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- Close view of beneficiary reading of his aunt's death.
- This film tells the pathetic story of an aged man who becomes despondent when disappointed in his efforts to secure employment. He leaves a letter on a table telling his wife that he has left the home to commit suicide. Almost simultaneously with the finding of this letter the wife receives from a postman a letter sent to her husband, notifying him that his application for a position has been granted. The wife, with feelings of mingled fear, distress, and joy, hastens in pursuit of her husband. The latter has already reached a bridge spanning a river and has plunged into the water, but several rescuers are at hand and plunge in after him. As the husband is brought from the water in an almost exhausted condition the wife is at the river bank to receive him, and breaks to him the news contained in the letter the postman left, the whole making a very affecting scene.
- A spinster mistakes a youth and chases him.
- "The Scarlet Letter" is a story of early Puritan days in New England. Hester, a beautiful young Englishwoman, is sent to America by her husband, with a promise that he will follow on the next ship. But he falls to keep his promise and Hester does not hear from him in years. In the meantime she is befriended by a young Puritan minister. Friendship ripens into love and Hester, thinking her husband dead, loves the handsome young clergyman with her whole heart. But when the baby is born the minister, fearing the wrath of the Pilgrim Fathers, denies it and Hester is condemned to wear the Scarlet Letter and to stand in the pillory. And it is only after several years of Hester's shame and ignominy that the little child finally reaches the father's heart. Then comes the great scene. The minister, on a fête day, ascends the pillory, places himself where Hester had been placed, and publicly proclaims his sin.
- In the packing room of a fruit store, Sadie and several companions are packing fruit in baskets, laughing and having a jolly good time. The boss enters and things become suddenly quiet. He scolds the girls for their lack of attention to business, then goes out, the girls making faces behind his back as he goes. Sadie, who seems to be the leader, has an idea. She writes a "mushy" note and hides it in a basket of fruit which is placed on a pile outside the store. Shortly afterward the deacon comes along, buys a basket of fruit and, unfortunately for him, the one in which the note is hidden. The deacon goes to his office, hangs up his hat and coat, and looking over his purchase comes upon Sadie's note. He reads it, laughingly puts it in his pocket, replaces the apples and proceeds with his work, the note being entirely forgotten. The following day his tailor calls at his home for clothes to be repaired, and his wife, in going through his pockets, comes upon the note. She is wild with anger and starts at once for hubby's office. The deacon is busy at his desk as his wife enters like a cyclone, showing the note. He tries to explain, but she won't have it and hurries out in search of a divorce lawyer. The unfortunate man grabs his hat, starts for the fruit store, and, arriving there, tells of his trouble. Sadie steps forward and confesses and agrees to "square" him with wifey. As the deacon and Sadie are going up the steps of his house, the girl slips and sprains her ankle. The deacon helps her inside and is rubbing the sprained member as his wife and a visitor appear. Both scream in horror at this further evidence of his duplicity and run out. The old man faints and Sadie gives him whiskey to resuscitate him. He partakes too freely, gets foolish and tries to make love to Sadie, who manages to make her escape. A little later in his parlor the deacon's wife is crying, her friend trying to console her. The door opens and Sadie runs in, followed by the unsteady deacon. The women scream in terror, bringing in the police. The deacon's wife takes out the incriminating note and shows it to Sadie. The latter confesses to having written it and explains all. The wife helps her hubby out from beneath the table, where he has sought refuge, fondly embraces him and begs forgiveness.
- Boys' fireworks blow a PC onto a tramp who stole letters.
- A pathetic Western drama. Sam and Jim arc two miners living in a shack near their claim in Nevada. Jim is dying of consumption. Sam, his big-hearted partner, tells him, "I will bring a doctor to help you, Jim, if it takes every ounce of gold we have." Sam takes their bag of gold nuggets and flees for the only doctor within fifty miles. Several hours pass. Racked by pain, Jim is about to kill himself when he notices the name of his partner, Sam Lewis, is carved on the handle of the dagger. To prevent suspicion falling upon his chum, Jim writes a note as follows: "Dear Sam, I'm done for. I can't stand the pain, so I'm going to end it with your knife Keep my share of the gold. Goodbye, old pal, Jim." Jim places the note on the table and the poor fellow stabs himself. A strong wind blows the door open and sends the letter flying across the room into a corner. The discovery of the dead body of Jim, with Sam's dagger covered with blood near him, and Sam gone leads the sheriff and miners to quickly agree on the verdict, "Murdered by his pal, Sam Lewis." The sheriff overtakes Sam, searches him and finds the bag of nuggets. Sam protests his innocence but the sheriff answers, "We will hang you for this murder." A terrific fight between the men follows. Sam gets the sheriff's revolver and escapes. The sheriff again overtakes Sam and in the struggle that follows, Sam falls over the edge of a precipice. The plucky sheriff lets himself down with a rope to the bottom of the ravine, finds Sam stunned by his fall, captures him and takes him back to camp. The miners immediately lead Sam off to lynch him. But fate works in strange ways. A half drunken miner, looking for a stopper for his whiskey flask, picks up the lost letter that Jim wrote exonerating Sam. The man dashes after the lynching party and overtakes them with the letter just as the lynchers are about to send Sam into Eternity. The sheriff reads Jim's last letter to the crowd and Sam is released and cheered. Our last scene shows the grave of Jim. A rough board states that he was murdered by his pal, Sam Lewis. The sheriff escorting Sam and followed by all the men in the mining camp, orders the board to be removed and a handsome new board does justice to "A True Pal." The miners leave Sam with his dead comrade. The simple, great-hearted fellow bursts into tears and falls on the grave of his chum.
