Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-09

Captain Bonavita. who for many years
has made the study OF wild animals both
his vocation and avocation. has recently
discovered that the 20 lions under his
supervision at the Bostock Arena, Los
Angeles, are expert weather prophets. In
order to get the best possible results from
tho lions Captain Bonavita has found that
Il is absolutely essential to watch them
closely. and It was during these obser-
vrtions that he discovered that their ac-
tions prophesied the coming weather.
Captain Bonavita declares:
1T Is a sure Indication of rain II the
lion changes his 'roar-tone' or shows re-
luctance to leave his lair, and by careful
study of the variations of these habits It
Is possible to tell whether or not the
storm will be severe. The extremes In
weather for the day are forecast by the
brutes in their seeming Indifference to
drinking. When leisurely and intermit-
tently tapping the water or when greedly
taking the last drop, If fearing to be
deprived of II, they herald bright day.
ut Is also possible to tell by the way
the lions act after they have taken their
water. If they sneak back to their lair,
II fs sure to rain; but II they linger close
TO the bars good day can be expected.
II the lions are at all restless, It denotes
unsettled weather.
Depending upon the forecasts of the
lions. a weather report is posted every
day outside the arena and crowds of
people gather about It, as they rely more
upon this report than they do upon the
weather man.
Lee Arthur's Scenario
Lee Arthur, the noted dramatist, who has
been especially engaged TO write eX-
clusively for the Edison Company, has
contributed his first three-reeler. Greater
Than Art" which will he one of the
features that Edison is now releasing
every week The story is n strong one,
that of young woman who sacrifices her
honor for art and then falls in love with
another young man, for whose success
she sacrifices her future in art. Mr..
Arthur has given his best thought to
stage plays for which he is well known.
Gertrude Mccoy will play the girl"
Duncan McRae the heavy. Bigelow
Cooper her father, and Edward Earle the
young man.
Two of Mr.. Arthur's photopays. "The
Last of the HarEroves' and From a
Life OF Crime" have already been pro-
duced by Edison. Mr.. Arthur is now
working at fever heat throwing off n
three-reeler every 10 days. His task he
says, is made more difficult by endeavor- 1
ing TO make the plays models of COM
pactness, for if there is one evil that Mr.
Arthur is explosive on-like all successful
dramatists-It is the padded story"
Old Play Filmed
The Famous Players Film Company has |
acquired the film rights to Madeline Lu-
cette Ryley's celebrated play, Mice and !
Men," once the popular starring vehicle |
of Annie Russell, in which they will short |
ly present Marguerite Clark. In Mice !
and Men, Miss Clark will portray the |
fascinating character of Little Peggy, |
the winsorne and pretty founding girl, |
who is adopted by tNe mIddle-aged Mark |
Embury, With the idea of educating her |
along his own lines In order that she may |
become an ideal wife for the intellectual |
old bachelor But. in accordance with f.
the truth upon which the title of the play |
Is founded "the lest laid plans of mice
and men oft go astray," as the kindly but |
philosopher learns to his sorrow.
Seeks Submarine Sensation
John p MCGOWAN, the Western Kalem
director who has for some time been TAX
Ing liberties with railroad trains, engines,
drawbr'd-es and such, without any worse
results than every now and then sustain
ing a broken leg or two. a fractured skull,
or a dislocated backbone. last week tenn
porarily transferred the scene of his oper-
atoms from Glendale, Cal, to San Pedro
Harbor.
He made stop at Long Beach, visiting
the Craig shipbuilding, yards. where II Is
said he tried to induce the CraIgs to al
low him the use of one of the subma-
rines that are being built for the Govern