The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1918-05-02
Us Folks on the Film
(Contipued from page one.)

Before Beatriz Michelena came with her
cowboys to set things stopsy-turvy," he
earned an unpretentious living blacking
shoes, with prospects Of some day becoming
barber. But the romance of cowboying
got into his blood, and, although without
horse or saddle, he, like the man who begins
his motoring career by buying pair of
goggles, saved his dimes and purchased q
complete vaquero's wardrobe, Including
sombrero, high-heeled boots, gauntlets and
screaming bandana that he knots artistical-
ly under his chin through drilled celluloid
dice. Once in the outfit, he never puts it
off, unless it be at night when no one is
looking. 1t is all done in the approved
''movie" style and he is a truly picturesque
figure when strutting along the sidewalk Il
have seen him but once on horseback) ex-
ceedingly tall and as exceedingly thin, with
boyish face and boyish mustache that
curls like corn silk on his upper lip.
Constable Tom Lad, called 'sSheriff'' by
courtesy, also commands generous share
of the townships motion picture honors.
He has not the chin piece of the stock. 'con-
sta bule'' burlesqued ON the stage. nor his
exaggerated star aid pigeon-chested i'm
portance. On the contrary he is lean,
lank man-hunter. with just the suggestion
of a stoop and dropping mustache that has
grown gray in the service. When leading
make believe posse into the hills against
make-believe outlaws, he looks every whit
the human bloodhound as he rides past the
camera.
Little Dante LocatelIi, eight years OF age,
but with all the swagger and self-dependence
of man, stands alone in Boulder Creek in
his utter disdain for pictures and picture
acting. Like David War6eId, he remained
steadfast in his refusal to appear before the
camera until forced into it through the COM
bined coercion of his father and school
teacher. One whole day he sulked under
protest through the scenes, playing the role
of the halfbreed son of "Tennesse'' Jones,
the squawman in Beatriz Michelena 81 Just
Squaw," and by evening fall had reached a
point in the story where he was carrying an
armful of wood into the squawman' shack.
The next day the action was to be caught
up again with the interior scene showing
the little halfbreed coming on through the
door and into the room with his burden of
fuel. But when the morrow arrived Dante,
who had failed to honor his fathers board
at the breakfast hour, had disappeared as
from the face of the earth. Producing
activities were called to halt and the pro-
ducing cast converted into searching
party. Before noon the entire town had
joined in the hunt, but the youthful Thes-
plan was not to be found. Finally in despe-
ration the producer seized upon Dante's
brother Frank, but one year the formers
junior, and hurried him to the squawman's
hut to take his brothers place. But Frank,
too, harbored strain of artistic tempera-
ment whereby he preferred cowboy to an
Indian role. 1t looked for time as if the
scenario would have to be somehow chang
ed to satisfy this prejudice, when the proper
ty man, with spark of genius brought out
a gaudy painted bow and arrow as the
elinching argument in favor of the Indian
role. The next day it was found that Dante,
the original impersonator of the squawman's
offspring, had risen with the chickens, done
marathon up the Bear Creek road and
taken refuge in the Japanese tie camp, ten
and half miles out of town.
Today Boulder Creek. from the raga-
muffin urchin on the street to the most
ancient "gray-beard," is ''camera-broke. !"
1t prides itself immensely on its motion
picture vocabulary. II knows ''cut" a
s'still' and ''retake'' as unmistakably as
it does its neighbor's dog, and Incidentally
ostracized is he of its citizenship, who
knows not enough, when in a scene, to
keep his eyes from looking into the camera
lens. 1t speaks of doug and '.Bilr'
and "Mary" with easy familiarity and in a
manner suggestive of a secret intimacy be-
tween itself and the great ones in the pro-
fession.