The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-11-17

! have great sympathy with the
housekeeper who complains that there
are days when even the frying pan and
the broom are out Of sorts and pos
ssessed with a desire to hamper her in
her work. -.-...-. ..--
We Of the screen know just how she
feels, for II q spirit Of contrariness
ever controls inanimate objects 1t is
right here in the studio. 1t looks some
days as II the property arranged for
ono reel deliberately creeps off and
gets misplaced when wanted for SEE.
ond appearance, and as II 1t were not
enough to worry and hamper the di.
rector and the stage hands, this same
little imp OF contrar1ness intrudes IN
the dressing room, causes the brush to
tsnarl up the hair 1t Is supposed to
straighten, hides tho makeup greases
and induces the Jar OF cold cream to
fall to the floor with smash.
think II begins with the weather
pThe director has given orders that we
who are his human tools be prepared
to 70 out on q location, which means q
day spent in taking pictures out OF
doors. We are up earlier. feeling hap
pier because of the order, and find
Clouds and rain.
.,.,. A Veritabie Bedian.
This sudden change in plans doesn't
make any one glad he is alive, and we
retire to our dressing rooms. waiting
for q call to go on In great big, noisy
studio, typewriters clicking in all the
little rooms bordering the big room In
the center; carpenters tearing down
the Italian villa of yesterday and using
the pieces to make a backwoodsman' S
cabin to be used tomorrow; men shout
Ing at their helpers and scoiding at the
boys: hammering and saving and
scolding and shouting and clicking
OF typewriters that combine to make a
maddening roar. and there. with all
that noise ingulfing us, to make love
in ,ay that causes young hearts to
anticipate and old Learts to grow rem
iniscent; to die in fashion that will
bring tears, or to do something that
will brinS a laugh when we couldn't
hear ourselves laugh although we had
the chest power Of Niagara.
It is very trying to concentrate I'M
der these maddening conditions, and
We could not do as well as we Go II 1t
were not for q sense of humor. I think
this trick OF finding something funny
In every situation Is one Of the first
lessons stage folks learn. There are
disbursements to begin with; they
must learn to laugh at them or they
can never get on, and this laugh habit
stays with them to the ned.
! Peculiar to the Profession.
! am quite sure that no other profess
sion or occupation develops this sense
OF humor as surely as the theatrical.
Zone thing that convinces me Is the
|sight Of the waiting room every morn
ling through which pass on my way to
my dressing room. There are seats
Hong the wall. and sitting in them are
bid men and old women who have seen
Aeir best days and who now must act
hot to win fame. but to eat! The trag'
,edy of their circumstances appalls me,
,ut I do not believe they take the sit
iation as seriously as I, for they sit
lack in their chairs and laugh heartily
III one another's jokes as II they re.
Igarded the wait for q chance to earn
the days bread as the rarest Of witt
'cisms. They are optimistic to dan
gerous extreme. The touch Of hunger
today never destroys their faith in d
banquet tomorrow. They are like ca
ger little children, and one would think
TO see their bright, interested eyes,
that the call they are hoping for Is to
understudy some star instead OF an OBJ
scure part given them largely from a
sense Of compassion.
They learned we'll their lesson in
laughing at difficulties. and I thank
heaven they did. It is a fine thing to
meet troubles and reverses bravely.
and it is a finer thing also to laugh.
The new philosophy that makes a
sense of humor the browning human
trait is the kind that appeals to me. 1t
seems to me parents should so farther
than say Don't cry" to their children.
They should say instead, 81, ugh"
The child taught to laugh Is happier,
healthier and brighter. Particularly is
good humor matter of health II pres
snt at ones meals. My mother never
permitted any scolding. cross words.
bad news or wrangling at the dining
room table. We did not always have
the Injuries that we craved. but we
were taught to eat what was served us
with merry contented spirit. An
over-done steak or an under-done po-
tato harms no one II laugh goes with
1t. A laugh always went with ours.
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.
To l.. NJ. B., of Atlanta, Ga, who IS
discouraged because two scenarios
have been returned. Don't feel that
way II twenty have been rejected. Put