Picture Show (Nov 1919-Apr 1920)

18 JU5T ME & learl WKite How the Story Commenced. In the preceding chapters of litr delightfully frank Btory, Pearl White sketched the history of her early childhood. They were not altogether happy days, lor money Was scarce in the houseliold, and her ^ mother, who was " '"'W always very deli* , cate, died soon after lier birth. Pearl was always Retting into mischief. Her father married again When she. was six years old. When she wa3 twelve years ojld, her brother, who was her greatest pal, left home and joined the navy. At the age of thirteen, Pearl decided to join a circus that came to her district, and later on she joined a touring company. Hut. her early efforts were not too successful. Next, Pearl was offered a Job as a stewardess on a boat. Sea life did not agree with her, and she went on the stage, touring in Cuba, Buenos Aires, Kansas City, Tennessee, and Kansas. Then her voice began to go, and a woman advised her to try to get on " the pictures." Last week Pearl told of her first experience in films, w hich was with the famous old Kalem, Luhin, and Paths companies. Soon after her entry into pictures she received news of the death of her brother Muough a Bhooting accident. You can now read on. PEARL WHITE Pearl in Love. BUT, to get back to my career. I worked on for some months doing comedy falls and what not until I was so tired that 1 needed a rest, for somehow I couldn't seem to take much interest in anything. One hot summer night I sat dpwn to think and eum up my past. I decided that I owed myeolf some pleasure for my years of toil. Then I got out my bank-hook, which had been balanced that day, July 2nd, 1913, and I found that I had tho largo fortune of six thousand dollars — moro money than I had ever tlreamed of possessing. So I decided that J was too rich to work for a while, and that I would go out and find myself a playground in which 1 could play. The next day I wont to tho studio and announced that I was putting on my make-up for the last timo that 6ummer. " Where are you going T " they asked. ."Don't know," I answered. " But I've got too much money in tho world, so I've got to go out and spend it." That afternoon a little idea began to creep into my mind, and I hustled about New York making a lot of arrangements. Tho next day v.a3 the Fourth of July, and I was booked for a picnic at Uoney Island. I was to leave at eight o'clock in tho morning with a girl that shared my flat, " Jane Fearnloy." She was quite prominent in tho moving pictures then. I bustled into her room and gave her an awful shock. Now sleeping is a sport of which I am very fond and poor Jane had always been the one to drag me out of bed. so naturally she was more than surprised at my early cut ranee into her room. •* Is it time to go to Coney V " she sleepily asked. '" I'm not going," I announced. " Why V " she questioned. " Because," I went on, " I'm sailing for Europe tit ten to-morrow morning, so 1 want to start packing now." Well, Jane nearly passed out of the picture with Surprise, but when I showed her my ticket marked July 5th for a first-class cabin on "the O'ympie, she came to a little, and began : " What are you going there for 't " "I don't know," is all I could answer. " Do you know anybody in tho whole of Europe '! " she questioned. " Not a living soul," I truthfully answered. But I have tucked away in my handbag four or five letters to people of so great a position in lifo that I don't expect they will have any desire to be annoyed by me. Anyway, I have decided to play. I have selected Kuropc as my playground, and if I don't find any playmates, 1 can at least stand by and watch the others." I walked up that gangplank in a holiday spirit bound on a new adventure, and for tho first time in my life I felt absolutely free from the cares of this world. I didn't have to worry where my, next meals were coming from, I didn't care if my hair got all messed up, my new dress got dirty, or my stockings full of runs. Tho whole world seemed full of smiles, and my face wore a perpetual grin. I must say that I felt very important too. All of the members of my company had come, down to see mo off, bringing mo presents and flowers. There was a camera-man, too, who was to take photographs of me for the moving picture magazines, tinder the caption, " Pearl White leaving for Europe, where she expects to get new ideas for her forthcoming photo-plays ; " and what a lot of ideas I collected — but not for moving pictures. The moving picture camera was there also to take my departure for fie " Universal Weekly." I don't suppose the people who Paw the film in the theatres cared at all whether 1 went to Europe or not, but my own little group of companions looked upon me as tho woman of the hour, and I certainly felt the part. Although I knew no one'who was crossing on the same boat, I worried not. I was sailing to Europe on the wings of fate, and I didn't care which way 1 flew. A few months before I had been working on the grounds of the New York University, and one young student — ho was about seventeen— had helped mo to get different groups of boys to work in some of the scenes. I guess I was the first actress that this youth had ever known, and, as he was himself harbouring an ambition to become an actor, in his eyes I immediately became an object of admiration and adoration. Each afternoon thereafter found him in my studio watching mo act. He was an awfully nice slagestruck boy, who belonged to one of New York's most aristocratic families — thus ho comes into the plot. He