The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-11-24

The girls who can accomplish great
things with their needles and crochet
hooks In odd moments during the day
are great wonders to me, for the rea-
son that I can never do anything like
that. Somehow don't seem to have
any moments that are odd
1t has always been an ambition Of
mine to sew, and have made a few
things, but not many compared with
what most girls, of my age make. The
girl who can sew can dress better
than the girl who can't on one-thrid
less money, and it must be wonder
full things to say, just off-hand as If it
wasn't anything at all: "Oh, yes, 1
made that blouse, embroidery and all.
That's nothing; have made finer ones
than that"
And In the meanwhile you are
! breathless with admiration over the
tiny, neat little stitches. To be able
to say: "Oh, that's nothing" about
anything so exquisite must be great
! reward for the labor and an immense
joy.
/ once made a bureau scarf, and at
another time | embroidered a little
corner on towel. finished 1t. l
always finish what l begin, but I don't
begin very much.
A Mistaken Impression.
But you must have great deal of
spare time in your studio between
calls" said girl to me one day. She
had made crochet bedspread, en-
broidered goodness knows how many
towels with birds and flowers and seal
lops, and had put all the family mono
grams on all the family's bed and ia
bic linen and wrapped both her grand
mothers rheumatism in soft warm
shawls she had knitted, all in a year,
and was stenographer in her fathers
office besides. And all l had to ex-
hibit was a bureau scarf and one little
corner of a towel.
I wish | could catch little odd mo-
ments and make them accomplish as
much as that, but she and you might
think were moments not engaged are
really full of work for me. For when
| am rehearsing for certain charac-
ter. am that character. and no imagi-
nation is strong enough to be, for in
stance, Tess. who, between the trag-
ic scenes of her life on the film is en-
gagged in her studio in punching eye
lets in a table cover.
When | am Tess, | am Tess all the
time. When not before the camera,
am in my studio thinking and breath
ing Tess. putting myself in her place,
experiencing her sorrows and feeling
too courageous and brave, too full of
fight 10 sit down and match silks and
Zephyrs.
A Personal Reproof.
At one time bought a lovely set OF
books to read in my studio. l gave
myself a lecture. l often do that, you
know
MARY Pickford," said sternly, life
is short, and yet look at all the time
you waste! Get some lovely books in
your studio. Read them between calls
and improve your mind, l really am
ashamed of you. Mary Pickford, that
you have not done this before"
Then, as l said, l got the books.
tried to read them. | gave myself
more lectures, just as sternly, but it
was of no use. just have to spend
the time between calls in doing moth
ing more serious than talking to a
friend or writing letters, and most
of the time don't do that much.
suppose 1t is because ! am en-.
gagged in concentration. If | were
called HAIRY" when putting on Gin.
derella, would not answer as quickly
as II l had ben called by the name OF
my film character. l tell you this to
show you how completely my work
takes me out of myself and how alb
solutely 1t controls me. l have tried
to read, have tried to sew, l have
tried to embroider, but when | do
these things my mind Is not occupied
with my scenario work as 1t should be