As the Earth Turns (Warner Bros.) (1934)

Adapted by GEORGE, RANDALL Ne OMY VA Kictionization 4 [ ‘l From Warner Bros. Motion Picture of GLADYS HASTY CARROLL'S best-selling novel CHAPTER XII TAN probably would not have taken Doris to the dance had he been a little less lonely and had she been a little less insistent. But ever since the night Jen had said she couldn’t marry him, Stan had been more than a little depressed. She had seemed unreasonable, unfair and not the generous hearted girl he had thought her. And Doris sensed this. Several times since his family had left, she had gone over to see him. And although he really didn’t care for her, he welecomed having someone to talk with. ‘Please, please take me, Stan!’’ she had _ pleaded. And she had seemed so cute and fresh and eager that he had been unable to refuse. So once he had agreed to go, he was determined to have a good time. ‘‘Let’s have some more of that cider!’’ Doris said, flushed with excitement. Stan laughed . ‘*E thought you said it made you dizzy?’? “‘Tt does,’’ she laughed, ‘‘but I like it!’’ So they had some more cider. At that moment, Stan eyed the violin on the fiddler’s chair. ‘«T dare you to play it,’’ Doris said mischievously. ‘<Tt’s a bet!’’ Stan replied. And Stan played like they had heard no one play before—right Adepted by GEORGE RANDALL CHAPTER XV through the peak of the thunder storm, ‘‘That was wonderful the way you played!’’ Doris exclaimed as they were driving back along the muddy roads. As she said it, she linked her arm in his and snuggled up closer. ‘¢Tt was good fun,’’ Stan replied. There was a moment’s silence. Then Doris said, ‘‘Are you happy, Stan? As happy as I am?’’ Stan looked at her . ‘¢How happy are you?’’ ‘¢Awfully happy!’’ she replied and her eyes seemed to be pleading with him to take her in his arms. Her mouth was parted expectantly. It was more than Stan could resist. But just as he started to kiss her, he looked up and his gaze became transfixed. There was a look of horror in his eyes. ‘¢Tiook!’?’ he exclaimed widely. Doris looked. if 2 Warner Bros. Motion Picture of GLADYS HASTY CARROLL'S best-selling novel ORIS finished packing and started on tiptoes for the door. Her heart was pounding wildly. At last she was getting away. At last she was going to the city. And Stan was taking her! What would Jen say to that? That would hold her for a while, all right. That would show her who was smartest. As she neared the door, heard a voice. er’s. she It was her moth “‘Doris!?? Cora said as she hur ried down the stairs. ‘‘ Doris! Where are you going? I been up half the night worrying about you! Where were you! What time did you get in?’’ Doris stopped. ‘‘The storm held us up,’’ she said rather guiltily. * Cora eyed was carrying. ‘‘Where’re you going with that?’’ she demanded. ‘‘Hush, mi,’’ Doris urged, ‘¢there’s no need to get excited. Stan’s barn burned down and he’s going to Boston. I’m going too.’’ Aroused by the voices, Jen appeared, ‘¢What’s the matter, Ma?’’ she asked. ‘¢Get your father,’’ Cora said very sternly. ‘‘Tell him to come right down here at once.’’ Jen went back up stairs and woke her father. In a moment they were back. ‘<What is it?’? Mark asked. ‘*She’s going off with that Polish boy!’’ said Cora accusingly. ‘tYou’re not going to stop me!’’ Doris flung back. ‘‘They were out all night!’’ said Cora. ‘*No, no, ma!’? Jen said in amazement. +he suitcase Doris ‘¢You get back to your room! ’’ ; Cora commanded her daughter. “‘T’m going, I tell you! I’m going!’’ Doris said defiantly. ‘“You listen to your mother,’’ Mark put in. ‘<You can’t do that!’’ said Jen with tears in her eyes. ““Get away! I know what I’m doing! ’” ‘‘T forbid you to go!’’ said Mark angrily. ‘¢You’ll spoil your whole life,’’ said Cora. ‘Listen, Doris,’’? said Jen beseechingly. But Doris only became more furious. ‘You tried to stop me before,’’ she threw back at them all, ‘‘and you’re not going to now! This is my chance.’’ ‘«But not that way!’’ Jen said. *« Anyway is better than staying here! And if you’re so worried about my reputation, you may as well know—Stan and I are going to get married! ’’ Jen was hurt to the quick. Doris wheeled around and left. ‘¢Married!’’ she gasped incredulously. ‘¢You’d better go after her,’’ Mark said to Jen. ‘*No,’? Jen replied almost in a whisper, ‘‘let them go .. . let them go.’? There before them were the smoldering ruins of what once was Stan’s farm. It had been struck by hghtning during the storm. Nothing was left—nothing at all. “‘That settles it,’? Stan said quietly. ‘‘I’ll have to go with my folks.’’ CHAPTER XIV HE two stood there, silently surveying the ruins. Then Doris spoke. “First Lady ‘¢Stan,’? she said deliberately, ‘‘T’m going with you!’’ “Don’t be silly, Doris,’’ Stan replied. But Doris didn’t think she was being in the least silly. In fact, she had never meant anything more seriously in her young life. “<T know what you’re thinking of,’? she said insistently, ‘‘but I don’t mean it that way ... 