Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-02-06
Starigh 4
By the Noted Author
IDAH M'GLoNE GIBSON
Kitty Dalton.

nC ol5 ldtulC 1Cous Jul s dS q
ways, Theodore Stratton."
With a quickened pulse I turn.
ed eagerly to the contents. The
letter began:
''You poor child:
"Some young woman, with a
strident voice, tells me through
the phone that you are i'll. l am
so sorry, but 1 am sure that the
good God knows that we need you
on earth and so you will pull
through.
Except for your being i'll, ]
am rather glad that we do not
have to make place for you in
my latest picture. Writing in
parts, although it has been done,
is rather a sad mess.
I'm my next picture there Is a
part that was just made for you.
1t calls for a character that is
quaint, innocent, self-sacrificing
and sweet-there, how do you like
it? I am in love with just that
kind Of character.
Il called today to. tell you that
we are going on location and for
you to be ready when we return
to play with me. However, I shall
not expect you now until we are
casting a new picture, but I will
probably see you before that.
81 have ordered my florist to
send you some posies every day.
l hope you enjoy them, and be-
lieye me, my dear child, 1 am,
Yours as always,
THEODORE STRATToN."
kitty" 1 called, have I had
flowers every day?"
"Gobs of them," she answered
Tommy sent some, John Storm
contributed. But I'nearly passed
away, Virginia, when flowers be-
gan arriving from Theodore STRAIT
ton. He has sent a bunch OF
orchids alternating with a bunch
Of roses daily. Look around and
you will see them. Where did you
meet him, Virgie?"
l told her the same old story
and passed her over my letter.
AS she read it, she said: That's
right, Virgie. Just work him
work him good. Coddle him along
until he gives you the best part
he's got, then throw him down
hard"
But couldn't do that, Kitty.
couldn't do that. 1t wouldn't
be right"
We'll, like that. Don't you
know that Theodore Stratton, and
men like him, are trying to work
you and girls like you always?
You're not so conceited as to think
that Theodore Stratton is having
a part written for you in one of
his pictures because he has found
out just by looking at you, that
you're a genius. Nothing doing,
Virginia. You're just a new kind
of toy, that's all. You are good
looking but so are thousands OF
others here. You appeal to STRAIT
ton because you add innocence to
beauty. The others are worldly
wise.
81 don't consider it wrong for
any girl to take all she can get
from a man of his kind and give
as little in return as possible.
That is exactly what he trying toI
do.
But what do they call us when
we play the game exactly as they
do" she continued vindictiyely.
They call us 'vamps' and 'sala-
manders' and women without
souls and worse names than that.
Don't look shocked, Virginia.
You'll have to learn the things II
am telling you. Didn't Ria tell
you? She went through it all"
"Yes, Ria told me-" l reluctant
ly answered. 1T was when she
was quarreling with Herb, and I
thought it was because she was
angry with him that she said
mean things about all men.
you make me wish, as l have
so often before, that 1 had never
come out here to go into pic
lures"
"0h, don't take it so much to-
heart. Pictures are not any worse
than anything else where a girl
has to earn a living. l wish you
could hear some of the stories that
the nurses told me in the hospital.
And there was a little stenogra
pher there while was, whose his
tory was one great tragedy"
'Is life so terrible. Kitty, for
the girl who has to work?"
Life is terrible for anybody
who has to work"
But are all men rogues and
satyrs?"
"No, not all of them. But there
are enough of them, my dear, to
leaven the lump pretty effectual-
ly, and it's up to the girl cold
turkey all the time. If you can
steel your heart and make your
brain work. you can get along all
right. But that's the great trou-
BILE with all of us-we work our
hearts Ovartirpa oud lar soma man