The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1919-11-26
Told in
Silence
G.& ~
BY OTILLIA F. PFEIFFER


"They say it, is a fine picture, Flor.
ence. Won't you take the children and
go2" nlosu ,,~at
II don't care much for the movies,
Eta, but 4 suppose, the little ones will
be pleased" answered Florence Trude,
resignedly.
There was no affectation in words or
manner. Florence looked and acted
inexpressibly wearied and dull. She
was visiting with relatives and her
cousin, Mrs. Wilson, married and hay
ing three children, had been disap-
pointed from the first In interesting
her guest in any enlivening pleasure.
She could scarcely connect the sad
eyed Florence Of the present with the
lively, intensely human Florence of
their schooldays. She realized, Of
course, that there must be cause for
the startling change, but Florence had
not seen fit to confide in her and she
had not penetrated the cold calm that
was ever present with her relative and
guest. u4t in +
Pictures! Alone by herself, Flor
ence's lips tremored and her eyes &C
quired q pathetic, far-away expression.
Alas there was one picture framed
ever in her mind, involving the tragedy
of slain love. trust and hope. A glen
silvered BY the white moonlight-her
trysting place with the only man she
had ever loved, ever would love; her
Joyful heartbeats as he advanced, and
then his sudden conformation by a
woman young and beautiful like her
self. That flashing-eyed beauty had ac-
costed Eldon Ware Familiarity. For q
moment he seemed dazed-almost
stunned-the woman came still nearer
and threw her arms about his neck.
He did not repel her. She kissed him
fondly and then slowly, arm in arm,
those two disappeared amid the mists
and shadows Of the glen and appar-
emily out Of the broken life Of Florence
Yrude. 49,.
She had crept home q blighted soul,
incapable Of even thought beyond the
fact that the man with whom she had
plighted troth was base deceiver.
Circumstances Immediately ensuing
seemed to enforce this fact. Florence
heard next day that Ware had left the
town on night train with her appar-
ent rival in his affections. A week went
BY. Ware did not return and when q
letter, mailed from the city, arrived,
Florence placed it unopened in another
envelope and returned it to his adj
dress with the words written across it ::
II hope never to see you again" u
Then it was long battle against
heart break and threatened illness.
Ware had come to her home, but the
servants had strict orders to refuse
him admittance. Other letters had
come. Florence returned the first un-l'
opened and burned the rest without
seeking to know, their contents. What
could the same be but some speciOusi
explanation Of his base treachery? =
Florence had heard incidentally that
Eldon Ware was leading lonely, un-
eventful life at the home of a married
sister. He was reputed to have been
left quite fortune and engaged in no
special business activity. There seemed
to be no attachment or complication in
hi life. but the memory of that meet
ing with another woman than herself,
their brazen-faced departure together.
was q source Of bitterness and re-.
proach that Florence could not dismiss
from her. mind or forgive.
Florence accompanied the three chill
dren to the moving picture theater,
noting only casually that the theme Of
the scenic presentation was "Mis-
Judged" She. anticipated the usual
plotful drama and had no interest in
Its development. When, however, the
story of the play began to unfold a
strange insistent attraction to its de.
tails began. From casual notice to
strict attention, and then to absorbing
interest, Florence followed the first
film of the photoplay and sat consumed
with wonderment. - !
q No character on the screen resem-
bled herself or Eldon Ware, yet the
prologue was nothing more nor less
than a prototype presentation Of the
first few months Of her engagement to
Ware. So faithfully were their Incl
dents depicted that Florence could
scarcely believe that she saw Alright.
There came perfect reproduction of
that memory scene where Eldon Ware
and his mysterious woman companion
passed out Of sight.
And there the story explained that
devastating event 1t seemed that the
lover of the picture had a cousin who
resembled him greatly. This cousin
had paid some attention to girl who
turned out at heart to be frivolous
adventures and who finally went in
sane and was sent to an asylum. That
night Of the glen scene She came upon
the lover of the screen story and mis-
took him for his cousin. She raved
wildly Of murder If she was not taken
back to his love and care. The cousin.
to save his relative, accepted the iden-
tity thrust upon him by the mad crea-
ture, whom he INDUCED until he once
more got her into custody. ~ H
n