Aunt Janes Nieces Out West | Page 4

picture makers, who had discovered
Hollywood before them and were utilizing the brilliant sunshine and
clear atmosphere in the production of their films, which were supplied
to picture theatres throughout the United States and Europe.
Appreciating the value of such a monster industry, the authorities
permitted the cameras to be set up on the public streets or wherever
there was an appropriate scene to serve for a background to the
photo-plays. It was no unusual sight to see troops of cowboys and
Indians racing through the pretty village or to find the cameraman busy
before the imposing residence of a millionaire or the vine-covered
bungalow of a more modest citizen. No one seemed to resent such

action, for Californians admire the motion picture as enthusiastically as
do the inhabitants of the Eastern states, so the girls' "adventure" was
really a common incident.

CHAPTER II
AN OBJECT LESSON
It was the following afternoon when Uncle John captured his casual
acquaintance, Mr. Otis Werner, in the office of the hotel and dragged
the motion picture man away to his rooms to be introduced to his
nieces.
"Here, my dears, is Mr. Werner," he began, as he threw open the door
of their apartment and escorted his companion in. "He is one of those
picture makers, you'll remember, and--and--"
He paused abruptly, for Beth was staring at Mr. Werner with a frown
on her usually placid features, while Patsy was giggling hysterically.
Mr. Werner, a twinkle of amusement in his eye, bowed with
exaggerated deference.
"Dear me!" said Uncle John. "Is--is anything wrong!"
"No; it's all right, Uncle," declared Patsy, striving to control a fresh
convulsion of laughter. "Only--this is the same dreadful manager who
dragged us into his picture yesterday."
"I beg your pardon," said Mr. Werner; "I'm not a manager; I'm merely
what is called in our profession a 'producer,' or a 'stage director.'"
"Well, you're the man, anyhow," asserted Patsy. "So what have you to
say for yourself, sir?"
"If you were annoyed, I humbly apologize," he returned. "Perhaps I
was unintentionally rude to frighten you in that way, but my excuse lies
in our subservience to the demands of our art. We seldom hesitate at

anything which tends to give our pictures the semblance of reality."
"Art, did you say, Mr. Werner?" It was Beth who asked this and there
was a bit of a sneer in her tone.
"It is really art--art of the highest character," he replied warmly. "Do
you question it, Miss--Miss--"
"Miss de Graf. I suppose, to be fair, I must admit that the photography
is art; but the subjects of your pictures, I have observed, are far from
artistic. Such a picture, for instance, as you made yesterday can have
little value to anyone."
"Little value! Why, Miss de Graf, you astonish me," he exclaimed. "I
consider that picture of the falling wall one of my greatest
triumphs--and I've been making pictures for years. Aside from its
realism, its emotional nature--'thrills,' we call it--this picture conveys a
vivid lesson that ought to prove of great benefit to humanity."
Beth was looking at him curiously now. Patsy was serious and very
attentive. As Uncle John asked his visitor to be seated his voice
betrayed the interest he felt in the conversation.
"Of course we saw only a bit of the picture," said Patsy Doyle. "What
was it all about, Mr. Werner?"
"We try," said he, slowly and impressively, as if in love with his theme,
"to give to our pictures an educational value, as well as to render them
entertaining. Some of them contain a high moral lesson; others, a
warning; many, an incentive to live purer and nobler lives. All of our
plots are conceived with far more thought than you may suppose.
Underlying many of our romances and tragedies are moral injunctions
which are involuntarily absorbed by the observers, yet of so subtle a
nature that they are not suspected. We cannot preach except by
suggestion, for people go to our picture shows to be amused. If we
hurled righteousness at them they would soon desert us, and we would
be obliged to close up shop."

"I must confess that this is, to me, a most novel presentation of the
subject," said Beth, more graciously. "Personally, I care little for your
pictures; but I can understand how travel scenes and scientific or
educational subjects might be of real benefit to the people."
"I can't understand anyone's being indifferent to the charm of motion
pictures," he responded, somewhat reproachfully.
"Why, at first they struck me as wonderful," said the girl. "They were
such a novel invention that I went to see them from pure curiosity. But,
afterward, the subjects presented in the pictures bored me. The drama
pictures were cheap and common, the comedy scenes worse;