Talking Picture Magazine (Dec 1930-Oct 1932)

May, 1932 TALKING PICTURE MAGAZINE Page 21 is accepted and brings her enough to last her for a while so that she can devote herself entirely to her newly discovered talent. Meanwhile, Mr. Johnson has formed the habit of dropping into Essimae's apartment to give her advice and take her to the theater. All reference to their mutual love is avoided, however. Meanwhile. Smith is apprehended in Ohio, and a long record of convictions for previously committed crimes comes to light. He is wanted on several charges, tried and sentenced to prison. Essimae procures her divorce, easily, since not only has he never told her of his prison record, but be has married her without mentioning that he had been married before. All this time, Essimae has been writing and sending money to her family at home, but now, a successful playwright, she visits home with Mack Johnson who promptly wins the hearts of her family. After her decree is final, she is joined in the bonds of matrimony to the only man she has ever truly loved, gladly giving up her career to be just Mrs. Johnson. LOST TO LOVE Isabelle Garey File No. 6975 DR. MANNING thinks that his wife's aversion to children will be overcome once her baby is born, but he is mistaken. As soon as she recovers she plunges herself into a gay social whirl, telling him she doesn't care what he says from now on. A telegram calls him back from a medical convention and he discovers that Ruth has been killed in an automobile accident. She has started a note to him in the hospital begging his forgiveness for having, when she decided to run off with her old lover who perished in the same crash instantly, given the child away to an elderly couple with a wild story about the child being born in sin. The doctor crushed by the succession of tragedies brought about by his irresponsible, fun-loving wife, engages every possible medium to trace his baby daughter, but the old Belgian couple blithely on their way to California with the chubby baby, do not read the jjapers or suspect that the mother's story is untrue. Elizabeth grows up and discovers, one day. that she is not the real child of the Russells whose name she is bearing. She pleads with them to tell her who she is, and they finally tell her that she had no father. Elizabeth loves the aged pair and brightens their lives immeasurably, but at length, they are both taken from her. Once on a vacation, she goes to a summer resort and falls deeply in love with a young medical student. He asks'her to marry him, but when she tells him of her origin, he registers so much consternation that she packs up and impulsively rushes home without leaving him any address or even a clue to her whereabouts. Back in the city she meets a woman who works in the same bank. Although Afarian is old enough to be her mother, they become very friendly and finally take an apartment together. Marian can never understand why Beth, pursued as she is by men. never seems to be very interested in any of them. Beth blithely informs Marian that she is going to be an old maid and in a moment of confidence tells about the romance that was broken by the discovery of her dubious origin. Marian is certain that Beth still loves the boy. but Beth maintains a forbidding silence about that. Back from her vacation, Marian astounds Beth with the announcement that she is to be married to — Dr. Manning, a prominent physician and promises to tell Beth the widely known story of his tragedy. Beth hearing a lot about her room mate's fiance is anxious to meet him but doesn't until after the wedding which, to their disappointment is held out of town, of necessity. Although Beth feels that nobody is good enough for Marian she changes her mind when she sees Dr. Manning, the famous child specialist whom Marian had known and loved before his marriage to Ruth and had not seen again until this summer. Beth likes him immediately, and accepts the cordial invitation both extend to her to have dinner with them the next evening. Marian tells her that a protege of her husband's, Gerald Watson, is to be there too, and as she sees Beth's stricken face knows that it is Jerry with whom Beth has always been in love. Beth agrees finally to come anyway and as soon as Jerry sees her he stares at her as if he can't believe it is really she, then taking both her hands in his, he tells her quietly that he has been searching for her ever since his stupidity drove her from him. Beth refuses his plea that he marry her, now, but he claims that he will continue to ask her until she changes her mind. And soon Beth does. Showing her baby clothes to Jerry and Marian one night, Beth takes out a picture with her initials E. A. M. and a string of beautifully matched pearls. Just then. Dr. Manning exclaims from the doorway where he has been listening, that she is his daughter, and he draws out another picture to prove it. No happier foursome or handsomer, ever was, than Beth, her new husband, father and stepmother. LOVERS IRONY Albert Leonard File No. 6967 LEAVING the telephone booth. Marlene Dorsan. a professional dancer, walks toward the park where she is going to murder a woman. She has made an appointment with Emmie to meet her in half an hour, and she is confident that her role in the crmie will never be known. Terribly in love with Jnnmie Hayes, although he is younger than herself and has, although she won't admit it to herself, only been infatuated with her. Marlene is not going to stand by and see Jimmy marry Emmie just because Emmie is going to have a child. Marlene dare not let herself dwell on the thought that Jimmie might be in love with the other woman. When she arrives, Emmie is not there yet, so she sits on the deserted park bench and