The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-02

was the guillotine.
The life Of the picture and at the
same time a contrast with the instru-
ment Of death were the gay companies
dining within and without the cafe.
The men wore the cooked hat, the
rufied shirt bosom. the long double
breasted waistcoat, the high coat col.
lar and the tight trousers in vogue at
the end Of the eighteenth century. The
women wore the short waist dresses
and poke bonnets. The revolution had
| either guillotined or drawn into exile
most Of the refined women OF France
and brought into prominence those
whom We would now call fast" II not
abandoned. Such were the persons
eating and drinking at the tables on
the Champs Elysees In sight Of the
machine that was every day Kidding
France OF its aristocrats.
Within this effective scene was q
more minute one-the group about
Marat With Charlotte Corday at q
neighboring table. Both the face of
Marat and that Of Charlotte were a
study, the former unconscious that the
girl he admired was to kill him, the
efforts OF Mime. Du Four to hold his
attention. which kept wandering away
to Charlotte: the latter aware Of her
advantage In his admiration, trusting
to 1t to give her access to his presence
when ready to strike the fatal blow.
The author OF Charlotte COrday,"
the picture play, introduced one scene
that rendered all this thrilling. Amid
the gayety about the tables, reckless
men and brazen women talking. loung-
ing, drinking. Marat and Charlotte the
central figures, there is a commotiOn
about the guillotine. A beautiful wom-
an Is strapped to 1t, the ak falls, and
by one of those quick transitions COM
mon In moving pictures her head APP
pears to roll into the basket.
Such is an imperfect word descrip-
ton of one Of the most notable scenes
ever attempted to be placed on the
screen. The company chosen to enact
1t before the camera were gathered and
taking their positions. Marat was be
Ing posed; Charlotte was seating her
self; men and women were arranging
themselves In groups. Then. when all
was ready, the signal was given and
the company, consisting OF hundreds Of
persons, was under fire of the camera.
The pantomime had continued for
some time when the Photographic d.
rector called a halt. Going to Marat,
he led him apart from the others and
whispered something In his ear. While
he was doing SO Marat cast fright
ened glance at Charlotte. The man.
ager went back to his position of OBJ
servation. and the photographing re-
commenced. The chat, the laugh, the
the conviviality went on, each actor or
actress Intent on his or her part, for
In picture play everything counts;
there is no deadwood.
When the scene of the execution
came the only attention paid to It, ex-
cept on the part of Charlotte. was that
number of persons raised their
glasses. and the pantomime indicated
that they were drinking to one more
aristocrat put out Of the way. As for
Charlotte, a close observer would have
seen a deep purpose In her eye. As
the head Of the guillotine's victim fell
Into the basket she rose, ran like a
flash to the table occupied by Marat,
at the same time drawing a dagger
from underneath the kerchief crossing
her breast and plunged 1t into his heart.
An indescribable confusion followed,
The buzzing OF the machinery moving
the film ceased. Every one ran to
Marat. the men standing, the women
screaming. for all knew that this was
not the assassination scene and It was
believed that he had been really
struck down. He never spoke again.
AS to Charlotte. she withdrew q lit
tie from the group about the man she
had killed and stood trembling. Then
FOR the first time It was noticed that
there was wild look in her eye. She
was led away. and none OF the COM
pany ever saw her again.
The picture play Of Charlotte Cor |
day was never put on the screen for |
the public. The films were run |
through before the management and !
the murder scene was pronounced a
wonder. But there was 20 much objec-
ton to It on the part Of Miss Stanley's |
relatives and others that the nlms
were destroyed.
Nevertheless Il has been whispered
that the films comprising this scene OF
an actual tragedy were not given over
to destruction. It Ii claimed that pri. !
Vate exhibitions OF this unintended
part Of the play have been given for
managers and their friends. Whether
or not this Is true, there can be no
doubt that so realistic a scene, EN-.
bodying tragedy. has never been put
on the films.
One question: psychological one !,
has never been settled. Was Margue-
rite Stanley's act the result of an In.
sanity caused by 30 long playing 30
emotional a part, or was It caused BY
Jealousy, or was 1t a combination of
bothf Esterbrooke was the only per
son that suspected she was In love
with him, and had she been would not
she have shown 1t to others? But its
appearing only to him does not prove
that 1t did not exist. 1t seems most
likely that the act was the result of
insanity, caused by the prolonged repe-
dtion Of a single act of a highly emo
tional nature, but momentariIy inten-
sifed by jealousy.
Awful Thought.
Frances has been taught to use only
he choicest English, colloquialisms
Ind all other departures from the lin