The Photo-Play Journal (May-Dec 1917)

THE PHOTO-PLAY JOURNAL !:<>l< NOVEMBER, 1917. PAGE 43 nerately. The tide is too strong, and he drifts farther and farther out to sea. At Ocean View Frank's absence is not noticed until Mrs. Patterson sends her daughters into the village to inquire for him. No one has seen him until a fisher boy tells how he saw him embark in his motor boat and disappear down the channel. As the hours pass and he does not return, Mrs. Patterson becomes sorely anxious. But she receives little sympathy from the villagers. "Good riddance," they say. Mrs. Patterson is not the only one who watches the night away. In the Vail home at a seafront window sits a girl whose wide blue eyes gaze tearfully at the distant channel and whose listening ears strain to hear above the swish of the surf, the chug of an incoming motor. Meanwhile Frank is still drifting at sea. The boat is no longer carried by the tide, but as Frank has lost all sense of direction, he does not know which way to turn. Suddenly he sees something moving along the surface of the ocean. He watches it for a few minutes and then it disappears. While Frank is puzzling about it, the same object rises from the ocean a few hundred yards from the boat. It is a submarine and a man in the German uniform appears on deck. Frank is sighted and the submarine turns towards him. Frank pretends he is crazy. He is taken on board the submarine and his boat is set adrift. Frank is taken before the captain who questions him closely. To all his inquiries Frank gives rambling replies. At length the captain becomes convinced that he is hopelessly "befuddled" and dismisses him, but orders that he be kept on the ship. Frank wanders about the ship taking a childish delight in its furnishing. The crew watch him for a while and then lose interest in him. Frank meanwhile is keenly alive to everything that is said. His knowledge of German taught him by his mother enables him to do this. Hoping to encourage them to talk freely, Frank lies down, and with a smile of idiotic innocence on his face falls asleep — apparently. Believing him to be asleep, the Germans discuss their plans. Frank is horrified to hear that they intend to torpedo the transport that will carry the Ocean View contingent to New York. He determines to escape if possible and warn the troops. EVOLUTION By JESSIE EMERALD •iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii i imiiiiii u i illinium iimiiii nun i i iiiiimiiiimn iiuiimiimiiiimmi nnimumnu iiiimimmiiimiimmii iiiiuiimmii iiiuuii n inn i mi In the fabled Orient Lived a princess fair, Counting among her gems Many jewels rare. HE knew not what it meant to be deprived ; her every desire and whim was gratified. A queen indeed was she, with her haughty, stately beauty. Yet her eyes were cold as steel, though she was greatly worshipped by all. Many a brave and strong youth of princely birth had tried to win her, but to all she remained cold and answered "Nay!" Now a traveler entered the gates of the city, footsore and weary, having traveled far. He was but a poor bearer of a message. His garb was that of a servant; arms and legs were bare, also the upper part of the body from neck to waist, showing the fine development of muscles. One could not help but admire the strong, athletic build of his body. He bore a message from a distant ruler to the father of the Princess Love, King Earnest of Fable Land. The message was to announce the coming of King Mosaik to plead for the hand of the beautiful Princess Love. Now, it so happened that the Princess was in the royal garden with her ladies-in-waiting when the message reached the palace. Tired and worn, the messenger was tempted to lie down under the shade of a tree to rest, his weary limbs. His feet were sore and bleeding. Soon he fell asleep. The Princess, passing by, saw the sleeping man. She arched her pretty brows in wonder that one so humble should dare to sleep in the royal garden. She desired her ladies-in-waiting to arouse the man. He looked up in bewilderment, and, as his gaze rested on the Princess Love, his eyes filled with unspeakable awe and admiration. For one moment the Princess returned the look, then, as though suddenly remembering her exalted position, she commanded him to depart. Just then the wind blew a tiny feather from the headdress of the Princess, bearing it straight to the feet of the message-bearer. He picked it up tenderly and placed it to his lips. All the ladiesin-waiting were shocked. The Princess haughtily lifted her hand to command him to drop the feather, but the messenger begged to keep it, saying: "Even a slave may gaze at a star." Whereupon the Princess smiled, being easily flattered. Thus began the mating of two souls. Soon King Mosaik came, with his retinue of servants, to the Land of Fables, to woo the Princess Love. The people held great days of feasting in honor of the great event. A long procession was held. At the head was a wonderful float bearing the Princess Love. The messenger, now garbed in the attire of an attendant on King Mosaik, paid homage to Princess Love. He threw her a bouquet of roses, saying: "Roses to the faire of heart." His daring caused much consternation among the nobles. The King of the Land of Fables ordered that the messenger be bound and imprisoned. The Princess did not prevent this, for she was of a rather cruel nature, and wished to make the messenger suffer for being of such humble origin and yet daring to love a Princess. But her cruelty did not last long, and when they reached the royal palace, the Princess bethought her of the messenger (imprisoned). She beckoned the head guard, and smiling sweetly ordered him to release the messenger. Upon catching sight of the messenger making straight for the palace, her heart trembled. She discharged her ladies-in-waiting, desiring to be alone. The messenger came to her and kneeled at her feet. She laid her hands on his hair, and permitted him to kiss her hand. Whereupon a great love surged over her, illuminating her features. The messenger looked up at her, and whispered: "My beloved!" They embraced, love recognizing no barriers nor stations in life. Thus a royal Princess mates with a humble servant, love leading the way. At this moment the curtains