- Arthur has been caught by the little winged fellow again and as is always the case with this susceptible youth, his last enchantress seems to be the "only one." After writing a passionate love letter to his new love, he dashes off a few cruel lines to his old sweetheart to let her know that his love has grown cold. In his anxiety to arrange matters between the old and the new as soon as possible. Arthur gets the letters mixed and the old love's goes to the new love and vice versa. The mistake brings joy to the old love, who on receiving the passionate outpourings of her adorer quickly dresses and decides to pay him a visit. When she bounces in on him as he is comfortably reading at home he is transfixed with amazement. When she explains and shows him the letter he immediately realizes what has happened and rushing for the door thinks only of stopping the other letter before his angel one gets it. Now Arthur, though weak where the fair sex is concerned, shows a mulish determination when set upon accomplishing anything. At the post-office he is treated with very little consideration. They tell him the letter cannot now be stopped, as such a thing would be tampering with the mails, which is unlawful. Setting his teeth, Arthur goes to the station and through dogged determination gets into the mail train, but when it arrives at its destination he is discovered and thrown out in a most unceremonious way; all his pleadings being in vain. Tattered and torn, he follows the postman on his rounds, and at the very door of his loved one's home he falls on his knees and with tears streaming down his face begs for the letter, but the letter-carrier is adamant. The maid takes in the missive as the girl with her family are sitting together in the library. Just after it has been read and indignation and rage is depicted on everybody's countenance Arthur appears in the doorway, a cringing ragged pitiful picture. Needless to say the girl's father hustles him right off the premises, never giving him the faintest ghost of a chance to explain.
- Hiram Walker has an only son in whom he places a great deal of confidence and feels that probably some day he might be the President. Accordingly he is sent away to school to be educated among the city chaps. Hiram after a time decides to pay him a visit and a trip to the city is planned: such preparation not only sets the whole house ago, but almost upsets the neighborhood. Hiram at last starts, after much trouble his wife puts writing paper, etc., in the bag so he would be sure and write; his arrival in the city; finds location in a hotel that seemed larger than his farm; decides to keep his promise and write to mother; does so; goes to mail it; makes that fatal mistake and gets the fire alarm box; is arrested. His son receives a note telling of his trouble; son engages lawyer and rescues him. Not wanting to further pursue the object of his trip he hikes for the tall and uncut, and delays the anticipated visit indefinitely. An intensely interesting comedy drama.
- Jane and Ned are lovers just after the war in the late 60's. Jane is a bit of a coquette and, of course, likes a little flirtation. At a ball while Ned is declaring his love for her she pretends to be quite indifferent and, when a rival comes in and asks for a dance, she consents with apparently the greatest pleasure. Ned, left alone, gives up hope. He calls for his coat and leaves the house. Jane is surprised and disappointed when she returns and finds he has gone. At home she gives way to tears and then writes a letter asking Ned to forgive her. The days pass and no answer comes, Then Jane moves to another city and loses all trace of her lover. The scene now moves forward about twenty-five years. Jane's niece and Ned's nephew, respectively Nell and Tom, are lovers. Tom receives an appointment in the Dead Letter Office in Washington. Some letters are forwarded there by a postmaster, who states that they were found in the wall of an old building which was being torn down. Among them Tom finds one addressed to his uncle. He secures it and immediately leaves for Ned's home. When Ned reads the letter he breaks down. He shows Tom some treasured keepsakes and mourns the years that are gone. But it is not yet too late to foil Fate. Ned is a spruce bachelor of 50 and Jane is 45 and well preserved. Tom and Ned journey together to Jane's home and they are happily reunited while Tom and Nell gaily do the bless-you-my-children act. Of course, there is a double wedding.
