Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 901) (1923 01 05)
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» 4 JANUARY 5, 1923 ¥ 7 = FAM AND: F ORTUNE WEEKLY. STORIES OF BOYS WHO MAKE MONEY. Nive a OS . “Go” shouted the director The camera man began turning the handle, and Jack's horse suddenly leaped forward in a frenzied manner and dashed directly at the camera, smashing it. 7 The beast bad been stung by a dart from the blow-pipe of Jack's hiaden enemy —
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Street, New York, N. Y. ‘No. 901 - NEW - IN THE FILM GAME OR, THE BOY WHO MADE MOVING PICTURES Co FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY | - {ssu eek; Seen tion price, $3.50 per year; Poca 00; Foreign, $4.50. Harry E. Wolff, Puplisher, Inc., 166 ee eS Btreet, Nev tered ‘ee Retont Chava Matton October 4. Pl . i Post-Office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of March 3, 1879. YORK, JANUARY 5, 1923 Price 7 Cents the lad hung back near the led horse, and fre- quently took a swallow from a black bottle in a surreptitious way. az foals aaeeese? Te 3 —_ By A SELF-MADE MAN 3 * CHAPTER I.—A Rascally Act. -.@ -.-"What in thunder are yer roostin’ there * for, you lazy rascal?” roared Farmer Whipple _- tree, a sour-looking, raw-boned agriculturalist, 3 Whose sunburned face was shaded by a .wide- : brimmed straw hat of no particular color, strid- 35 ing up behind his young hired hand, whose name - Was Jack Case, and who was perched upon the fence which cut off the ‘Wippletree farm from ‘the country road. “Watching the fun,” replied the boy, without showing any fear of the man who controlled os services. “Get back to work, confound yer! What d’ye s’po® I’m payin’ yer fer, and grubbin’ yer?” - “Let a fellow have a look. I'm ahead on my work.” 3 “What yer lookin’ at, anyway?” asked the a - farmer, his curiosity aroused by the actions of j BS <o te) several people in the road, one of whom was seadne & camera which was elevated on three Sai indle fe gs, and looked a bit different from Whip- | Bites preconceived ideas of the machine. “Can’t you see?” said Jack. ~. to take a moving picture.” “A movin’ picter? What yer mean by that?” : “P’ve seen one or two-in a buildin’ on a screen, and they cost me a nickel, and I dunno as ’twas worth it. What’s that got to do with this here thing? There ain’t no screen here, and this here is out of doors, on the public road.” _. “T said they are going to take a moving pic- tare; that is, a scene for one.” The farmer removed his straw hat and scratch- his ear. He didn’t understand. But he was interested enough in the proceedings to see what - g to happen, and for the moment he for- ge ‘ior his hired hand was wasting his time, which the farmer regarded as a crime against ts. Under the shade of a big oak ‘on the opposite side of the road stood a ‘and a team of horses. Besides the front there were two others in the vehicle. In e middle one were seated two good-looking n. Tied to the back of the wagon was a , finely built chestnut horse. In the road ye camera was a well-dressed young man, “They're going fovtad wig, a andish-looking west hat ~ paper ‘he was on his af too content, Coming down the road in front was a big farm wagon loaded with a piece of farm machinery. It had just come around a turn in the road, and the moving picture people were apparently wait- ing for it to pass by them. A farm lad was driving the team, and he appeared to be in no great hurry. Indeed, as it was a warm after- noon, he was half asleep on his perch. At this stage of the proceedings a newcomer came slink- ing down the lane from the farm-house. This was Noah Whippletree, the farmer’s only son and heir. He was skinny arfd lanky like his father, and his face was not one that made him * pepular with the girls, nor with the boys. of the neighborheed, either. His disposition went hand in hand with his face, one being a reflex of the other. He was mean, disagreeable and cruel. In his hand he carried a blow-pipe, and in his pocket was a bunch of small darts. For the past hour he had been amusing himself shooting the darts at the girls that came within range of his instrument of torture. He hated Jack Case because the hired boy was his opposite in everything from looks to dis- position and character. Jack had made himself popular with the girls and boys of the adjoin- ing farms and the nearby village of Oldham from the start, and as Noah had no standing with the young people, which he knew, he soured on Jack very soon. He showed his personal resentment in every way he could, making things uncomfortable for Jack in a dozen w ays. Jack went out of his way to try and smooth matters between them, for he realized the disadvantage he labored under in making an enemy of the farmer’s son. Noah refused to be placated. Like oil and water, they wouldn’t mix. Jack would have thrown up his job but for the fact that he had engaged te stay ~ through the season, and the arrangement between . him and the farmer was that he was to receive ie only $1 a week until his time was up, when he would then receive in full all that was due him. A clause in the agreement stipulated that if — Jack quit’ for any reason whatever before the term of his engagement, he was to forfeit ; that was coming to him ‘up to that time. W such an agreement was’ in an J not know, but when he par” ¢ end ly to stand by the. terms of
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2 IN THE FILM GAME He subsequently learned from his new friends around about that Farmer Whippletree was a very thrifty man, and had managed to save money in several cases by making things so hot for his hired hands as their term drew near its close, that the said hands had sacrificed their wages by running away. Jack determined not to be buncoed out of his money, and with that pur- es in sight he put up with a lot of abuse from th the farmer, his wife and his son. * Noah had had a run-in with his father a short time before, which probably accounted for his sneaky approach to the road. He had noticed that something was going on, and that fact at- tracted him. He kept away from both his father and Jack, and to make sure that he wouldn’t be sent back by his old man, he got behind the hedge that sarind the fence. Finally the big farm Wagon came up and passed by on its way toward the village. Then the moving picture got busy. The director issued his orders. The scene to ba taken was the second section of the pursuit of the wagon by the lad on the chestnut horse. The actor in the brigandish hat was supposed to be abducting one of the girls with the help of the other. e boy was to ultimately rescue her after a long chase and a scrap with the man. “Unhitch your horse,” cried the director, as the chief actor climbed into the wagon. The lad fumbled with the rope, and finally re- leased the animal. The actor then drove the wagon down the road a little way to acquire the necessary headway. He was to drive just around - the turn ahead and stop out of sight. When he had accomplished the three-quarters of the dis- tance, the pursuer was to dash into as of the camera and go as far as the wagon. hen the party was to repeat the chase at another suitable point along the road. The cameraman placed his machine in the roper position and laid his hand on the handle. director, seeing that the actor in the wagon was ready to start, ordered the youth to get in a himself, ready to follow on signal. That d, ~ however, looked fishy about the eyes and wobbly about the legs. He made two abortive at- tempts to mount the horse. : “What's the matter with you, Smith?” roared the director. : “Noshing’s the matter (hic) with me,” replied Smith, making a third and desperate attempt to get on the horse. vas He put too much effort in the act, and not only | reached the saddle, but went flying over it. The - result was atumble. The shock sent the fumes of the liquor flying through his-brain, and he made no effort to get pS boty ed walked over and - looked at him. look satisfied him that Smith was as drunk as an owl. What he said wouldn’t _ Jock well in print. : petit He called the cameraman to help him get ‘Smith on his pins, but the youth’s legs gave way - and wouldn’t stand for their duty. Here was a _-_- pretty kettle of fish. The scene could not go on without Smith, and no substitute was at hand. What was to be done? The director was a quick sh and he decided to hire, if he could, the ed on the fence, who he saw was a farm he could hy es. Ve ae ee fe E+ = ine: c-—_ Pin “Ss i nt looking one. He break the boy into the final business of the film in short order, and until that time came all the lad had to do was to make the chase. ; Abandoning Smith in disgust, he went over to Jack. : “Can I hire you for the rest of the afternoon? I'll pay you $3 for your services,” he said. “Ask Mr. Whippletree there. He’s my boss,” said Jack. . 3 The director referred the request to the farmer. “What do you want with him?” asked Whipple- tree, cautiously. “T want him to take the place of that drunken fool yonder.” “What do you want him to do?” “Ride that horse. You can ride, I suppose!” he said to Jack. = “Bet your life I can. I could ride him bare- back if you wanted me to,” replied Jack. “T’ll explain what I want-you to do, and you — have only to follow my instructions to make the~ “T reckon I’ll make the $3, or he don’t take no hand in your business,” said Whippletree. “Well, P’ll pay you,” said the director. “Produce, and you kin have the use of him till sundown,” said the farmer. The director handed the farmer the money and beckoned Jack to come down off the fence. The young farmhand was delighted at the idea of as- sisting in the production of a motion picture film, and joined him with alacrity. The director gave Jack his instructions for the next stage cf the picture, and the ee * readily understood what was expected of him. elling him to mount, he sig- naled the impatient actor down the road to start. The cameraman became alert, and just before the wagon came rushing past he began turning the handle of his machine. With a rush the horse and wagon sped by, the actor and actresses going through a strenuous pantomime, the fair prisoner ee efforts to leap from the vehicle, and being held back by the other woman, while the actor lashed his horse at top speed. For fear of some miss on Jack’s © part, the director allowed the wagon to get around the turn before he started the new performer. “Go”! shouted the director. The cameraman began turning the handle, and Jack’s horse suddenly leaped forward in ; frenzied manner and dashed directly at the — camera, knocking it down and smashing it to — pieces. The beast had been stung by a dart from _ the blow-pipe of Jack’s hidden enemy. ; ' t CHAPTER II.—Noah Gets a Part of He Deserves. : What As smart a rider as Jack was, he was nearly ~ flung from the saddle, and to keep his seat he xa was forced to cling to the animal’s neck like Z death. The horse, pained by the dart w ; stuck in his flesh, plunged about in a way most unusual with him. The director almost tore hi hair over the destruction of the camera. Na ly, he blamed it all on Jack, and his inex as a rider. The smashing of the camera end to further work for the and th a considerable financial
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= : \ _ “Whoa! whoa!” cried Jack, trying in vain to = Soothe the beast. = “The director, fearing that the animal would _ bolt, as he seemed on the point of doing, which ‘would add to the trouble, sprang forward and - seized the briddle. The horse continued to prance ~~ around. = “Get down,” cried the director to the boy. =. Jack slipped out of the saddle. As he did so he heard a cackle of glee from the hedge. At - the same time he saw the fuzzy head of the dart sticking in the animal’s side near*his hind quar- ~ters. e recognized it as one of Noah Whipple- tree’s darts, and like a flash he understood the cause of it all. . “You’re a pretty rider, you are,” said the di- rector. “Look at the damage you have done— smashed the camera and destroyed several hun- ~ dred feet of film, besides spoiling the afternoon’s wor » “Don’t blame me, sic. Look here and see what ‘Was the cause of it.” FS He pointed at the head of thedart. «+ “What’s that?” asked the director. : Jack pulled the dart out and showed it to him. _ “The horse at once quieted down. « “Howecame that there?” cried the director. “That drunken Jout must have——” “No, sir. He didn’t do it. It was shot from a __ blow-pipe.” “4 blow-pipe, eh? Who did such a rascally deed?” = ta “Look behind the hedge and you will see the boy who was guilty of it,” said Jack, in a low _ __ The director began to have a glimmering of the _ facts. He was mad clear through. urning _ around he looked at the hedge, but could see noth- ing. He understood, however, that the thick 1€ could easily. hide the miscreant. - - “Take hold of the bridle and I'll have the villain if he’s there,” he said. ; He made a spring at the hedge. A guilty con- Science needs no <c2user is an old aphorism, and when Noah saw him coming he jumped up and made a break for the house.’ This drew his fa- ther’s attention to him for the first time. - “Noah!” he roared. — But Noah had definite r The ‘di s for not heeding r of the movies, in’,” whined Noah, in abject -both a physical and moral f course you didn’t, you young villain!” what are you doin’ to the boy?” cried several kinds of sense int IN THE FILM GAME 8 “He’s your son, is he? I am glad to know it. I shall hold you responsible for the damage he has done.” “What damage has he done to yer? seen him do anythin’.” “Do you see that blow-pipe?” “T'll allow I do.’” : “And these darts?” said the director, pulling several cut of Noah’s pocket. : “What about ’em?” “He shot one of them into my horse just as your hired boy mounted him, and that set t animal off his perch, and caused all the damage you saw in the road.” “T reckon yer’ll have to prove that,” said the farmer, doggedly. P “The proof lies in the fact that he has the blow- pipe amd daris in his possession, and that one of those darts was picked out of the horse’s flank just now.” “Who says it was?” demanded the farmer. “TI say so, and your hired hand showed it to me sticking in the horse. He picked it out, so I have his evidence of the fact to back up my statement.” “Did you fire one of them things into that animal?” roared Mr. Whippletree to his son. “I didn’t mean to do it,’ whimpered Noah, with a vivid recollection of the licking his old man had handed him a short time before. The look on his father’s face foreshadowed an- other and worse hiding, and so Noah trembled all the way down to his shoes. “Let go of him, mister, “I'll *tend to him,” said the farmer. The director, perceiving that the old man meant business, released Noah. Whippletree almost shook the breath out of his heir. “So the lickin’ I gave yer a while ago did yer no good, eh? This time I’ll fan ioe aie and proper with the cowhide.” Noah let out a roar in anticipation of what he i — a wets et up! en I get through with yer, yar to - down for a week.” = eo old on,” said the director as Mr. Whipp? tree started to drag his son away. = _ “What do yer want?” said the farmer, ungra- ciously. = .“You own this farm, I suppose?” “T do.” “Very good. Our lawyer will send you a bill for the da your son has done, and if you don’t pay it on demand our company will begin suit against you to recover the amount.” E The farmer looked staggered. The director spoke like a man who meant business, and Whip- pletree had a vision of the cost of a new camera, the value of which he had no idea of. “How much is it?” he asked, with a glare of rage at his son. ' I hain’t “I couldn’t tell you now, but it will be consid — erable.” “Them photograph things don’t cost so much.” , ’ and. is a * rg “That’s a motion picture machine. Then our afte work is have to ma five people I brought » g z } =
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4 . IWoOTES PT cone reund sum, and you won’t be able to get out of paying i “T'H pay what's right, but I won’t stand for no bunco game,” replied the farmer, aggressively. “The lawyer will send yeu an itemized account, which you can verify héfore paying. We don’t ask a cent more than the actual loss we have suffered. If you object to the bill, turn it over to a lawyer, and we'll adjust the matter with him. I ‘shall keep this blow-pipe .and these darts as evidence against your son in case we have. to take the case into court. You have seen me take them from him, and you will be obliged to admit that in court if it gets that far. I have also the evidence of your farmhand. That’s all. Now you can take your son away and teach him a les- son that he evidently needs badly.” ; The director returned to the road. Farmer Whippletree realized that he was up against it hard. He had a holy horror of the law, for he had always heard it was the worst thing to monkey with. A lawyer had told him once that even an unsatisfactory settlement of a case out or court was often to be preferred to a legal fight, since once you got involved in a lawsuit you peed could tell when you were going to get out of it. Whippletree also had told a remembrance of the story of the oyster and the two claimants who went to litigation over it. How in the end their lawyers divided the oyster, and all the contestants got was a shell apiece. All of these reflections, coupled with the large bill for dam- ages he would have to face, doubly inflamed Whippletree against his precious son. He looked the personification of doubly distilled- vengeance as he pushed his whimpering son ahead of him. He took the boy to the barn and, tying him to a post, got down his cowhide. “T reckon you'll cut them darts and blow-pipe out after I get through with you, yer young skunk.” “Please don’t kill me,” sobbed Noah. - “This here is only the first installment,” said his father, grimly. ‘When the bill comes in, and T have to pay it, yer’ll get the rest, and yer’ll get it good and hard. Yer’ll think every bee in the - hives put a sting into yer.” Then the farmer started in, and for several minutes Noah’s screams and cries for mercy agitated the air of the barn. In the meantime, at the director’s request, Jack rode forward to the turn in the road, where the actor and two actresses stood looking back and wondering what ‘was wrong at the director’s end, with orders for them to return. “What was the trouble?” asked the brigandish performer. ~ _ Jack explained what had happened. _ “The camera is smashed, you say?” said the “Yes,” replied Jack. “The horse put it out of business.” “Then we'll do no more work to-day, ladies,” | the actor. “However, we are entitled to our StF ihn same, so there is no danger that we The tot of a motion picture artist is not one of pampered luxury, unless you are a topnotcuer " and get big money right along.” “How much do you get?” “From $5 up a day.” : “Tf you get it every day that isn’t so bad.”, “Unfortunately we don’t work every day. If 2 it’s a cloudy day we can’t do any outdoor work. In that case we may be called’upon to work ‘in- teriors in the studio, under electric lights.” “What kind of place is the studio?” asked Jack, with interest. “It’s a glass-covered room generally of some size, equipped with all manner of lighting ap- paratus. It is often divided into sections so that two or more scenes can be taken at the same time. The stage, where the work is done, is not elevated like the stage of the theater, but even, or nearly so, withthe floor. The space within which the performers move is marked out in the shape of a triangle, with the*apex at the camera, and the people employed in a scene must see that they do not step outside the set lines while the machine is in action, or they will get out of the picture.” . “T should like to visit a studio,” said Jack. : Outsiders, unknown to the management, are not welcome, for they are likely to be in the way,” was the actor’s final remark, as they drove up to = alg point, with Jack riding alongside the _ vehicle. CHAPTER III.—Noah Decides to Run Away. The cameraman had collected the ruins of his - machine, and when the wagon came up he tossed it into the back of it. The young man whose place Jack had been called upon to take, with the disastrous results we have seen, was sleeping his jag off under the tree. The director intended to leave him there to sober up at his leisure. When he turned up at the studio he would learn he had been fired for good. “Well, vou’ve lost the chance to appear in an exciting film,” said the director to Jack, “and you can blame it on the little rascal you are living with. That horse is a spirited animal, and had you not been accustomed to holding your seat on a horse, you might have broken your neck.” _ “Noah Whippletree wouldn’t have have gone in mourning if I had,” said Jack. He hates me to the full extent of his nature.” “Then he did that trick for your benefit more than for fun?” ; - “I judge he did. I am sorry I was the inno- cent cause of spoiling your afternoon’s work.” “Never mind. It was not your fault, though I : theught it was at first. We won’t lose much over it, for Mr. Whippletree will have a stiff bill — | for damages to settle with the company.” ~ “That will break his heart, for a dollar looks take satisfaction ovt of me.” as big as a mountain to him. He will probably — = oe = “ - =
