Picture Play Magazine (Sep 1920 - Feb 1921)

In the Heart of a Fool 39 the conscience of a Puritan father, would marry attractive little Laura Nesbit when that dainty daughter of the town's biggest man should finish her college course. Laura's father was old Doctor Nesbit, physician, counselor, personal friend, and political leader of three generations of Harvey folk. Very well. If young Grant was so welcome at the home of powerful Doctor Nesbit, young Grant could introduce the Lorelei to Harvey's "four hundred" from the top instead of from the bottom. The Lorelei would make friends with Grant. Her first opportunity to do that came earlier than she expected. For a few days Grant paid about as much attention to her as to the furniture. Then came the evening of Laura Nesbit's great party — an elaborate function arranged at her home in celebration of her return to college. The new school-teacher was not invited to attend, but she was on the front porch when Grant came up the path, somewhat earlier than she had thought he would return. Grant, instead of being elated with fresh memories of lovers' kisses, was dejected and downcast — there had been a lovers' quarrel. Prime opportunity for a Lorelei ! Even in historic time it was during a storm that the Lorelei sang her victims to destruction. "Oh, why so somber?" she chided teasingly when Grant drew near the porch. The young man hesitated, and looked up at her out of deep, tortured eyes. In a moment her chiding air had changed to one of sympathy, and she was beside him. What could be the matter — did he feel as vastly alone — as — as she did, for instance, on this wonderful moonlit night ? On that particular night Grant sat for only a short time on the garden bench with the Lorelei, and listened for only a little while when she told him that she thought him a bigger and more clever man than his city realized, and on that particular night he tore himself away and went to his room to nurse his hurt feelings in silent misery. Had. it been any other man than Van Dorn whom Laura had elected" to conduct a flirtation with on this last and therefore most sacred of all nights, Grant would not have cared so much. At least that was what he told himself. But Van Dorn! Van Dorn the "lady-killer!" Van Dorn whose numerous affairs with women of all classes were as well known as his partner's weakness for drink ! Henry Fenn, the other member of the law firm of Van Dorn & Fenn, boasted of his drinking prowess; Van Dorn as brazenly boasted of conquests among women, and admitted that his stenographer, Violet Manning, was his "latest weakness." Laura had listened half the evening to the nauseous flatteries of the blase Van Dorn. Had she no self-respect? Laura left, the next day, without the quarrel being patched up; and the Lorelei consoled Grant. The power of a pretty woman, of moonlit nights, of loneliness, and the rankling recollection of injury are things beyond the range of words. All of us know them ; none has ever adequately described them ; none ever will. The minds of some women work in queer twistings. It was not Grant himself that the Lorelei wanted. Although he was a young man of high standing, he would not have been a particularly rich "catch" as far as wealth was concerned. She wanted the entre, the opportunity to meet wealthier folk, that power over him would give her. "In the Heart of a Fool" Written from the Mayflower picture, based on the story by William Allen White, and played by the following cast: Laura Nesbit . . Mary Thurman Margaret Muller . . Anna Q. Nilsson Philo McCullough Henry Fenn Ward Crane Dr. Nesbit A curious thing happened during the year that followed. Many friends in the city thought it was curious, but none knew how curious it really was. The genial Doctor Nesbit, who had the reputation of knowing all the family skeletons in Harvey, and who now looked more thoughtful and serious than ever before, accompanied Mrs. Adams to the station. She was going away for a "protracted visit. Miss Muller had resigned her position at the school and was going with Mrs. Adams. The}" had been away only a short time when word came back that Mrs. Adams was once more to become a mother. Ultimately they returned, Miss Muller as chipper and gay as ever, Mrs. Adams bringing with her Grant's new little brother. The family's friends, of course, gave both Airs. Adams and the baby an ovation, gossiped vigorously about the matter for a while, and finally forgot the incident. Miss Muller, saying she was "crowded out" by the new arrival at the Adams home, went to the Fenn home to board. Soon after, Laura Nesbit returned from school, and Grant failed to make his appearance at the party at her home. But he passed the gate while the party was in progress, and Laura saw him and ran down to ask what the matter was. He was quiet and reserved, and she knew he was still hurt by her frivolity during the last party that had been held in her home. "Why, Grant, I was just trying to make you jealous," Laura finally confessed, and the gaunt young man looked away quickly when he saw the soft light that came into her eyes as she gazed at him. "Laura, dear, I — I" — he choked and forced his way on — "something has come between us — a hideous barrier that can never be removed — I" — and lamely he concluded — "I'm sorry — dear." A handful of young folk on the porch spied Laura and ran out to bring her back to the merrymaking throng inside, and Grant stumbled home like a blind man groping his way over strange walks. Pique, or the temptation to "get even" with another man, is the underlying reason for many a marriage. Statistics showing how few of this variety escape the divorce court would be illuminating. Be that as it may, the engagement of Laura Nesbit to Tom Van Dorn was announced within a significantly short time after the occasion of her homecoming party, and it was a short engagement ; the marriage took place soon after it was announced. Close association — propinquity-— is another cause of many romances that might otherwise be nothing more than passing friendships and so it was not so surprising that both members of the law firm of Van Dorn & Fenn married at about the same time. Henrv Fenn's bride was the Lorelei. Henry Fenn was a better catch than Grant Adams, and the Lorelei had now attained her much-desired social standing in the city of Harvey. Meanwhile Grant, a gloomier, lonelier man, one who spoke only when necessary, gave up his "white-collar" job in the newspaper office and went into the coal mines in East Harvey.