The Washington herald., 1917-02-24

Sometimes 1t seems to me we do not
realize how infinitely dear and precious
someone Is to US until we. lose them.
Esme-was q little French actress who
played for while in our California
studios at Hollywood. She was in the
first Joan" scenes and bid fair, under
STOOD. TO become very successful. She
was only about 20, and Miss Farrar had
taken personal interest in her.
When she was transferred to tho Fa-
nous Players Studio in New York. and
the union with the Lasky forces. i grew
to know her. 1t was impossible not to
feel warm personal interest in her, she
, was so vivacious. SO keen witted, so
brimful Of joyous girlish camaraderie
But / often wondered why girl who
| merited and won SO much admiration
should apparently place SO little value
on II. She was being trusted with really
very important parts for such an ingenue
and new conner, and her future looked
wonderfully promising.
One day in the early autumn / came
upon her suddenly Just stepping out OF one
Of the little side rooms used by our d.
rectors in the main studio. She had been
crying, her beautiful dark eyes were red
and swollen. and she seemed completely
overcome.
why. what on earth is the matter
Esme?" / exclaimed. wondering II she
COulQ POSSIBLY nave Deen OlsClpllntu III
any way. I drew her to one side, out of
the range Of light, and put my arm
around her.
IT must return to France immediate
ly," she said brokenly. Il cannot stay
here doing nothing for all of them. 1t is
too much. I shall throw up everything,
and sail at once"
"You mean that you have lost some one
near and dear to your
"Oh, no." she responded. mo one OF
my own people, but are not We, we chill
dren of France. all drawn together now
by the one great agony Of our mother
land?"
She sailed the following Wednesday. j
knew that she had had no training to Mt
| her for Red Cross service, and wondered
what special line of relief work she would
go into. Then came a letter from her.
| "Ah, do you know what I am doing
n am q godmother! 1 found that the
! girls of the student quarter had banded
| together to care for little orphans left
by their colleague compatriots. Thirty
dollars guaranteed each year sufticed for
one, and the girls were caring for thirty
four. Now see what we have done, We
girls of the moving picture studios. We
are caring for the little ones left by our
people who have fallen at the front.
Rene D. was killed two weeks ago.
We have his twins up at my apartment.
and next week l am sending them to the
country, Just outside Of Barbizon. An
adorable old lady there will care for
them. Marcelle V.-you remember her
surely. and her wonderful work as Mi
Iady-she has been left a widow. with
three little ones, and has lost her mind
over the horrors here. Her little ones
leave for Auvergne with several others.
| Do you wonder that 1 am thrilled with
what we are accomplishing"
I was SO interested in the letter that 1
| passed 1t around the studio. Among
others who read It was Bob L.. He
was a big, handsome boy who had been
out in California at the same time as
| Esme. After he had read the letter. he
said:
Miss Pickford, I've been several kinds
of a fool. Perhaps you don't know it.
| but I'm rather a serious minded sort of
| fellow, and I'd always determined /
| would never let my heart run away with