Motion Picture Magazine (Aug 1924-Jan 1925)

OTION PICTUR MAGAZINE all the rest of the girls in the village you with" him, as seemed to do. "Oh, they're probably looking for me — I never told you, Hope, but Steve Brodie is my best friend in this rotten old town. He's promised to do something handsome for me some day. You know Pop'll never do anything for me." "No, Pop's got those everlasting heathens on his mind. So has Ma! There, Mr. Brody wants you, Hank. Tell me about that nicelooking man when come in the house." "Aw, you're crazy, Hope — they dont give a darn about you!" Hope went into the house and hurried up to her room and peeped out of the window. Hankjoined his friends. "I've got this kid just where I want him," Brody had told Orkney. "I'm goin' to get hold of his old man's gizzard thru him, or I dont know my business. The kid's got some taste for booze, believe me !" "I want to meet the girl !" insisted Orkney. "You just hold your horses ! You'll meet her all right— the kid'll arrange that — or anything else you ask — for a bottle of 'charged' sarsaparilla." Ill ''Come on down, Hope !" called Hank up the back stairs. "Aunt Charity is asleep in the milk-room. That feller wants to meet you !" Hope was unwomaned by a series of cold chills. "Tell him, I cant ! Why, Hank, what'll Ma say!" "Why, Pop and Ma cant say much more when we do things than they do when we dont ! You're a 'fraid cat, that's what you are. You want to come, but you daresent !" Hope bridled at this. She could stand baiting from her father, because she had to — but not from Hank. "I'm not afraid of anybody and you know it !" " 'Cept Pop," taunted Hank. "Now's that chanst to be bad, that you've been talkin' so much about." "I'll be bad when I get good and ready !" she answered, and then, fixing her hair instinctively, she stepped down the stairs ahead of him, slightly trembling all over in the knowledge that she was heading straight for the bad place. Hank led her down behind the barn. "This is my sister, Hope," said Hank to Orkney. Instead of stepping forward, Orkney receded a step. She was beautiful but so accusingly innocent. "How do a Meet Helen Carlisle ?? '"TWELVE years ago the Detroit Free Press offered a first prize of five dollars for an essay "How I Spent My Vacation." Helen Car on lisle's learned discourse won it . . . and once again a contest gave a writer her first encouragement. However, when her sister, Lucille, now leading lady in the Larry Semon Comedies, who is sitting on the arm of Helen's rocker in the photograph above, proceeded to win the next prize for which Helen contested, she decided to forego the writing profession. She planned to become a school-teacher, which was what her mother had been before her. The readers of the Motion Picture Magazine who have followed Miss Carlisle's interesting articles know that she never kept to this resolve. Editorially, we are glad she reconsidered her hasty decision, for we consider her one of the finest writers of things cinematic. The Editor. you do !" he said, politely, shaking her by the hand "Hank and 1 have got a little business to 'tend to," said Brodie, clearing his throat. Then the two of them disappeared into the barn. "Well !" began Orkney awkwardly. He was usually loquacious and bright in the presence of a pretty face, but he could not help thinking that this simple little country girl made him feel like a fool. "I'm sure I'm pleased to meet you, Miss Brown. What do you do to keep busy in this little town day and night ?" "Work," replied Hope honestly. "And when the work is over — what then ?" Orkney was expanding. "Pray," added Hope laconically. "Pray — or play, did you say?" "We work and pray — Pop makes us." Hope pouted a little and looked prettier than ever. "All work and no play make Hope a dull girl, eh ? Well, maybe I can be of some service to you. eh?" Hope knew that she had found a sympathetic confidant and she poured out her besetting sorrow of an overdose of goodness and declared she was seeking a cure. "What's your idea of a cure for goodness ?" asked Orkney smiling. "Being bad!" said Hope, simply, yet with unmistakable emphasis. . Again was Orkney not quite sure of hearing aright. "There's nothing like being accommodating!" he ventured at length. His restraint had vanished. Hope had herself acquiesced to the game of which he was a past master that seldom lost a stake. "I have a leaning to badness myself at times. I have one terrible fault!" "You have?" asked Hope. "What is it?" "Woman," sighed Orkney. "That's nice," acquiesced Hope innocently. Vaguely she saw in this fault of Orkney's a possible way in which to consummate her own devilish plans. "I'm awfully glad you like women !" Orkney then proceeded to honey the morsel he dangled before her eyes by telling her of not a few escapades he had had in the city, always leaving the story unfinished for her to guess the inevitable truth— which she never did. She merely asked him excitedly, "Oh, please tell me another one !" Just as tho they had been fairy tales. Really to her they were nothing more. Orkney thought, 47 PAG 1 i