The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-05-17
saw REAL TRAGEDY
Movie Spectators Were Treated
to Two Shows.
One Among the Audience Might Al
most Be Called a Comedy, Unless
One Had to Pay for Crushed
headaear.

My seat was directly behind those
occupied by the trio who figured in 4
serio-comlc accident that convulsed
nearby spectators In Broadway NOV,
Ing picture theuter the other after
noon. therefore am able 10 tell Just
what happened and give details that
must have puzzled persons sitting n
little farther away.
The two women were loaded down
with parcels and small packages when,
right in the middle of Il thrilling drama
they slowly and cautiously fitted them
selves into two orchestra chairs near
the middle aisle.
II was tight At, for neither Of the
| ladies' could be described as sylphllke
/ In form, and the armfuls Of purchased
bundles contributed in no way to IA
cilltate adjustment Of the generous
cargo nature previously entrusted TO
each, Parcels of various sizes slid from
their knees into recesses under the
seats in front and stopped into the
aisle from the lap of one who sat near
est TO II.
The theater was In semidarkness,
and II was only by the cropping OF
many hands, in response to whispered
appeals, that the troubles Of diligent
hours spent in shopping were returned
to them. They then apparently for the
first time discovered that the adjoining
seat-thIrd from the side-was unOc-
cupied and into II they dumped their
bundles and their hats.
Quiet in the immediate vicinity had
scarcely been restored when a stout,
middle-aged man arrived with coupon
calling for the seat they had Just con-
verted into sort of family catch-all.
Regardless Of their exclamations Of
despair he lnched his way in, while
they with frantic haste struggled TO
clear off the place upon which he was
to sit.
Peace finally descended again upon
the neighborhood, and we had given
ourselves up to undisturbed wonder
concerning the fate of the film heroine
should the villain penetrate her dis
guise as a French artillery officer
when one of the package-laden women
said TO the other:
'Mercy! l promised to be home by
five o'clock. Lucy is going out and I
forgot all about it,"
While the speaker, who sat nearest
the aisle, arranged her hat and pierced
it with a couple of pins, her cOmpan-
ion struggled t" convert the fruits of
their shopping into two portable pyra-
mids. Suddenly she uttered little
scream, and then whispered TO her
friend in awe-stricken tones, 81 can't
find my hat. l believe that man is
sitting on It,"
"Gracious goodness" said the other.
"Ask him"
81 can't do IT," said her friend. "You
ask him."
Thus appealed to, the bolder of the
two turned TO the man, who appeared |
to have heard nothing of their conver-
sation, and said:
81 think you are sitting on this lady's
hat"
'I am not doing anything of the sort;
why should II" was the amazing reply
She received.
"Slt down." cried several voices TO
the hated and hatless ones, from
whose arms bundles again began to
eak.
81 am not sitting on your hat,
na'am," said the suspected male, "but
f it will do you any good, I'll prove
t."
Then he arose, and from under his
,onderous body the hatless woman re-
moved what had once been towering
creation, with twin pinnacles
oaring aloft, but which was now only
pancake of cloth and feathers.
A wave of mingled applause and pro-
swept that part Of the the
ter, as the shoppers departed, paus-
ng every few feet to recapture some
neandering parcel.--Madge Arthur, in
Buffalo Courier.