The Natchitoches enterprise., 1917-07-05

I
miles. A lew regular actorines, il
long purple and red robes over theil
white ones had big trays of flowers anC
were practicing scattering them alone
the path to the fountain, while haras
sed director counted aloud, to gauge
how long it would take. About that
time the sun began to beam, and with
those white columns and walks, it was
blazing glare, and the poor bare-armeC
things were burning red. | was GLAD
to be in the corner, and one tall maiden
with blue eyelid who came to our corner
for rest said I'll be alright for an
Egyptian handmaiden without any
make up, after couple days Of this.
Then man hustled in and of course
spied US. He stopped short, and in
quired why in the duce we weren't in
the dressing room. | told him we were
just looking on, and he said that was
against the rules; who were we looking
on Jor?' To see how it all works, Il
said as plaintively as | could, "for our
selves, and the folks back home" 'In
old Kentucky?" he said with a grin,
and l said no, La. So he chuckled a
bit, and scribbled on a card that Mr..
Lasalle gave US permission to take it
all in, or words to that effect, and if
we decided we wanted to supe, they
! would use hundreds again the last three
days of the week. Then he went on
and began roaring at the poor supes,
who were just like sheep, all following
leader, and usually in the wrong di-
rection. My friend, the gate keeper
who took quite fancy to Kenneth,
secured tiimsy bench from the court,
painted to represent marble one OF
the period, and we were in the corner
by him, and he enjoyed commenting on
any and everything. The gate.keepers
all seem sadly disillusioned, you know
we get quite friendly with the one
where Mary Sunshine works, and this
, one was full Of the jargon of the stu
| dios, and | listened in rapt attention,
so he kept up running stream of pat
ter, occasionally stopping to let some
| regular punch the time clock, or inspect
supe's pass. He was from Iii. he
said, and had worked in several studios,
but found the work hard and not nearly
so regular as he expected, and so he
drifted into this work. He was q
splendid looking man, but while shrewd,
was very ignorant, and of course it
takes brains to be an actor as we'll as
looks. He kept wondering why We
didn't don robes and go into it. Then
you'll see it all, be in the midst of it for
the day, and besides, youth get yours.
"What'll / get?" | wanted to know,
and he said impressively, "Two dollars
and ten cents, lunch check, a break
fast check if you come as early as some
did and bloomin' sunburn. $50 l
declined politely, tho l told Hazel last
night if she'd go out with me some day
just for the lark, we could supe our
selves and see how it felt. Now a
couple of men with long sticks came out
and stationed themselves on each side
of the columns, to shoe back any new
conner who might walk into the range
of the camera, and q red faced man
with negaphone, and Mr.. l.asalle en-
tered. and then the hover fdaics came
out, and after they had grouped by the
FLASHING fountain, thru the columns
poured the men, great browny fellows,
in tiny killed skirt with colored edges,
bracelets, and helmets. Then a bunch
in togas, arm in arm, and few great
bearded fellows with shields. They
We're followed by the nine hundred
ulSLl, aL1u SuCi q l AStl, eIlu EOdIS 11OW-
ever, ! must say they did better than
the women, who would get started al
right, then rush and you should have
heard the director below. He didn' t
use the choice language had been led
to expect, but he did call them block
heads, bone-heads, wooden-heads, and
some fifty other terms descriptive of
their noodles. The poor things got so
fused they We're worse than ever, but
finally they got the idea-it seems de-
cidedly against directors principles to
explain just what he means, the first
time--and after a couple more prac-
tice. they began to grind the cameras,
and get to work. Then they all troop
ed back thru the columns, for the big
temples etc were on the other side,
and we entered into conversation again,
content to stay in our cool corner with
the interesting old gate man. About
this time big electric rolled up, and
the driver held the door open for slim
woman, in soft gray. with big gray
cape, and gray bonnet-effect head piece.
She came right on in the gate, but my
friend barred it and said, Cant let
you in, nam. They're filming right
now, and nobody permitted without q
pas. Got a pass2" '.No, have not, !"
she said calmly, and raised big dark
eyes to his face, but before he could
say another word, about ten men rush
ed after her, and one said, ''This way,
Miss Bars, and they all swept in. OF
course when she smiled / recognized
her, and had risen and was punching
the mans arm, to tell him, out didn't
blame him, for who would expect
vampire to run around in dove cos
tune? He stared after her minute,
then he said, good night Here's
where I'm canned!' and said it so loud
and so expressively that Miss Bara
came back few steps, and said, mot
on nay account, my good man. You
were perfectly right, = and then went
on. He sat down and mopped his face,
and FOR once was reduced to mere shak-
ing of his head Her voice matched
her clothes, not her reputation, and it
it hadn't been for those smooth dark
locks and big eyes, don't suppose
would have recognized her either, but /
have seen her in a series of plays at
Millers lately. She had no makeup on,
either, and certainly did not give the
impression she was meant to play Cleo
She didn't waste glance on me, but
she smile at my son--the vampires are
all alike, and he trotted several yards
after her before I called him back
She vanished into the big studio with
the cavaliers, and spent the morning
inspecting her scenery. After while
a youngster named Harry came along,
and my friend turned las over to him
with directions to show US around, so.he
took US thru the Cleopatra scenery. It
was remarkably complete, and beauti-
fully decorated, especially the interior
and we watched two men making
statues for it, too, they had mannikins
ten or more feet high, wrapped with