parted, and the king witnessed the apparent dishonor and degredation of his daughter, the Princess Love. The messenger was put in irons and cast into prison, while the Princess Love was placed upon the seat of honor in the great banquet hall, where the engagement was formally announced to the people of the Princess Love and King Mosaik. The people cheered and made merry, while on the following day the messenger was stoned to death for daring to lift his eyes to a Princess. Soon the wedding took place. The Princess Love was a beautiful bride, keeping a smile on her face, while her heart was bleeding and her soul was dead. The Princess Love became queen and reigned beside her royal consort, King Mosaik. She appeared gay and frivolous, but her soul was dead within her, and soon, her body not being able to continue the sham, she was laid away to rest. But the souls of the Princess Love and the messenger were destined to meet again in another generation. For several thousand years the evolution of the two souls goes on till they meet again in the romantic setting of a European court. A king (the regeneration of the soul of the messenger), is growing weary of the false pretenses of royalty, has been seeking his soul mate among the ladies of the court. At various times he thought to find the beloved, only to be disappointed. He follows pleasure and frivolity in the effort to escape ennui. Thus he sits in the royal opera box on the night of the Russian ballet. Among the dancers is one, Olva, who seems to be the perfect expression of life. King Lemuel is interested. Olva seems to attract his soul as a magn.et. He contrives to meet her. The two souls recognize their mates. Olva is the soul of the Princess Love. She, having been cruel and haughty in the days of her early origin, must now pay the penalty through the medium of Olva, the dancer. She must suffer living the life of a humble dependent, being forced to dance when her limbs are wear}' and her heart is heavy, as she Frank awakens and again begins to stroll about the ship. Soon after the captain orders a man to go above. Frank watches the man and decides he can make his escape the same way. He makes a rush for the stairs, knocks down a man who tries to stop him and despite several shots fired at him, escapes. Upon reaching the deck he discovers it is a pitch-black night, but he can see lights on shore. He leaps overboard and swims for the shore. The sailor on deck fires at him but misses. Frank reaches the shore and rushes to the nearest house. He tries to get the training base by telephone but fails. Just then a racing car comes down the road. Frank halts the driver and asks him to take him to the training base. Then ensues a wild race through the night. They reach the wharf just as the gang-plank of the transport is being lifted. The vessel is stopped and upon hearing the explanation, Frank is the hero of the hour. The last scene shows Frank coming back to his proud happy mother. Mrs. Patterson calls Lucy in and joins the lovers' hands. Instinctively all three lift their eyes to motto on the wall. herself ordered her dancing girls to do when she was an Oriental Princess. Princess Love did not leave her home to follow the poor messenger. But King Lemuel is true to his soul. He loves Olva and is willing to give up his crown for the privilege of loving her and making her his wife. The royal advisers meet to consult with the king, reminding him that he must marry one of royal birth. Here King Lemuel explains the regeneration of the Princess Love. He speaks to them and says : "So, you see, I have searched for her through the ages, and thus she is of royal blood, though now appearing as a ballet dancer." The royal advisers looked quickly from one to the other, and concluded that Lemuel had gone insane. But he must be humored. Soon he found himself a prisoner in a sanatorium. And Olva waits for her Prince, who comes not. She danced one night until she dropped, and her heart was beating no more. Among the tall timbers of the great northwest, in the twentieth century, a tall young man is acting as a lumberjack. Hard study and the gay night life of New York had nearly finished Jack Hartwig. A severe cough had clung to his lungs till the doctor had given him a heart-to-heart talk, telling him : "Nothing will save you unless you live in the open, among the pines." After six months in a lumber camp Jack no longer looked consumptive, and could not be picked out among a bunch of sturdy woodmen. The camp cook had gone to the nearest town for a bunch of "hash-slingers." In the employment agency were a variety of types — men and women — and also girls. He picked out three of the best looking girls. On arriving at camp the news went abroad about the new "queens." All the men were anxious to shine up a bit to make a hit. They nearly fell over one another, trying to get a chance at the tooth brush or the curry-comb. They shuffled and stumbled in the mess-house like a bunch of cattle, all awkward, in their anxiety to get the first squint at the new "queens." Jack was just as awkward and excited as the rest. The "queen" on Jack's end of the table is the best looker. There seems to be an equal amount of good sense, good manners, and a merry twinkle of the eyes, a grace of beauty, which is a direct inheritance, through the evolution of the ages, of our Princess Love. "Alice Lovely" is her name. She looks across the table, and her eyes meet those of Jack. She looks into the eyes of her soul mate. For a moment the "windows of the soul" speak, conveying the old, old story of love through the ages. Then she coquettishly drops her lashes, giving a saucy little tilt to her head, and later throwing him a roguish look, with laughter in her eyes. At last the regeneration of these two souls has placed them both on an equal footing. The two meet later under the great, big trees, and he tells her the old story again. He feels that he has known her for ages. She says : "I know I have met you before. Where was it?" Then he answers : "You were the Princess Love, and I an humble messenger. I lost 3rou and found you again when I was a king and you a dancer. At last we are of equal birth and truly mated." She clapped her hands in glee. "How wonderful," she said.