Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1921-03-29
The Lure Of Luna
B, R. RAY BAKER

IN 6y ~ kAI 0Ah6A -
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
| "a 1891. by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.)
At the north end Of the double row
Of rickety structures stood one more
pretentious than the rest. Its pre-
tentioumess consisted In Its bigness In
contrast with the others, an arched
formation of boughs at Its entrance
and a 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.
although those three lamps blazed
beckoningly In front. Yet there was
no questioning the fact that every
Rocky Riverite was there. including
Colonel Westbrook, self-styled mayor,
the school teacher, the sheriff, the
towns two lawyers and the justice OF
the peace.
It would have been propitious time
for burglary, with the guardian Of the
law and all his official relations shut
up In the dark structure-only all the
bad men were there also.
It was II o'clock when lights fared
In the building and 1t began emptying
crowds into the street. Among them
were Fred Adams, miner, and his wife.
wasn't 1t grand?" she exclaimed,
radiating enthusiasm. as they walked
toward a building less pretentous 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 1t blended
with the night, while her eyes, which
also were dark, danced with a light
that would have been vlvacious had
not Rocky River been a mining camp
ind had there been an excuse to be
vivacious.
His hair was red and freckles by the
multitude almost made themselves
seen through the darkness. He was
lank, with q thin face In conformity.
He unlocked the door Of their dwell
Ing and they went In. Re found an
oil lamp and presently had feeble
illumination spreading itself about the
plain but neat and coy apartment.
Lighting his pipe, Fred Adams seat
ed himself at a crude desk In corner
of the room and fondly handled five
little nuggets which he had produced
from q 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.
Fred Adams came Of long line OF
miners. all of them real toilers, most
of them unsuccessful. From his IA
Their he inherited sufficient funds for
college course; but one year there
satisfied 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
Rock River by band of pilgrims who
found her at Pearsons Gulch, hum
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 Rock River
schooltea cher. 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 Rock River
only three months before, and now II
was q regular semi-weekly treat. Twice
II week Fred Adams was dragged by
his wife to the pretentious structure
ut 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 recre-
alton. But how Fred Adams did hate
the movies
He knew there must be climax be-
fore long, because he could see that his
wife was fast In the clutches Of the
films. so to speak. but he hardly was
prepared for her announcement:
Erred, 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, Helen3" he
asked. thinking he could not have
heard Alright.
81 said ! was going to be movie
star. l was asleep. and I dreamed
that the man In the moon looked
through the window and opened his
huge mouth and said, You should 60
In the films. Your mother was an
actress and you have her talent. You
can be a star I had been thinking of
Just that thing for long time, and the
moon made me decide. So. Fred, I'm
going to be a movie star-if you don't
object"
Objecti OF course he couldn't do
that. He could not object to anything
she suggested. However, he did not
quite understand how 1t was to be
done.
ats SIMPLE" she explained. "Tve
been reading these two magazines left
by the travellers, and they tell how.
All you have to do Is to 60 to Califor-
MIA and get job In studio, and II
you have the talent you get to be a
star"
As he turned in his chair and looked
up at her his face seemed longer than
usual, and the crinkles in It were more
pronounced. She had the magazines In
her hands and was thumbing the
pages. Her eyes were dancing and her
face was flushed. Helen was spoiled
child hut then he had spoiled her.
81 mean It. Fred. II isn't that !
don't care for you. I really do. an
awful lot. But I can't be tied down
here any longer. ! must 80 out Into