The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-12-02


/ Each day my mail is weighted down
with letters which, after reading, al
ways leave me with heartache and a
desire to gather the poor, unhappy lit
tie writer's under my wing like Mother
Carey's chickens. am speaking Of the
| letters written to me by the young
| girls who have had bitter experiences
in the motion picture studios, or girls
! penned up in some store or unhappy
home eager to get into the whirlpool
OF our life and become part of it.
What prompts them to do this often
/ is because Of their friends assurance:
You are much prettier than Mary
Pickford and here you are shaving for
$18 a week. Look at the money she
is making"
BY return mail l advise her: "Your
photograph is beautiful and I do not
know when I have seen lovlier eyes.
But-are you an actress? Do you be-
lfeve IL you were called upon the stage
to portray characters from the comedy
and drama of life you could do it? Be
sure of yourself, for SO much suffering
has been the result Of ill-advised girls"
was in a store one day when a very
pretty girl behind the counter leaned
over and asked me, Pardon me, hut
aren't you the Mary Pickford OF the
movies?"
I smiled at her, though the word
movies" always sends little shfvery
quivers down my spine.
Too Good to Keep.
My smile had encouraged her to
talk. I'm going to be movie act
ress. too" she told me. 1--WE already
given 'em notice here. I quit Satur-
day"
"You are very pretty" replied.
looking at her large blue eyes and her
gold red hair HAS some studio made
you an offer better than you are max
ing here?"
Il should say So" And her eyes
fairly danced with excitement. Five
dollars a day"
"Yes, but did they offer you a re-
tanning salary? BY that l mean did
they guarantee you so many days
week."
The lines about her mouth deepened
and I could sense her disappointment
because l had spoken of the thorns
upon the rosebush.
mo" she answered reluctantly,
"they didn't say anything about that,
but they did tell me a girl like me
could find work anywhere"
81 would wait few weeks longer" |
cautioned her. at Is the best to be
sure Of your landing place before you
leap"
Then I was called away and, turning
around, overheard her saying: Gee!
She talks like an old woman, don't
she? But you bet won't let her in
fluence me-"
A few weeks later I went into the
store and the girl of the redgold lair
was gone. she's been working at a
moving picture studio for over a
week." the girl who had her place told
me, land making so much money she
don't know what to do with It,"
1t was true She had been working
for eight days and had made $40. She
had dreamed her little dream and 1t
had come true.
But here is the brief history of the
girl for l met her months after. back
in the store. A friend had told her
of the fabulous salaries made by the
actresses. Why shouldn't she try for
it? So from the telephone book she
made an alphabetical list Of the studios
and started out on her Saturday after
noon off
At the A studio they complimented
neT, as luey pOllIefy w Will every OHe,
and told her they might use her any
day. But the man in the office, look
ing at her closely, saw that her eyes
were too light blue to photograph
we'll and her coloring, her greatest
charm, would be lost. He took her
name and address. but it was tucked
away among countless thousands of
registered names.
She waited at the studio for three
hours, sitting on a bench with dozen
others. Finally the man came out and
told them he was too busy to inter
view them-they would have to return
on the morrow.
But at the c studio they happened
to need a few extra girls for Sunday
scene which had been wedged In I'M
expectedly. Have you an evening
dress?" asked the man. The question
frightened her. She had one evening
dress hut she had not thought of