The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-12-04

- ~ VI eO2VAA AN
ture to them. They can be killing
each other, and breaking Jail, and
making love, and all the while they're
telling each other what a fine dinner
that was last night, and will the roads
be good for autoing next week?
Il have a brother in the education
business. He has charge of an insti.
tuition for deaf and dumb children. l
went to him and asked him to teach
me the deaf-and-dumb language. He
didn't know why l wanted it, but no
taught it to me-"
Finger %language?" l asked.
No, sir. Progressive institutions
don't teach that any more. It's lip
reading. l took a job there as porter.
knew | could always get a forty-dol-
lar job when l wanted 1t. I'm a spe-
cialist in wool goods, and there's al.
ways an opening for a low-priced man.
took a job as porter in the institution
and worked there six weeks. At the
end Of that time l could read lip Ian
guage. Then l began watching the
films"
He turned on me f~iercely and
grasped me by the arm.
I've been watching her every night
since then" he said. I've heard every.
thing she's said to Howe. When she
had first left me of course they were
just friends. After a couple Of months
the new plays were coming on, and
she looked kind of sad. Once heard
him tell her to cheer up. Well, she
looked grateful. sir-he was chasing
her round the block then, and she
looked grateful just for a second. when
he had her by the hair. That started
me thinking.
After that he began making love to
her. Never one instant did he stop.
And she didn't say much, Just kept
quiet and went on with her work"
"Hush-sh!" exclaimed the audience.
The forty-dollar man whispered:
This is a later play than the last.
The minute l hear her tell him she
loves him I'm going to find him and
kill him"
1 h screen was working. A success
sion of figures passed and repassed.
Julia Rome and John Howe occupied
the center most of the time. And now
the fascination of the game had begun
to take hold of me. Instead of watch.
ing the play l watched the lips of the
characters. The words they spoke
and | discovered for the first time that
they really spoke-seemed quite d.
vorced from the parts that they were
playing. But, strive as hard as l
might, l could not understand a word.
The man at my side suddenly seized
me by the arm again.
Did you hear? Did you hear?" he
whispered. He's telling her that he
loves her. He's asking her to get a
divorce from me-"
l stared at the screen. John Howe
was in the midst of a furious alterca-
ton with Julia Rome, who, posing as
his abandoned wife, was clinging to
him, begging him to take her back for
he sake of the children. He thrust
her from him and sen her staggering
the room.
He's saying that her love for me is
dead and that he has loved her since
first day they met" whispered my
neve relaxing his fierce
grasp upon my arm.
The pictures changed. / turned
and, though l could hardly see the face
Of the forty-dollar man, l knew that
the crisis of his life was at hand.
heard him breathing hard through his
nostrils. And still his fingers gripped
my sleeve as if they were steel claws.
Suddenly the grasp relaxed. The
man sank back in his place.
watched him; he did not move a mus.
And wondered at what decision
he had arrived. To tell the truth |
had not formed the highest impress.
sion of Julia Rome. 1t did not seem
credible to me that a woman of such
rare talent and of such beauty would
content with her husband in a little
eased two-family house somewhere in
suburban region of the metropolis.
The lights went up again. Now
could see my companions face. He
vas trembling, and perfectly white.
Did you hear? No, but of course
you couldn't" he muttered. She told
lim-she told him that she had never
owed anyone but me. She said that
she never wanted to see his face
again. She said that she was going
leave the stage and return to me-"
Thank Cod" l said softly.
What am l going to do? am not
of her. l do not deserve her
Forget it," I answered. You've
a picture play in your W family
haven't known it. That's all. Go
lone and write to her like a man and
lsk her pardon"
81 believe you're right" muttered
he little man.
He rose and went out. / never saw
lin again. But, as everyone knows,
lula Rome has not yet renewed her
contract.
ST, Nicholas the Scholars saint