, 1923-01-07
q Continual

Al SaAA
els defied slowly, than galloped back
and eefiied slowly again and again.
There long arsumentsi the di-
rector and his assistant dashed back
ana forsh, trumpeting through their
megaphones.
The camelx alone revealed artistic
compartment. They began to fight
one another. A group Of two dragged
their terrified passengers hither and
Sou and knocked over q camera. One
of them fled and. dumping his belfry-
mar got clean away. He was not
found antn the next day. and then
in Palm Canon. where he reveled in a
perfect cuplicats OF a homeland oasis.
Leva explained 20 Mem what all
the pother was about:
o"You see. they take everything
first at q d.stance-long shots. they
cal them. They have three cameras
here. but something always goes
wrong. or looks rs IL II could be i'm
proved; 50 they make a lot OF takes,
Then they come closer and take med
Nm shots 10 cut into the long shots.
Then they take close-ups OF h most
dramatic moments. All these lave
10 match-though they usually don't
so that they can to assembled in
the studio for tho finished picture.
THE camc,s go by n way to show
they're passing a certain spot. Then
they go by the same spot In the op-
posite direction 70 show h return.
But in the nuished picture that won't
AXE place till a week later. But they
AXE the things that happen on h
same ppot at the same time. no mat
ter where they occur in the picture
II keeps the actors awfuily mussed
up in their minds, They don't know
whether they're playing today. last
month, or two years from now. That's
Robina Teels on that biggest camel.
She's earning her money today by
the sweat OF her whole system. She's
sweet on Tom Hobby and as Jealous
OF him as a nend Shes an awful
cat. but he's = mighty nice boy-not
spoiled a bit By being advertised as
the most beautiful thing In the world.
I was in a scene with him once: he
was just Ms c~onEiderate IA II I had
%een Norma TaimadgO or Pauline
FAderick."
While the e1trAs waited and SIM
mered their luncheon was served.
The property crew went about among
them, dealing out pasteboard boxes
containing sandwiches wrapped in
oiled papers. a bit of fried chicken.
h~ard.bolIed eggs. a piece of cake, and
a Californian fruit-a peach. a pear.
grapes, figs, a banana. or an Grange.
There was a caldron of coffee for
those that wanted 1t hot, ICED tea.
and bottles of pop
Mem had never been on a betterfed
picnic. The women and men squafted
on the ground and ate. swapping
fruit and repartee. Some Of the Jokes
sent bushes flying beneath the layers
OF paint on Mems skin There was q
vast amount or caustio fun made OF
the principals. hi director, and the
management. But Mem tried to re-
mind herself that tho sewing circles
at home were just az busy tearing
down tho regulations of the neigh
hfs, only with a holier-than.thou con-
Tempt entirely lacking here
There wns a gypsy spirit in this
n a Mem had never met.
The gayety was Irresistible. and she
managed to- control her horror when
she found that she was almost the
only woman who refused a cigarette
Even Mrs. Williamson dug UP a pack
age from her desert robes.
The principals a their refresh
ments taken to them. and snatched II
between scenes. Robina did not eat
at all. She lived in an eternal Kent
since she had to fight a ~sneskins
tendency to plumpness. She suffered
angulshes of fasting and privaton
IKE a religious zealot. but from the
opposite reason; tho zealots crucihed
the flesh because It was the DEVILS
lure; She in order to give It allure
ment and keep times claws on her
as long as possible.
So now, in a heat thRt drove thu
desert Indians into tho shade and
~idleness. these dainty actresses and
actors invited nnstroke and laboredI
with muscles and emotions at fun
Nest in order to mako pictures and
minimize the appalling overhead ex.
penso of every wasted hour.
After a time the extras were called
forth from the comparative shelter
Z the tents to tho scene of action
II was like being tossed from tho red
hot stove lid into h very IRE.
To Mem It was all Incredible phan-
t~nsmagory. She could not believe
that this was she who stumbled across
the sand. twitching her skirts out Of
the talons OF the cactuses, carefully
dnbbing The sweat from her face with
a handkerchief already eolored like Al
painter's brush rag. and jingling. asl
Bhe walked. with barbaric jewelry.
The mob went forward slowly and
she recognized Tom Hobby on q camel
She hoped that he would not recog'I
nize her. but he studied all h faces
and, being used to DISCUSSES, made
her out and hailed her with the rass'
word: