Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-01-02
MOVIE MORALS
BY JANE OSBORN.

When the Moving Picture Palace
first opened its doors in Branchville it
made quite stir in the life Of the
residents Of that suburb, who were for
the most part. commuters, commuters
wives, commuters children, commu-
ters' purveyors and commuters do
mestics.
1T makes it very nice for the serv-
ants" commented Mrs. Steven Jones
to her husband at breakfast the morn
ing Of the opening. 'They have 50 lit
tie amusementw
"Quite so, my DEAR" assented
Steven. "But, of course, we would
hardly 60 ourselves"
"Oh, never!"
One evening two weeks after the
opening Steven arrived home for din
ner and waited half an, hour before
his wife appeared. 1t was the third
time this had happened within two
weeks. It was most unusual. Steven
wondered. And when his wife made
no explanation he decided to retaliate
by going out In the evening without
4 explaining where he was ,gOintoo "
,-,Her started out for walk, but when
he had gone as far as the palace no
was halted by the lurid sign. There
was a vampire creature holding q
hand Of whist, staring down at him
from huge poster, and above it were
the letters that spelled 1.-The Sin Of
the Wife," Over it was pasted the in.
scription, "Now playing" Steven went
In. d.
The picture he saw was the same
picture that had kept his wife from
arriving home in time for dinner,
though he did not know it. Similar
pictures had kept her out other after
Moons, but he did not know that either:
The pictures thrown on the screen
were not entirely original, but they put
thoughts into the mind of Steven that
had never been there before. The vam-
pire lady, who played the leading role,
was the wife of fellow Of about the
same stamp that Steven was himself
just hard-working, home-loving, reg.
ular man. In the final picture the cir.
Gle diminished around the silhouette
Of the husband holding the reformed
vampire lady in his arms.
And all this time Steven had had in
the back Of his mind the fact that his
wife had been late for dinner three
times.
After that the wife seemed strange.
ly preoccupied, and preoccupled
wife, Steven concluded, is almost AZ
bad as one with vampire smile.
Then came the climax. At dinner
he was greeted by the wife-not in .
muslin Dress but decked and blazoned
out in long, slinky net affair, with
a sweeping train and low bodice.
The next evening the same thing
happened-only she wore another
tempting gown, delicious pink and
white silk frock as fresh and sprightly
as branch Of apple blossoms.
Still Steven said nothing. He
dreaded knowing the truth. The man
in the movies had been as reticent.
Don't 90 like the pretty dress?" she
cOoed.
Don't l like it," gasped Steven,
pulling back from her caress. "How
could l like it when know the price
you have paid?'
"But l didn't have to ask you for
the money"
Steven stared wildly. "DOes that
make it any better? Do you dare stand
up there and tell me that in order to
wear finery YOU"
"Oh, dear; oh, dear" BY this time
the wife was weeping. II thought you
would like me more if I was dressed
prettily and instead you treat me
dreadfully."
In order to wear finery you'll
know how you have been getting those
new dresses" Steven was beside him.
self.
Don't you think it is a good idea?"
"A good idea to disgrace me-to-to
gamble? Why, and you were the wife
who was so particular about her repu-
Eatlon that she wouldn't even 60 to the