Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-06-15
eseoeoo . o 90 @ o 5000 Q .,
BY cLARIssA MAcKIE

nanny straitlaced persons. To visit
that town and become acquainted with
the inhabitants was like going back a
century. when the theater. playing
cards and all manner of amusements
We're considered wicked. There is a
story of q man who paved the way for
the enjoyment of the game of billiards
in the God fearing town of Philadel
phia during the early part of the last
century. He said that marbles We're
not considered wicked-why billiards?
Marbles We're stone, while billiard
balls We're ivory. Marbles We're shot
by the hand, billiard balls by stick.
Marbles We're played on the sidewalk
out of doors, while billiards were play
ed on a level bed in the house. Where
in lay the difference!
The good people of the Quaker City.
whose children could not be prevented
from playing marbles. concluded after
this discovery had been made that bill
lizards We're no more sinful and with
drew their opposition, and thereafter
billiards became fashionable.
1t was the fate of Miss Hitty to
make Il similar. discovery in Edgewood
Miss Kitty met Dick Hedges at
church sociable. Had she not met him
at a church Sociabie she would prob
ably never have met him ut ALL for
dancing was frowned upon in EDGE
wood. and without dancing Young poo
pies parties are considered duh. The
consequence was that, no one caring to
go to the trouble of getting up party
that was sure to be dull. parties were
not given.
But it would have made no differ
/, ence where these two happened to
| meet, for at once both recognized that
/. they We're made for each ether. and
after that they provided their own
| places of meeting, and very soon they
| We're engaged. Unfortunately Hedges
! was. poor and but one opening appear
! ed for him: that was Il position in an
| American tea house in China. Dick
availed himself of it and tore himself
! away from his betrothed Weeks.
/ months, even years passed. and he did
| not return
When the Palace movie theater open
| ed its doors in Edgewood the house
| of entertainment was looked upon With
disapproval by the church members.
AT first many of them declined to
even penetrate the mysteries beyond
| the white painted doors and the many
/ posters outside, but gradually one by
| one the villagers We're lured inside I'M
Til the venture promised to be n profit
able one. Even the ministers of the
| different churches visited the theater
from time to time to censor the plays
but on the whole it was decided that
/ it was a harmless diversion.
After Miss Hitty Morton made her
important discovery Edgewood took the
Palace theater to it's heart
Every one knew. that Kitty Morton
would have been married long ago #
Dick Hedges had ever returned from
| had never returned, and it was be-
lieved that he had died. One by one
his family had died or moved away
from Edgewood until there remained
only his old sweetheart, Hitty Morton.
who lived on Honeypot road, in little
red cottage near the bay. Some people
whispered that Dick had been faithless
to Kitty
The first time Kitty entered the walls
of the Palace she was bewildered by
the crowd of silent people, the fash
ing pictures on the screen. the novelty
of it ALL for she had never been in q
theater in all her simple life
But the screen pictures laid their
4 magic spell upon her, and she became
a devotee of the movies. Twice week
as regularly rs the program was
changed Kitty Morton could be found
sitting in the same seat halfway down
the room. her bright eyes eagerly fol
lowing the stories told by the screen
4 Deacon Peddie. who passed the col
lection plate in church. always scru-
tinted Hitty's contribution to detect
| whether or not she was enjoying The
semiweekly amusement at the expense
of the church but invariably iEitty@
silver dime would drop into the plate
Perhaps Hime Dayton. the butcher.
might have told another story, htt
Kitty was skimpin@ on her food She
was eating meat only twice week
now instead of three times.
one night in particular the posters
were more alluiing than ever. There
had been change of program that
day. but there was Il missionary meet
ing. and Kitty had postponed her going
TO the following night. Now she paus-
cd in front of the brightly lighted en-.
trance and studied the colored posters.
"All For Love-" That sounded thrill,
ing. with rescue at sea. Pictures of
the sea always attracted her
Visits to Strange Lands" Hitty
thrilled with anticipated pleasure for
she dearly loved these travel pictures.
giving slimpses of strange lands and
strange people. perhaps the countries