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= should you? Is he a hard man to work Ss a yr - > ~ aT shot remark that he is. I shall be glad hen my time is up.” “When will that be?” “On the first of November.” “You can quit any time, can’t you?” ~ “Yes, but I’ll sacrifice most of my wages.” _-. “How is that?” : ; Jack explained the terms of his agreement with _ the farmer. “J don’t believe that agreement would hold water if you put your case in the hands of a = ewe . How came you to go to work on this - farm? Is farming your regular business?” No. I never worked on a farm before I went to work for Mr. Whippletree.” w “What induced you to take up with the job? It’s pretty hard labor, I should judge.” You bet it is. I get up at five and work reugh, with intermissions for meals, till nearly nine at night. Then I turn in, for I’m fagged ee as + ; ‘How much are you paid?” ack told him. : : “Little enough. You're a Cart eccrag 2 in- Saiigent fellow, and could-do much better. If you : to throw up your job [jl hire you as a hand around the studio. I want a fellow like you to take that drunken chap’s place. As Say you’re a good rider, you will be useful Bay : > “1d like to take you up, but there’s three s’ pay ‘coming to me which I am likely to on Whippletree for what is due you. If won’t pay, the lawyer will probably see his to bringing suit in your name for the money.” “If I thought I’d win I’d leave the farm.” “Our studio is in Elyria, but we are going to up at the village to-night; I expect to get a camera by noon to-morrow and take the upted scenes in the aftérnoon. I shall need _ You to work the part I engaged you for, so you r report at the hotel some time'in the x. As I am going to Elyria myself this pe, I will try and get legal advice on your fore I get back with the new camera w. Then I will be able to let you know m stand with reference to your agreement. E to be on hand I will see that you othing by it,” said the director, who had a shine to the boy. |right. It would suit me better to work for than for Mr. Whippletree,” said Jack, in a : showed he meant it. y good,” said the director. “Meet me at in the village after you’ve had your along the road around one. “We'll the team about that time, and will . Tell the farmer that I claim the use services eam ekae ep er for the $3 t probably sm your way.” . Ate »! ®, Pil tell him; but Tn y, whether he likes it or not.” , if it’s more convenient to you, be- _ last? You’ __ you've never worked in your life.” A SEPURET ak o 8 : IN THE FILM GAME | 6 actor-driver, and the rig bowled away, with the chestnut horse trotting on behind. Jack re- turned to the job in the truck patch he had left on the appearance of the movie people in the voad, and Was busy at work when the tear-stained face of Noah Whippletree projected itself over the fence near him. Jack saw him, but pre- tended he didn’t. : “J s’pose you’re down on me, Jack Case?” said Noah, in a tone that caused Jack to stop work and look at him. It was the nearest approach to friendliness that Noah had ever’ been guilty of toward the hired ~ - hand. . “If I am it’s your fault. I’ve tried to be on good terms with you, but you wouldn’t have it,” replied Jack, wondering what was in the wind. “I didn’t like you because you got along with the boys and girls around here and I didn’t.”” “If you tried to be pleasant and sociable you might get on with them, too.” “T don’t care. I ain't goin’ to stay here.” “You aren’t?”’ said Jack in surprise. “Going Visiting?” “No; I’m goin’ to run away.” “You are?” ; Noah nodded his head in a determined way. “What put that idea in your head?” “My old man licked me twice this afternoon, and he’s promised me another. I won’t stay and be treated like a dog. I told marm, and she said I got what I deserved. That settled it. I’m oin’ away to-night, and I never mean to come ack, never!” “Your father will follow you and bring you back. Then he’ll lay it onto you for leaving home on the sly.” “He won’t catch me. I'll take care of that.” “Why are you telling me this?” “Because I want you to know. You think I ain’t got no backbone. I’m goin’ to-show you I have.” “I think you’re foolish to talk about running away. You have a good home, and if you’d be- have yourself you wouldn’t have any trouble with your father.” . “I’m goin’ to get square with my old man for the two lickin’s.” : “And you’re going to run yourself into a lot of trouble.” _ “What do you mean by trouble?” “How do you expect to run away and get along without money?” REE “You needn’t worry about me. all right,” said Noah, meaningly. “You’ve never been out in the world on your own hook. I have, and I know how tongh it is. I was flat broke when I came to work on this farm. ‘If your father hadn’t taken me on I'd have had to beg a meal and a night’s lodging along the road, You haven’t any idea what that-is. eat.” “Oh, I’ve got some money, and I’ll be able to — a sieag are ; P i ee “How lo 0 you suppose your money will have to look about for w r Tl get along You've always had a bed and plenty to_ =
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6 IN THE FILM GAME ning away, and will be glad to sneak back home and take your medicine.” “Here comes my old man. Now don’t you give me away. If you do I'll never forgive you.” With those words the youth moved away. In a few minutes Farmer Whippletree came up to - the fence and looked over into the truck patch. ; en long have you been back?” he said to Jack. “Oh, some little time,” answered the boy. “What was Noah sayin’ to yer?” “He told me you whipped him twice this after- noon.” “Huh! It’s a wondes he’d tell yer that. What else did he say?” “He said he wasn*t going to stand for any more of them.” “He said that, did he? Well, another ina day or two, when that chap sends in his bill for dama that job now and come into the to help me there@’ Jack got up, climbed over the fence and fol- lowed the farmer to the barn. e’s goin’ to get tion picture ‘You kin quit aah I want yer CHAPTER IV.—The Flitting of Noah. Jack worked in the barn until Mrs. Whipple- tree called him and her husband to supper. Noah had a peculiar look on his face when he came to the table. He also had his best clothes on. His father naturally noticed that fact. “What are yer dressed up for?” he said, sharp- 1 Mm goin’ to a party,” said his son, in a smoothered tone. “A party! Wheréabouts? nothin’ about it afore.” : “Over on the Davis farm. One of the girls is havin’ a birthday party. ; “Tf yer goin’ there to-night yer'll have to walk.” “T don’t care if I do walk.’ “Are you invited, too?” the farmer asked Jack. “No, sir. I haven’t heard anything about a party over at the Davis farm.” hy didn’t yer mention the matter afore?” said Whippletree to his son. *T only got the invitation this afternoon.” “Huh!” ejaculated his father, applying himself to his supper. No one wasted any time over a meal in the Whippletree household. Conversation to any great extent was rarely indulged in. The Whip- pletrees came to table to eat and not to talk. And when they weze through eating they got up and went about other matters. On the present occasion Mrs. Whippletree, having noticed the uch which had enveloped her husband like an impalpable fog since his interview with the mo- tion picture director, and which she knew was in some way connected with Noah, ventured to in- quire into the cause of it at the table. “Huh!” said her husband again, for he was in - no humor to talk upon a ore subject. “JT don’t see no need of you bein’ so grumpy, Silas Whippletree,” retorted his spouse, whose —. of curiosity was cae developed. ’d be more: aoe Ee I hain’t heard ada was stuck for a heavy bill of damages 6n ac- count of that young whelp there,” said the farmer glaring across the table at his hopeful heir. “For pity’s sake!” ejaculated the lady. “What damages are you stuck for?” “TI dunno the amount, but by the way the man talked I guess it’ll make a hole in my summer obo a “Why shculd you have to pay any damages on Noah’s account? What has the boy done?” “He busted a movin’ picture camera out in the road this afternoon, and sp’led the work of the pecple who were takin’ the pictures. I’ve got to pay for the time they’ve lost, as well as for the camera and the stuff :nside it, or stand a suit at _~ law, which I reckon wouldn’t do me no good.” “My goodness! How did it happen?” Mr. Whippletree unbent so far as to briefly re- view the incjgent in question for the benefit of his conjugal partner. “So that’s why you gave Noah a second lickin’ this afternoon?” “Yes; and he’ll get the other installment when the bill comes in. If it’s bigger’n I expeét, I wor’t leave any hide on him,” glowered the farmer, whereat Noah instinctively winced, even though he was resolved to run away that night, < “IT think you’ve whipped him enough, Silaa,” said his wife, feeling disposed to save her son from further castigation. “I don’t s’pose the damage’ll cost you more’n $5, “Five dollars!” roared Mr. Whippletrée. “More like $50.” Mrs. Whippletree gasped at that. Fifty dollars looked like a small fortune to her. Her husband was naturally a close man, and she had to use all kinds of expert tactics to separate him from enough money, in addition to what she made out the sale of butter and eggs to the village (store, to clothe her in a suitable manner. If her husband was mulcted to the extent of $50 by the moving picture people she would never be able to get another cent from him that year, This was a prospective calamity that hit her in a weak spet. Her sympathy for Se son evaporated, and she felt like giving him a beating on her own ac- count. aed it won’t be as much as that?” she sai Her husband made no reply. He had said all he was going to on the subject, and thereafter was as mute as a mopstick. The meal over, the. farmer went to the barn, while Jack devoted himself to the customary evening chores. Noah went to his room and put in his time packing a 3 small grip he had fished out of the attic. When he was done he pulled a big roll of bills out of his vest pocket and counted it over complacently. Considering the miserly character of his father, who dominated the purse strings, it was a lot more money than one would have expected to see _ in his possession, An eye witness, a ted — with the internal economy of the Whippletree family, would have wondered how he came: oF-— pocket, dens. . so much cash. Noah didn’t return it to his vest pocket, after peeling off two or three bills, stuffed cat rest down into the bottom of the grip. Then he opened his window and looked out. iw aa CE if yer ares a buat ane; x aad : he could easily.
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lin his range of vision. His room overlooked side of the house cigs Sg head of the lane. ower bed, in which his mother took some e, lay underneath. Finding the coast ap- arently clear, Noah tied the grip to a piece of ng and lowered it into the flower bed, where lighted on and crushed one of his mother’s oicest plants, recently presented to her by a hbor. Closing the window, the lad went downstairs d announced to his mother in the living room med. “What time do you expect to get home?” she asked, in mo agreeable tone, for she felt sour toward him. “If I was ycur father I wouldn’t ‘Tet you go after what you done.” “Didn’t he whale the back off me” replied the boy, doggedly. — “Tt wasn’t any more than you deserved.” ~ You used to take my part, but now you’ve Zone back on me.” If your father has to pay $50 on. your ac- ant, I haven’t any sympathy for you. Fifty Hars is a mint of money to me.” “Oh, dad has plenty money in the house. You're Ways howlin’ about hein’ hard-up. If I was in ‘shoes and he wouldn’t give me what I , I’d take it,” said Noah. : his was’a new kind of speech for the lad to e, and his mother looked up a bit startled at suggestion of taking any of her husband’s ey without his permission. She was too ell broken to,harness to do such a thing. “How dare you say such a thing as that, Gah Whippletree?” she said, angrily. “You needn’t get mad. I said it for your own . You don’t have to do it if you don’t want Well, ’m goin’.” : Noah walked out of the room and slipped out the yard. He saw his father locking up the , and he took advantage of his back being d toward him to whip around the corner f the house. As soon as the farmer entered “house, Noah stepped-into the flower bed, ith entire disregard for the plants in his path, icked up his grip, detached the string, and arted for the gate of the lane. ching the road, he started off in the direc- epposite to the village. At that early stage , running away appeared like an ex- d interesting event to him. He didn’t that all his troubles lay before him. Jack t really believe that Noah ees poet self-expressed program. He had an idea outh was just Ghoatng off so much wind. seemed ridiculous to him that a boy with a @, and the prospects of one day owning it, un away just because he had received a good whippings, which he undoubtedly When Noah said at the supper table had been invited to a birthday party at farm, he didn’t believe it. Noah wasn’t of, receiving special invitations from though when parties were given at 10 ‘m-houses he was not slighted, presence was not regarded as he was going to start for the party he had_ ioned. ‘into the eee ee ne “A — 7 to meet a number of cronies whose sole aim in life was to plot mischief. So the hired hand thought no more about the matter, and went to bed at his usual hour. Jack was called by Whippietree at the usual hour, and he got up and attended to the morning chores. Breakfast was ready at seven. Noah did not always get up till breakfast was over, when he ate what his mother saved for him. His absence this morning there- fore passed unnoticed, as it was understood by his parents that he had been absent until a late hour at the Davis party. It happened, however, that one of the Davis beys called before bréakfast was over on an errand for his father. He was invited in to take a cup of coffee, which he accepted. “T understand you had a party at your home last night,” said Whippletree. “Not that I heard of,” replied Dick Davis in some surprise. ‘Who told you that?” : “Noah told us. He went off about eight o’clock to attend it.” “He was fooling you. We didn’t have any party. If we had one I would have invited Jack as well as Noah.” “So,” growled Whippletree pere. “Noah has taken to lyin’, has he? I reckon I’li have some- thin’ to say to him when he gits up. The fannin’ I gave him yesterday doesn’t- appear to have made the proper impression on him. He is hank- erin’ after another lickin’. “Ever since school closed for the summer he’s been givin’ me trouble. Well, I’ll cure him or he won’t have no hide left on him.” $ The farmer got up and went out to get the im- plements Dick Davis came over to borrow, while Jack was sent to the well by Mrs. Whippletree for a pail or two of water. Dick met Jack st the well. : “So Noah told his folks there was a party at cur place last night, eh?” said Dick. “He did.” “That was an excuse to go somewhere, I sup- pose?” . “Must have been, unless he has really run * away.” “Run away!” cried Dick, in surprise. “What did he want to run away for?” Jack told him about the whippings Noah got, and explained why he received the last one. “Served him right,” said Dick. “Do you really think he’s run away?” “No, I don’t believe he was such a fool. Where -_ would he run to?” _ “He might have zone, to some fellow’s house in the village as a bluff.” : “Tf he did he’ll get another warming when he comes back.” “His father and mother think he’s in bed.” “He might be, but I wouldn’t be surprised if — he wasn’t. If he’s putting up a bluff he might — stay away for a couple of days. his father by this time. The old man means _ business every time.” eats “Well, I must be going. Good-by. Come over | Sunday.” Se ayo He'll find his —_ bluff won’t work for a cent, He ought to know
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She came in from a trip upstairs presently look- ing a bit excited. z “Where’s my husband?” she said. “At the barn.” “Go and tell him that Noah ain’t in the house, and hasn’t been home all night.” Jack hastened to carry the message to the farmer. ! “What’s that? Noah hain’t been home all night,” said Mr. Whippletree. “That’s what your wife told me to tell you,” replied Jack. The farmer made a bee-line for the house. Jack followed, impressed with the suspicion that Neah had really made good his treat te run away, though satisfied he would regret it. Farmer Whippletree heard his wife’s statement again first hand, rushed up to his son’s reom to verify it, which seemed like casting a reflection on his wife’s veracity, but that was the farmer’s way, and came back to the kitchen as mad as a hornet. “What business has he to stay out all night?” he roared. “Where did he go? There warn’t no party at the Davis place. That showed he lied to get awayr Wait till I get my hands on him.” Jack would have felt sorry for Noah had he turned up at that moment. He certainly would have caught it hot and heavy. The farmhand was now sure Noah had skipped according to his program, but though it might have been his pe to tell the farmer, he refrained out of sym- pathy for the son of the house, though Noah had never been a friend of his. So he kept silence while Mr. Whippletree raved ovér his son’s de- linquency, and in a few minutes accompanied the irate agriculturist out into one. of the fields to . start his day’s work. = CHAPTER V.—Jack Leaves the Farm. At noon Mrs. Whippletree blew the horn for them to come to dinner. Standing in the yard ree was the rig of a man from Elyria who had called to collect an installment on a machine he = had sold Mr. Whippletree. The farmer had ~ been expecting him and had drawn the money from the et two days before to pay the bill. “Howdy-do, Mr. Martin, I’ve been lookin’ for you to call,” said Mr. Whippletree. “Step in and have dinner with us.” ey 4 >: I do,” said the man, who expected the invitation. - The farmer and Jack washed up, and the three -_ went to the table where Mrs. Whippletree had _ already placed an extra plate for their guest. _ There was no lack of conversation on this occa- _ sion; that is, between the farmer and the fan _ from Elyria. It was confined chiefly to “shop”; _ that is, about expected crops and other topics _ connected with farming. The visitor, however, _ volunteered much city news that was welcome to his host and wife. He also made himself solid with Mrs. Whippletree by presenting her with ; 8 IN THE FILM GAME “Thank you, Mr. Whippletree, don’t mind if . ey | drawer. Jack had just brought in a pail of water for the lady of the house, when Mr. Whip- — pletree came tearing into the room like a wild ~ man, to the great astonishment of those present. In his hand he waved a piece of paper, and his face was the picture of concentrated fury. “For heaven’s sake, Silas, wkat’s the matter? gasped his wife. “What’s wrong, neighbor?” asked the visitor. “The infernal whelp!” howled the farmer. “To- think he would dare rob me, his father!” “Sakes alive, Silas! What are you talkin’ about?” ‘ .“Talkin’ about!” roared Whippletree. “Do you know what Noah has done?” ; | “How should I?” “He has robbed me of the money I drew from the bank to pay Mr. Martin, and has run away.” ; “Run away! Noah!” scseamed Mrs. Whipzle- ree. ; “Read that paper if you don’t believe it.” The lady, however, was too flustrated to read anything at that moment, even, if*it had been printed in big type, and the paper was merely a rough scrawl in Noah’s handwriting, which briefly set forth the two important facts: “To Dad and Marm: I’ve run away from home for good, ’cause I’m tired of bein’ knocked around, and I’ve taken the money in this drawer. Good-by forever. “Noah.” Mrs. Whippletree took the paper and gaved at-- the writing in a dazed way. “You don’t mean he really has run away?” she said, with quivering lips, her motherly in- stincts coming to the front. : “J don’t mean nothin’ else. He says so in that paper, and he says he’s taken the money. As the money is gone, every cent of it, there can’t be any doubt about the matter. To think we should — have brought sich a viper into the world,” said — the farmer. = Jack gasped when he realized that Noah had — pinched a wad of money from his father, and he _ blamed himself for helping the fugitive with his — silence. It was too late now for him to say any- _ thirg. Had he opened his mouth on the subject the farmer would have jumped on his neck like a carload of bricks. “There was excitement to _— burn in the room for a while. The visitor said — thai under the circumstances he would let the - matter go for a week or two and call again. Mr, Whippletree accepted that arrangement, — and then said he was going to pursue his son and fetch him back if it tock him a week. ~ “Where do you suppose he went?” asked his wife, after the visitor had gone. = “To Elyria, or maybe to Clayton,” he said. Elyria was a city of some size to the West, — while Clayton was a big town in the oppos direction. Noah had gone to the latter side he did not want to pass through the village, where — he stood a chance of being recognized, Picks nt would have furnished a clue to the direction h was taking. As the fafmer believed his son was — a oe late copy of a fashion magazine, and the cata- more likely to be attracted to a city a department store that did a mail order with the money he had in his pos people. The dinner finally harnessed up his light wagon and he farmer went upstairs that wa ick up son Village » hopi to. k up some pete pole
