Evening star., 1921-06-05

"o start out in the morning as
an orangeade dipper and nm
ish the day as a movie actress
is what I'd call a broad jump
That's the record Of Miss Inez Peter
sen up to date. as I was telling you
And you would almost think she'd
be SO thrilled over it that she couldn't
sleep. Yet didn't notice that Inez
found any trouble in tearing on the
usual nine hours of slumber that
night, some of it more or less mu-
sicaL
AS for me. before I could stop the
wheels going round, ] had to daily
with rosy dreams of the future. I
could map out a career for 1nez that
had Mary Pickford's life story read
ing like a sketch OF an old maid
school teacher. l could see Inez
climbing the stepladder of fame. with
me steadying it all the while and
coaching her along; first as sub
stitute leading lady in a Fort Lee
studio. then as a regular star. until
we finally wound up at the Los
producing company and a double
breasted bungalow at Hollywood. l
even got so far as to wonder how
many secretaries it would take to
autograph her photos for fans. and
I pictured the kind of sport speed
a little vague about the type OF mo-
tor. but 1 knew it would have three
sets of windshields and so many
spare tires on back that the rear end
would look like a caterpillar or the
tail of a rattler.
well. Inez." says I next morning.
'how do you feel about it?"
"Oh. all right" says she casual
How do you feel; Trilby MayT
she-Svengali who isn't sure of being
able to deliver the trance stun when
called for"
At which Inez favors me with one
of those simple stares of hers. Like
"Somebody in the book 1 was
named for" says l. 'It was an old
timer that Paw had around the house
and I read it when 1 was little.
Huh" SAYS Inez. "You read lotta-
books, hey?"
"OH. I'm no female hiehbrow."
" says I. but I've browsed around
enough to know that Rex Beach isn't
a seashore resort or George Ade
some kind of a soft drink. 1 got the
reading habit when 1 was young and
was never able to break off. You see.
Paw brought on two trunks when he
moved from Connecticut oSDodge's
Clearing. Minnesota. and, as near as
I could make out, they were mainly
filled with books. Nothing valuable
or choice. Just an odd collection.
mostly picked up second hand or bor-
rowed and never returned. Some in
ragged paper bindings, like The
Light That Failed and Lord Jim. :.
Then there was the second volume
I'D
cloth covers that somebody had
spilled something sticky on. and
Treasure Island. with the back rip
ped off. and "A Tramp Abroad with
the stamp of Torrington. Conn.,. Pub
lie Library on the fly leaf. and Ivan
hoe and To Have and to Hold and
a Window in Thrums' and Capt:
Cooks Voyages and The House of
Mirth' and Starley's thick book on
how he found Livingstone. and dozens
of others that 1 could name, but will
.You-you don't read 'em all?" asks
Inez
1 mods. Every last one" says l.
"between twelve and sixteen. and
most of them I went through two or
three times. What else was there for
me to do in a place like Dodge's
Clearing? OF course. another frying
pan and a hand sewing machine and
a few old clothes to make over
would have been more uSe1ul Things
to have imported from Connecticut
if Paw knew he was going to set
tie down in the pine flats three miles
from a store. But he just brought
the books and let it go at that. Paws
long suit that was. And l guess 1t
was a good thing for me. 1t got me
the job of teaching the Junction
School for two terms before l was
eighteen. and / suppose all that read
ing has helped me pick the right
words when I feel like exercising a
tongue that Mrs. Ephraim Dodge No.
8 used to tell me was as timber as
mule whip. Anyway,I can generally
separate myself from any thoughts
that happen to occur to me-"
Il think you talk SWELL. says lnez.
~Some day Il gonna read book
That's a noble ambition. 1nez." says
I. but for the present you don't need
to worry about improving your mind.
In fact, if you should I'm afraid your
standing as budding movie star
would wobble under the strain ALI
YOU need do today is act natural and
listen close when l coach you. Also
we'd better be making tracks for
Fort Lee, for you remember how sore
Mr. Simms got yesterday when that
Miss Waters was late"
Her" says Inez. scornful. Il think
She no like me-
I'm dead sure of it, IneZ," says L,
"One seldom is crazy over the party
who crowds one out of a fat job. But
we can't help that. What we've got
to do now is make good. So let's GO"
It looked simple enough, but some