The Moving Picture Girls Under the Palms / Or Lost in the Wilds of Florida

w! In positio

verhead, and at the sides of them hissed powerful electric lights, and in front of th

m Mr. Pertell, the stage director, as

with iron-gray hair, n

uss!" Mr. Pert

ed one of the actors, with

Mr. Switzer?" asked the direct

rs dot I haf to offer mine enemy in

oks?" and he looked around for the property man, who had to pro

portant, legal-looking papers, with seals on. Mr. Swit

ed the property man, and a little

, Russ," ordered the stage director, w

it, Ruth?" asked one of the young actresses-a pretty gi

e. But it isn't of

stn't talk any more. I

icked away at the handle of his camera, the long strip of film moving behind the lens with a whirring so

e New York studio of the Comet Film Company,

part of it was being "filmed" now-the interior

ddenly exclaimed the operator. "Fi

age was repaired, and the play went on. It was, in the main, a

ll take a rest now. This will be our last New York play for

rse voice, and it was evident that he had some throat affection. In fact, it was the ailm

e of tentative plans for a drama down there when we were in the backwoods. Now I have ev

ctor, with a strikingly good-looking face

im,-a girl with merry, brown eyes. "Will you take me

, Alice,"

while you're about it?" inquired

ooked sharply at Miss Laura Dixon, w

ossoms!" laughed the young fellow

sk Mr. Pertell a lot of questions about where we're going,

oing," went on Mr.

ce seemed to indicate that he lived more on vinegar than on the milk

. Sneed, pray?" the m

ships and dangers acting in moving picture

ely there!" exclaimed Miss Pearl

actor with the grouch." He was always finding fault. "Lovely alligators!" he sn

ompany looked rather serious at this

e going where there are no alligators; but I'll pay anyone who is i

nd fond of money. "But I'm not going to stand a very big b

tes, at the rate of a thousand dollars a big

y. As I said, we leave by steamer for St. Aug

e taken in St. Augustine?"

or. I expect we may go to a plac

exclaimed Alice De

d Mr. Pertell. "Are y

field, when we were preparing to make the ice and snow dr

so!" agr

ee, however, is only one of the interior places we sh

-see the sights of St. Augustine; will we not?" as

a new member of the company, rather a "dudish" sort of chap, and not, as ye

quired to do much acting in front of the camera; for, after the outdoor scenes in connection with the c

ing care of such films as he would send back from the interior of Florida, since none would be developed there. This work would have to be

g as he reached the steamer, which lay at her dock in

small moving picture camera. He had an idea he

good. Oh, by the way, did Mr. Towne arrive? H

he last I saw of him he was looking

the manager, "but he does well in certain

ght coming aboard gradually grew less. Whistl

ry, and there was a hurried departure of those who h

bers of the company who were not to make the trip, for Mr. Pertell employed a large number of actors, a

g, but presently she began forging ahead under her own steam, moving

the port side, looking down into the water. A little in advance of them stood Mr. To

ted in each other," rema

in common," added Alice-

uth, straightening a bow she wore. "Y

do I, for that matter. But I don't go to

utioned her sister, for Alic

er curiously in the direction of our friends. Then Miss Dixon

med Mr. Towne, in his exaggerated Engl

. "If I thought so I'd go ask them wha

ged Ruth, who di

iminish, and Mr. Towne was now fairly roaring with merriment. He laughed so

overboard, his arms and legs wildly waving, and his cane flying far out into th

overb