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= _ IN THE FILM GAME : 9 It was not until after he had started that Jack recalled his engagement with the moving picture Dglirector. He told Mrs. Whippletree that the ~ farm would be minus his services that afternoon, as her husband had rented him to the motion Picture people the previous day, and as the —smashing of the camera had prevented them » availing themselves of his services, they expected ' to use him that day. The lady made a protest, but it didvi’t go with the boy, who walked down to the road in time to see the team he expected coming along. - “You’re on hand, I see,’ said the director. “Well, I have good news for you. Our lawyer ‘expresses the opinion that Whippletree can’t hold back what he owes you if you want to leave him. He can sue you, however, for any reason- able damages that he can prove to have suffered through the breaking of the contract by you. If . Ay have a good defence you will win out. Should e decide to do that he can pay the money he Owes you into the court instead of to you on the ground that as you are not a real resident of the county, he might not be able to recover any damages that the jury might award him. That Would tie your wages up until the case was de- _ Cided one way or the other. If you enlist with us I will pay you $10 a week, and in addition to that, advance you half of what the farmer owes ” ~ ; “Y'l] take your offer,” said Jack, promptly. ~ “All right. After we have taken the pictures you can return here, tell the farmer you are going _ to leave, make a demand on him for your wages, _ Which you probably won’t get, pack your ‘trunk _ ©Y grip and follow us to Elyria. Here is $10 on Account.” _ Jack took the money. and then received his instructions of the day before over again. We Will not follow him through his afternoon’s ex- peed It is enough to say that he performed * part to the satisfaction of the director, and “there was no need to go over any scene again on his account. At five o’clock he parted with his - New boss at the Whippletree Jane and went to the _ farm-house to have it out with the farmer if he & got back from the pursuit of his son. He ound Mrs. Whippletree beginning the prepara- tions for supper. She was not in humor, - &s might be ed. Her husband had not got - though she looked for him at any time. Sie nothing to her about his intention of S E ing the farm, and proceeded to the field to do a couple of hours’ work. At seven he was alled to supper. ; the veranda of a cheap hotel at opposite direction, he was hardly his deserts as soon as his mother ‘Jack could not very well shake the had seen Mr. Whippletree, so the signtl chores and for the farmer to return. till close on the raidnight, by bed and asleep. Mr. d the slightest clue Elyria, so he was ree humor, and it was just as well that Jack did not see him. Whippletree ate his supper in Clinton, and from that place telegraphed the Elyria-police to arrest his son on sight, giving a brief descrip- tion of the Jad. After breakfast next morning Jack told the farmer that he was going to quit the farm, as he had been offered a better job with the moving picture people. He concluded by asking for his mceney. Whippletree stormed eat Jack, for even suggesting that he wanted to leave, and toi!d hint hé weuld forfeit what was coming’ to him if he left him in the middie of the season. Jack told him that he had legal advice on the subject, and would bring suit for his money. The upshot of the matter was that Jack, packed his grip anl left without his money. CHAPTER VI.—Jack Joins the Globe Film Manufacturing Company. Jack walked to the village, where he took the "bus. that met the mail trains going either east er west from a town three miles away. In less than an hour after boarding the train he reached Elyria. He had the address of a boarding- house the director, whose name, by the way, was Nash, had given him, and the address of the studio. He found his way to the boarding-house first, and engaged room and board by the week. He learned that the cameraman, Thompson by nbeme, lived there, and he told the landlady he was coming. , He got his lunch and then started for the studio. It was a large, one-story building, ow the corner of two streets, on the outskirts of thr city. It was originally built for, and used as, « - riding academy. After that it was turned into a hall for roller skaters. It was ‘put to sunary uses, and finally came into possession of the moving picture concern which put in two sectional glass roofs, similar to the kind found in a photograph gallery, enly larger. All the other necessary fixings in the way of artificial light- ing, scenery for interiors, a developing room, etc.,° were duly provided, and the making of films be- came a steady industry there. The company, however, was only a-sma!! one in comparison with others in the trade, and was not affiliated with the moving picture trust. At the time.of which we write, the independent concerns were strug- gling for recognition, and their road was not as. smooth then as it has since become. The film business was; practically controlled by a number of big companies, acting in com- bination, and ang 6 monopoly to everything in sight. The* Globe Film Manufacturing Com- pany was the name of the particular company ack_ had secured employment with, and he found the name in small letters above the word “Laboratory” on the entrance door at the corner. Jack opened the door and walked in. There was no bar to admission to the place, but a person who had no business there was soon invited to wee out. Jack was waylaid in the ante-room, and asked his errand. “¥ called to see Mr. Nash,” he said. | “He’s busy just now directing the taking of a scene, gn =
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> = se iar = a = _~ hat, or for, 10 “When will-he be at liberty?” “Not for sometime, I guess.” “Can I see Mr. Thompson, then?” “No. He’s busy, too.” “Will you take my name in to Mr. Nash?” “Yes, Vil do that.” “Tell him Jaek Case has arrived from the farm.” The young man walked off back somewhere, and Jack waited for him to return. In a few minutes Jack was invited inside, where he got his first view of a photo-play in the course of preduction. It was a one-reel piece embodying eighteen to twenty scenes of pictures. A third of these were out-of-door views, and had already been taken without reference to their continuity or place in the plot or story. The interior scenes were now under consideration. Three of them represented the same parlor, and though when the reel was shown to the public they would ap- pear as scenes two, eight and sixteen, the action connected with them were photcgraphed in suc- cession, to save the work of setting up the sce- nery three times. Es Jack learned later tnat each scene was care fully rehearsed beforehand by the director until _ the performers had the business doyn to his sat- isfaction. Our hero recognized the two actresses IN THE and the briganish actor among those engaged, although the later looked very different in a _ swell eyening suit, and without the heavily corked eyebrows he had worn on the road. Not till the scene underway was over was Jack no- ticed by the director, and then be spoke to him “and asked him if he was ready to go to work. The boy said he was. “How did you part with. Whippletree? Kind of scrappy, I suppose?” he said with a smile. “Well, our interview wasn’t a love-feast,” grin- ned Jack. “The occasion was rather unpropitious for me, as Whippletree was in a stew over his son. You see he whaled the boy for firing the - dart into the horse, not so much on account of the act as because it laid him open to your bill for damages, and promised him a second licking when the bill came in. As a result, Noah Whip- pletree got desperate and ran away.” - Jack told him the whole story, and ~Director ‘Nash said Noah Whippletree. had proved an ex- pensive factor to his father’s affairs. The camera- man, who had retired to make a test of the strip = of film: just taken, called Naga into the dark - room to show him how it shpwed up. This is always done before any other scene is taken, _ 80 that the scene can be taken over again if, for any reason, the film is not satisfactory. -. -It may be that some piece of “business” has gone wrong, or a situation is not effective. Or perhaps an actor should have “come on” with his that he was munching a sandwich walked on with it in his hand. Sins or omis- sion and commission like the foregoing are suffi- cient to spoil a whole scene, and it has to be done ‘again at a cost of time, labor and money. It_is e director's place to see that such lapses do not FILM GAME ‘hide, and as his stolen he was still among the _ the seamy side of his: vepen ES He was keenly alert always, for he knew vigilance is the price of success. The results that sub-_ sequently came to Jack in the film game were” largely due to the chances he had in observing how Nash went about his business, and making mental note of the same. Nash was really the man in contro! of the Globe Film Manufacturing Company. His money had helped to finance it, — and his ability as a producer kept the company ~ afloat. He was not only the stage director, but at we start he was senario writer and editor as well. ; Now a dozen or more so-called scenarios, and a few that were the real thing, reached the office every day by mail. He was quick to sift out the wheat from the chaff. The latter were quickly — returned to the writers, even when the necessary stamps were not enclosed, for he felt a certain © sympathy for the unsuccessful aspirants, though, we believe, this sympathy does not. extend to the studio critics of present time producers, any more than it dwells in the hearts of the magazine editors who are always howling at the dearth of acceptable short stories. Nash didn’t care whether the scenario writer who honored his company with his ideas had a reputation in that line or not if he produced the “goods.” Nowadays the big companies have editors and scenario writers on the pay-roll to go over the manuscript sent in in shoals, and also to supply — the right stuff in an emergency, which, somehow or another, always seems to exist. As long as — Jack was associated with Director Nash he never knew when that gentlemen wasn’t very busy. ¢ : The newcomer was put to work about the studio. His province was to help everybody who- needed his assistance. He found in a day or two — that he was required to “come on” in a scene — as part of a crowd, or to enact some. smail part — within his abilities. In a word, he was expected to be generally useful, and was here, there ard everywhere as occasion demanded. When the company’s lawyer sent a clerk to Farmer Whip-_ pletree with the bill for damages, he also carried — a letter demanding the pay due Jack. This the — farmer refused to pay, claiming, with some jus-— tice, that the boy’s defection in the busy season — caused him considerable loss, since he had not — been. able to fill his place, and, in any event, he would have to pay his successor larger wages, ~ which was true enough. “ape Whippletree, in spite of his horror cf a law- — suit, declared he would stand one in Jack’s case, ~ So suit was begun egainst him in Jack’s name, and the farmer turned the papers over to the | principal village lawyer, who put in the required ; answer, and the case was* put on the docket ¢ the circuit court at the country seat, and would come up for trial in the course of time. And ° may incideiitally remark here that up to this time Noah Whippletiee succeeded in eluding 2 efforts on the part of his father to find him, H mother lpoked to see him turn up at any time, but as Noah did not expect to find the faited calf awaiting his return, but rather a stout ray funds hung out bravely, ‘folly. he" probs
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with his mother to soften the old man’s venge- Oe ance, + CHAPTER VII.—A Rascally Piece of Work. ; * ~ _ Jack found his new job much preferable to - farmwork. He didn’t have to turn out early in the morning to feed live-stock and help do the milking. either did he thave to labor all day long in the hot sun, and then turn in after sup- per to do a lot of chores that he did not finish much before half-past eight, and then it was __ almost time to turn into bed. Besides, he received ‘more pay. On the whole, he found his new work interesting. He learned something new about aes ‘the moving picture industry every day, and the _ more he learned the better he liked it. He and _ Thompson, the ¢ameraman, kind of chummed to- _ gether, and Thompson put him wise to all the secrets of the trade. __ “The motion picture business is only in its in- fancy,” said the cameraman. “Take it from me, _ Jack, it’s going to revolutionize the amusement world. The cost of living has gone up so high that the average public are looking for enter- tainment on a cheap basis. The movies are al- _ ready catching them. Motion picture houses are opening up all over the country, and the people ‘are flocking into them like ducks into a pond.” ~ “Yes,I know,” said Jack. “They are going to put a lot of actors out of work, don’t you think? *ye heard that more than half of the traveling epertoire companies have gone out of business. “As new film manufacturing companies are she} = In the past ‘actors who worked forty weeks steady each year, and got their money, have been considered for- tunate, as a rule. The majority of them were ‘continually on the move, seldom remaining more than a week in one place. That meant they were deprived of the comforts of a teal home. They _ flitted from one boarding-house to another, or were up against the nomadic life of cheap hotels. _ The motion picture business offers them steady ‘capable unemployed professionals. ilm Company when he encountered the young n whose job he had taken. This chap’s name Kenry Fallon, and he was called Hen \for _ On the occasion of his disgrace he had well into the night under-the tree on the in front of the Whippletree farm. He.made way back to the hotel in the -village where rector Nash had pee Poa people up quer niges. Was open wW! go ere, but the stor had no orders to Bat for him. He gnized him as being connected with the party, i thinking the young fellow had been over- Oke: ga gave him a room and break- . Then Fallon learned from starting up all the while, they offer openings to- IN THE FILM GAME 1 tation back to the city, and was told to hunt up employment elsewhere. Fallon returned to Elyria in a bad frame of mind, He resented his discharge without con- sidering its justness. He was one of. those kind of people who harbor revenge for a real or fancied injury. Therefore he determined to get square with the Globe Company. And in getting Square with the company he would put it over Nash, who had bounced him so summarily, for he knew Nash was the boss of the company. His associates were the frequenters of a saloon not far from the laboratory. That is where he had been in the habit of spending the larger part of his wages since he came to the city. As he had been a good custmer, the proprietor w2s friendly toward him. Consequently when his money gave out which it did in a day or two, he got credit across the bar. He did not tell the saloon owner that he had lost his job. He accounted for the extra time he now spent in the bar-room by saying he had been laid off for a week owing to internal in- jury. The proprietor believed and sympathized with him, and allowed him to roost in his barn. Hen told the truth to a couple of his boon friends, and they agreed that he had not been fairly treated. He hinted that he intended to get square with the movie people, and they said he would ~ be justified in hitting back. Thus encouraged, he set to work to think up some scheme of re- taliation.. While thus engaged he found out who his successor was. He hung around till he met = Jack going out to his dinner. He stopped him. _ “You're the fellow who’s taken my job,” he said ~- in a nasty, belligerent tone. FS aired about it?” said Jack, who recognized im. ’ “There’s this much about it. I’m not goin stand for it.” = % os “T’m’sorry, but I don’t see what you have to do about it.” “Oh, you don’t, eh?” : “No, I don’t,” replied Jack, not at all frightened by his predecessor’s ugly looks and manner, “You were discharged, weren’t you?” “S’pose I was; if you hadn't butted in I’d have got taken on in.” “Don’t you fool yourself with such an idea. You were discharged for getting drunk when your services were urgently needed. Mr. Nash isn’t the kind of man to overlook such a thing as that, It wasn’t your first offence, eXher. The director won’t have unreliable people about the labora- tory. It doesn’t pay.” .. SS ie “Ts that so?” sneered Fallon. ; S “You’ve found it so, haven’t you?” : “T ain’t going to put up with no such treat- ment. I’m going to get square.” : “With Mr. Nash? ‘ “With the whole shooting match, including ou.” ; “You're talking rag-time.” . Sey “I'll let you see if I am. Take that.” - He shot out his fist at Jack’s face. As the boy. was looking for something of the kind, and was — blo sie Gasett, te-siiectapral and avoided the $ Sr es re et lh . e One 3 ft jot ay = ~ — = £ <0 oom
