Motion Picture News (Oct 1913 - Jan 1914)

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32 THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS throw you out — you have no business in this booth." Then the usher to answer: "I have a perfect right to enter this booth," etc. As so much has been said and published against motion picture theatres, calling them fire-traps, etc., it is policy to avoid all undue noise and movements that can scare an audience. On account of all that has been published, the patrons are naturally timid and the least thing can start a panic. In one of the large motion picture theatres of New York, the patrons of the balcony were thrown into a sort of panic when one of the ushers started to run for the dressing-room, removing his uniform coat on -the way. This run and the action of the usher removing his coat, made the patrons very uncomfortable for a few minutes, as they had an idea that something was wrong on the stage — perhaps fire. The truth is that the usher asked to be relieved for the balance of the evening, and when permission was granted, he could not control his pleasure and, without reasoning, he started to run for the dressing-room. The managers should be on the lookout for all undue noise and movements, and should also see that no cne be allowed to light a match to hunt for something on the floor. The fall season is here — so are the new uniforms. New uniforms are all right in one sense, but they look pretty bad when the personal appearance of the man does not harmonize and when the uniforms are made too large to fit different sizes. In a theatre of New York, the doorman looked resplendent in his new uniform. It is true to state that he is an old employee, and as he is faithful to his duties, the uniform looks like if made to order. The ushers are a different proposition. They are not regular, they can be changed any day, consequently the uniforms are large, ready-made sizes, to fit the average man. One of the ushers had a very dirty pair of old shoes, his collar was a dirty, mussed, soft affair, looking more like a rag than anything else around his neck; his hair was unkempt, etc. I cannot blame the poor fellow much, as at the rate of $5 for seven days of twelve hours of work each (the wages paid by the said theatre) it is impossible to find a man saving enough from his board bill to be able to buy new shoes, new collars, pay for the washing and the shines. A man can work for $5 ushering in a theatre when it is evening work only, as during the day he can be employed at something else, but $5 per week is entirely too low to secure the services of a clean-cut man to act in a theatre. J. M. B. THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII (Continued from page 21) reptile. The lovers leave the cave in panic. When Arbaces arrives shortly after he has no trouble inducing the witch to give him a potion that "shall sear and blast the brain, to make him idiot, raving mad, while yet the heart beats on." Nydia meets Arbaces, secures the "love potion" and gives it to Glaucus. When she realizes the havoc she. has wrought from his ravings, Nydia is overcome with remorse and follows the insane man as he rushes through the streets, reeling from side to side. Apaecides in the meantime has had a stormy scene with the Egyptian,' and goes forth to cool his" fevered brain to the seashore. Arbaces follows and "murders him. Glaucus comes staggering into the scene and the wary Egyptian, realizing his condition, takes advantage of it and calls loudly for help, charging Glaucus with the murder. Nydia, who has followed, is seized by the Egyptian and carried away to the dungeons. Glaucus is haled before the Senate and condemned to die by wild beasts in the arena at the coming games. The day finally arrives and the mighty stands are crowded with thousands of gay Pompeiians, intent upon seeing the rare spectacle of a patrician thrown to the lions. Nydia, in her dungeon, plans escape. By playing upon the superstitions of her negro keeper she succeeds in locking him in her cell. Realizing that it had all been her fault, the blind girl frantically makes her way to the home of Sallust, friend of Glaucus, who has remained home from the great spectacle. Things were at their height in the Coliseum. The gladiators had paraded, the people had howled themselves hoarse over the valor of the gladiatorial combats, and everything was in readiness for the great feature of the day's sport — the death of Glaucus. The thunderous voices of the thousands of people yell "Glaucus to the lions!" The Athenian was given a short sword and roughly pushed into the arena. The hunger-maddened lions are released from their cages. The wild and disheveled form of Sallust suddenly appeared leaping from the boxes . and shouting, "Remove Glaucus, the Athenian! He is innocent! There stands the murderer!" A guttural roar went up from the assembled thousands, in which could be heard excited cries of "Arbaces to the lions! Arbaces to the lions!" At that instant the sky suddenly darkened and from distant Vesuvius there shot into the sky a shaft of hellish fire. Panic seized the multitude and pandemonium reigned. In the confusion Arbaces escaped. The reason of Glaucus was restored by the frightful catastrophe. He felt Nydia's hand in his, leading him through blinding hail of cinders to the home of lone. They found lone prepared for death, but the gentle Nydia led them both through the Stygian darkness to the Temple of Isis. Here they met the distracted Arbaces and saw him crushed to death by a falling pillar of his own idolatrous church. In a blackness, where only the blind could see, Nydia guided the two lovers to the seashore. Knowing them safely aboard, Nydia suddenly threw herself into the waters of the bay. Her love task ended, the blind girl at last found the eternal rest she sought. C. Ir'VJ . SCENE FROM "JANET OF THE DUNES" Edison.