The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-09


 coat was lying In a heap on the tloor beside me.
 WeariIy I took off all the splendor of my mock-life and, slipping into my nightdress, l put over 1t klmono and looked for something to dine on.
 There was bread and butter, con- densed milk and coffee among the things I had brought from Ria's apartment, and oh joy I found glass of pick1ed figs.
 wondered if Theodore Stratton at his club, or Ria and Herb at the smart hotel in Santa Barbara, were any happier than I, sitting there at the little kitchen table and enjoying my meal. Hunger is the best Of sauces.
 I contented myself with sending a telegram to Ria and tumbled Into bed
 The next morning under flaming headlines l read.
 Herbert Richardson Married Young Millionaire Clubman Secretly Marries Gloria Summers. Beautiful Movie Actress. She Deserts the Screen"
 And then, In more or less lurid de- scription, there was the story of Ria 8 marriage and the Kitty Dalton ept sode While the paper did not say anything outright, it intimated that Ria had brought Herb "up standing" after q drunken party, and insisted upon marriage.
 It was a nasty. If very clever, story; one of the kind that would sell papers and discredit the whole nov ing picture profession, and even though Herbs friend Morton wrote it, evidently his newspaper instincts overcame his friendship.
 No wonder that Herb and Ria got out of the country" l told myself. 'They probably knew what was com ing"
 It certainly had made some sensa tion, found when I reached the stu dio. I even heard De Wore say to one of his assistants: That little girl Summers is all right. She is clever. Of all the women who have had their hooks out for Richardson she is the only one that even man aged to get a bite from him. I'd like her back in moving pictures. She has got more brains than most of the women I have to work with.
 suddenly remembered that Ria had told me how hard she had tried to get a job with De Wore, and l si- lently determined to break into the newspapers in some way as soon as possible.
 "Perhaps I won't have to-" was my inward comment as I thought of my impending engagement with MT Stratton.
 The day passed very much as the other days, except that Do Vore nm self, singled me out with much vitu- peration when I stumbled and fell spelling a number of feet of film.
 "Go on back where you belongi can't understand why casting direo- tors burden me with such awkward people!" he shouted, and I slunk into the background followed by string of profanity. If I had not known here was a man of big brain and splendid heart who would never up braid a girl for something she could not help, I am sure would never have had the courage to go into an other studio after the words Director De Wore hurled at me. The mere thought of Theodore Stratton and what he stood for gave me strength to get through the door,
 It seemed to me that every girl on the lot came up and sympathized with me, but was chary of accepting 1t, especially as every last one or them ended by making some Inquiry about Gloria.
 "Yes, Ria left today for the orient. I was present at their wedding some days ago. Herbert has been wild about her for long time and wanted to marry her. but she seemed to feel that she ought to keep on with her profession"
 Her art; her art, you mean" ln- terrupted someone sarcastically. we must all think of our art. you know
 In the general laugh. I slipped into nh how I wish ed that day was over. The wonderful ballroom scenes that had seemed at first a fairyland had now degen erated into almost unbearable monotony. One thing pleased me. I was learn ing to dance! There seemed to be aH unconscious affinity between my feet and the rhythm of the music. In fact. three or four of the young men asked me to dance, even after my mishap with De Wore. Yet I grew inexpressibly weary. The cords In my legs were aching. I had forgotten to bring nay coat to the stage and after dancing the draughts chilled me. IL seemed to me that I was ever under the baneful eye of De Wore. Twice he stopped tho entire movements Of the picture to send me back behind the others. He made everyone under stand that I was unaccountably awk- ward; and yet I caught a vision of myself in ope of the mirrors on the set and knew that I was not so.
 q never thought that being a nov ing picture actress would be like this I closed my eyes quickly for fear the tears would run brown rivu- lets of makeup down my cheeks ] swallowed suddenly. something hard and aching in my throat.
 Copyright, John F. Dille Co. 
 Tomorrow-A Heavy Blow.