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12 IN THE FILM GAME before. Jack warded off his fist and handed him one on the jaw that sent him staggering back. With a yell cf anger Hen rushed at Jack. A mix-up followed, ending in Hen’s overthrow with a knockout blow. *Jack left him on the ground and continued on to dinner, or rather lunch, at the boarding-house a few blocks away. Fallon was helped on his feet by a spectator, and re- treated to the saloon to figure out revenge, not only on Jack, but the laboratory as weil. “T heard you had a scrap with Henry Fallon, the chap I fired and whose place you are filling,” said Director Nash to Jack soon after the boy got back. “That’s right. He forced a fight on me, and I gave him all he wanted.” : “You must be a good one, for Falion has the reputation of being something of a fighter.” “I can protect myself.” “He started the trouble, then?” “Yes. He accused me of butting into his job. ae said if I hadn’t taken it he would have got it ck.” “He hadn’t the faintest chance of being taken on again. I have no use for persons of his stamp.” “T practically told him that, and he said he was going to get square with the whole shooting match, meaning the laboratory, I judge, and my- . self.” “Fie said that, did he?” <— “He did.” “Then I think he’ll bear watching. T’ll put the officer on this beat on to him, with orders to arrest him if he tries to do any damage. When - @ man gets down to threats, the jail is a good place for him to cool off in,” said the director, walking off. : Next day was Saturday, and Jack was called - on to hetp the carpenter build a scene that was wanted right away. While they were at work on it the company rehearsed the scene. It was put in position for the scene painter to go to work on it. Jack was employed putting a coat of size on the canvas parts. This was the neces- *» sary sround work for the artist to lay his colors : on. The boy finished his work about supper _ time, then he washed up and left the building. The sizing would dry overnight, and the artist expected to begin painting in the morning, so as to have a set ready for the performers on Mon- day. The night watchman came on duty about the time Jack was ready to go, and he was the -only one in the building when the boy took his _ departure. After dinner, when Jack went to his room, he remembered that he had forgotten to bring a book on the moving picture “business which the director had loaned him to read, so as the laboratory was only a few blocks away, he decided to go there and get it. So he started __ off on his errand. He went to the front odor id knocked for the watchman. The man did respond, so Jack guéssed he was somewhere Avira) © ral ited ten minutes, and ation 1 d to him. A Still no <—e ntion | the back of the building going his rounds. He. pete tat ch ag : "he that Jack wan high from the ground along the side, and from the last one Jack saw a flickering light. He figured that it was from the watchman’s lantern. When he turned the corner at the back he saw more light from the first two win- lows, one of which he noticed was completely broken. This of itself was edd, for he was willing to swear it was not broken when he went home, for he had been working in that end of the building. But that wasn’t the only thing that attracted his attention.. Right under the broken window was a long piece of plank, whica, on closer inspection, proved to be provided with cleats a foot apart, so that a person could easily mount it. That with the broken window aroused Jack’s suspicions that all was not right. He immediately mounted the cleated plank and looked in through the window. He gave a gasp when he saw Hen Fallen and another young chap inside busily engaged preparing to start-a good- sized fire, which, if it once got started, would surely destroy the building and all it contained. The pieces of scenery which Jack and the car- penter had prepared that afternoon, and which Jack had sized before going away, and left stand- ing along the wall, had been piled together in the middle of the floor, and the two rascals were making kindling out of some wood to pile on the paper they had placed under the scenery. Jack saw that the window had not been broken, as he supposed, but jimmied out and laid on the edge of the roof. How the young villains had managed to do it without —— the at- tention of the watchman surprised Jack. They went about their dastardly work with the sang froid of people who were not expecting to be interfered with, from which fact Jack guessed that they had, after securing an entrance, cap- tured and bound the watchman. He was an old man and no match for the two young fellows, though it was ‘true that he was provided with a revolver. Without doubt they had caught him off his guard and put him out of business. “Great Scott!” muttered Jack, “the scoundrels intend to set the laboratory on fire. I’ll have to put a spoke in their wheel somehow. No use running for the cop on the beat. There isn’t time, and I wouldn’t know where to find him,- anyway. There isn’t a soul around here that I can call on to help me. I'll have to depend on myself, and if I’m going to put a stop to this business, I’l] have to do it mighty quick.” ae question was just how he was going to op it. CHAPTER VIII.—Jack Saves the Laboratory. “I must get in through this window,” said. Jack. “I can’t do that without making noise — enough to attract their notice. As I must go — in backward, they’ll have me at a disad 2 and-the pair of them will be able todo me up.” Jack thought of yelling at them with the view of frightening them, but if he succeeded they would Eg away by way of the were
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- “That ain’t enough woed. Go and get some More of it,” Fallon said to his companion in oa “We want to make a sure thing of this 4 ob. “Sprinkle some turps over it and it’ll go,” said the other. “We'll do that, too,” said Fallon. woed yonder. Go and get it.” - As the other chap started to do as he was - told, the thought occurred to Jack that there was a skylight in the office facing the street, and that he might be able to get in through that. With great caution he pulled himself up on the *xoof, removed his shoes, and hastened forward, - What he feared was that the skylight was fast- ~ ened on the inside. This he found to be so when ~ he reached the skylight and attempted to raise it. - ki was hinged on one side and held by a stout hock on the other. Jack saw he was blocked. _ But he was a quick thinker, and his disappoint- Ment gave way to hope when it occurred to him te pull out his knife, dig away the dry putty _ from one of the half diamond-shaped panes, and _by remeving the glass, reach the hook. No sooner thoucht of than he proceeded to put the idea _ into execution. : “He cauld do the job with little noise, and the - two rascals were toc far away to hear him. He had to work auick, and he did. The putty was crumbly on aecount cf having been exposed so Jeng to @he weather, and he made rapid progress. After removing the putty, he bent back most of ‘the glazier’s metal tacks and pried up the glass ep . Leaving it en the roof he inserted his 5 d and detached the heok. To turn the sky- light back was now but the work of a moment. _ Striking a match, he flashed it down into the ~ Office. A tall desk stood directly underneath. It - Was a simple matter for an athletic young fel- low like Jack to lower himself through the open ing and reach the top of the edsk. In another moment he stood in the office. Flashing another Match, he looked around to see if he could catch ‘Sight of the night watchman. He was not there. Going into the open space outside the partition, he struck a third match. There lay the watch- an, bound hand and foot, and gagged with his handkerchief. Jack bent over him and found e man’s eyes staring into his. The old man nized Jack, and struggled to show how help- s he was. _ “Hush! Make no noise. The chaps who fixed You this way are at the back preparing to set the laboratory on fire. Ill have you free in a twinkling,” said the boy. i s Tn less than a minute the watchman was free ‘his bords and on his feet. Where’s your revolver?” asked Jack. hey took it from me,” replied the watchman. “That makes one of them more dangerous. You yenized one of them as Fallon, didn’t you?” “No. Both had their faces covered with hand- niefs. Is one of them Fallon? It doesn’t possible he would engage in such a job as “There’s some saw them through one of the back windows. had the handkerchiefs off their faces, so I full view of their countenances. One is He told me the other day he intended Se = - ~) & ~ ; = IN THE FILM GAME a and the smell of burned turpentine told the story. 13 t to get square with the company, and this isthe way he is trying to do it. You must help me catch them.” “We may get shot.” “That’s a chance we’ve got to take. It is your duty to protect the laboratory at night. That is what you are hired for. With me to Kelp you we ought to get the villains and have an example made of them. Come on.” “What are you going to do?” “Come into the office and see if we can find something that’ll answer for a weapon.” In a cioset were a number of articles which had been used as “props” in films already turned out. One was an Indian club, another was a wooden mace, a third was a battleaxe, the wooden blade covered with tin foil. There were also several long spears, imitation, of course. Jack selected the club and mace as handiest to use. He handed the latter to the watchman, “Now then, we’ll take them by surprise and knock them over before the chap with the revolver can use iton us. Fel'-« me.” The watchman was told. to take off his shoes, and then they started for the rear of the build- ing. Suddenly there was a blaze of light from the back part of the laboratory. : “Quick!” cried Jack. “They’ve started their bonfire.” _ They hurried forward. The glare of the spread- ing blaze lighted the back room up with a ruddy tinge. As Jack dashed into the place, followed by the watchman, Fallon was in the act of climb- ing up to the open window to make his escape, while his companion was following behind him. With a yell Jack dashed upon them. He swung, his club and knocked Fallon’s accomplice sense- less. Fallon, with an imprecation, reached for the revolver that stuck out of his hip pocket. Jack had no mird to let him use it. He hit Fallon’s arm an awful blow, and the young man uttered a howl of pain. A second swinging blow on the leg brought him tumbling to the und in a heap. .Jack jumped oa him and held him down. “Get that fire-extinguisher and turn it on the fire before it gets beyond control,” shouted the boy to the watchman. The old man hurried to do as he was told. Jack and Fallon rolled around on the floor in a desperate struggle for the mastery. The latter, however, was at a disadvantage owing to his hurt arm, and Jack easily pounded him into submis- sion. Rolling him over, he pulled the gun from his pocket and gave Fallon a tap with the butt that dazed him. Taking a piece of line off a nail Jack hurriedly bound Fallon’s hands together and left him to grab a second fire-extinguisher in the next room. The combined efforts of Jack and the night watchman finally mastered the fire, though at one time it looked as if the fire wonld get away from them. It probably weuld have done so- but for the fact that the wall of the brild- cs Mik brick. é hen Jack saw that the watchman could fini = the work, he ran into the office and telephoned — to. the police. Then he telephoned to Director Nash’s house and told him the facts. The police and the startled director reached the laboratory about the same time.. The wreck of the o. *
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14 The night watchman told his, and identified Fal- lon and his companion in a general way as the parties who caught him unawares, bound and gagged him. Jack then told his story, and it Was clear that for him the laboratory would have gone up-in fire and smoke, and the rascals have eseaped Wetection. Director Nash complimented Jack highly on his valuable services, and told him he would lose nothing by what he had done. -He ordered the police to take the prisoners to jail, preferring the charge of attempted arson against them. Of course, the destruction of the scenery meant delay. The film the scenery was to be used in was to be rushed, that is why the scenic artist had been told to come down Sunday and paint it. The carpenter had to do his work all over again before the artist could do his, and the director wrote a note to him to come down next day and get busy on it. He asked Jack to come, teo, and help him out. : “The artist can do nothing to-morrow,” he said to Jack.” “You can explain the situation to him when he comes, though his eyes will tell him that his labor must be deferred until Monday. Phat means we can’t finish the film until Tues- day, which is too bad, as we had promised to deliver it by the middle of the week.” “Jack and the watchman threw the burned de- bris out inte the lot and cleaned the room up for the day. Then hé washed off the grime and went home with thd book he had come to get. ' He told Mr. Nash that he ought to have the beok rebound in style and stamped on the outside "with the date of the near fire, for if he had not forgotten the book he would not have been on Wand to save the laboratory from destruction and’ +t the rascally firebugs behind the bars. The irector probably did not. follow Jack’s sugges- ~ tion. The bock, thevgh primarily the cause of the saving of the laboratory, was not a thing of ; eee t moment, and Mr. Nash never wasted any thought on such things,’ He was grateful to Fack, however, and when pay-day came around in the boy found a brand new $100 bill in his envelope. with a slip of paper atached on which was written “From ‘J. D. N.,” and the boy was ‘at no loss to understand why it was there. _ CHAPTER IX.—In Which Noah Turns Up. Fallon and his associate were brought before the magistrate next day, and on the testimony of Jack and the night watchman they were held _ for trial. Three days passed, during which Jack ” worked faithfully for the interests of the com- ‘pany, and rose daily in the estimation of Director Nach, as well as in the opinion of all con- nected with the studio. Farmer Whippletree paid the bill for damages brought upon him by his absent son, because he recognized it was the cheapest way out of a bad scrape, but Jack’s wage - elaim was still’pending. That fact didn’t worry : t he had over $100 in bank, and life a whole lot table and ordered a big meal. When IN THE FILM GAME outside the laboratory entrance waiting for Thompson, when a shabby-looking lad came along in a listless way, and*looked his way. The youth stopped and stared at him. Jack stared back, then opened his eyes in surprise, for in the youth he recognized Noah Whippletree. “Hello, Noah, is that you?” he said. “Yes, it’s me. Have you left the farm?” “Long ago—the day after you did.” “What for?” “Because I got a better job.” “Did dad pay you?” he asked with a sickly grin. “No; he’s holding the money back until the circuit court of the county seat passes on my claim, which should be soon.” “Did you sue him?” “Yes, but it hasn’t come to trial yet. I judge from your looks that you haven’t gone home al »Why don’t you? You're the picture of hard uck, “I don’t want to have my hide taken off.” “Perhaps your father will be so glad to see you again that he’ll let you off the whipping he threatened you with.” “He ain’t to be trusted.” “Write to your mother and tell her you'll come home if she'll protect you.” “She can’t do nothin’.” “But you look like a wreck. Have you spent all that money you took with you?” “Every cent of it. If it wasn’t for that I’d go home, but the old man will never forgive me for pinchin’ his boodle.” “Then you’re broke, I suppose?” . “Fact. I don’t ‘know where I can get a meal to-night, and I hain’t ate anythin’ since mornin’, and only coffee and rolls then,” said Noah with a famished look. “Well, Noah, we never were friends, but I won’t see you go hungry. There’s a small restaurant two blocks down this street. I'll take you there in a minute and treat you to all you can eat.” Noah’s face brightened up at the prospect. He had been knocking around Elyria for a week, doing an odd job here and there to get food and ati es had found it a rocky experience. He was about as miserable as any boy could well be, but even so he could not muster up resolution to hike to the farm and face his stern father. Desperate as was the situation, the vision of the home barn, and an angry parent. with a rawhide in his hand, filled him with abject — terror. Starvation seemed the lesser misery of the two. Jack asked Noah about his experience since he ran away from home. The boy said. he had had a bang-up time as long as his money lasted, then he began to experience the seamy — side of. life. Thompson came out, and Jack told him who hig companion was, and what he was _ up againste ‘When they left Noah at the restau- rant, peers agg a ean and the — money looked awfully big to the young vagrant. “Drop around to that building on fhe corner where you miet me, ask for me, and I’ll see if — I can get you something to do,” said Jack, on — wishing him ggod-by. ; — Noah promised to do so, and then 2 > : + r hss > -
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Director Nash next morning, he told him about oah. : “Ts that the boy who shot the dart into the orse and caused the smashing of the camera?” d the director. : “Yes. You wouldn’t know him now. He looks Last night he had, but I guess he feels better ” I have a senario that came in the other day which he would fit very nicely if he was able do the part.” . * - “He'll be around here some time to-day. You an have a talk with him and see if you can make ‘of him. “I'd like to get him something to - *J¥ thought he always was an enemy of yours?” “So he was, but I don’t harbor any hard feel- ‘toward him on that account.” _ Just then Nash was called away, so their talk ded. Noah turned up at ten o’clock feeling tty good after a good breakfast. He was mitted to the laboratory, and Jack saw him. the course of time Nash deigned to notice He had a talk with him, and then turned lim over to one of his actors to try if he could ch hi™ to act the part of a boy tramp. Noah promised $5 if he made good. As $5 looked $s big as a mountain to him, he was willing to it if he covld. Noah was not a very in- igent subject to mould, but he took to the pretty well, and his instructor did the rest. a result, when the time came he went through _ character to the satisfaction of the director, received the $5 in addition to some small ivances he required while preparing for the art. When he saw the finished film run off on screen, he was tickled to death over his appear- nce as a motion picture actor, and he wanted to » more work in ihe same’ line. ‘He said he would work for his board and lodg- , and he would see the farm to Jerico before would go back to it.. There was nothing more him to do in the picture line, but as he con- ued to hang around the studio, Director Nash lowed him to do various odd jobs that provided m with a bed and tnree cheap meals. He did ‘more to oblige Jack than because he had real use of Noah. le is here,” said Nash one day to Jack. “He is ath his time about the laboratory. He’s nly half educated, and if he goes home he'll be nt back to school.” : : ave been thinking it’s my duty to do as t,” replied Jack, “but Noah stands in “mortal fear of what his father will do to him he goes home, and as I know his old man is inclined to be vindictive, I don’t want to be re- le for putting him in the way of a terrible Ps = be ea ~ Wan 1 ri : : long b- iL ag oe think you ought to notify his father that. | wear off in a few hours, iim. re re ae IN THE FILM GAME 15 And he did that evening, stating that Noah was repentant and would be a good boy if met half way. He hinted that if he received a whip- ping he was likely to run away again, and that might be the last they’d ever see of him. He posted the letter, and on the forenoon of the second day Farmer Whippletree made his ap- pearance at the laboratory in his light wagon. Le asked for Jack, and the boy went out to see im, f “You wrote my wife that you knew where Noah was,” said the farmer. “He is here in town, I suppose?” ; “He is. If you will promise to treat him right T’ll produce him.” “What do you mean by right?” cried the farm- ‘er. “You have no right to dictaté to me what I shall do with my son.” “I know it; but I think if you overlook the past you will do better by him than if you’ whip him. It is the fear of a flogging that is keeping him away. He is practically a vagrant, and would doubtless have been arrested as such and sent to the workhouse but for me. I have helped him as much as I can, but he ought to go home and not hang around this city, where he is liable to get in with bad associates and go to the dogs. If you will promise to let: him off easy he will go home with you, and the experience he has been - through will do him a lot of good. All boys can’t be handled alike with advantage. A beating will knock the nonsense out of some in short order, but will have a>contrary effect on others. boy’s nature should be studied in order to dis- * cover the best way te govern him. Are you will- ing to let up on Noah?” F As Mrs. Whippletree had pleaded earnestly with her husband concerning Noah after getting Jack’s letter, and had-won his unwilling promise to omit a whipping, the farmer axbedba out a reply in the affirmative. ~ “Very good,” said Jack. “Your son is in our laboratory.” : “What laboratory?” ejaculated Mr. Whipple tree. 2 “This building. It’s the studio of the Globe : Film Manufacturing Company. Follow me in- side and take charge of him.” : ‘The farmer did’ so. When Noah saw him he . tried to hide himself. Jack caught him and told him his father had come after him and had promised not to whip him. : “Did he say that?” said Noah. “He did.” : “So the. youth ventured to approach his father ‘ = in a shamefaced way. The farmer was sta,- = gered at the rocky appearance of his son. He questioned him about his movements since he left home, and then led him out to the wagon. In a couple of minutes more father and son were on their way back to the farm. CHAPTER X.—The Hollow Tree. _ pretty good Sin ae
