Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-11-22
THE PICTURES
BY COLLIN S. COLLINS.

the chatter about her, she gathered
that 1t was considered childish to sit
through the whole performance. Her
cousin Laura seemed to regard the
taste for vaudeville itself rather in.
dieative of elementary development.
"Do you mind?" Beth asked timid.
ly. "They're fire department pictures"
With a shrug of her shoulder, her
cousin settled back in the seat as the
lights went out and the first picture
was thrown or the screen. The prop
erty mar and his fellows on the stage
supplied the changing of the bells and
the Screech of the whistles and to
Beth it was all very real. Then the
street with its engines vanished from
the screen to be replaced by a con
trasting picture of three firemen sit
ting in quarters engaged in a game of
cards. Their faces were large enough
to show the play of expression and the
audience shrieked at the pantomimic
humor.
But Beth had leaned forward and
was looking eagerly at the screen. Lau-
"a tugged at her skirt, but the girl did
not realize it. There upon the screen
was Thad Durham. She was sure Of
it. The picture changed again and she
sank back into her seat quivering in
every muscle.
Rapidly she explained to Laura how
Thad had gone away from home, how
his letters had stopped and his mother
could find no trace Of hYm. Ellis moth
er's heart is breaking for him." she
declared. II must find him and tell
him to write home"
She left her seat and with trembling
limbs started up the aisle, Laura fol-
lowing her country cousin %curiously.
An usher directed her to the balcony
where the machine was operated, and
she waited until the operator had fin.
ished.
He could give her little information
other than to furnish her with the adj
dress of the firm which had taken the
pictures. She could scarcely wait until
the next morning to continue her
search, and she started Immediately
after breakfast with q male cousin as
an escort.
The manager was courteous and
seemed to take an interest in her
quest. The pictures had been made in
town, he explained, and he gave her
the number and address of the engine
company. 1t was far uptown, but she
could not rest and in a short time she
stood in front of the tiny desk beside
the glittering engine.
SIS Mr.. Burnham, q fireman, here?"
she asked with trembling voice. The
man in blue shook his head.
"Tommy Burnham is with eve
truck" he explained.
81 am looking for Thadwick Burn
ham," she explained. "He was photo
graphed here for some motion pic
lures"
s'Wickes, Roe and Casey posed for
that picture" he declared. "You mean
thisT"
He took down from the wall a small
framed photograph, evidently an en-
largement Of the picture film.
"That's Thad," she cried. "I'm sure
of it."
"Call Roe down." commanded q voice
behind her. The fireman sprang to
salute and Beth turned to face a kind
ly-faced man with gold instead of sill
yer buttons, and crossed trumpets on
his cap front.
"Stand where you will be in the
light" directed the newcomer, as ne
stepped into the background. Wonder
ingly she obeyed his directions as in
answer to the call a man same sliding
down the brass pole.
Before she could speak he had
turned around and came toward her.
"Hello, Beth" he cried. "Where did
you come from?'
"What is your name?" demanded
the battalion chief. Instinctively the
mans hand went to salute, and he
gave a puzzled laugh.
"It's Burnham," he said, '.yet I know
I'm called Roe. What's the matter?'
"You remember the Jane street fire
in the shop where you worked?' sug-
gested the chief. Thad nodded. "But
you forgot that in jumping to the net
you fell short and struck on your head.
When you came out of the hospital
you had forgotten who you We're"
81 remember now" Thad exclaimed.
"The boys were interested in me and
kept me going until I could get in the
department. You gave me Richard
Roe for q name, eh?'
81 saw you in the pictures at the
theater," Beth explained. Il knew 1t
was you"
(Which is more than I did," ne
laughed. 1--WE been some one else Tor
nearly a year now. Is mother
Beth nodded, as his voice faltered.
"She is alive" she assured, "but very
lonesome. She thinks you are dead"
The chief stepped forward. I'm
going up to see the foreman" he said
huskily. "Put in your application for
leave and I'll see that headquarters
grants it."
ua c+amnad nm the stairs. and Thad