Pictures and the Picturegoer (April - September 1915)

W* i-:k i NDJ no SSPT. 85, W5 I DID Ml 495 PICTURES AND 11 ih PICTURhOUtK I "IDOLS" IN THE ARMY REVIVED POPULARITY OF CHARMS I II. M riTLKS TRAVESTIED. No. L3j " The Quest." garret floor. " There," he said, pointing to his curious p of wood Bpread out upon tl>>' table, "Hut.' Lb a fortune, here" grasping his chest with both hands "isa man going mad mail:" tie dug his fingernails bo deep into his < that lb' cried out w ith pain. •• Oh, God, show me the way '. show me the way ! " he sobbed n< he sank into a chair b] the side of his great work, audit's terrible to hear a man erj a man in pain, l>otli mental and phj sical pain. He did not hear the knock at his door, but he beard his landlady's voice saying, " Xes.sir, 1 know he is in; be hasn't been out for days"; t hen a familiar voice answei ed — '• I'll go in and see if he i asleep : if bo, 1 « ill leave a m-te.'' ilie Thomas opened the door, and there in front of him 1 the shadow of his old friend. "Why. Eveleigb," he said, "whj in Heaven's name didn't you write and let me Know something of your movements? It's only by chance 1 heard of you from my pal Broadhnrst, the patent agents. Thei -aid that you had been to see them about some invention and wanted them to finance yon. " Leslie, old man." said Alfred collapsing in the chair,"] am ill, veryill. Since 1 left Oxford twelve months ago^-oh! Cod: it seems years! [ have been bving. here on practically nothing -working day and night. Yon remember the last night 1 was at Oxford, when you came into my room. I grabbed a bos and some papers and locked them in my room r " Yes, well?" "Well, that," he said, pointing to the table where lay the little bits of wood, "that i.s what was in that box— my invenA ml In poured forth to his old friend all his troubles. *• Well, it's like this, old man." said Leslie, " I have no know of moving pictures, 1 cannot tell a camera from a pro r, but 1 will stand by you and be your banker up to a certain amount on condition that a proper agreement is drawn up that J draw a share of the profits, if you promise not to touch the thing again until we have had a quiet holiday together.1 ""You "ill finance me!'' shouted Alfred, " you will? bless you; you are indeed a white man "the first white man I have met for twelve months. You shall live to bless me, from now onward you can count on me, for my life if need be, in payment of your trust."' Leslie went to him and pushed him gently back into the chair. '* Don't get to oexcited, old man." he-said ; "" just get intobed and sleep, think no more about anything until I come in the morning, when we will go to my solicitors and fix the whole thing up. Good night, dear boy, I'll be round first thing in the morning." In the dirty little ball downstairs he gave the landlady a ■lun and told her to srpt her lodger a good supper and a bottle of brandy, and said lit; would see her in the morning. Upstairs in the garret Alfred stood glaring at himself in a broken mirror on the mantelshelf. His eyes were ablaze with insanity. ' Y. ' " he -.reamed aloud. " it's sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, no more work now;'' and. with a wild spring, he tore up his cherished plans and scattered his wooden box and piec wood about the room. Then fell with a crash, his head catching the corner of the table. He slept; ye-, he slept in peace. The helping hand had come too late. THE TOUCHWOOD" TALISMAN An old campaigner of the raid; ami file who was shown the letter on " Idols ' in Ti yesterday, pointed out that the belief that certain things bring good or bail [nek always prevailed in the Arroj Pormerlj there tali-mans which were regarded as especially efficaciou warding oil' misfortunes, and particularly death and ablcmenl in battle. These were, in the infantry, a button ofl a tunic, and in the cavalry the tooth of a horse; but for the articles to bring good luck or to avert evil the man who wor« the button and the aerse to which the tooth belonged should have come successfully through a campaign, A good many years ago the old words " charm," " talisman," •• amulet" dropped out of use in the Army. The French a] word "" mascot," which originated with gamblers and is applied to any person, animal, or thing which is supposed to be lucky, came into fashion; and in the Army some animal or bird ■ monkey, parrot, <>>■ goat, or even the domestic dog or cat was appointed " the mascot of the regiment." Butsince tl ut break of the war there has been an extraordinary revival in the Army of the popularity of the old talisman or charm. Jeweller.-' trinkets in metal and stone, which lo presented to each other and wore attached to bracelets or chains, to bring mutual constancy . prosperity, ami ha]. pin.---. rst largely bought by the public and given as protect i\ • agents to relatives and friends who had enlisted. Then a, special charm for soldiers, called " Touchwood," and described as "" the wonderful Eastern charm/'' was designed and is having an enormous sale. It was suggested by theold custom of touching wood, when hopes are expressed, so as to pre\ enl disappointment, which is supposed to have arisen from the veneration of the True Cross. " Touchwood " is a quaint little figure, mainly head, mad"' of oak, surmounted by a khaki service cap. and with odd, sparkling eyes, as if always on the alert to see and avert danger. The legs, either in silver or gold, are crossed, and the arms, of the same metal, are lifted to touch the head. The designer, Mr. H. Brandon, of 317, High Holborn; W.C. states that he has sold 1,250,000 of this charm since the war broke out. Air. Brandon has received numerous letters from soldiers at the front ascribing their escape from perilous situations to the wearing of the charm. One letter which has five sigha« tures says : — We have been out here for five months fighting in the i Benches, and have not bad a scratch. We put our great good fortune down to your lucky charm, which we treasure highly. Though it is chiefly bought by women to present to husbands, sons, and sweethearts going to the Front, the intention of the gift is in most cases, no doubt, just for good luck, with no touch of superstition. In Regent's Park recently there w as a curious scene. This was the public pres tatiori of " Touchwood " to each of the 1,200 officers and men of a battalion of the City of London Rifles by a French actress. " Touchwood '? Charms can be purchased from all jewellers and stores, or in solid silver for 2s„ 9ct. gold 8a 6d.,ordirect from H. Brandon and Co., 317, High Holborn, W.O.