The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1927-01-20

knew l could always get forty-dol-
lar job when l wanted it. Pm a spe-
cialist in wool goods, and there's al
ways an opening for w-priced man.
l took a job as porter in the institu-
ton and worked there six weeks. At
the end of that time 1 could read lip
language Then l began watching the
films"
He turned on me fiercely and
grasped me by the arm.
"Tve been watching her every night
since them" he said. 1--WE heard ev-
erything she's said to Howe. When
she had first left me of course they
were just friends. After a couple of
months the new plays were coming on,
and she looked kind of sad. once I
heard him tell her to cheer up. Well,
she looked grateful, sir-he was chas-
ing her round the block then, and she
looked grateful just for a second,
when he had her by the hair. That
started me thinking.
after that he began making love
to her. Never one instant did he stop.
And she didn't say much, just kept
quiet and went on with her work"
"Hush-sh." exclaimed the audience.
The forty-dollar man whispered:
This is later play than the last.
The minute I hear her tell him she
loves him I'm going to find him and
kill him."
THE screen was working. a success
sion of figures passed and repassed.
Julia Rome and John Howe occupied
the center most of the time And now
the fascination of the game had be-
gun to take hold of me. Instead of
watching the play l watched the lips
of the characters The words they
spoke-and I discovered for the first
time that they really spoke-seemed
quite divorced from the parts that they
were playing. But, strive as hard as
might, could not understand a word.
The man at my side suddenly seized
me by the arm again.
Did you hear? Did you hear?" he
whispered. He's been telling her
that he loves her He's asking her to
get a divorce from me-"
I stared at the screen. John Howe
was in the midst of furious alterca-
ton with Julia Rome, who, posing as
his abandoned wife, was clinging to
him, begging him to take her back
for the sake of the children. He
thrust her from him and sent her stag
gering across the room.
Hes saying that her love for me is
dead and that he has loved her since
the first day they met" whispered my
companion, never relaxing his fierce
grasp upon my arm.
The pictures changed l turned,
and though I could hardly see the face
of the forty-dollar man, l knew that
the crisis of his life was at hand I
heard him breathing hard through his
nostrils. And still his fingers gripped
my sleeve as if they were steel claws.
Suddenly the grasp relaxed. The
man sank back in his place. 1 watched
him: he did not move a muscle. And
| wondered at what decision he had
arrived. To tell the truth, l had not
formed the highest impression of Julia
Rome. 1t did not seem credible to me
that a woman of such rare talent and
of such beauty would be content with
her husband in a little leased two
family house somewhere in the SUBJ
urban region of the metropolis.
The lights went up again. Now
could see my companions face. He
was trembling and perfectly white.
''Did you hear? No, but of course
you couldn't he muttered. "She told
him-she told him that she had never
loved anyone but me. She said that
she never wanted to see his face
again. She said that she was going
to leave the stage and return to me-"
THANK God" l said softly.
"What am going to do? 1 am not
worthy of her. l do not deserve her
forgiveness"
Forget it," I answered. you've
had a picture play in your own family
and haven't known it. That's all. Go
home and write to her like man and
ask her pardon"
Il believe you're right" muttered
the little man.
He rose and went out. I never saw
him again. But, as everyone knows,
Julia Rome has not yet renewed her
contract.
A.zz-a. e. F---.,sx