Evening star., 1918-06-02
REEL CRAFT
7T was breakfast time at Mrs: VIM

1 HhSA oVoAuAh hVuots anu 2T6Hu-
pa Jabez Bunker had adjusted his
q gold-rimmed spectacies on his
nubbin Of a nose and was peering into
his dish Of prunes with his baby blue
eyes before eating them (the prunes,
not his eyes). Dear old Grandma
Bunker. who took all things on trust.
had already dipped into her prunes.
and from all parts Of the dining room
came the clatter of silver and china
and the morning babble of tongues. 1t
was cool and exhilarating morning,
and every one felt fine. even the thin.
yellow Miss Minchin, who began her
day with goblet of hot water-and
you know what that means
Every one felt fine. but especially
young Mr.. Bibbie. He came into the
dining room glowing with smiles and
saluted every one cheerily and dropped
into the chair opposite Mr. Bunker
well. folks. this is the great day."
he exclaimed.
:. 1t was evident that he did not mean
his wedding day. He was too un-
f1cult to think of any occasion on
which a young man could be as un-
reservedly happy as young Mr.. Bibble
was this morning, except the one oc-
casion that caused Mr.. BIBLES joy.
He was an amateur scenario writer,
and was this day to see on the screen
the first showing of his first five-reef
scenario.
For two months young Mr.. Bibble
had been quite another man from the
he came to Mrs. Winners boarding
house. Young Mr.. Bibble had been
boarder at that select establishment
for a year before Mr.. Bunker arrived
there and at the time Of Mr.. Bunker's
arrival Mr.. Bibble had been in state
Of depression beyond description.
Among the first things Mrs. WINNER
had said to dear old Grandpa Bunker
after they reached the confidential
stage of friendship (Which was soon
after Mrs. WINNER discovered that
the Bunkers were able to pay their
board on the dot) was:
$50 the Coolings will have to go.
Mr.. Cooling Is always ready enough 10
promise to pay me as soon as ne puts
through a deal. but three hundred
house keeper ought to trust any one
for. The price of meat-awful! But
young Mr.. Bibble is different.
Hes a right nice-spoken young
gentleman" agreed Mrs. Bunker;
None more so," agreed Mrs. VIM
mer; "and l must say he works as
hard as any man l know l may be
only a poor clearinghouse keeper.
Mrs. Bunker, but / hope l appreciate
genius as much as any person. and
to speak of to such a person as you.
said to Mr.. Bibble: Mr.. Bibble. l
know the ways Of literature are slow
and rocky, and it takes time to get
going right. Ten weeks at eight dol
lars a week you owe me now. and.
never a dun have 1 dunned you. nor
won't. One hundred dollars is lot
of money to a poor widow l said to
him. but one hundred dollars l am
willing to gamble on genius. and until
go right ahead and pursue the path OF
genius and don't worry"
Zone hundred dollars was the
amount l mentioned to Mr.. Bibble as
the limit of his credit. but l am not
pressing him hard, although his bill
Nor l won't. l hope l can do as much
for genius as any one. although my
means amt as great as those OF some.
II Mrs. WINNER pretended she did
not worry over MIR. BIBLES bill. there
Is no denying that Mr.. Bibble worried.
Mr. Bibble worried and became de-
pressed.
Suddenly, however. Mr. Bibble burst
into Joy like a bud that blooms over
night. He paid to Mrs. WINNER every
cent he owed her. and kissed her into
the bargain, the kiss being chaste and
humorously meant and taken in the
same spirit: He bought a brand-new
sixteen-dollar suit and three new COL
lars and a new toothbrush and felt
riotously spend thrifty. He had sold
his five-reel photoplay. The Daught-
er Of Despard." to the Agony Photo
play Company for five hundred dol
lars, outright.
At that moment of his career five
hundred dollars looked as big to Mr..
Bibble as a Pixies Peak of ice-cream
served on a butter dish. After his riot
Of debt-paying and expenditure he
had three hundred dollars left on
hand. and he felt like J. P. Morgan.
The case Of Mr.. Cooling was far
different. poor man. He was a small,
gray man with an anxious express
sion and a small. gray. anxious wife.
They were the most inoffensive people
in the world, and il Mr.. Cooling had
been able to pay his debts and have
three hundred dollars in the bank
there is little doubt that they would
have been the best loved couple in
Mrs. Winners boarding house. A
and the knowledge that he owed Mrs.
WINNER a large sum ana tnat every
one in the place knew it had made
Mr.. Cooling shamedly apolOgetic. and
he and his wife were despised in an
uninterested. sighting way by most
of the more fortunate boarders.
The poor man was. as he felt. at the
end of his string. He knew that Mrs
WINNER was only allowing him to
stay because he owed SO large bill,
and he might not dare to leave, be-
cause he might not be able to get into
another boarding house. having no