, 1923-04-15
CHAPTER xLvIII

Bitter philosophy II was ans shock
ing to the best principles. yet 1t was
- cash of the pride that rewards con-
eescension and patronage and mawk-
ish charity with a kick in the tail
and takes to flight. 1t pictured what
everyone in the audience had often
wanted to do In those resentful
moods which are SO very human be-
cause they are SO far from divine.
For the soul. like the body. needs
its redemption from too much sweet
ness as well as from too much bit
tcrness. There is a diabetes from un-
assimilated sugar that is as fatal us
too much salt.
And that is the noble service that
farce and ciownerN render to the
WORLD. They guarantee the freedom
OF tho soul, reedom not only from
Elooms and despalrs, but from tho
tyrannies of bigotry as well, from
the outrages OF religion. of grovel-
ing ido.atries. all sorts Of good inn
pulses and high principles that ought
10 be respected but not revered,
ought to be used in moderation but
not with slavish awe.
Going to n farce OF such a sort
was, for Remember Steddon. going
TO a school OF the highest educational
value; It was Il lessoning in life that
she sorely needed.
She had been taking life and low
/and art and ambition and sin mo-
rosely.
Tom Hobby found her already
changed when they set out for her
home. She had been restlessly un-
approachable before the comedy. like
a mustang that will not submit 10
the bride. will not run far but will
not be taken: that stands and waits
with a kindly air. but. just as the
hand reaches out. whirls and bolts.
Now that she had seen the picture
she was serene. She was genial, ami
able. She snuggled close to Hobby in
the car, and yet when he spoke ten
terIy she made fun of him. giggled.
reminded him OF bits OF the picture
that had amused her. This enraged
him.
I'm going in for comedy"
said. Its the only thing worth While
All this tears and passion business
makes me sick. I'd love to have it so
that when anybody hears my name
he smiles. Wouldn't it be glorious
TO have a washerwoman look up from
her tub and say: Remember Sted-
Ion? Och. yis. I seen her in a picture
once and 1 laughed till 1 cried?
wouldn't It be glorious to have the
tired business man say to his tired
. society wife: I've got the blues, and
So have YOU. There's one of Steddon's
plctures in town. For Gods sake
let's go see it and have a good laugh"
Wouldn't that be a wonderful Trims
to stand for?"
Hobby made a gruntinE sound that
implied, II suppose so, II you think
So" He added, after a silence: Fun
ny thing though; more people get
relief from a good cry than from n
good laugh. If you have tears to
shed, and you go hugh your head on
at some damfoolishness, you'll find
the tears are still there when you get
home. But IL you see Camille or
Juliet or some pathetic thing. If you
watch some imaginary persons mis-
cry and cry over it, you'll find your
own tears are gone
That may be true said Men. but
all the same I'd like to take a whack
at comedy
Hobby fought out in his soul n de
cent battle OF s~eif-sacrihce before he
brought himself to the height OF ro-
commencing a rival. There's Ned
llnKs III Is AOOhAll6 " N P'
ing women He's not Chaplin, but
Ine's awfully funny in his own way
and he's getting a big following. He
usually gets engaged to his leading
lady-saves money that way. they
say. II you're so hell bent on a com
ic career get your agent to go after
him"
Ned Ling" she unused. YES I've
seen him. He's fun. He might do.
1 NAV make a try at him a little late--
lust now / feel all tukered out. l
want to get away from the studios,
ont into the Slerras. l believe III
buy a little car and go all by my
self"
But when she reached her home
there was something waiting In am
bush for her-a letter from her
father. And this was not farce. nor
to be greeted with a kick and a run
"Oh, / was wondering II 1t would
ever GOMEZ her mother walled as
Mem came laughing in the door, sdn
laughing at Chaplin's blithe rebuff
TO maudlin penances.
1t was odd to be greeted so by
the patient little woman who irri-
tated Mem oftenest by her meek pa
thence.
Il was worried ioT ieHF sou N
some accident. Why couldn't you
have telephoned me7'
I told you I might be detained al
the studio, mamma. and not to ex'
peot me till you saw me- Mem ans
wered, and had not the cournse TO
tell the rest of the truth.
"Oh, 1 knowl I oughtn't to a wor.
ried. but I'm a nuisance to my sen
and to you and to everybody
There she was agnini Takins tnat
maddening tone of self-reproach- But
Mem simply could not rebuke her for
it. She embraced her and held nor
tight. instead. :
TT was all because of a letter !
had from your father. II you hao
come home sooner I wouldn't have
mentioned II to you. maybel Heaven
knowns you have trouble enough
and now I'm sorry I spoke. just
forget it,"
Then ensued a long battle over the
- - f,a4.4InU ttOOu reading II,