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“16 - the director and the manuscripts taken. 4 time. As the Globe Film Manufacturing Com- pany got to be more generally known, and was published in the various moving picture publica- tions in the list of the concerns that were in the market for scenarios, its daily mail became heavier. Where formerly the company received from three to half a dozen scenarios a day, it now got fifteen to thirty. Most of them were sent in by new ne, agate and as a consequence had faults more or less glaring. To Jack was given the job of going over these manuscripts, for he knew what the company wanted, and what would pass muster with Mr. Nash. Sometimes he found brilliant ideas buried under the weight of writers’ inexperience. He would carry these home with him and try his hand at knocking them into proper shape. If he extricated them from the declined with thanks class, Nash paid him half the price of the scenario, and the author the other half. In some instances, by a little judicious pruning, or supplying some important omission, Jack made a seenario available. In such casés the writer got the full benefit of his work. Jack never attempted to improve any manuscript that did not show the earmarks of real ability. It would have been a waste -* time for him to potter with an ordinary subject, for it never would have got by Nash, who was becoming more particular as to the gocds every day, so to speak, owing to business competition. All the film companies were reach- ing out for the best that could be got. Origi- _ “ndlity was insisted on, and what was out of the ordinary most desired, Thus Jack gradually became the recognized editor of the scenarios that were submitted to the studio, and while he was not authorized to accept any manuscripts, that province being presided over by Mr. Nash himself, still his O. K. of a script nine times out of ten was approved Ls Jac was not infrequently called on to furnish a scenario himself on lines indicated by Mr. Nash, and as he knew how to produce the stuff in proper shape, he added quite a bit of extra money to his bank account. Mr. Nash had come to regard the boy as one of his most valuable aids: He was quick to pick up the fine points of the film game, and was always on the job. He was always ready to do anything for the interest of the company, and the spirit he showed was duly appreciated by the management. At the end of three months he was raised to $15, and the chances were he would get $20 by the end of another three months; with other raises He was ambitious to learn how He had a and was always sympathize with and help out an actor ess who was in troub what- every one,” had ‘under consideration IN THE FILM GAME 4 clever scenario, one of the scenes of which called for an old mill exterior. “Now where in creation will I find a real mill - to fill the bill within reasonable distance of this place?” he remarked to Jack. “Nothing easier,” replied the boy. old mill down Whippletree’s way.” “Is that so?” said Nash. when we took those scenes down on the road this summer.” j “Tt isn’t in sight of the road. It’s in a hollow near the woods. The old road leading past it was abandoned long ago.” 3 Ss: “Has it an ancient look, and is it in good con- dition?” “Tt fills the bill in both respects. It was built when this part of the country was rather wild and woolly.” “Good. One of the scenes also calls for a farm- house porch. Maybe we can induce Whippletree, = a consideration, to let us use the front of his _ ouse, “Possibly, if we find him in good humor. Noah. “There’s an~ would like another chance to get into a picture, even if he had nothing to do but shine as one of those in the background,” laughed Jack. _ Arrangements were made to visit the old mill in question, two automobiles being required to convey all concerned to the scene of action. If Whippletree chjected to his house figuring in a motion picture, Mr. Nash had no doubt he could secure the co-operation of some other farmer in — that neigaborhood. The rest of the film was taken in the studio, and in the suburbs of Elyria, and ene pleasant morning early in Octcber the party started for the mill. It was something of a ride, but the cars covered it in two hours to — the point where the cld road branched off to the — mil! and the woods around it. The old road was seldom used now by farmers who found it useful as a short cut. It was out of repair, and during winter was in pretty bad shape. weeds and other kinds of coarse vegetation, which has a tendency to come up anywhere under any kind of conditions, Under Jack’s guidance the cars reached the old mill. It looked ancient enough, for it had been out of use all of thirty years, but having been substantially constructed if seasoned timber, it had stood the storms and the ~ “T didn’t notice it Now it was dusty and overgrown with — a inevitable progress of decay uncommonly well. Jack had no ‘part to.play in the scene that en:- braced the mill. Indeed, he seldom took nart in a film except as a supernumerary performer. That was the one part of the film game he was not particulatly interested in. run in the acti His ambition did not
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bound to find their way before the public, who _ Was becoming more discriminating in its tastes. ‘Poor films were soon relegated to the scrap heap, and as it cost much to turn out a poor subject as taking one, the manufacturers were rapidly waking up to the fact that they must turn out the best or face a loss. The Globe Company was never asleep at any stage of the game. While the man- _* agement paid-only the standard price for an ac- _ cepted script, they let it be known that they were to add a bonus for an exceptionally plot. This bonus practically amounted to 7 le price. * _ That made it worth while for the writers were _ to give the time and attention necessary to turn in good material. First-class and experienced _ writers were still scarce. The demand for the _ best stuff was growing faster than the supply, _ because the standard kept getting higher owing _ to the intense competition. Jack had visited the ~ old mill several times while he was employed on _ the Whippletree farm, and it seemed to him like _ meeting an old friend to revisit the place. As _ he had nothing to do with the business in hand, he wandered around the immediate neighborliood é ae to kill time until the mill scene had been taken to < the satisfaction of the director. ~ ‘Theescene had to be rehearsed first before the - €amera was called into play, and after all had been completed the people would dine on the “ ound, as Nash had provided a substantiai col- ation for his people. Then the party was to adjourn to the Whippletree farm and taxe the - other scene there, if the farmer offered no ob- jection. The mill stood on the edge of the dried- up stream which had once supplied the motive - povyrer to drive the ponderous wheel. There was 4 nething left of this whee] now but part of a _ deeayed shaft. The only evidence of the stream 3 was a shallow rivulet which trickled over the ‘ remains of the dam, and the wheel-covered bed, ~ the criginal outlines of which were obliteraicd Jack prowled around at random, and finally found . his way into the wood. He remembered an old “Slightning-scarred wreck of a big tree, and he went in that direction to see if it was still standing. _ It was, and seemed likely to stand there for many a5 rs yet, though it looked bleached and rotten. ee Phe lightning had gouged a, hole through its a eae 3 ; - center, and this hole had widened after the death _ of thetree, cwing to the action of dry rot. Among ~ the .oots «f the tree another hole connected with ~. the hollow interior: As Jack sat.down near it a Jay of sunshine coming through the leves of the - trees shone into-the hole, and he saw something bright reflected inside. His curiosity was aroused, and he reached his arm in, but could not : it. He fiashed a match in, and the glare -ed jum an oblong tin box. : “How ‘came that there?” he asked himself. ae Ag have hidden it in this old tree. _ Why sh they have hidden it?” As he éould not answer the questions, he gave e matter up and looked around for a piece of with a crook in it to draw the box within ch of his hand. Therewere plenty of broken bs scattered ab none of them answered ety i limbed out, but he oked down through the opening. He } large enough to admit his body, ~ em IN THE FILM GAME - but the Globe Company h 17 | and he decided to drop inside, push the box over to the hole in the roots and climb out, a feat tha: did not look very difficult of accomplishment. He clambered up into the crotch, let his leg rown amid a shower of punk wood, and dropped He hit the earth inside, but a surprise awaited kim. It gave way under his weight, as if it wire 4 cardboard floor, and down he went some distance, accompanied by a rush of dirt. The movie performers missed Jack when they had their dinner, but the director said that prob- ably Jack had taken the opportunity to visit some of his friends and nothing more was thought of, his absence. Meantime Jack had the time ef his life in getting. out of the hole with his box. By the time he succeeded the movie contingent-were - on their way home, the director expecting he would follow by train. It was late that night when Jack reached his boarding house with his box under his arm. The cameraman had arrived and asked Jack where he had gone to before they had sat down to their meal. Jack, who kept nothing from Thompson, told him all and showed him the box. The box was opened and found to contain nearly $5,000 in currency and bills. Of course Jack made up his mind that the right thing to do would be +o advertise it. Thompson agreed with him. So Jack wrote out an advertisement and had it inserted in the best paper. Of course 2 number of people answered it, but they were only fakers, for no one came anywhere near the right amount in the box. CHAPTER XI.—Jack Enacts the Role of Hero. The first of the new year came around, and the unidentified tin box still remained in Jack’s pos- session. And incidentally Jack’s wages had been raised to $20 a week. He was now more than ever regarded by Director Nash as his right-hand man. His judgment on scenarios was considered as good as any editor obtainable. As an all- around assistant he had made himself very valuable. Seog 2 Be costume reel was done by the company—some little playlet founded . on Revolutionary times, or even on an English or French subject of the days when romance fiorrished in-a more pronounced way than at-the present day. : In such pieces gaudily attired cavaliers and fair ladies in wigs and faces patches appeared before the modern camera, and enacted in pantemime scenes of a past era, either in the oven where nothing up-to-date intruded, or in the studio with a painted background consistent with the period they belonged to. Jack demonStrated a fine taste in assisting in the direction ef costume pieces. He had a natural eye for grouping people to the best advantage. Nash said he was a born stage manager, and that he needed only more expe- rience to direct the taking of any kind of photo- play. One of the prettiest one-reel subjects turned out by the Globe Company was conceived, : written up and largely directed by the boy. Two- ~ reel pieces were now coming in vogue, and the c largest studios were giving attention to them, : : t not turned any as yet. Jack hed written a two-reel scenario eee
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the fun of the thing. Nash went over it and de- clared it was worthy of production. The policy _ of the company prevented its acceptance for the present, but Nash said they would surely use it later on. : A two-reel subject is simply the extension of a ate one-reel film to cever twice the length, or about < 2,000 feet of film. The action, however, must be = sustained w ithout padding, and scenario writers, a? ‘even of the first class, have found this difficult of accomplishment, though one might think dif- ferently. The Globe Company either failed to heed . the trend of the business, which was bound to aa «demand two, and even three-reel pictures, or did fn not care to take the risk as an independent house ____» of pushing out into the new field. That the man- ap 4 agement was ‘short-sighted in this respect is =: shown by the fact that the two-reel production = has now come to stay, while three-reel subjects are hecoming more frequent, and even four and five-reel ones are being pushed to the front as “features.” About the first of February, Director Nash - was called East on special business connected x with the company, and he left Jack in charge of os the studic, with full directions whet to do. With d the help of Thompson, who was something more : than an average cameraman, Jack was to direct the- production of, the one-reel films scheduled on Nash’s list. The boy now assumed the full re- sponsibility ef making moving pictures, and the results he achieved would prove or disprove the comfidence the directcr had in his ability in that hme. Jack had full confidence in himself, and that was a great part of the battle. He had watched the preductions of pictures for so many months that he knew just what was required of him. Then he was so popular with the company of professionals that they were willing to do as well for him as they had to for Nash. They were aware that, young as he was,-he knew what he - was about. From that moment he started the re- ~~ hearsal of 2 reel he made it clear that he was the 5 director, and not Jack Case. He criticized freely, but he hada way of doing it that took the stin out of it, and the performers eg hardly fee eh aggrieved. He had just as sharp an eye tox details and little thmgs as Nash. Nothing escaped his no- tice, and so the reels he made during the director’s absence proved to be finished preductions. It is true scenes sometimes had to be done over again, ‘or one cause or another, but that always hap- pens. Thompson passed judgment on the films as soon as each scene was taken. He was censor of the establishment in that respect, for he could flaws that even Nash might fail to discover. hen he passed his -O. K. on a film, you could gamble on it that it was all to the good. They de a good team—Thompson and Jack—and ~ the fmished product proved it every time. Nash - Set ae leased with Jack’s work when he re- : gd aid d he had counted on the boy mak- VN above. The girl’s position looked desperate. IN THE FILM GAME a new idea, and it was apnroved by the director, who made the announcement, giving the credit of it to the boy. The professionals interested~ jumped at the chance to make extra money, an every one of them began ransacking Peruvian literature at the Elyria Public Library with the view of winning the prize. The prize was to go to the artist presenting the most historically ~~ correct costume and make-up. Jack also pro- - pesed that the Globe Company inaugurate a scenario contest with a capital prize of $500, and others graded down to $50. After some discussion, during which Nash ad- mitted that he approved the idea, it was adopted after the capital prize had been cut down to $300. Notices were sent to all the motion picture maga- anes, and an advertisement inserted in each, as well as in other publications, concerning the con- test. Spring came around again, and with better weather the company began making more pictures with outside scenery. ne pleasant balmy morn- ing Nash was piloting some of his people in two cars to a neighboring district, when a fire-alarm sounded. Some excitement in the block ahead together with the belching of smoke from the third flocr windows of a four-story building, in- cicated where the fire was. Nash hadn’t had the chance to get a fire scene of real kind since his company opened up, and it struck him here was the opportunity, perhaps. If he could get a good reel he had no doubt Jack could write a scenario around it, and it was likely te prove a winner. The cars stopped as close “to the fire as the di- rector deemed it advisable to go, and leaving the professienals in the autos, he went forward with Jack and the cameraman. Thompson - planted his camera and started grinding out thirty odd feet of film as a starter, after which the party moved closer. The first engine was coming down the- block, when a girl appeared at one of the smoking windows and called fer help. Smoke was already coming out of the stery below, and flames were showing themselves on the floor On the spur of the moment Jack darted forward, and a moment later he was lost in the smcky ‘haze about the front door. “The boy is mad,” cried Nash, excitedly, as a burst of flame came out of the second story win- dows. “He can’t save the girl by going throu the house. Her only hope lies in the arrival of a hook-and-ladder truck.” £ Thompson, though mich disturbed by the boy’s action, had not failed to take a picture of his — daring entry into the house. Then he turned the machine on the approaching fire-engine, and got it coming at full speed. In the meantime Jack — wes having the time of his life to mount the first and secon flights to the third floor, where the imperilled girl was cut off in the burning room. — Her terrific shrieks resounded above all other sounds and spurred him on. The halls and er h were thick with smoke, and he was = abs as he agg i meee to the thir:
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“It was as bad to retreat as to go forward. In ease, having undertaken to save the girl, he etermined to do it if the feat was possible, for he was pluck to the backbone. The clanging the engine bells and the cries of the rapidly inereasing multitude came to his ears in a con- way. Self-preservation compelled him to _-drep on his hands and knees and crawl along the - Janding toward wffat he believed to be the room _ where the girl was. He could not see very well, not only becouse of the increasing smoke, but the smarting it caused his eyes, which ran with tears. _ At length his head bum ed against a door. He _ rose a little and groped for the knob. Grasp- 4 ing it, he opened the door and fell forward. There was less smoke here than out in the landing, and s he pushed the door shut behind him. Had he had his normal vision he would have seen that he was not in the right room, which was a hall bedroom of small size, while the girl was at the window ‘in the big square one to the left: Her cries had _ ceased, for she had fainted across the sill, and _ hung there helpless in full view of the crowd on _ the street and in the houses around about. Two - engines with their hose carts had arrived by this time, but the hook-and-ladder truck most wanted of all at that thrilling moment was still on its way, for it had the longer distance to come. Fire- nh, seeing the awful situation of the young - woman, endeavored to reach her by forcing their ‘way not only into the burning building, but by ‘way of the houses on either side, which were not on fire.. ack, for no one could now follow Jack and live. ‘The boy made out the outline of the window, and jumped for it. He found it closed and no gir ere. ~“Great jeavens!” he ejaculated, “I am in the wrong room.” He threw up the window and locked out. He “was immediately seen, and the crowd set up a shout. He was recognized by Nash and Thomp- son, and the latter instinctigely trailed the camera on him and began grinding away, which showed at his business instrinct- triumphed over his ys. Jack saw the girl lying across the sill with the flames eating their ay all around her. There was no chance for him to retrace his steps to the door of that room, » back of which was now a sea of flames. The virl’s life hung ona slender thread. The fire was ound to goats § and engulf her before the hook- and-ladder, which had swung into sight two blocks y as coming on pell-mell, dould reach Severa! firemen, aided by policemen, IN THE FILM GAME 19 Those who tried the burning house were forced’ _by newspaper reporters, one of whom got his — “ picture as he stood, and it appeared in the atten ; the.party returned to the window. This he might have done at a desperate risk, but he could not save the girl in that posi- tion without falling with her to the stoop below, and that would mean death to both. “What shall I do?” he asked himself ex- citedly. What could he do? Then an idea hit him in the fraction of a second. He got back into the hail room, tore the clothes of the bed, hurriedly made a rough rope of them, tied one securely to the bed, the other end around his chest, and got out again. The crowd perceived his purpose, and another shout went up, but was instantly stilled as he reached his foot across the gulf. Then he grasped the hot side of the window where the girl lay, her clothes on fire, and swung over. With great difficulty he pulled the unconscious girl out of the window, a her firmly and fell back- ward with the blazing figure in his arms just as the hook-and-ladder came racing up. Fortunately the clothes rope resisted the shock of their fall, and Jack and the burning gir! swung on a line with the second floor, half hidden by the clouds of black smoke that puffed from the windows of that floor. CHAPTER XIV.—Concelusion. \ Thompson continued grinding away, for he was getting a corking picture, and the chances were that Jack would escape with his burden. . Ladders were thrown off the truck and a suitable one quickly raised under the swinging forms of the burning girl and her brave rescuer. A fireman with an extinguisher rushed up the ladder and turned a stream of chemicals on the girl’s form, eee putting out the fire, tough it left her badly burned. Two other firemen followed at his heels. When the extinguisher had done its work, the firemen pulled the two forms on to the ladder and took the girl out of Jack’s arms, passing her down to the next fireman, who passed her on. While she was being wrapped in a blanket and taken to a waiting ambulance, Jack was released from his rope of clothes. Without any help he slid to the ground, and the camera was stop- ped. The fire chief shook Jack by the hand and told him he was a brave fellow. The captain of the truck did likewise, and then began issuing his orders. More ladders were planted and hose’ taken up. ae Already streams were in action on the ground floor, pointing up the stairs. Two streams were turned into the blazing third story, and two more * from the ground into the windows of the second story. Another hose was hoisted to the roof, and every effort made to confine the blaze to the house, which was successful. The cameraman got fifty feet more of picture of the blazing house and then of the crowd and scene around. With blistered hands and begrinned face Jack rejoined his party, and was hailed as a real hero, as indeed ; he had shown himself to be. He was surrounded 7 : “mrad noon papers.. eae : The cameraman was loaded on the. car, and 2 laborators. Nash _—*
