Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-24
CHAPTER V

hands for the danties. expressing
my thanks at the same time. He stood
for some time in silence watching me
as ! greedily consumed my ice.
''Do you know you play remarkably
well?" he asked at length.
II ought to-" answered pertly.
'T've been told so, often enough
lately" But I hastened to add that
every one had been more than kind
about my small accomplishment.
Have you ever thought of doing
anything with it," he asked.
I've thought of little else" re-
piled seriously. You see l have TO
earn my living, and it's the only thing
I can 10 at all well"
II see" he said, nodding his head.
I do not know whether he intended pur
suing the subject, but at that moment
the grandfather's clock in the hall
struck the hour. With a thasty glance
at his watch and a hurried good -
night" he left me to say few words
to his hostess = A moment, later l saw
him going through the hall to the front
door.
The next morning ] was busy with
some work UP in my room when Alice
came running in to say that her aunt
wanted to see me in the parlor down
stairs. Stopping only long enough to
look in the glass to see if my hair was
smooth l ran down.
Sitting there, talking familiarly with
Mrs. Merker, was my acquaintance of
the night before; the gentleman who
had brought me my ice cream and com
plimented ire on my playing. In an
other moment | found myself being
presented to him formally.
He was. it appeared, Edward Van
Enden. the owner Of the largest moving
picture theatre in A. In a thor
ough businesslike manner. he explained
his errand He wanted a pianist for
his place. The young man who had
been with him ever since it opened,
while perfectly satisfactory profes-
sionally. could not be relied upon.
owing to a tendency to go on occasional
sprees lasting from two TO three days.
He had been warned several times, but
had apparently not taken the warning
to heart.
cared to try il. At the end of two
weeks, if Mr.. Van Enden and | were
not mutually satisfied with each other,
7 would be free to resume my present
irregular occupation. If ] cared 10 try
it! I did not hesitate a moment. In
addition to the fact that this meant
regular employment at a regular salary,
playing for the movies in itself ap-
pealed to me tremendously.
Two weeks later l had the job
was the official pianist at the Imperial
Motion Picture Theatre in the town
Of A.
wonder if can recall that girl OF
seventeen. always had an original
way of dressing; a sort Of sharp way.
with dashes of color in it | wore my
heavy hair down my back, sometimes
with a ribbon round the top of my head
and tied in little bow. Already ! had
the panther tread in walking, the half
sliding, half -sinuous movement. which
is now so fashionable. 1t was quite
natural to me, with my strong, shapely
body.
! lived in that little town OF A
very quietly, sleeping late, arriving at
the theatre at ! o'clock, and with an
hour off for supper, staying until lO 30
or II o'clock at night. The proprietor,
Van Enden, being, as ] have said, n
friend of my good landlady, was always
polite and good to me. Otherwise |
should not have stayed there, at IS a
week.
was very happy at the Imperial. II
was small theatre, seating only 300
persons but it did an excellent busi-
ness, especially at night, when a great
crowd always waited in the back for the
seats TO be emptied 1t was very dark
and poorly ventilated, but ! grew to
love the impenetrablc gloom; |, n dark
spot under the white screen. and that
living mass of breathing humanity be-
. hind me. | think ] had something 70
do with the good business, for ! was III
way, a good actress, even then. |
threw myself into each film that came
along, and, not being able TO express
the story in acting. | expressed 1t IN
music, showing every change in emo
ton and Cction on the piOnO keys under
my fingers.
II was arduOus, wearing work. !
went home at night, spent. But / loved
IL. Perhaps | made the films more
alive to the audience, even II they
didn't realize it
OF course l fell in love. That was
inevitable. A girl of my nature has
always to love some one. And so my
infatuation began. Yes, of course, that
10 all It Is! Or, that is all 1t must be ;
/ will not permit it to be anything
eise! am afraid that the characters
in the films were TOO real to me. You
see, ] was communng with them all
dsy and, you might say, trying to get
them 10 act better, helping them out
with my playing. Besides, was not
meeting any people to speak Of, And
then my cynical attitude toward men
The strong sex seemed quite corrupt TO
me! Imagine, then, how l felt when l
began 10 watch him must say his
maine sooner or later-imagine how
felt when | began to watch Roland
Nvelles. week after week, upon the
screen
To Be Continued Tomorrow