Picture Play Magazine (Oct-Nov 1915)

PICTURE-PLAY WEEKLY 13 and have dinner with me this evening? "I have learned to love you, girl, and all you have done for me and for Jack will never be forgotten. Do not say no, for I shall expect you, and I promise that my interest in you is fatherly. John Rogers. "Answer by messenger." "James," he said, ringing for his butler, "take this to this address, and wait for a reply. In his room, Jack raged up and down. ' "Darn!" he ejaculated. "This is a rotten, empty world, after all. The only girl I ever loved tells me to ask my wife" — he stopped, mouth wide open — "my wife Why, darn it all, what a bonehead I am !" He raced to his desk, and tore it open. He wrote : "Dear Friend Wife: What about coming over to see me this evening? "Jack." "Here," he said to James, who was struggling into his coat, "take this letter over there, and wait for an answer. Hurry it up, you fat rascal !" The butler looked at the two letters, and a start of surprise came to his impassive face. "Ha!" he laughed, the tears rolling down his pudgy cheeks. "The two of them are after the same girl !" Marian was sitting dejectedly at her machine when the butler arrived. He passed her the two letters. "I'm to have an answer," he said. She tore them open. Her lips parted in a smile, and, dashing to the desk, she scribbled rapidly. "Here," she said, "give that note to Mr. John Rogers, senior, and tell Jack that his wife will come." The evening wore on. Mr. John Rogers and Jack both sat side by side, watching the clock. Suddenly the butler announced a visitor. They both sprang up and went toward the door. Marian came into the room where they were seated — Mr. Rogers' room, where he did his work when at home. "Well," she said naively, "I'm here !" "You dear girl !" said Mr. John, taking her arm. "How glad I am to see you; then you got my note?" "Yes," she answered. Jack looked on with puzzled eyes, then turned away. The booming voice of James sounded again. "Mrs. Jack Rogers !" he said. Marian glanced about with affected surprise. "Oh, you are going to have company. I'll go. No, really, Mr. Rogers, I can't stay. Good-by, and thank you so much for your kindness." She walked slowly to the portieres. Once outside, she threw off her furs, and jumped into the old apron of her kitchenmaid days. .Slowly she walked into the room, sniffling. Jack fell back, then rati to her. "My wife!" he grinned. "Hurrah! You have come back!" He seized her and danced about. "What?" cried Mr. Rogers. "You back here !" "Ye-es, sir," she faltered, looking up at him. "Jack," she whispered, "go out, please, for a moment." She sidled over to the frowning man. "I disown him!" growled Mr. Rogers. "To think that you came back ! Why, it was only a joke!" Marian pulled the check out of her pocket, and placed it in his hands. "What?" he said, reading it. "You did that?" She nodded, took it, and tore it up. "It's not the money I want," she said, tears starting. "I love Jack, and I want him!" "Never!" thundered John Rogers. Once again Marian dove into her capacious pocket. "Here," she said gently, handing him the. letter he had written. "Good Lord!" he gurgled. Then he looked sharply at her. "Why," he cried, "it's the same girl ! Jack, Jack, come in here !" Jack hastened in, and took the quivering Marian in his arms. "At last, wife!" he cried, as he imprinted a kiss on her lips. "Wait! That's not all," she cried, running out into the hall. In an instant she returned with a manuscript. "Here!" she said gently. "That's all written from experience. Pub fish it I" She showed him the notebook in which she had gathered her facts. John Rogers took it in his hands and turned the pages slowly, allowing his eyes to skim over them. Slowly he raised his head. "The novel of the year !" he said, with quiet enthusiasm as he sat down to read the first chaper of the book. Jack and Marian were walking away to commence the last chapter. Herbert Standing. \17HEN Herbert Standing deserted * * the speaking stage to appear in the motion-picture drama, patrons of the so-called "legitimate" stage lost one of its most accomplished artists. Among the famous plays in which Mr. Standing has appeared are "The Bells," "Jim the Penman," "As in a Looking-glass," "Moths," and a long list of other subjects of equal prominence in theatrical history. To-day patrons of the high-class motion-pic ture playhouse regard him as a character man par excellence, and look forward with anticipation to any subject whose cast contains his name. During the past year the variety of his characterizations, and the effective manner in which he has portrayed parts demanding unusual versatility, has demonstrated, probably more than ever, that he is an artist in every sense of the word. As the old monk in "Hypocrites," he received much laudatory comment. In direct opposite to this role, his striking characterization of the chief of the gypsy bandits in "Kilmeny" won him enthusiastic praise all over the country. In "Peer Gynt," as St. Peter he renewed a most pleasant friendship with Cyril Maude, the English actor-manager who starred in this masterpiece, and with whom he had played in old London days. As the father of Dcmetra — played by the famous Maud Allan — he portrayed the part of a stern old Turk with marked success. Some of his latest characterizations are presented in such productions as "The Yankee Girl," in which Blanche Ring is starred, "The Gentleman from Indiana," by Booth Tarkington, with Dustin Farnum, and an adaptation of Charles Neville Buck's well-known book and play, "The Call of the Cumberlands." Mr. Standing is now appearing in the principal roles for the Pallas Pictures, the latest producing concern to become affiliated with the Paramount' Program. He is the father of seven sons, all of whom are actors of note. He is an accomplished boxer, and though well on in years appears to be still in his prime.