The Ely miner., 1915-12-03

IbE lucS, UluQ IL Naturally, tuCoc
actor folk don't talk about tho play
all the time they're acting. l take 1t
that it becomes sort of second ma,
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 fine dinner
that was last night, and will the roads
be good for autoing next week?
II 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 teacn
me the deaf-and-dumb language. He
didn't know why l wanted it, but he
taught it to me-"
Finger language?" l asked.
mo, sir. Progressive institutions
don't teach that any more. It's lip
reading l took job there as porter.
I knew could always get forty-dol-
lar job when l wanted it. I'm a spe-
cialist in wool goods, and there's al
ways an opening for low-priced man.
took job as porter in the institution
and worked there six weeks. At the
end of that time l could read lip lam
guage Then / began watching the
films"
He turned on me fiercely and
grasped me by the arm.
'I've been watching her every night
since then" he said T've heard every.
thing she's said to Howe. When she
had first left me of course they were
just friends. After 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 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 later play than the last.
The minute l hear her tell him she
loves him I'm going to find him and
kill him."
"The 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 1 watched the lips of the
characters. The words they spoke
and discovered for the first time that
they really spoke-seemed quite di-
vorced from the parts that they were
playing. But. strive as hard as
might, could not understand word.
The man at my side suddenly seized
me by the arm again.
did you hear? Did you hear?" he
whispered. Hes telling her that he
loves her. He's asking her to get
divorce from me-"
| stared at the screen. John Howe
was in the midst of furious alterca-
tion with Julia Rome, who, posing as
his abandoned wife, was clinging to
him, begging him to take her back for
the sake of the children. He thrust
her from him and sent her staggering
across the room.
He's saying that her love for me Is
dead and that he has loved her since
the first day they met" whispered my
companion, never relaxing his fierce
grasp upon my arm.
The pictures changed. turned
and, though could hardly see the face
of the forty-dollar man, 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 mus
Gle. And l 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 woman of such
rare talent and of such beauty would
be content with her husband in little
leased two-family house somewhere in
the suburban region of the metropolis
The lights went up again. Now !
could see my companions face. He
was trembling, and perfectly white.
did you hear? No, but of course
you couldn't" he muttered. ''She told
him-she told him that she had never
loved anyone but me. She said that
she never wanted to see his face
again. She said that she was going
to leave the stage and return to me-"
Thank God" said softly.
What am / going to do? l am not
worthy of her. do not deserve her
forgiveness"
Forget it," I answered. You've
had picture play in your own family
and haven't known it. That's ALL Go
home and write to her like man and
ask her pardon"
Il believe you're right" muttered
the little man.
He rose and went out. / never saw
him again. But, as everyone knows
Julia Rome has not yet renewed heI
contract.