look at
them more than two or three times We
become skilled in reading the lips Of the
picture players, because, for some rea-
son or other, we are pracucing all the
time. In this We pay no attention to the
plot of the play after We see 1t once. as
a rule. but devote the time in seeing how
close We can come to repeating what the
actors lips seem to say.
The danger to operators has been
almost removed by the application of the
shutter, which drops over the photo plate
when the operator stops turning the ham
die BY the strong condensation of light
that passes through the photo plate and