1 know you don’t care about me—I just want to get away from here— Forward—_ So they had some more cider. (Donald Woods enjoys a real Maine dance with Dorothy Appleby in “As The Earth Turns.” ) EO —____—____._.___ (WINTER) CHAPTER XVI T WAS early in March. Doris had gotten a job in a depart ment store and had found another girl to room with. Stan was playing the violin in a well-known dance orchestra in Boston. But Jen had received no word from him, “*T guess you were right, Jen,’’ Mark had said, ‘‘he don’t belong here.’’ And Jen had nodded. But she could not understand it. Stan had seemed so true, so understanding. And yet he had gone off, Gone oft without so much as saying goodbye. It was difficult for her to believe. She had hoped that their love would ripen. Had she made a@ mistake in expecting too much? Had she treasured and cherished love’s harvesting so deeply that she had made it unobtainable? Perhaps she should not have held out. for such complete assurance that Stan ‘belonged’ there on the farm. Doris was shallow and flighty—and yet in a sense she had been shrewder than Jen. But then —Doris had very little pride. She debased herself to get away from the farm. She played on Stan’s good nature. And she deceived the whole family by saying that Stan was going to marry her. Oh, how Jen had suffered those first few weeks! Not a word from either of them—until at last a letter came from Doris saying that she was only fooling about Stan’s marrying her. She said she felt she had to tell. them that or they wouldn’t have let her go. Well, Jen forgave her. She wanted something and she got it. And beeause she wasn’t a strong character she had only used what means she could find at hand. That was understandable. But Stan. Why had he not written? Why had he not given her some little word of hope that she could hang on to? What was there left for her now? The farm and the family, to be sure. . But Stan had given her a vision of something fuller and finer, something that would truly enrich the blessings of life and add to the elemental worth of living. Children of her own—a man by her side—long hours of silent joy together—rapture in his arms— laughter by the hearthside—a home of their own. Oh, why, why, had he not given her some one little word? There were nights in bed alone when she cried out for him— would have done anything just to look into his eyes and feel the touch of his rough sturdy hand on her cheeks and hear the sound of his deep strong voice in her ear. And as she was out in the yard one afternoon, getting a breath Love and Spring! I’ve got to get away!’’ ‘¢What would you do, Doris?’’ Stan asked. Doris was all but down on her knees to him. ‘Oh, Stan,’’ she pleaded, ‘‘I’d work. I’d get a job. All I want is a start. Maybe your mother could take me in for a couple of weeks. You can’t say no, Stan!’’ ‘‘What would your family say??? “Tl tell them!’ ’ 6é No. ”? Doris took him by the arms, pressed her young body close to his and made a last desperate attempt to win him over. ‘<Everybody has a right to a chance sometime or other,’’ she said with tears in her eyes. ‘‘TI hate it here! I’ve hated it ever since I came. They promised to let me go, but always something goes wrong. I just can’t bear another winter here—I just can’t. You can’t refuse, Stan, you can’t refuse! ’’ Stan was up against it. He was silent for a long time and Doris waited breathlessly for his answer. ‘«Oh, all right,’’ he finally said. ‘*But you understand—’’ “‘You love Jen—not me!’’ “6 Ves.” ‘‘T understand—I’ll things.’’ With that, she turned and hurried off. Stan walked moodily over to the ashes. “‘If only I hadn’t taken Doris to the dance,’’ he thought, ‘‘I might have saved it. I was foolish to do it. But then again—’’ His thoughts trailed off and he tried to comfort himself by thinking that he might just possibly have been struck by lightning himself had he been there in the house. But who could say? Who indeed could say? get my (Concluded tomorrow) slightly forward. She strained her eyes, trying to make out who the man was. Suddenly, she saw him wave. Her heart came to her throat and tears filled her eyes. It was Stan. Stan, whom she loved with all her heart and soul— Stan, for whom she had been waiting ... waiting ... waiting... In a rush of ecstatic openness, she waved back and ran out to meet him. ‘¢Oh, my darling, my own darling child!’? he said as he took her in his arms. ‘“Stan! Stan!’’ she wept. “My darling, my own darling child!” he said as he took her in his arms. (Donald Woods and Jean Muir in a tense moment from Warner’s “As The Earth Turns.” This picture will be presented at the Strand Theatre with an all star cast starting next Wednesday.) of air after having been in the kitchen all day, she saw in the distance, a wagon, winding over the hill. Nearer and nearer it came. It was a wagon she had not seen before. A man was perched up on the front seat, leaning And in that moment there was no fear, no doubt, no anxiety, but an abundant outward flowing, one to the other, each to each. They knew—and in that knowledge was sure fulfillment. THE END Page Twenty-three