waits. Emmie, coming ui), says that if Marlene has invited her to come to ask her to release Jimmy, it's useless because he loves her and they are going to be married tomorrow. Desperately, Marlene tries to still the flood of speech, and suddenly she tightens her fingers about the other's throat and presses hard. As Emmie's face assumes a fearful aspect, Marlene snatches her purse and hurriedly leaves as footsteps crunch down the walk. She realizes that she has acted too hurriedly, she should have inquired if Emmie told anyone she was going to meet Marlene. On the bus, as she takes out her fare, she gasps audibly. She has taken Emmie's purse, left her own behind! The perfect crime has failed I Too late to return now. Nothing to do but await developments. Half an hour later she is ready for her act at the Rivoli. When her cue comes she steps out on the stage, her body nude, save for a heavy coating of gold paint. Her dance before a gigantic idol has long been a sensation, and to-night despite a packed house, is to be the final appearance at the theater. The blase stage hands comment on her abandon to-night as she whirls like a mad thing, but attribute it to the responsive audience and her final appearance. The music falters. Her four minutes are up. She has but three minutes in which to leave the stage and remove the paint without suffering serious consequences, but Marlene, disregarding frantic signals dances on motioning to the orchestra to play on. Uncertainly the musicians perform, but the rhythm is broken and the other performers are gaping in the wings. Marlene is to conclude her dance by vanishing in a cloud of steam, but to-night she skilfully sidesteps her exit, and whirls on in her mad tarantelle. Nobody thinks of associating Marlene's strange actions with the fact that Jimmy Hayes is standing in the wings holding the beaded bag she left on the park bench. She knows what is in store for her when she leaves the stage and has preferred her own dramatic way of ending her life. The audience realizing something unusual is occurring grows tense, and the stage manager screams for the lowering of the curtain. When they reach Marlene it is too late. She has died, smothered by the gold paint. A few minutes later one of the men of the stage crew singles out the manager and hands him the beaded bag, "Jimmy Hayes just left," he says, "told me to give this bag to Miss Dorsan. Said that someone tried to kill his girl in a park on the south end. He got word of it here a few moments ago over the phone, she'll pull through, though. He found the purse in a telephone booth in his office building and stopped to return it, but he couldn't wait any longer. Yea — said he had a terrible cold, too, wanted to know what was good for it!" THE SILENT SACRIFICE Tony Vanderzee File No. 6957 STARTLED by the cough of Alfred Leduc. schoolteacher in a Belgian Mining Town, the inspector asks the man to submit to an examination. Having attributed it to a cold, Alfred is stunned at the doctor's grave pronouncement that he has tuberculosis. L'nable to risk the infection of his pupils, Alfred gives up his teaching post and is told that quiet living, while insufficient to restore his health can prolong his life. His brain afire with the sudden dissolution of all his hopes, Alfred gravely considers the problem of his fiancee. He knows that Angele Perrot will never consent to giving him up because of his poor health and he loves her too dearly to endanger her life. A friend suggests the only way out of the dilemma, — a counter love affair. At first horrified by the subterfuge. Alfred finally accepts his role. He invites Yvonne, a girl of ill-repute to his room, and Angele is informed that Alfred is unfaithful to her and confronted with the proof. Appalled by the evidence, Angele tearfully returns his engagement ring. That night. Marcel Lemaire, a dear friend of Angele's and Alfred's, who had, however, vainly loved Angele, comes, as usual, to play checkers with Perrot, Angele's father. Deeply wounded as she is, Angele surprises Marcel with her unusual consideration for him. With re-awakened hope. Marcel presses his suit, and Angele. torn by the discovery of Alfred's supposed faithlessness, seeks the quiet haven of Marcel's love and consents, in time, to become engaged. When Alfred hears of the readjustment, he feels only a vague contentment that Angele is unscathed by his tragedy. To the Abbe Laventin, however, he confides his own pain at the unfavorable and untrue light in which Angele views him. One morning the town bell rings, and to the rapidly assembled populace, the announcement is read that war has broken out between Germany and Belgium. A squadron of German Cavalry arrives, and to the terrified mayor the order is given to harbor the enemy for a few days and be responsible for any offense committed by the civilians. The next day. Perrot and Marcel Lemaire are the last to leave the mine, and by chance, they unwittingly exchange lunch boxes. After their paths separate, Perrot is approached on the road by a drunken German soldier who goads Angele's father into combat. They fight, and suddenly the bun falls over backwards striking his head against a sharp stone. Perrot flees, but returns for his lunch box. However it is impossible for him to regain it because a crowd has gathered about the dead man. Marcel's name is found in the clue, and without being given a chance to explain he is dragged to the Town Hall. Dumbfounded at being shown his lunch box. he assures them that there has been some mistake, his is on his table at home. Meanwhile. Perrot. hearing of Marcel's arrest, dazedly proceeds to the boy's house, and puts the lunch box with his own name under his coat. On the way home, he meets Angele