The Moving Picture Girls at Oak Farm: or, Queer Happenings While Taking Rural PlaysHope, Laura Lee
General
The Moving Picture Girls at Oak Farm: or, Queer Happenings While Taking Rural Plays
Hope, Laura Lee
Farm life -- Juvenile fiction; Girls -- Juvenile fiction; Motion pictures -- Production and direction -- Juvenile fiction
Which was manifestly unfair to Ruth and Alice, but neither Miss
Pennington nor Miss Dixon was over-burdened with fairness.
At first Russ had an idea of speaking to Mr. DeVere about Sandy's
theory concerning who might have let loose the bull; but, on second
thoughts, he decided not to. The actor had not been so well of late,
his voice troubling him considerably, though he managed to go through
his parts with credit.
"I'd tell Ruth or Alice," reflected Russ, "only I don't like to
bother them. They helped me save my patent, and they know how to do
things in an emergency. But I guess I'll wait."
For the next day Mr. Pertell had planned a little drama which gave
Mr. Bunn a chance to appear in his favorite roles--some Shakespearean
characters. The plot, or at least the first part of it, had to do
with Mr. Bunn coming up to the farmhouse in a frock coat, and his
favorite tall hat. He was to assume the character of a theatrical
man, who, after obtaining board at a country home, fell in love with
the daughter of the house through teaching her some roles from
Shakespeare's plays, several characters of which Mr. Bunn himself was
to assume.
All was ready for the first part of the play, and Russ began filming
the initial scene, where the actor comes up the gravel walk leading
to the Apgar farmhouse. Mr. Bunn had given his silk hat an extra
brushing, and it glistened bravely in the sun. To make the scene
contain a little more life, Mr. Pertell had stationed Mr. Switzer at
one of the front flower beds, with a garden hose to spray the blooms.
Up the walk came the actor, grave and dignified. Russ was grinding
away at the handle of the moving picture camera.
Suddenly a dog wormed his way in under the hedge from the road, and,
probably meaning no mischief, ran for Mr. Switzer, barking joyously,
and leaping about.
"Hi dere! Look out, you! Don't you nip my legs!" cried the German. He
sprang to one side, and, naturally, forgot all about the spurting
hose he held.
In an instant the stream was directed full at Mr. Bunn, deluging him
with water, which descended in a shower on his precious silk hat, the
drops falling from the brim copiously.
"Here! What--what do you mean? You--you----" began the Shakespearean
actor, and then his words were muffled, for the stream from the hose
struck him full in the mouth!
CHAPTER VIII
IN THE OLD BARN
"Quick, Russ! Get that!" cried Mr. Pertell, with a laugh. "Don't miss
a single motion."
"Do you mean it?" cried the astonished operator. He had ceased, for a
moment, to grind on the handle, for he supposed the scene was
spoiled.
"Surely I mean it!" cried the manager. "I'll change this and make a
comic film of it. Go on, Switzer. Soak him some more! Use that hose
for all its worth!"
"Vot! You means dot I vet him all ofer?"
"Certainly I do. Wet him well!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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