The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1915-09-09
Marriage by
Movie
By LOUISE 3. CUMMINGS

Josh Robbins and Mahulda Jencks
were counting Saturday afternoon
when there was rap ut the door, and,
the summons being answered by Ma
hulda, she saw man with a camera.
BEG pardon" said the man. II am
working for film company. l have q
number Of one reel scenarios, and am
travelling through the country putting
them into films. the parts being taken
by the persons In the places where l
locate the plays. want young man
and a girl to take the part of pair Of
lovers. Can you accommodate mey
When this was put into language
that she could understand she went
in to interview Josh on the subject.
He had been trying for months to
screw up his courage to propose to Ma.
hulda, BUT thus far had failed. The
idea Of posing as lover for a movie
took him fiat aback, but Mahulda was
pleased.
The play was one of rustic simplici
ty, needing only Josh, Mahulda, her
mother, her little brothers and sisters
and dog. 1t was not long before the
machinery attached to the camera was
buzzing, and Josh and Mahulda, stand
ing on opposite sides of the gate, were
being photographed for the first scene.
One Of the film men stood by telling
them just what to do. He directed
Josh to try to feel like lover, talk
like q lover and act like q lover. Ma
hulda he instructed to draw continual
ly nearer to Josh until her lips were
very near his.
When the two pairs Of lips were but
a couple Of inches apart the instructor
intended to keep them there for awhile
for expectancy. but Josh could not
stand so fragrant temptation and
brought on climax too soon. The re.
suit was that 1t all had to be done over
again. This time Josh didn't do any
better than before, and the photogra.
pher excused him from another at.
tempt. though Josh was quite willing
and said he thought he could git the
hang of It after awhile"
After several unimpOrtant scenes had
been filmed Josh and Mahulda were
seated on bench just outside the
kitchen door, stealing love passages in
which kisses predominated. The chill
dren were playing about them, and the
camera party came in when they were
not looking. The last of this scene pic.
ture showed Mahulda's mother stealing
upon the couple to satisfy herself that
the engagement was about to take
place.
Then Josh was pictured mounted and
about to ride away somewhere. Be.
fore leaving he bent down and took
! another kiss. He rode down the turn.
pike only a short distance, and when
he returned one Of the film party was
sitting by Mahulda, the two being pho.
tographed in love passage. Josh was
told to ride into the field Of view, speak
a few angry words and ride away in
high dudgeon. But so angry was he
at seeing man in his place beside his
girl that he threw himself from his
horse and. selling his dramatic rival
by the collar, hustled him away, the
latter part of the film showing his boot
applied to the film mans person.
The picture men, far from being an
cry at this. were delighted, declaring
that it would make great hit. Josh,
having vented his ire satisfactorily
was ready to make up with Mahulda,
who reminded him that it was all
make believe, and the reconciliation
was performed to the perfect satisfac-
ton of the film men. A scene was
then introduced wherein Josh's dra-
matte rival was seen lurking about the
place. Josh from the house let 90
Watch. the four legged protector of
the farm. who made bee line for the
intruder. the latter making for the
gate. There was no time to open it,
and the man jumped. over It. leaving
the seat Of his trousers between
Watch's teeth.
The dnal scene was a wedding be-
tween Josh and Mahulda. The bride
was bound to have some sort of wed
ding outfit, and her mother got out
her own bridal dress and veil, which
her daughter put on. Then one of the
film men tied a white handkerchief
about his neck to represent a clergy
man, and the couple stood before him.
The children were grouped about, look
ing up at them with childish curiosity.
and by this time number of neigh
bors, having collected to see what was
| going on, We're placed at the door and