who cries that her fiance, innocent, is being held for the crime. Then catching sight of the concealed lunch box, she horrifiedly asks her father, who begs her not to betray him. if he is the murderer, Angele rushes off, not to disclose her father's guilt, but to consult the Abbe. She tells him what has happened, and her story is overheard by Alfred who has gone into the next room when his visit was interrupted by her arrival. After Angele has left, Alfred has a confidential conference with the Abbe, then hurries to the Mayor's oftice and claims that he is guilty. Marcel, whose lunch box had not been found for obvious reasons, is released. Angele is overjoyed when he tells her he has been released, but he adds that the real murderer has given himself up. Angele's despair grows as she thinks her father is caught and then, as she realizes that innocent Alfred, whose story she hears in'/full, has given his life, before she can halt the execution. When Angele, clad in black, is married to Marcel, she places her bridal bouquet on Alfred's grave. LOVE RETURNS Ele; ■ Morelli File No. 6971 WHEN Betty's father died, he left a considerable sum behind for her and her mother, but through the misguided efforts of a supposed friend of the family, the money was lost in a speculation, unapproved of by the two women. Forced to find employment, although she has never worked before, Betty soon realizes that their position is critical as she loses the position she finally has secured, because her employer is cutting down his staff and she is the latest arrival. Moreover, as she gets employment at a pittance, her mother becomes ill from lack of proper food. Heartbroken at the prospect of leaving the sick woman alone in the tiny room all day, Betty fortunately finds Joan, a fifteen year old child, who for a few dollars stays with Mrs. Cronin, reading to her and keeping her mind off the sad changf in their station. One day, Joan's brother, Kenneth, comes to call for his sister, and remains to capitulate before Betty's charm. Although, for some indefinable reason, Betty distrusts Kenneth, she says nothing about it. Arriving home from work late, one night, Betty notices a long blue roadster at her door. When she enters her room and bends over to kiss her mother, who had been laid up in bed for the last few months, Betty suddenly screams as she realizes that her mother is dead. A man steps out of the obscurity of the room, and placing an arm about her shoulder tries to comfort her. Betty sees that Joan and Kenneth are also present, and Joan explains that worried by Mrs. Cronin's illness she had called in another doctor, Dr. Dick Terry, but he had arrived too late to do more than make her last moments comfortable. Betty wearily thanks them all, and Joan insists that she spend the night with her. Dr. Terry who had assured Betty that her mother was happier out of her pain, and had been the only one able to comfort her in her distress continues to offer Betty his help. She suffers a pang for her own lost wealth and happiness as she sees his beautiful home, in which he lives alone. In the months that follow, Kenneth tries vainly to win her love, and Betty tries resolutely to put the thought of Dr. Terry out of her mind. One night, in his car, Kenneth urges Betty to marry him, and when she refuses he accuses her of having led him on. She is shocked as he tells her that she is responsible for anything that may happen to him, now. When he drops her off. Betty shakily goes upstairs, only to be upset by the presence of a man outside her door. As she hesitates, he speaks and she realizes it is Dr. Terry. She opens her door and he comes in. As he sees her white face, he bursts, without preliminaries, into the declaration of marriage that he had intended making. Betty, trying to get hold of herself, stares straight ahead. Kenneth and now Dick Terry! In the rush of happiness that surges through her, she pauses to consider if Kenneth meant what he said. Terry, misunderstanding her silence, begs her to forgive him for startling her and rushes out, before Betty can stop him. Moreover, the next day, when Betty tries to explain, she learns that he has left town! Appalled by the suddenness with which things have happened. Betty waits for a while to see if Terry will return, and then goes to New York to find employment. She obtains a splendid position as a companion to a Mrs. Chandler "who treats her as if she were her own daughter. Finding herself once more in the social swim, Betty receives lots of attention from men, but thinks only of Dick Terry. One night the engine of her car stalls on a lonely road and as she steps out, she is run over by a car in which Kenneth, in with a gang, is escaping from the police. When she regains consciousness. Betty finds Dr. Terry, summoned by Mrs. Chandler who heard her story in her delirious mumblings, at her bed-side. THE TORTURED SOUL Mrs. Margery Taylo File No. 6948 RAISED in a Welsh home where a tremendous respect for God and the law is inculcated in her by her stern but loving parents, Eleanor leaves at eighteen to earn her living. In the tea shop in which she works, she meets John Hastings, a married man. Both struggle desperately against their overpowering love for each other, but find themselves swept into each other's arms. Again and again, Eleanor tries to raise herself from the bottomless pit of horror and shame into which she has fallen, and tossing torturedly upon her bed, she rails against the fate that set so strong a love where none could thrive. Time and again, she and John agree to part only to rush into the other's arms again, and cry out their desperate love anew. In the city, the wilting heat contrasting fearfully against the cool fields at evening in the