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aes isfied with the morning’s work, which had pro- : duced the unexpected and could be turned into a corking one-reel film. A druggist_on the way bound Jack’s blistered fiesh up after. he- had washed up, and he reached the studio with both S hands in bandges. Of course, the afternoon pa- os pers were full of his thrilling rescue, while the . rescued girl lay on a cot im the hospital very E grateful to her unknown-preserver, her feelings teing shared by her parents when they learned ess the stery, fer beth were away from the house at * the time of the fire—her father at his place ef : husiness and her mother on a shopping tour at the stores. Jack’s connection with the Globe Film Manu- facturing Company was mentioned in print, and the fact that the company’s cameraman. had secured films of the fire was touched on. Later on a gentleman called at the laboratory and asked 5 to see *Jack. He gave his name as Walter Havens, _- and he said it was,his daughter the boy had saved. He was cne of the prominent merchants of Elyria, and quite rich. He was introduced to the hero of the fire, and needless to say, he could not thank Jack enough. The gentleman insisted on carrying Jack to the hospital to see his daughter, whose name was Edith, and though suffering much pain, the girl thanked him over and-over again for saving her life. Her mother, who was = present, added her grateful appreciation, and then Jack returned to the studio, where every one metaphorically took off their hats to him. It took a week for Jack’s hands to heal up so he could dispense with his bandages, during which time the fire films were developed and thrown on the screen for Jack to put together in plot form. Seme additional pictures had to be taken after- ward to fill in with and finish the story. In ~. the end a fine, thrilling reel was produced, and it ~ _—- was first exhibited in Elyria and drew crowds for a whole week to one of the movie houses. Prior ‘to that, however, Jack. visited Mr. Havens at his store at the gentleman’s request. He asked the boy many things about himself, and how he came ‘te go into the motion picture business. Jack : told him that he was an orphan, and on the _ death of his mother he had been thrown on his own resources. In the course of his narrative he _ described the visit to the old mill, and how he found the tin box with a large sum ‘of money and ‘some other things in it. The merchant pricked boat ears and asked him more particularly ut his find, Finally the gentleman said that = fas years before a thief had robbed his house of a quantity of valuable articles, and among the rest got away with a tin box, the contents of hich he exactly described. “The box I found must be yours, Mr. Havens,” S Seaatosd Jack, ae you have told me just what it e af ° Sp rake day Jack aa ght the box, and the mer- it Serena identified an old watch which LEOPARD WATCHES MAN PUFF ire bd Yn bring it here to-morrow so you. : Bes toes ese eae Soe IN THE FILM GAME “I cannot pay you for saving my daughter’s life,” said Mr. Havens, “for her life is beyond price to me, and were I to turn over to youevery dollar I possess, I would still be your debtor. Nevertheless, I hope you will let me help you along in life. I shall be glad to buy an interest in the company you are connected with if it can be done, for you seem to have chosen the film ~ game as your life industry.” = Jack protested that he expected to work his — own way in that direction, and he declined the’ gentleman’ 's offer. Mr. Havens did not press the proposition on him when he saw how the boy took it, but in a few days he called on Mr. Nash and © had a talk with that gentleman. The result was that Nash said he would be glad to take the boy into the company of a stockholder as that would ensure a continuation of his sery- ices, which were daily becoming more valuable. Havens then bought a third interest in the Globe Company and presented it to his daughter’s res- cuer, through Mr. Nash, who assured Jack that it was the most fortunate thing that could hap. pen to him, as the business was growing, and would ultimately pay him fine dividends. So Jack swallowed his scruples and took the steck, thus becoming .a producer in the film game. We have not space to follow his future career up to the _ present tirne, when Mr. Nash’s statement of the moving picture business has come true, but he ig rapidly acquiring a bank account out of the profits on his stock.. Incidentally, Jack has be- come a steady visitor at the Havens home, in the suburbs of Elyria, and Edith Havens is the attraction that draws him there. Some day, it is confidently expected by his friends, that the girl whose life he saved at the risk of his o wil] marry the boy who made moving picvande? Next week’s issue will contain “A SMART _ NEW YORK BOY; or, FROM THE TENE- MENTS TO WALL STREET,” a, AND. STUDY A native policeman in og anda, I see, had de. presence of mind to fix his bayonet and charge - ee leopard which was mauling a white man. . It seems that there are leopards and leopards. A friend of mine, inspecting mining claims in Portuguese Manicaland, slid down a ten-foot — bank into a clump of gentle-looking bushes. On 3 ne blag he found himself within a yard of a se of ard. Both were surprised. My friend was anaemed = except for a short axe, ado and pencil, for people in Africa do not go about togge d up as y see them in the picture books. Shere wa room to turn. It was a nice shady place, with half-seat on the bank. _ So he went on with his studies and his » {not omitting a good grip on the axe), and to make a noise like the strong, silent men read about in novels and never meet. Evidently he impressed the animal < for presently it strolled fest so Evora Fe
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a “ RAT CAUGHT AND ATE FLIES x A rat trapping flies and dining o* them in a store window was the nevel sight that attracted . the attention of Ed Disney when he came uptov'n the other morning. Mr. Rat, hod the window ail _ to himself and was so busy catching flies that he disregarded thé spectators outside on the walk. : . es ‘Stan ing -on his hind feet he jumped _nimbly "about, sometimes catching two flies at a time and _ ating tiem with apparent gusto. The owner of — this useful rat would probably loan him to any curious friend who would catch him. == x ats SS ae eee = BURGLAR WAS OPOSSUM - . The family of F. M. Hill of Lynchburg Va., was = disturbed several nights by a noise which an- _ peared to be made by some one walking lightly * ‘on the veranda roof. A night or two. ago Hill, who is a traveling salesman, was at home when the noise recurred. Getting a flashlight to inves- _ tigate, Hill found a large opossum in a pear tree near the-house and the limb of the tree on which - FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY 21 CURRENT NEWS COSTUME THAT DEFIES COLD. The most novel dress in the world is that of the Laplander. He wears two or three-of the same garments, one over the other, including two pairs of <hoes filled with dried grass, and two pairs of gloves stuffed with hay. In addition, his cap is filled with an eiderdown pillow, anda long woolen scarf is wound several times around the neck and dver the head. - The mest difficult part of his toilet is the prep- aration if his shoes. The dried grass is made ready by warming it before a fire, and pulling it out and rubbing it well together in order to render it soft and pliable. A quantity is then made into a-ball and placed within the shce, leav- ing a cavity for the foot, which reposes safely and warmly_in the middle. Laplanders never wear stockings or socks. Talking of his visit to Lapland, Frank Hedges Butler, one of the pioneers of aviation and motor- ing, says: “All told, I put on.no fewer than 25 separate articles of clothing! The style of the costume is hundreds of years old, and it is emi- nently practical, because one never feels cold once this novel and curious outfit has been adopted.” | | A Fine Premium Offer | END us the names and addresses of five of your = S&S friends whom you think will read our publications: =f ~ “Moving Picture Stories,” “Wild West Weekly,” ‘Secret H Service,” ‘Pluck and Luck,” ‘Liberty Boys,” ‘Work and Win,” “(Fame and Fortune,” and “Happy Days.” zines you ever read. _ We will send you for-your trouble, without charge, one of the snappiest, cleverest detective-story maga- Z . ‘|| HARRY E. WOLFF, PUBLISHER, Inc. aE
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22 Held Down By Poverty OR A POOR BOY’S STRUGGLE FOR SUCCESS By GASTON GARNE (A Serial Story.) CHAPTER X.—(Continued). Mr. Crossman looked: approvingly at him. “You're a sharp boy, Harry,” he said, “and I can see that you are going to earn your salary and more. I have suspected for some -time past that-I was being robbed of goods in some way, - but in this line of business there is always more or less loss of that kind, and we get careless un- til something like this wakes us up. Keep your eyes open all the time, my boy, and whenever you think that anything is wrong don’t be afraid to tell me, and I’ll back you up.” “T will do as you say, sir,” said Harry, and then walked out of the private office. During the time that he had been in the office with Mr. Crossman, Barrett had helped Bill Strong to carry in the extra cheeses, and had then picked up a newspaper and sauntered over to the vicinity of Griggs’s desk. Holding the paper up in front of his face as though reading it, he spoke in a low voice to the bookkeeper: “Say, did you get on to all that?” “Yes,” softly answered Griggs, bending low over a ledger. “What do you think of it?” “T think that kid is too sharp.” “Sharp is no name for it. Why, he only had the quickest flash possible at the order when it fell from Bill’s hand when he was passing it over to me, and yet he read it correctly. oreover, he’s about as ready to fight as to eat, and Bill said to me when we were getting the cheeses in that he looked ready to punch him at the drop of the hat. Had the nerve to say that he’d call a = policeman if Bill didn’t turn his horse around.” ’ “He looks like a fighter.” _ “Yes, and he is, and now that he’s spotted one ‘little game he’ll be on the lookout for more. What ; do you say?” = “That’s right enough.” “Well, what’s to be done?” “We must get rid of him.” “But how?’ ’ “T'll try to fix up a job on him.” “You may find him too clever for that.” : “Then the gang will have to fix him,” said ‘Griggs. Hes licked two of them now. I tell you the kid’s been fighting ever since he was ten years old. I heard him tell Tom Jackson so.” ~ 3 - “That's: all righ ” softly said Griggs, mak- ing an entry int ger and blotting it without ing his eyes to the porter, “but if I have to the gang to tackle him it will be in such num- 1 Pell have no show. = get rid of him.” =: , In some way we’ve Hatry came out of the private y FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY much interested, the rascally porter walked away from the bookkeeper’s desk. CHAPTER XI. Tackled By A Crowd In A Dark Street, Harry ~ Hale Fights’: The Gang Like A Tiger. Harry found himself a hero in the store. Tom Jackson and the two salesmen came to him ~ when’ they had a chance, and he was warmly con- gratulated. Even Griggs smiled at him, and called to him as ne passed the desk that he was doing good work. As has been said, Harry instinctively distrusted this man, and he felt in his heart ‘that the praise the bookkeeper was bestowing on him was not sincere, but he was diplomatic enough to thank the man for his good opinion and pass on with- out comment, Barrett pretended to feel very badly about the matter. E “I’ve been here a good many years,” he said to Harry, “and such a thing never occurred be- fore. I was careless, of course, in not looking closely at the order, but I really thought it called for three dozen.” “Oh, anybody can make a mistake,” said Harry, but for all that he did not place implicit faith in the declaration of the porter. The order -had been neatly typewritten, that he had seen in the brief glance that he had had at it when he picked it up from the floor, and Barrett had at once “~ taken it to the desk, and as nobody but the porter and the bookkeeper had handled it, the cause for the blurring lay between them. When Christine called in next day, Harry found out at once that Mr. Crossman had told her of the incident, for she came up to him at once and art? congratulated him on detecting the error. ~ “Unless it was something more than an error,” — she said, in a significant way. “Papa ok if it was something else your clever work will put a stop to it.” Harry blushed at this praise from the pretty girl, and Griggs, who happened to look up at this moment and noted that the boy and the girl were standing together, scowled in a vicious way before he realized what he was doing, and then he put on a smile as Christine looked up, and bowed po- litely to her. % It was no secret in the place that Griggs showed _ great admiration for the pretty daughter of the ~ boss, and it was also well known that the little beauty treated him with the scantiest possible courtesy. ee Two days, passed by without incident of im- ES portance. ag Harry not only made good sales, as good as the _ more experienced salesmen, but he so impressed him customers with his truthfulness and that they began to ask for him, and Mr. C man saw that the boy was actually creating following in that way. ; This did not turn the lad‘s head, nor cause’ to neglect the watchfulness that he now knew boss expected of him, and even while he 1 making sales his sharp eyes were here, t! everywhere. Z
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ae MOST CORKS COME FROM ALGERIA It is, perhaps, not generally known that in ad- dition to exercising a fairly complete control over the contents of perfume bottles France likewise provides a goodly proportion of the corks. Al- ia, which is becaming an increasingly valua- ble asset. to France, is a factor in cork produc- - tion and in the region of the port of Phillippeville _ there are more than 200,000 hectares of cork for- ests, providing an almost inexhaustible supply on which a growing export trade is based, ac- cording to [/ngerer’s Bulletin. In 1921, despite poor trade conditions, nearly 20,000 tons of cork were shipped, while in 1920 ~ + the total exports reached 30,000 tons, On account of depression and low prices it is understood that a considerable stock of cork is being held by producers and exporters awaiting better market conditions. * FURS BECOMING SCARCE According to Dr. William T. Hornaday it takes 80 skins to make the average mink wrap, 200 for a squirre) coat, and 200 for a black mole coat; skins may go to the making of a striped skunk jacket, and 300 to a Siberian ermine wrap. Be- _ fore many years, if the present rate of slaughter ‘continues, many of our most interesting animals vill. be practically extinct; even now the trapper s forced farther afield, and the skins once unmar- ketable are being used to supply the deficiency; rer home, the fur of the fireside sphinx ap- pears as trimming for milady’s apparel, dis- guised under the name of “genet.” Very little of this murder is excusable on the rounds of E sity, and mere self-interest should lead the mainly responsible for it to ponder this truth: 9 more fur-bearing animals, no furs. + HORSE 36 HOURS IN RIVER ‘Boston horse whose usual task is.to draw a spaper delivery wagon, qualified as a long dis- ce swimmer when it -was rescued from the Jes River last one day recently after spend- thirty-six hours in the water. The horse still ‘swimming when found, but later went to an hospital to recover from a bad chill: rly one morning, as its wagon was standing 1¢ North Station, the horse made its dash for dom. Its course lay through the train yards, tracks and culverts. #Finally the horse dived zh a drawbridge over the Charles River, x the wagon and cargo jammed between the For hours the harbor police searched for animal in vain. Jast a watchman saw the horse swim out under the-pier and make for the open sea. Stern chase in a dory followed, and the swim- roped and towed to shore. _ RIVER WHERE FLOAT eubten ot: FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST “Studio and Lessons 23 tastes and decent impulses would be con wi a fleeting glance at the sacred city, for that pe on at Benaves revolts every modern idea, not only of religicn, but of even common sense. ie How any people can be called enlic c . even half-civilized, whose religion eithce se to practice the things for which Benares is fa- mous, I cannot understand. For they do bathe in and-drink the water of the Ganges, and that is only the beginning of the disgusting, horrifying performance. : We saw it-all one morning from a litt] : we arrived at 6.30 o’clock, and by 9 we ee able longer to endure the sights, they were so re- volting. First there’ were the ablutions, which were not merely washing the body outwardly, but were accompanied by gargling and blowing of noses, to the accompaniment of throwing garlands of marigolds and jasmine into the water Past us floated numerous sacks containing corpses. As we watched, the carcass of a big sacre was brought down to the river rank and poten in. The steps leading to the river and the banks were in a condition of filth impossible even to mention. “Mystery Magazine” SEMI-MONTHLY 10 CENTS A Copy — LATEST ISSUES —— tec ee 115 MAN" ap ea pee: md Craigie. : . amilton 116 THE GIRL IN THE CASE, by Carl Glick 117. A-SCIENTIFIC DETECTIVE, , iis. NUMBRR NINE”-QUERA wiatae sient 119 TRAILED RY A PRIVATE seat ee 120 THE MOUSE TRAP. by Edith Sessions Sarnia er 158 nie CHAWING DEATH, OP" eth Boater. The wamous Detective Story Out ‘Today In 123 Is = A MASTER OF MILLIONS ‘ By CHARLES FULTON OURSLER eae BARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Ine, %: 166 West 23d Street, New York City ; A Weekly Magazine Devoted to Photeplays and Players ‘PRICE SEVEN CENTS PER COPY Bach number gn the Screens so Blogant Halt-toee Sores eee ays — Interesting Articles > Promi in the Films — Do nee aiters cont ae D
