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Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West

"

"How dreadful!" was the general exclamation.

"Several of the horses broke their legs and had to be shot," continued

Maud; "but none of the riders was seriously injured except little

Sadie Martin, who was riding a bronco. The poor thing was caught under

one of the animals and the doctor says she won't be able to work again

for months."

"Goodness me! And all for the sake of a picture?" cried Patsy

indignantly. "I hope you don't take such risks, Maud."

"No; Flo and I have graduated from what is called 'the bronco bunch,' and

now do platform work entirely. To be sure we assume some minor risks in

that, but nothing to compare with the other lines of business."

"I hope the little girl you mentioned will get well, and has enough money

to tide her over this trouble," said Uncle John anxiously.

"The manager will look after her," returned Mrs. Montrose. "Our people

are very good about that and probably Sadie Martin's salary will continue

regularly until she is able to work again."

"Well," said Beth, drawing a long breath, "I suppose we shall read all

about it in the morning papers."

"Oh, no!" exclaimed Maud and added: "These accidents never get into the

papers. They happen quite often, around Los Angeles, where ten thousand

or more people make their living from motion pictures; but the public is

protected from all knowledge of such disasters, which would detract from

their pleasure in pictures and perhaps render all films unpopular."

"I thought the dear public loved the dare-devil acts," remarked

Arthur Weldon.

"Oh, it does," agreed Mrs. Montrose; "yet those who attend the picture

theatres seem not to consider the action taking place before their eyes

to be real. Here are pictures only--a sort of amplified story book--and

the spectators like them exciting; but if they stopped to reflect that

men and women in the flesh were required to do these dangerous feats for

their entertainment, many would be too horrified to enjoy the scenes. Of

course the makers of the pictures guard their actors in all possible

ways; yet, even so, casualties are bound to occur.

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