The Meeker herald., 1917-09-29
Writing a
Picture Play
ASsory Showing That a Villain
Can't Be Made Of =
Good Model
By =. A. MlTcnEL

tanced meL Ia in becoming movie stars.
| The plays that attract most are those
| written for some woman. On the
screen we see a dozen women stars to
one man star. 1t stands to reason that
women are best adapted to write see
narios for women heroines. i, wo-
man, tried my hand at this kind Of
work and at my first attempt made q
brilliant success. Thus encouraged and
having the proceeds of my play in my
purse, l concluded to try again. Since
was working on velvet-to use q
slang expressiOn-and since l thought
| to gather inspiration by visiting the
location of my next play. went to
the country and put up Mt the Waver-
ly inn, small family hotel delightful
| ly located and overlooking a winding
| stream.
The time chose for my sojOurn
there was when the leaves were bud
ding and the birds were mating. There
Is no more delightful season to me
than this, when the sun, having return
ed from his winter journey southwark,
warns the earth to bring forth a hSw
progeny. 1t Is the season Of love for
man. for beast and bird and everything
endowed with that mysterious some
| thing which no scientist has yet been
able to deflne-life.
The inn was surrounded by farm
ing country. For this reason had
chosen 1t, because l proposed that my
play should portray group Of country
| persons. ] had not laid out scheme.
preferring that my play should be grad
ually evolved among the persons and
the scenery to be put on the screen.
| The only feature had in mind was
| love affair between a country lad
and lass. They were to he my hero
and heroine. What they should do.
what other persons should introduce.
were either not decided upon or in
embryo.
Hearing that there was to be dance
| In barn In the neighborhood. con-
cluded to attend 1t. hoping to get some
material. The gathering took place
early In the evening before the long
twilight had fairly begun. and when
darkness came 1t was softened by Chi
nese lanterns. ~
|
and girls that might use for models,
and selected one couple that were
dancing together most OF the time and
who indicated by their bearing toward
| each other that they were incipient
lovers.
On the opposite side Of the barn
from which had taken my position
Us observer was man whom l could
not class. He was not countryman.
and yet his rough dress did not mark
him for city man. He was ten years
yond the average age of the dancers
and took no part with them. He sat
on a farm machine Of some kind that
had been pulled out Of the way and
lined up with other articles against
the barns side.
There was something about this on
locker that held my eyes to him In
stead Of the material for my play.
There was an Incidence about him
which. taken with certain dormant
strength-rather In his facial express
sion than of muscle-almost compelled
me to be interested In him. l won.
dered II could not bring him into my
play. To do this must make his ac-
luaintance. A woman, unless she Is
timid MS to her actions being miscon-
strlled. has a great advantage in this
respect. She may either scrape an ac-
quaintance or encourage man to do
20. At 10 o'clock the dance was end
I'd. and we all left the barn. ASSUME
ing that in the country all know one
another. finding myself beside the
man who interested me spoke to him.
remarking upon the difference between
barn dance in the country and n
ball in the city. approving the lack OF
cOnstraint in the former contrasted
with the conventionalities of the latter.
He evidently took my freedom from
form In the spirit In which 1t was Of
fered and replied both cordially and
respectfully. We passed out into MOON
light. and since our paths lay in the
same direction we walked on together.
On reaching the inn he turned into 1t
with me and said that he was stopping
there. ! was surprised. for ! had not
seen him there before.
The next morning after breakfast I
sat on the veranda with pad and PEN
ell before me trying to think up plan
for my play. The man had walked
from the barn with came out. and 1
nodded to him. He returned my sa-
lutte and. taking a chair. sat down
and began to open mail that he had
evidently just received. Later l pick
ed up an envelope he had thrown away
and read on 1t the name Edward For
roster
After he had finished his mail he sat
looking on a superb view spread out
before us. Noting his expression, I
fancied that he was dreamer. 1 be-
gan to weave him In ms foil for my
country boy hero. The latter was to
he simple rustic in love with a girl
Of his own station. MFR. Forester was
to appear on the scene and become
rfyaI fnr tho uirl,s affections renre.