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The Coiner’s Wife By JOHN SHERMAN. I shall never forget the 18th of December, 1879. - The streets of the great city of Manches- ter had grown depressingly desolate, and a dense black fog prevailed over all the town. I was hurrying, as fast as the night would allow, from Victoria railway station along the then old and dingy Deansgate, in the direction of my office; just as the cathedral bells were chim- ing the hour of twelve. ; Benumbed with cold, I found, to my great joy, a cheerful fire blazing in my room, which, thanks to my comrade, who had retired for the night, was considerately prepared for m I took off my great-coat and muffler, drew a _shair close to the fender, and began thinking ever the incidents of a case I had that after- noon brought to a successful issue, when, with the suddenness of a startled night-bird’s scream, I heard a piteous and prolonged shriek issuing from beneath the unshuttered window. I sprang to my feet, and gazing in the direc- tion of the sound, saw a sight I shall never for- get while memory holds a seat in my brain. A wild, white face, with long dishevelled hair hanging over an ill-clad form, was ee in a beseeching manner close to the fire-lit panes. Cool and collected as I usually am under ex- traordinary circumstances, I must confess to a feeling of terror taking possesion’ of my whole frame at that instant, and I sat there rooted to the spot. It was only for a moment, though—or, perhaps, as long as it would take one to count ten—before the a aang as it seemed to be, vanished as suddenly from my transfixed gaze as it had in coming upon me with all its ghastly whiteness. “This is very strange,” I involuntarily ex- elaimed, “and puzzles me not a little. What can it mean?” ‘ Then, striding toward the door, I flung it wide open; but there was nothing before me—only the black, choking fog, and the dead silence of the ~ street. For a little while I stood like one bewfldered. I strained my ears in the anxious hope of catch- ing the sound of some one’s footfall; but it was alr in vain—the quiet remained unbroken. Pushing back the door, I turned to re-enter the reom, when my eyes caught sight of a pie¢e of white paper that lay upon the wide sill of the window. _ “Sh,” I thought, “here, then, is the explana- tion of this deep mystery.” I took it to the light, opened it, and, much to my astonishment,/found a message of deep an- ish, addressed to me, in almot undeciphered laces as if with tears, and isan of having been hur- This is what it said: “stop more crime, perhaps mur- to No. 13 Tomson’s Court. Am + ‘x FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY « followed. Heaven save me and my child! What shall I do? Rescue us, and Heaven bless you. Be careful. Conceal yourself. Watch. Top room at back. Lizzie Thornley.’~ Thornley—Thornley! The name appeared fa- miliar to me. I went to my diary, turned to let- ter T, and found the following entry: : November 24, 1878.—Bill Thornley, alias Springer, alias Saxley, coiner—wanted. _ Could this, then, be the man, who, for nearly eighteen months, had successfully eluded our most vigilant pursuit? It seemed more than probable. : Was the information, however, contained in’ that mysterious message of a genuine character? Or was it meant to lead me into a trap? The promptings of my heart answered me, and that answer was: Bill Thornley, desperado, you are in Tomson’s Court, and I’ll have you, my slippery beauty, before another day is over. : It was very late, or, rather, I ought to say, the day was young, when I put out the office lights; for the bell of St. Peter’s had just rung out the hour of one. I had decided, whatever might be the conse quences to my unknown visitor, to go home and sleep over the matter, and then report the cir- cumstances to the inspector, so as to receive his sanction to the step, before putting my plans inte execution. With this resolution strong upon me I started upon my journey home. My way lay in the direc- tion of Greengate, and several times ere I reached Blackfriers Bridge I saw the vision of that white face, with its look of unutterable terror, fixed un- movably on me. Late in the forenoon of the same day I re- turned to the office and duly reported my experi- ence of the previous night. “This looks like a serious job for you, Lomax,” said Inspector Jones, as soon as I had finished m report. “Just turn to the album there and at S. and T, for a portrait of ‘Springer,’ or ‘Sax- ley,’ or ‘Thornley.’ He has done seven years, but not. accounted for himself for a Jong time past. Is that it? Ah, good! Take it with you, and if you get a chance of comparing it with the orig- inal, and you find they agree, nab him—that’s all Would you like Schofield with you?” “No,” I answered. “Well, in any case, be quite prepared to face rough work, for if your man should turn out to be the one I suspect, look sharp, I advise you.” After these and other timely hints I retired to the wardrobe adjoining Jones’s room. I went in a clean-shaven, good-loéking man of twenty-seven, and in half an hour afterward came out again in the character of a middle-aged woman, dressed in a rather seedy suit of black. f : under the pretext of having them f eae was perfect. I | to. ike one whe had seen better days, b duced now to a state of genteel
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-It was close upon three o’clock in the after- noon when I sallied out of Albert street, and a = s rain was making matters most uncheer- I had no difficulty in finding Tomson’s Court. _It was situated in Little Peter street, and in that direction I turned my footsteps. I must confess my mind was not without some misgivings as to the successful accomplishment of my plans. Still I had before played two or three bold games as a detective with considerable credit, and why should I fail in this? Proceeding along the dark and narrow yard of Tomson’s Court, § noticed a knot of unkempt women of most repulsive appearance standing talking together, and by their earnest demeanor I knew that they had some serious business at _ hand. Sudden as thought my wallet was out, and I stood before them cringingly beseeching them to buy my wares. But of course it was all to no purpose. I neither sold anything nor heard a __-word that would give me the faintest clue. : Watching my opportunity, I got away from them, and passed into No, 13 unseen by any one. The room was situated at the end of a long, dark “and winding lobby, and the stench that met me was almost overpowering. _ : I paused a moment listening, but not a sound - did I hear. Then I knocked at the door, very feebly at first, then louder and -louder, and yet there came no response to me. _-® Tf knocked again; so as to be certain there was ~ no. one in the room, and still received no answer. My curiosity was now aroused. I took from my pocket a small bunch of skeleton keys—I never ‘went out without them—and noiselessly opened . ie Ai” es Lae ae Aviles the door. As soon as I entered I stood aghast at _ the sight that met my eyes. Ms oe corner of the room, stretched upon a heap of straw, I saw the form of a woman, half naked and motionless, with her eyes closed, as if in death. "I staggered toward her, turned her face to the light, and, merciful heavens, recognized in her _ the mysterious midnight visitor whose wild look essed me! a helene en head more to the light and was horrified to see a thin stream of blood oozing from her snow-white brow upon the face and hands of a little babe that nestled at her breast. - A&A few moments afterward she fixed a steady, from the nature of the tools I saw lying about— with dies and models of various sizes—my sus- Picions became fully confirmed... ~ : .The other object which arrested my attention a strong, capacious wardrobe in opposite sr, facing thé bench. Its folding doors stood tle” -and I grew curious to know the Ce Ae. eee FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY n, 3 beckoned me 25 to her side. Then, in a voice just raised above 2 whisper, she said: “Who are you that have found your way into this miserable dwelling?” “I am a woman peddling a few simple wares,” I answered; “but how I managed to find myself here is more than I can tell; yet I am thankful I have reached you, if it is only that I may be of some simple service to you, for I see you need a helping hand.” “Ah, ’tis true—’tis true,” she replied; “but I fear your kind assistance has come too late—yes, too late!” “T hope not. Tell me, though, how come by that wound in your temple. result of a fall?” “No, no; it was done by him—my husband. He struck me with a hammer because I would not consent to his taking away my child,” _ “Merciful heavens, can such things be? Where is he now?” I somewhat eagerly inquired. “Last night, a little before twelve, he came home in a terrible temper. I saw murder Jurkin in his eyes, and after listening to his fearfu oaths, I ran to the police station, pursued by him. I could not attract attention.~ He overtook me just as I re-entered this room, and—Hark! What is that?” I motioned to the woman to be silent, while I crept noiselessly into the open wardrobe. I closed the folding doors from within, and, as good fortune would have it, discovered a large crevice through which I could see the moyements of sey. one who might choose to.enter the apart- ment. ’ The minutes elapsed seemed hours to me, and I was beginning to think that, after all, my ears had deceived me, when, very slowly, and without the faintest sound, the door opened, and the fig- ure of a short, stout, bushy-bearded man crept in. It was Thornley. He stole to where Lizzie Thornley lay; he bent ou have 8s it the over her, as if to assure himself that she was un-- aware of his presence. Slipping his fin drew forth a small key. With this he opened a secret panel in the wainscot of the wall; and there I saw great piles of glittermg coin, which my practical eyes told me were spurious ail. With the rapidity of a panther springing on its prey I 5 open the’ wardrobe doors and sprang on him, The suddenngss of my appearance struck him motionless and dumb. He could but glare a¢ me, while I held him in a vise-like grip, and his lips trembled and grew ashy pale. - At such a moment as this a detective needs all the coolness he can command, for then it is that his victim is almost powerless of resistance. The latter becomes semi-paralyzed with surprise, and before he knows the mesning of it finds the brace- lets on his wrists. At least such -was the case with the ruffian Thornley. I made short work of him. As for his wife and child (for such*they proved to be), I had them tenderly conveyed to the Royal Infirmary, where for ten long days and nights of suffering she and her baby lay, and toan aa spirits crossed the confines of a better wor Thornley was found guilty of manslaughter, and I the satisfaction of him sen- tenced to a long term of penal servi' ee : 3 oes eS ee ee Eg eS ae rs in his waistcoat pocket, he ~
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26 FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY NEW YORK, JANUARY 5, 1923 TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS Single Copies. .......-.-s++0++ Postage Free 1 Cents One Copy Three Months..... = = 90 Cents One Copy Six Months...... . # aR $1.75 One Copy One Year.....-.--- = The eggs are placed at — . New Yorker (at box office window)—Have you _ two orchestra seets in the fourth row, centre, for to-night? Ticket Seller—yYes, sir. New Yorker (after recovering from the shock)—I guess I don’t want them—the show can’t be any good! Giles met an acquaintance on the street the other day, although he artfully tried to avoid him, — “Hello, Giles, deah boy!” exclaimed the other. “So glad to see you. I’m going to London next week; can I do anything faw you?” “No, going’s enough, thanks,” replied Giles, moving on. ; A teacher in a lower grade was instructin pupils in the usé of a hyphen. Amon sad pr amples given by the children was “bird-cage.” “That’s. right,” encouragingly remarked the teacher. ‘Now, Paul, tell me why we put a hy- phen in ‘bird-cage.’” “It’s for the bird to sit Ost was the gtartling rejoinder. The street car gave a sudden lurch in roundin; a curve, and the charming young girl who clinging to a strap nearly sat down in the ap | the man who Sap. sting. Fen eet I bes your sen on, sir,” she exclaimed hastily. all.” he replied encoura r. “Try t RERUES!
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MEXICO’S BIG PYRAMID LARGEST IN THE =s94 WORLD 3 Not only are the two great pyramids, those of the sun and the moon, situated near San Juan de Teotihuacan, Mexico, to be restored to their orig- inal lines, but the Mexican Government has made an appropriation for excavating and reconstruct- ing the ruins of the great buried city surrounding the pyramids, which flourished more than 4,000 years ago. - During the last few years immediately preced- ing the revolutionary period, considerable work had done in the matter.of clearing away the accumulation of debris that covered the pyramid of the sun, and it stands forth to-day as one of the greatest wonders of the world, according to archaeologists. _ : _ This pyramid is three times as large as the great Cheops pyramid near Cairo, Egypt, and in It is 1,400 feet square at the bottom. In height is only 200 feet, and but for this fact would be one of the most imposing structures ever made by man, it is stated. The pyramid of the sun is Smaller than the oye of the moon. OUNTAIN DEMOLISHED TO IMPROVE BIG CITY In order to permit the extension of the City of 9 de Janeiro a mountain has been cut down and he debris dumped into the sea, making hundreds acres of new land. = ‘ Incidentally, it is expected that conditions in the city will be improved by permitting a better culation of air by the removal of the mountain, eh formerly sheltered it from the prevailing ds of summer. tes ; he work is being done by American engineers, in the course = a year and a half new parks, boulevards and avenues will be established and ready for handsome residences which will be built. The work is being done largely by hydraulic wachinery, which washes the dirt away from the Toe and carries it down to the water. _This work was started by native workers some ‘ago and the effort made to move the moun- by means of mule carts, but was abandoned se of the great expense and time required. ‘The removal of debris by mule cart cost 75 ‘cents per cubic yard and the work would require eight years, whereas work is being done by ~ moderr i at a cost of 25 cents per cubic _ yard in eighteen months. BRAVED nEAS = : a had tracked a big bear to his den among tain rocks and Brain Ta ed at you and d to come out and be killed, what would do? Leave him to himself and look for him id Put crawled in on one memorable occasion arded a wolf in his lair. That is just what Johnsor a Chateaugay hunter did the Ha Cooke, Jerry Mahoney and construction great blocks of stone were used. ‘ day? Or would you crawl in after him. FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY 27 GOOD READING upon tracks of a bear they abandoned their deer hunt to follow him. After a long trail they ar- rived at a naturally formed den in a rocky ledge. As the bear’s tracks had ended there, they knew that the beast had taken refuge in the cave. How to get at the animal was the question. He showed no willingness to come out and let the hunters shoot him, nor did he promise to be a cordial host. But Johnson was unwilling to leave without at least a sight of his game. So, holding his rifle in position for instant use, the hunter en- tered the den. He had not penetrated far before he caught sight of the animal. Recognition prob- ably was mutual in the dim light of the cave, and Johnson took no chances of a warm weleome from the den’s owner. He fired two shots in quick succession. One of them broke the bear’s jaw. Maddened with pain and rage the beast made a rush for the hunter, who backed out of the den as quickly as possible with the bear close upon him. As the animal appeared in the open the other hunters fired upon it, and a fusillade of bullets soon put it out of power to fight. The animal weighed 300 pounds. OBSERVES FALL OF DAYLIGHT METEORITE Norman Macl. Harris of the Ganadian De- partment of Health writes to Science the follow- ing account of a phenomenon he observed while travelling by canoe on Lake Kipawa, Que., on Aug. 31 last: “The day was particularly bright and cloud- less, with a southerly wind blowing at about eight miles an hour. The time of the observation was 9.50 A.M., and the course of the cance was al- most directly south. The meteorite was suddenly seen to shoot across the course of the eanoe from east to west, about 50 degrees above the horizon, and, as far as could be judged, between 200 and 300 feet above the surface of the lake. Its pas- sage lasted approximately three seconds from the time that it was first noted a little to the left of the bow of the canoe.» The general impression re- ceived was that of a brilliant Roman candle shooting across the sky, of a vivid copper-green color. The size of the incandescent head of the body appeared to be a trifle larger than a gelf ball nearly three fect in length behind it and of a like coloy. In the wake of the body trailed a curlin wreath of while vapor of considerable length which became quickly dissipated, 3 The flight of the meteor was accom- panied by no detectable noise whatever, so that the other occupant of the canoe, whose gaze was - directed elsewhere at the time, failed to see the occurrence. The body suddenly vanished about a hundred yards to the west about the original al- titude, leaving a small cloud of white vapor behind that dissolved rapidly away. watch was kept on the surface of the lake be- yond, no trace of a body falling into the water ~~ was noted. It is possible that either it was com- men, was stalking deer in the pletely combusted at that moment, or it passed out-of sight rapidly alongits wasterly course.” — - “ Although ~