was on hand early in the morning to drive me down to the boat in his father's car. He managed to stand next to me in the photographs, and lingered on the gangplank until the last moment, feeling very much in the limelight and very important to himself ; and, there amid " tears, handshakes, good-byes, and be suro and writes," into the scene walked two other young men, who turned out to be a couple of old college chums. There was only a moment for a hasty introduction to the newcomers, who were to be passengers on the same boat with me. — But as my young escort was being hustled ashore by a husky deck hand, he managed to impart the great news that I was the most wonderful, interesting and entertaining girl in tho world, and implored his old school pals to look after me on the way over. There exits my youthful admirer. So I dashed to stern of the boat, to wave farewell to the camera on shore. With me dashed my two new companions, my first playmates in my new game of life. These two lads spent the first few days introducing me to their many relatives and ifriendS on board, always slipping along tho password that 1 was a very brilliant person. How easy it is t" become popular on board ship when there is a bit of mystery attached to yourself, and you are advertised as being In ill in ii 1 and entertaining. That was inc.. Tho Tin Picture Show, January 2<?//i, 19u). passenger list was composed of some very ' smart " people, and I was so thrilled and flattered. by the attention they bestowed upon me that I didn't know whether I was on foot or horseback half the time. Me — poor Utile Pearl White — who had always laboured from early morning until late at night, hobnobbing wild the idle rich ; that is comic enough. . Ah ! But the biggest laugh is yet to come. During the first few days the glamour of Bay new venture had kept my heart hitting on " high," and I didn't have much time to think : but when my pulse did strike normal, I sort of calmed down to the grim realisation that I was not contented, and 1 didn't know just what was the matter. I do now. Romance ? During my whole life, up until then, I had been so busy getting myself food, clothing and shelter, that I hadn't bad time to get myself in love. But now, with relaxation, came a lot of sentiment, and mighty mushy sentiment at that. Sitting out on a deck chair at peace with the world — well, if you have ever fallen in love with a person whom you have seen only once, you know what silly thoughts chase each other through your mind. / had fallen — and as .1 looked into space .a vision of two very bhio eyes, and a wonderful smile, kept rising before me. Over and over I fancied myself again in Sherry's, meeting " him " on that hot afternoon of the 3rd of July. Anyhow, I got so doggone lovesick that I didn't get seasick, so that helped some. To unravel the thread of my " young love's dream." w hen on this said 3rd of July I had decided on my hasty flight, T conceived the brilliant idea of calling up a friend, who was handling foreign films in America and asking him for a letter of introduction to some of the moving picture studios in England, France, and Italy. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when I made this request, and the answer came back over the 'phone, " Yes, certainly. He would gladly do so, but that he was leaving his office shortly to give a tea party at Sherry's, and if I would join them there at five, he would have the promised letters, all signed and sealed, waiting for me." I was" there on the minute of five. I had never been in Sherry's before, but I marched boldly in and joined the party. " He " was one of the party. I didn't hear his name when we were introduced, for lie looked straight into my eyes and smiled. Heavens, what a smile he gave me ! I guess it was the same one he bestowed upon all women. However, I didn't know~ this, and I immediately became all hands and feet, and felt foolish in general. Anyway, I managed to slip him my hand in acknowledgment of said introduction ; then it seems that in doing so I shifted one of my feeb and planted it firmly upon a pet corn belonging to a lady standing next to me. And she, being a. lady, 6creamed like a wounded eagle ; while he, being a gentleman, leapt to her side, begging a million pardons as though it was his foot that had done the damage, while I, being just an ordinary dunce, let him take the credit, and just stood in mute admiration. This little act ruined my success with the ladies in the party, but I didn't care, because " he " sat next to me at the table. I don't think I ever tried so hard in my life to be' amusing ; of course, I was an awful failure. However, " he." who, by the way, everyone called simply " Bep," was a wonderful audience, and laughed at my Unfunny remarks. The tea was about over, so T collected my letters, and mine host proposed a toast to my trip abroad. Oh, are you going to my country t " inquired " Bep." Now I didn't know just what country was his, but ho had a foreign accent, so I took a chance and said, " Oh, certainly." Anyway, I was willing to go wherever it might be. " Oh, that's fine," said he. li Don't you want me to give you a letter to the nicest man I know ? Of course I did. So out to the writing-room we went, and he wrote not one letter, but three. The first was addressed to Rome. Ah, thought I. ho must be an Italian, and know a lot of nice men. Then he had a fourth inspiration, and w idle one to London. " Bobby is an awfully silly fellow," be announced, " but I am sure he will amuse you." LPearl in London Next Week.')