A GREAT PICTURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 318, 18 June 1915, Page 8

A GREAT PICTURE.

'•THE ADVJiXTUItKS OF KATHLYN." The "■piece dc resistance" at the Empire Theatre last evening was the first instalment of something quite new in cinematography, a.serial story, each part being complete in itself, entitled: "The Adventures of Kathlyn," a sensational story of the jungle. The central figure Miss Kathlyn Williams, has leopards for pets and lions for playmates, and her adventures in wild lands pile up a series of experiences most realistic and exciting. It is a story of mystery that keeps interest quickened, 'while ingenuity and elaboration of the various situations makes ''The Adventures of Kathlyn " as unusual as they are attractive. Kathlyn Ilare is the daughter of Colonel Hare, residing in California, a collector of African wild animals, and her pleai sure is to model the savage 'pets of the ■ place in clay. When the scenes opens, ■ she is discovered studying a pet leopard , in her open-air studio. A younger sister, Winnie, interrupts the study by romping in with a collie dog that startles the Uig cat. The leopard leaps at 'the invader, and she takes refuge in its cage, closing the door after her just in time. Kathlyn and her father recap, ture the excited leopard and the girl is released. Colonel Hare then explains to his daughters how he secured that particular animal, showing them a decoration conferred upon him by the King . of Allaha. a mythical principality in

the jungle land of India. His story is illustrated in a -series of dissolves. He leaves headquarters on his way to see the Kins, who is holding court alfresco. A hungry leopard attacks the King, and his eowardly councillors dec, leaving him to his fate. Colonel Hare arrives ill the nick of time, snatches the royal turban from the King's head and, twisting it into a rope, chokes the leopard into subjugation. In gratitude, the King gives the colonel his decoration. The scene again reverts to California. Some little time later, Colonel Hare, about to ►tart for Allalia, With great secrecy takes from the secret drawer of his desk a large envelope heavily sealed, which he directs: "To be opened h.V my daughter Kathlyn at midnight, December 31." He gives this mysterious packet to Kathlyn and departs. iSix months later, Kathlyn and her sister Winnie are having tea at sunset in their bungalow. There is a call from the outside; they drop the packet on the table, leave the' room, and immediately a Hindu leaps stealthily in, steams the packet open at tbe spout of the tea-kettle, extracts the colonel's note, but does not touch (lie sealed enclosure. He then uuieklv writes a note of his own, encloses it ill place of the one abstracted, rc-scals the packet, and steals away. Kathlvn and her sister innocently open tin* tampered packet. There tVnd the false note of the mysterious Hindu. '•lt' I liave not returned at litis hour, it, is because I am held captive by the people of Allalia. The only way I can he saved is by having possession of the •gealed eiiTolopc herewith. Bring it your-

self to my headquarters in Allaha." I Kathlyn climbs into tlie caboose ami there she finds one of her father's pet lions boxed for shipment. The aninifil manages to escape during the trip, and in the melee the door of the tool closet is accidentally forced open, revealing the Hindu (who wrote the note), hiding there. Some instinctive feminine sense of insecurity persuades Kathlyn that he is after the mysterious sealed packet. She makes her steamer, and eventually arrives in India. She rides to the end of the railway line, and there hires an elephant to carry her through the intervening jungle to her father's station in Allaha. Preceding her at a rapid pace is the mysterious Hindu who took passage on tiie same ship. He arrives rst at the King's palace, and is immediately received in state by the Council of Three. He is Umballah, the confidential agent, and is invested with unusual power. 'His next move is to visit the prison cell under the palace, where Colonel Hare is now chained a prisoner to a stone pillar. Umballah asks the prisoner: "Will you consent to take the throne unconditionally?" He answers emphatically: "No." The next event is the arrival of Kathlyn at her fathers bungalow, not far from the palace. .She has hardly entered his deserted apartment, when the continuous Cin'ballah steps into view from his bidin" place and informs her tat her father is "lead. .She falls in a faint. When the girl recovers consciousness, the villain tells her that, the King being dead, she Kathlvn, must now become Queen, and take the throne. A lone, defenceless woman in a, strange land, she is more alarmed than ever, as she realises that she is thoroughly in the power of fanatical people, and has already done, exaetlv what her father commanded her not to do. She is dragged to the palace, placed upon the throne, and held as ciuytive against the day of i\w coronation. This develops a wonderful spectacle, its magnilicence having kinship with the famed Durbar of Tndia. Amid "i-eat pomp, she is unwillingly crowned bv the high priest. The council then lead* Vmlhallah forward, and the populace is informed that he is chosen as t,he husband of the Queen. She. is stricken with terror at this announcement which is the concluding feature. The 'picture is to be -shown again touHliit, and the second section will be given next week.