Pictures and the Picturegoer (October 1915 - March 1916)

PICTURES AND THE PICTUREGOER 403 K V.KDISC Jan. 29, 1 916 SCANDAL How Suburban Gossip led to many Tragedies. Adapted from the Film by ALEC J. BRAID. " T THINK the trouble is over, dear," 1 remarked Mrs. Wright to her husband, "Father has written to tell you not to worry. By the end of the week he will be able to lend you money to tide you over the difficulty." Wright had. made an unfortunate speculation, and was faced with the need of a large sum in a few days. His wife had sought assistance from her father and had brought the good news into the city. Like; most women, she was jealous of any woman associated with her husband in business. It did not please her to see a young woman in his office whenever she paid it a \ i-it. Although Daisy Dean, her husband's stenograper, was propriety itself. Anna. Wright could not divest her narrow mind— typical of man} a dweller in Suburbia of the idea, that women employees always "maie a fuss" of their employers, The same idea was prevalent among the set in which Mrs. Wright moved, and the Wilsons, their neighbours in the Hat below, found the greatest joy of life in groundless tittle-tattle. Coming baclc from lunch that day, Daisy Dean had the misfortune to twist her .inkle. She suffered seve^ly, and Wright 'phoned for his car and took the girl home. It was an innocent, kindly action, but it led to tragedy. To reach Daisy's house they had to pass Wright's club, where Wilson and Other idle men spent much of their time. '" I say, Stephens," called a member ed at the club window, "here's Wright taking a girl for a uri\ r." 'Ah! just v h;it [expected; that's the girl in his office. Wilson lives below Wrighl ; we must tell him.'' Sea nihil had flown in through the open ■w indow. Unconscious of the stir he had created among his Belli >w -members, Wrighl carefully assisted Daisy to the front door of her home and waved aside the thanks tendered to him h.\ .Mr-. Dean lor his thought fulness. Then, placing in his e. ■: 1 1 buttonhole a daisy which he plucked I r. 011 a plant at the poreh. Wright dro\ e back to his office. His going was witnessed by several of t he neighbours. Tongues at once began towag, and by I he time Austin ('lark I Daisy lover) eaiae down the road he knew all about the motor-car ride of Dais\ and her employer. " Why didn't yon telephone for mo ;" snapped Austin, evidently annoyed; "I could have brought you home." ' Don't be a silly boj . " replied Daisy. " It was very kind of Mr. Wright to bring me here."' Wilson reached his flat, with a fine story ready for his wife. " Our neighbour upstairs is getting himself talked about,'' he told her. " He takes his stenographer for motor-car drives. This afternoon I saw them drive past the club." " Ah ! I thought as much." chirped Airs. Wilson. " V011 never can trust a girl in an office." Wilson smiled. His wife ouyht to know, he thought. She, too. had beeu a stenographer. The news quickly spread. Jane, the maid, had heard the insinuation, and. signalling the maid in the flat above, called up the lift-well. "So your | and his office-girl are the talk of the town." Airs. Wright heard the jeer and dered. She had never been in favour of a girl-stenographer, and perhaps after all.her suspicions were justified. A busy man. it was important that Wright should have assistance, and he sent lor Susan Gordon, a public stenographer in the building in which he had his office. Susan lived within two di of the Deans, and seeing the daisy in Wright's coat, she smiled knowingly to herself. Daisy Dean annoyed her. Bob. her brother, was in love with Daisy, but the girl preferred Austin Clark, and that fact rankled. Unable to risk the publicity of his correspondence at this critical period, Wright felt he could not retain the set; vices of Susan (Gordon, and. ringing up . w'£** > y1 B BOSS \M> ills OFFICE r.IRI. \KE xur, talk OF Tin: row x.' .Mr Seam said: " Can Mi-s Dean con™ to the office to-morrow if I call for heB and take her home in my ear ? ' Dais* replied that she could, and during following days the neig to be scandalised at the cming andJ going of Wright and the car. M hile Anna Wright and more tortured with suspicions! 3sip reached her that every day husband and the girl dro she decided to see for herself, proud to tax her husband with actions credited to him i ju-1 accepted the evidence of her as proof ci nclusive. It ••■ her husband was d her # » » * A week later Wright it-turned home one evening to find a note pinned u the wall. " You are I stenographer." it r ead. " I ha you. Anna." Then he understood. The constrained attitude of his wife, the haughtiness Mrs. Wilson, the joke? at the club all had c innected him with Daisy Dean. Somehow he did not feel the d of his wil i -utelv. Fears 1 • the revelation of her stunted sonl had been a terrible disappointment to him, but the unjust accusation hurt the strong man. "Thank Cod. I've been true to her!" burst from him when the hideousness of the charge implied in the few words upon the wall clear. Daisy, too. had been insulted. Even her lover taunted her with friendship with Wright, and Austin a visits to her mother's house became less frequents The departure of Anna was the talk of the town. Several days later tlii local newspaper learned of the divorce proceedings instituted by Mr-. Wright, and at once announced the fact in startling headlines. Daisy Dean had Iveii named as co-respondent, "a fact that was not surprising seeing that n had been busily engaged coupling the names of Wright and his stenographei me time." The wives of Suburbia were u their glorj . " I told you so," was claimed by many. ami early the same event Clark came to see Dais " Have you seen thi : " he d". "i -. 1 have." replied his sweetheart. " What have you to say to it all ? " Nothing there is not a word of truth in the story," ■ 11 i -ay that : Ton must