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LADY, 25, E REAL RADIO SET Sy Sell only $0 packs FLOWER seeds 4 atl0c.jargepack. Get sample lot today. Sendnomoney, We trust you. ART PHOTOS, studies beauty of the na- ture, postcards and large Size, great collee- tion. Samples splendid for $1.00 — $3.00 — $500. Editions d’Art at Neuilly-Plaisance (S&O) France. LITTLE ADS Write to Riker & King, Advertising Offices, 1133 Broadway, New York City, or 29 East Madison Street, Chicago, for particulars about advertising in this magazine. AGENTS WANTED AGENTS—Mason sold 18 Comet Sprayers and Auto- washers one Saturday. Profit $2.50 each. Particulars izee. Established 80 years. Rusler Co., 21A, Johnsiown, Oh o. AGENTS —wo | have a 50-50 proposition on GUARAN- soeeily pitch Fee pettoultt” Beswa Shoniest. Eo. d. 3. e' se Dept. 252, St. Louis, cADtEe--De your own meting ‘and pleoting; at- tachment fits machine, $2 buttonhole, $8; hand embro'dered, $2.50.- Agents so E. Stephenson, 22 Quincy St., Chicago. WIDE-AWAKE MAN to take charge of our local trade; $6 to $8 a day steady; no experience required; starts a once; write today, American Products Co., 7927 American Bidg., Cincinnati, O. FOR SALE LAND OPPORTUNITY O10 t 2. $80 oats. starts eee 20, 40 or 80 acres near elty in lower Michi- =. Balance on jong time, bak todey for big free let giving full information. SWIGART LAND CO., M-1268 First National Bank Bldg., Chi ~-, Chicago, HELP WANTED eis DEY my blew, head iets, eee lyering mirrors, jeware . ¥ Sprinkle, Dept. 73, Marion, Indl BE A RAILWAY TRAFFIC SiNSPECTORT $110 to $250 Monthiy, expenses paid after 3 months’ spare-time rtunities. Position guaranteed or rite. for Free Booklet CM-101, |. Business Training Inst., Buffalo, N. Y. BE A DETECTIVE. Opportunity for men and women for secret investigation in your district. Write C. T. Ludwig, 521 Westover Bidg.. Kansas City, Mo. DETECTIVES EARN BIG MONEY. Great demand for men and women. Fascinating work. Particulars free. Write. American Detective System. 1968 B’way, + 2 BE A DETECTIVE, $50- Boar pte, weekly ; = ear omer waela; experience unnecessary. erican ective 4 1028 28° Laces, St. Louis. pa MANUSCRIPTS WANTED STORIES, POEMS, PLAYS, etc., are wanted for publi- eation. Submit MSS. or write Literary Bureau, 515 Hannibal. Mo. MUS, sidorine 26 ope rae Rea iB. Be PATENTS ¢ INVENTIONS commercialized, Patented or unpatented. Write Adam Fisher Mfg. Co., 229, St. Louls, Mo. PERSONAL is Kotalko, Ppl box of this true hair grower. Kotalko » BL-370, Station X, New York. EYEBROWS as beautiful hair. Would you like yong Lose te silk-like ee ee Kotalko at mail 10 cents Kotalko ee BK: 370, Station X, Now A Sea WEALTHY you “affectionate and pretty, would _ ‘marry. A B62. Wichita, Kans. MANY Pag wealthy want to mar-y. Photos, descriptions free. Mrs. Marin, B-1022, Wichita, Kans. GET MARPIED—Best matrimonia' Daper - mailed free, American Distributor, Connellsville, MARRY IF LONELY—‘“Home Maker:” hundreds rich, confidential: reishle: years experience; descriptions free. “The Succeseful (Tab, Box 556. Oakland, Calff. LADY, 235 weer) £79000, wishes to merry. H, Box 33, League. Toledo, Ohio. worth $50009. wants husband. H, Box Club. Detroit, Mich. PERSONAL—Continued BACHELOR, 409, worth $20 000, wants lady correspond- ent. G, Box 35, League, Toledo, Ohio. PRETTY WIDOW, 23, wealthy, wants husband. F, Box 35, League, Toledo, ¢ Ohio. WINTER in Folrida. Marry charming maiden worth $80,000, Box 55, Oxford, Fla. BANCHMAN, 59, worth $100, 000, wants wife, D, Box , League, Columbus, Ohio. LONESOME peop e wishing to marry write confidential. League, Box 432, Columbus, Ohio. MARRIAGE PAPER— 20th year, Big issue with deserip- tions, photos, names and addresses, 25 cents. No other fee. Sent sealed. Box 2265-R, Boston, Mass. ASTROLOGY—STARS TELL LIFES STORY. ~ od birthdate and dime for trial reading. Eddy, Westport St., 33-73, Kansas City, Mo. SIXTH AND SEVENTH BOOKS OF MOSES. Egyptian secrets. Black art, other rare books. Catalog free. Star Book Co., 1R23, 122 Federal St, Camden, «ws MARRY RICH—Hundreds anxious. Description Uist __ free. Select Club, Dept. A, Rapid Clty, So. Dakota. MARRY—MARRIAGE DIRECTORY with photos and descriptions free. Pay when married. The Exchange, Dept. 545. Kansas City, Mo. WHOM SHOULD YOU MARRY? We'll tell you. Send 80c and birth date to Character Studies, 1515 Masonic ‘Temple, New_York City. ‘LONESOME—Make friends esmees many wealthy. Particulars for stamp. Smith K., Box $125, Portland, 1F CONELY, write Doris Dawn, 10602 St. Clair, Cleveland, Ohio. (Stamped envelope please). MARRY: Thousands congenial people, worth from $1,000 ta $50, 000 seeking early marriage, descriptions, photos, introductions free. Sealed. Either sex. Send no money. Address Standard Cor. Club. Graysiake, I. 1F YOU WANT A WEALTHY, LOVING WIFE, write Violet Rays, Dennison, Ohio. Enclose stamped envelope. BEST, LARGEST MATRIMONIAL CLUB in Country. Established 17 Years. Thousands Wealthy wishing Early Marriage. Confidential, Free. ‘The Old Rellable ‘Club. Mrs. Wrubel, Box 26, Onkland. Calif, MARRY—Free photographs, directory and descriptions of wealthy ate Pay when married. New Plan Co., Dept. 36, Kansas City, Mo. WOULD you write s wealthy, ae girl? Lots Sprout , Sta, H, Cleveland, Ohio. SUNDEEES seeking marriage. If sincere enclose stamp. Mrs. F, Willard, 2928 Broadway, Chicago, Illinois. 1F REALLY EOWELY. write Betty Lee, Inc., 4254 iron way, New ¥ City. Send stamp. Don’t forget 1F LONESOME exchange jolly letters with beautiful ladies and wealthy gentlemen. Eva Moore, Box 908, Jacksonville, Fla. (Stamp). WINTER in Florida. harming maiden worth $80.00 Box 55, Oxford. Plorida. ee LONESOME? Gocreapond with our lady way embers. Names, address complete $1.00. Cosmo- politan oon Box 423- 1, Venice, Calif. (stamp) ‘YouNG DY, worth $50,000, pretty, will marry. (Elsie) Club, B-10, Cimarron, Kansas, MARRY—World’s Leading Correspondence Club for lonely pew: Many rich. quick results. Lists free. Honorable Ralph Hyde, 262, sco. SONGWRITERS WRITE THE WORDS FOR A SONG—We compose music. Submit your noems to us at once. New York Melody Corporation, 405 Fitzgerald Bldg., New York. TOBACCO HABIT TOBACCO or Snuff Hebit cured or no pay. $1 cured. Remedy sent on trial. Superba Co. re Raliimore, Md. SWEDEN HAS RICH FIND OF COPPER A discovery of new mineral wealth in Sweden is announced by Director Axel Gavelin, head of the Government Geological Re- search Depart- ment,, who has asked the Riks- dag for an ap- propriation to cover the inyesti- gation of the new- ly found ore de- posits, These Central le in Sweden, and consist of iron, zine and copper ore. Mr. Gavelin does not give exact details as to the total size of these de- posits, but he con- siders them ex- tremely promis- ing, and de that if further re- search fulfills his expectations, the copper find es- pecially is valua- ble and will form a national asset. The total iron ore deposits of Sweden already known are calcu- lated to be nearly. 1, 400, 000, 000 tons, running an average of 60 per cent. iron, which is said to be over 23 per cent. more than the average for all iron ore mined in the rest of Europe, and is - 16 per cent. more than the average for the world as a whole. Although much of Sweden’s iron ore is used for ~ the domestic man- ufacture of iron *| and steel, the ex- port is considera- . a ble,
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_ for murder! . *1,000 Reward “Ina dirty, forlorn shack e river’s edge they found the mutilated body of Genevieve Martin. Her pretty face was isto v wy, on the sender throat showed that the girl had been brutally choked to death. Who had committed this ghastly crinie? No one had seen the girl and her assailant enter the cottage. No one had seen the mur- Swollen and distorted. Marks Crimes like this have been solved—are derer depart. How could he be brought to ‘eine of their exploits, hear of the myst ies they solve, t Experts are always in the thick of the excitement, the heroes of the hour. Not Experienced Detectives Just Ordinary men Within the past few years, scores of men, men with no Police experience, men with just ordinary grade school €ducations, have become Finger Print Experts. You can ome a Finger Print Expect, too. Can you imagine a More fascinating line of work than this? More trained men are needed. Here is a real opportunity for you. Course in Secret Service 4 ial offer of a PROFESSIONAL FINGER PRINT OUTFIT absolutely free and FREE Course in Secret Service Intelligence. Mastery @ brilliant Pe a limited time, we are making a of these two kindred professions will open ne career for you. FF = ig coupon will brin: FREE BOOK and details Of this great offer. Don't wait until the offer has expired. Fill in the coupon now. Mail it today. -_ » University of Applied Science 1091, 1920 Sunnyside Ave., Chicago, DL ing solved cuny day by Finger Print Experts. Every day we read in the e criminals they identify, the rewards they win. Finger Learn the Secrets of Identification More and more the detection of crime resolves itself into a problem of identification. You can learn the meth- ods of famous identification experts. You can learn the science of finger print identificstion—right at home in your spare time, P Send for the free book which tells how famous Finger Print Experts got their start in this fascinating wo:k. Tells the stories of thirteen actual cases soived by Finger Print Experts. Tells how you can become a Finger Print Expert in an amazingly short time. FREE yusensoeeeaeGOGOUSEESDASEEGASTRESSDEDEGE COR STROSS NAPURTELTOSSACATESESS OSSESEEDARRET DORE: University of Applied Science, Dept. 1091 1920 Sunnyside Avenue, Chicago, Illinois Please send me full information on your course in Finger Print Identification and about Free Course in Secret Service Intelligence. I understand that there is no obligation of any sort. bt) RS Soe ee ee ee
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Large Shirt Manufacturer wants agents to sell complete line of shirts, direct to wearer. Advertised Brand, Exclusive patterns. No capi- ye] tal or experience required. i values. Entirely new proposition, Write for free sampies MADISON SHIRT CO. - Broadway New York LURE SEALS TO DEATH BY MUSIC Lured: to their death by various musical instru- ments, hair seals, , the most destruc- tive salmon trap _ thieves, easly fall victims to bounty hunters, who are now hunting them near the largest rookeries on _ Pu- get Sound. @*-*~-™ The hair seal.— not the valuable fur bearers of Bering Sea—are fish eaters, and during the sum- mer salmon runs tear their way into the salmon nets and traps. One seal will de- stroy $2,000 worth of fish ina season. not for this complete'set of guar- anteed semi-porcelain china, Absolutely Free. Noextra money to pay. Most startling a offer ever Reward: subscriptions. Prizes dupticated Buane W. Gaylord, $37 &. Dearo FREE DIAMOND RING OFFER BOYS AND GIRLS: you can have cameras, rifles, jew- elry, ete., absolutely free. Simply sell 40 packets of uaranteed fresh garden seed to your friends. Only 10c ket. Sell out in an hour; most people buy 168 Constructed of finest steel. Just push the button and out eomes the They do ‘or large at, fine compass with gotew we ttachment, foot rule, : Universal Co., Box 562 Stamford, Conn. | LARGE CAMERA Takes Picture 24x3% FR EE Genuine Kodak Film Pac era. wk-eyelens. Bl pictures. Snap shots or time. : n ier. st in your town. Ourten artiele you require. Worth in 1 : ss Saou aupertouss ie Fost querguive of e camare deal- $1.00. Postpaid . 2 ‘Adjustable || C@tch salmon be- F) 40 packets of seed and big premium list sent on receipt 25c : Pencil, pen, papet cause of hunger, @ of your name and address. Get the set, Write tod: _ knife, ink eraser, pencil for ialse YY te ~ oe as por ape pure rf th e etall ~ xj} Posely to hold the distended 2 m S securely in place. No straps, buckles or spring atteched—cannot slip, so wheeze of an old accordian, a mouth organ or stints themecives at hamve without other reed instru- ay > aa rom work—most ginny, | ment. Hearing Soft as BIE cas oe eee acl Awarded the MUSIC; a seals Gold Medal and Grand Prix Process of recovery is a we é ee : pasty a a ahs oke their headsws- ses pe RAR pak oe aniear fom | a Gert ee gana ee EME |hgh shave She. Coins dated before 1805. Keep ALL old or | Plapsa Co, 1738 Stuart Bidg., St. Louis, Mo. | surf, and a > odd money. Send 10 cts. for New IlI’s Coin = rifleman cannot Value gn ron may soe valuable fail to hit the Ss. Get sted. We pay cash. 2 r : goin et Po Pp Roy, N.Y. fairly large mark. OLARKE COIN CO, Ave. 13, Le S
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3 Mocs: of your time is mortgaged to work, =, meals and sleep. But the hours after supper are yours, and your whole future de- pends on how you spend them. You can frit- ter them away on profitless pleasure, or you can make those hours bring you position, money, power, real success in life. ; Thousands of splendid, good-paying posi- tions are waiting in every field of work for a men trained to fill them. There’s a big job Be ~ © waiting for you—in your present work or any line you choose. Get ready for it! You can do it without losing-a minute from work, or a wink of sleep, without hurrying a single . meal, and with plenty of time left for recrea- tion. You can do it in one hour after supper each night, right at home, through the Inter- national Correspondence Schools. -Yes—You Can Win Success in an Hour a Day = Hundreds of thousands have proved it. The zs designer of the Packard ‘““Twin-Six,”” and hun- _. dreds of other Engineers, climbed to success through I. C. S. help. The builder of the great Equitable Building and hundreds of Architects and Contractors won their way to the top through I. C. S. spare-time study. Many of this country’s foremost Advertising and Sales -Managers prepared for their pres- ent positions in spare hours under ‘A See ST instruction. “= For 30 years, men in offices, stores, shops, factories, mines, railroads—in every line of technical and* commercial work—have been through the I. C. S. ‘No matter where you live, the I. C. S. will sme to you. No matter what your handicaps 1% sm2ll your means, we have a plan to ‘ That Count meet your circumstances. No matter how limited your previous education, the simply- written, wonderfully-illustrated I. C. S. text- books make it easy to learn. Make Your Start Now! When everything has been made easy for you—when one hour a day spent with the I. C. S., in the quiet of your own home, will bring you a bigger income, more comforts, more pleasures, all that success means—can you afford. to let another single priceless hour of spare time go to waste? e This is all we ask: Without cost, without obligating yourself in any way, put it up to us to prove how ‘we can help you, Just mark and mail this coupon. ——_— — — — — — TEAR OUT HERE — — — — — — _— INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS Box 4497, Scranton, Penna, Without cost or obligation, please tell me how I ean qualif for thr position or in the subject before which I have marked an X: BUSINESS TRAINING DEPARTMENT Business Management Saiesmanship Industrial Management Advertising Personnel Organization Better Letters Trafic Management Foreign Trade Business Law Banking and Banking Law B Accountency (including C.P.A.) [Civil Service Nicholson Cost Accounting Railway Mail Clerk Bookkeeping Common School Sub: Private Secretary High School Subjects Business Spanish © French TECHNICAL AND INDUSTRIAL DEPARTMENT Electrical Engineering Architect Electric Lighting Blue Print Reading Mechanical Engineer Contractor snd Builder Mechanical Draftsman Architectural Dr: Machine Practice Conerete Bulider Railroad Positions Structural ineer Gas Engine Operating Plumbing and Heating Civil Engineer Chemistry g Pharmacy Surveying and Mspping Automobile Work Navigation winning promotion and increased salaries Street Persons reatding im Canada should send ile eonsen te the tional Correspondence Echools Canadien,
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166 Wést 23d Street, Fame and: - ee T IssUEs — 860 A Born Broker; he Success of a Wali Street Boy 861 Striking a Gooa Thing; or, Business, 862 Among the “Sharks’';.or, The-Lights and Shado of Wall Street. 863 In Business tor Himself; or, The Lad Who Made the Money. - 864 Charlie of the Curb; or, Beating the. Mining Brokers. 865 A ey ip Rublgs 50) or, The Richest Find in the - 1 866 Tom, the Bank Soeicacates or, The Boy Who Got Rich. 467 Contractor Bob; or, Fighting for a Big Job. 868 A Nervy Deal; or, The ‘Boy ho Bought a Kailway. 869 In the Newspaper Game; or, The Rise of a Cub Reporter. 870 Up to the Minute; or, From Office Boy to Broker. 871 Full of Business; ot, The Young Traveler for the Firm. 872 Baffling the Brokers; or, The Boy With the Iron Netve. 873 Afier a Square Deal; or, The Richest Claim in the West. 874 Silver Dollar Sam; or, The Coin that Brought Him kk. Coilege Chums A Luck. 875 Bound to Make His Mark; or, Running a Moving Picture Show. 876 Ed, the Office Boy; or, The Lad Behind the Deals. £77 Lost. in the Balkans; or, The Luck of a, Young War Correspondent. 878 Plunging to Win; or, The Deals of a Wail Street fice Boy. x 879 ans Sige Shipper; or, The Boy Who Was Always Hs _ 880 Beating Roe Bucket Shops* or, Breaking Up a Crooked Game, 881 Migptins for Fame; or, The Struggles of a Young Author. 882 Stocks and Bonds; or, The Firm With a Grip on . the Market. - $93 Stranded in the City; or, A Boy With a Head for . Business. eS4 ting the Coin: or. The Luckiest Lad in Wall St. S85 fo they Lumber rade: or, A Winning Speculator. $ Bic Deal; or, The Wall St. Tip That Won. a Prince. =the. Printer or, The Little Shop That Was 888 The: Titee agus King; or, Tempting Fate in Wall Street 889 mene the Missing; or, The Treasure of the Silver $90 Lucks. Larry: or, The Boy Who Made Wall Street Take Notice. 801 The Young Wrecker; or, The Boy Who Dealt in Derelicts. 992 In the Game for Gold; or, Beating the Wall Street Mar Sixty-four: or, Hustling for a Living. : 4 Messenser § Ss Ka ag oe The Best Tin in Wall Street. 895 Lineman Jack: or, The Boy Who Built a Business. 296 Barry & Co., Bankers and Brokers; or, The Boy Money Makers of Wall Streef. ‘S97 On’ the Fast Mail; or, From Clerk to Postmaster. 898 His Last Chance; or, The Boy Who Made Money Wall Street. 299 siiwped to Sea: or, The Treasure of the Coral Cave. 00 An FErrarid Rov’s Fortune; or, The Offiee of the Wall Street Secrets. a Fea ; by all newsdealers, or will sent to @ “jaddens “on receipt t of price, ic per copy, in money 01 postage stamps, by HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, “inc., New York City HOW TO. SCENARIOS Wire THEM Price 85 Cents Per Copy ] Tpis book contains all the most recent changes in the method struction and ‘eghontvaton of scenarios, oockn “covering every phase of scenario writ- rale by all Newsdealers aud Bookstores. sic procure Sgher es send us the price, nt: F or phstage stamps, Mand we will postage free. Addrese _ BS ‘tg Seventh Ave, New York, Se ‘ 4 : ; f e Weekly } OUR TEN-CENT HAND BOC a Mor _ Useful, Instructive and Amusing. Valuable Information on Almost. Evevoine snen No, 52. HOW TO PLAY CARDS.—A complete and ‘little book, giving the rules and full directions — playing Euchre, Cribbage, Cassino, Forty-five, Rounce, Pedro Sancho, Draw Poker, Auction Pitch, All Fours, and many other, popular games of cards. No. 56. HOW TO BECOME AN ENGINEER.—Con- taining full instructions how. to. become a locomotive engineer; also directions for building a model locomo tive; together with a full description of everything at engineer should know. No. 58. HOW TO BE A DETECTIVE.—By Old Kings; . Brady, the well-known detective. Im which he lays: down some valuable rales fur beginners, and also re- jutes some adventures of well-known detectives. - No. 60. HOW TO BECOME A PHOTOGRAPHER. Containing useful information regarding the Cathera and how to work it; also how te make a Photog a Magic Lantern Slides and other Transparencies. ay 2 somely illustrated. No. 64. HOW TO MAKE ELECTRICAL MA —Containing full directions for making chines, induction coils, dynamos and many to be worked by electricity. By. B. A. R.B illustrated. 5S Lee No. 65.. MULDOON’S JOKES.— The most originai (i joke book ever published, and it is brimful of wit and - 4 sy humor. It contains a large collection of songs, jokes, conundrunis, etc., of Terrence Muldoon, the great wit, humorist and practical joker of. the day. No. 66. HOW TO DO PUZZLES. — Containing over three hundredinteresting puzzles and conundrums, with- key to same. A complete book. Fully illustrated, No, 67. HOW TO DO ELECTRICAL TRICKS.—Con- = tainig a large collection of instructive and highly umusing electrical tricks, together with illustrations, =i By <A. ‘Anderson. aan No. 68. HOW TO-DO CHEMICAL TRICKS. —Con- | taining over one hundred bighly amusing and instrae- tive tricks with chemicals. By A. Anderson, Hand- somely illustrated No. 69. HOW TO DO spain GF HAND, <= Com: tainning over fifty of the latest and best tricks used b; magicians. Also containing the secret of second sight. Fully illustrated. es No. 7. HOW TO MAKE MAGIC TOYS. —Containing Be ffull directions for making Magic Toys and devices many kinds. Fully’ illustrated. ‘= : No. Be HOW TO DO MECH: ANICAL, TRICKS. ==: ontaining complete instructions for performing o bP sixty Mechanical Tricks. Fully Tye ‘ei No. 72. HOW TO DO SIXTY TRICKS WITH CARDS, | —Embracing all of the latest and most deceptive card — i tricks, dee illustrations. ee No.74. HOW TO WRITHK LETTERS COERECTLY, — —Containing full instructions. for writing letters on — almost any subject; also rules for punctuation and composition, with specimen letters. 9 No. 76. HOW TO TELL FORTUNES By THE HAND, BS —Containing rules for telling fortunes bythe aid of — lines of the hand, or the secret of palnistry. Also the secret of telling future events by aid of moles, — marks, scars, etc. Illustrated. No. 77. HOW TO DO FORTY TRICKS WITH ~ CARDS. — Containing deceptive Card , Tricks as per- a wet formed by leading conjurers and magicians. for home amusement. Fully illustrated. No. 80. GUS WILLIAMS’ JOKE BOCK.—Cou : the latest jokes, anecdotes’ and funny stories ue Les ‘world-renowned German comedian. Sixty-four : Handsome Colored cover, containing a. half- -tone bes mtg Fae ofthe author. mH No. 82. HOW TO DO PALMISPRY —Containing he most approved methods of reading the nels sineneeees on hand, together with a full explanation of thei Also explafning phrenology, and the key tor tole teli character by the bumps on the head, y Leo H Koch, A. C.'. Fully illustrated. - No, 88. HOW TO HYPNOTIZE.—Containing val and instructive information regarding the 7 hypnotism. Also explaining the most approved which are employed by the leading hypnotists. of world. By Leo Hugo Koeh, A. B.S. ~ For sale by all newsdealers, or will be nt to address on receipt of rn Ta 10e. per cop} ¥ in money or stamps, Boake