Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West

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"_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.

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