The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-05
~EoeningStoy
The Lure of Lima.
--

AT the north end of the double row |
of rickety structures stood one more |
pretentious than the rest. Its pre-
Righteousness consisted of its bigness in !;
contrast with the others, an arched !
formation of boughs at it entrance
and cluster OF three electric lights
in front.
The pretentious building was not
brilliantly lighted; in fact, the interior
did not appear to be illuminated at all, !
altho those three lamps blazed
beckoningly in front. Yet there was
no questioning the fact that every
Rocky Riverite was there, including
Col. Westbrook, self-styled mayor, the
school teacher, the sheriff, the towns
two lawyers and the justice of the
peace.
1t would have been propitious time
for burglary, with the guardian of the
law and all his official relations shut
up in that dark structure-only all the
bad men were there also.
1t was 1 o'clock when lights flared
in the building and it began emptying
crowds into the street. Among them
were Fred Adams, miner, and his wife.
wasn't it grand?" she exclaimed,
radiating enthusiasm, as they walked
toward a building less pretentious
than the rest at the south end of the
double row of rickety structures.
Yes, it was all right" he responded,
not so enthusiastically.
Her hair was so black it blended
with the night, while her eyes. which
also were dark. danced with a light
that would have been yivacious had
not Rocky River been mining camp
and had there been an excuse to be
vivacious.
His hair was red and freckles by the
multitude almost made themselves
seen thru the darkness. He was lank
with a, thin face in conformity. He
unlocked the door of their dwelling
and they went in. He found an oil
lamp and presently had a feeble i'll
Illumination spreading itself about the
plain but neat and coy apartment.
Lighting his pipe, Fred Adams seated
himself at crude desk in a corner
of the room and fondly handled five
little nuggets which he had produced
from a drawer. They represented all
the wealth he possessed, the product
Of ten weeks steady pan-washing in
| the river
| His wife went to him and kissed him
and retired to her bed in the next
room, to dream.
she dreamed of fame in the films he
| dreamed of wealth to be wrestled
from the river
| Fred Adams came of a long line of
miners, all Of them real toilers, most
of them unsuccessful. From his father
| lege course; but one year there salts
fled him and he went back to the
family vocation and grubstaked him.
self out of the money that was left.
His wife was waif, brought to
Rocky River by a band of pilgrims who
found her at Pearson's Gulch. a hun
dred miles away, Just after the village
people laid her mother to rest in the
cemetery.
There were stories that the mother
had been an actress, but they might
have been Just stories. The girl owed
her education to the Rocky River
school teacher. a former instructor in
a seminary in the east. who had come
among the mountains to repair broken
health and with whom the waif lived
until Fred Adams came along.
| The movie had invaded Rocky River
only three months before, and now it
was regular semi-weekly treat. Twice
a week Fred Adams was dragged by
his wife to the pfetentious structure
at the north end of town. Not once
did he think of refusing her the little
extravaganza; he loved her too much
for that, and he realized he had not
much to offer her in the way of recrea-
ton. But how Fred Adams did hate
the movies.
He knew there must be a climax
before long, because he could see that
his wife was fast in the cluthes of the
films so to speak, but he hardly was
prepared for her announcement:
Fred, I'm going to be movie
star"
She had emerged from the bedroom
and was standing beside him as he sat
at the desk with his moody dreams.
What did you say, Helen?" he
asked. thinking he could not have
heard Alright.
81 said 1 was going to be a movie
star. L was asleep, and L dreamed
that the man ip the moon looked thru
the window, and opened his huge
mouth and said. You should go in the
films. Your mother was an actress
and you have her talent. You can be
| a star 1 had been thinking of just
| that thing for a long time. and the
moon made me decide. So. Fred. I'm
| going to be a movie star-if you don't
object"
| Object? OF course he couldn't do
| that. He could not object to anything
| she suggested. However, he did not
/