- As little Hazel Wilson watches her broken-hearted mother kneeling by an empty crib, she realizes how badly she feels over the loss of her baby as the tears fall and hears her fond parent's sigh of anguish. Then she looks through her picture book and sees the stork bearing its precious bundle of babyhood and, after reading the story, decides to write to Mr. Stork and ask him to send another baby to Mamma who feels so bad. After the plaintive note is written, where to find the stork is the next problem. Suddenly she thinks of Jimmie Flanagan, her little playmate and straightway searches for him until she finds the lad and gives him the letter. Jimmie, in his own peculiar way, begins the search and he finds it no easy task as everybody on New York's East Side gives him the laugh when he approaches them, so he finally gives up the quest in disgust and joins his playmates at the dock, however he does ask the dock policeman where the stork lives and again gets the laugh for his pains. Footsore and weary, the boy slips the letter, as he thought, in the pocket of his ragged jacket, nor does he notice that the missive dropped through the lining to the sidewalk as he trudged off home and was later picked up by a starving woman who, with babe in arms, had decided in her desperation to end her troubles in the murky waters of the river. Her face lighted up with hope as she read Hazel's letter to the stork and she hurried away to the address it contained. With a mother's last kiss and a prayer for her future, she place the infant on the doorstep of Hazel's home, rang the bell and hurried away, happy in the thought that at least one life might be spared. When Hazel discovered the baby she was certain her letter to the stork had been answered. Quietly she slipped in the house and deposited her precious bundle in the empty crib surrounded by all her toys. Then she went to the kitchen to get some milk for the new arrival. Mrs. Wilson sadly enters to find the cradle no longer empty. Her husband arrives at this juncture and asks in astonishment where the baby came from. Just then Hazel trips in with a bottle of milk and enlightens them both and the parents happily accept the explanation and proceed to make the baby at home. We might carry you through the story to the ultimate fate of the baby's starving mother, who, fortunately, did not take her own life, and then tell you just how she later became a nurse for her own, without revealing her identity, but that would leave nothing for your imagination. The film will tell the last and most interesting portions of the story and you really ought to see it.
- Jack, a young fisherman, is engaged to Mary, a beautiful and coquettish skipper's daughter. Although she loves her sweetheart, she flirts with a rich American, who owns a yacht. When the American comes to ask the father for his daughter's hand, tempted by the jewels and riches he offers her, she accepts. One morning she goes to Jack's boat, gives him a letter and makes him promise not to read it until he is on the open sea. The letter reads: "Dear Jack, Forgive me, I am going to marry the rich American. Do not judge me too harshly. I am thinking of father. When you read this letter I shall be sailing for America." This news is a terrible blow to him. Jack forgives but cannot forget. After many years, when he is an old man, he still remembers the beautiful girl who had broken his heart. Her picture and their last meeting appears in him in a vision.
- Miss Mabel Renshaw is leaving for a visit to her aunt. We are also shown her fiancé, and discover that he is deeply in love with her sister Alice. This does not seem to disturb Miss Renshaw and she proceeds on her visit. This is the last we see of this heiress into whose possession will fall a considerable amount of wealth. Announcement is made that Miss Renshaw has suddenly disappeared and no trace can be found of her. The family go to the famous detective, Griffith Grafton. Before calling upon him they receive a letter from the missing girl, mourning paper being used on account of her father's death. The mother and Mabel's sister, Alice, lay the case before Grafton, showing him the letter, saying she has found the man she loves and is happy and that they should not search for her. Grafton detects a peculiar odor about the paper, he discovers inside the letter invisible writing brought to view by the fire. This discloses that Miss Renshaw, is in trouble, even in fear of death; and pleads for help. The detective keeps this to himself. He soon discovers the secret marriage of Miss Alice Renshaw to Mr. Scott, her fiancé and forces her to confess to it. From all appearances it looks as though Mr. Scott had deliberately taken means to do away with his wife's sister. Mr. Grafton discovers another motive. We are next shown Griffith Grafton, making application at a sanitarium with the assistance of a medical friend. It is also a private insane asylum in which people are confined by force. He soon finds the missing heiress there, held against her will. Her escape is thrillingly shown, and we see a family conference in which the mystery is cleared up and the exposure of the guilty party. Mr. Clark, the respected trustee of the estate, who to cover up his defalcation of the fund had caused Miss Renshaw to be placed under restraint in his private sanitarium.
- A poet named Duval is in the habit of singing songs against the government, and particularly against Barras. Amongst those who listen to him is a great lady, who falls in love with him. She acquaints him with this fact, but as he is already married, he repulses her. The lady immediately denounces him to Barras, with whom she is friendly. Duval is condemned to exile. The condemned man's wife comes to Barras in tears, and begs to accompany her husband into exile. The Tribunal consents on condition that she delivered to the captain of the ship an envelope fastened with red seals, and bearing the inscription, "You will not open this letter until you reach 49 degrees, 54 minutes latitude south and 67 degrees, 52 minutes longitude east." The captain and the young pair soon become friends, and the days pass happily until the time comes for the opening of the letter. The captain finds it contains instructions to shoot the exile. He apprises the victim of the news. The latter immediately gives himself up. But as the soldiers are ready, the look-out man reports a pirate's vessel, and all hands are called upon to defend the ship. A fight ensues, in which Duval distinguishes himself by his bravery, and the captain can no longer think of carrying out the execution. When the vessel once more reaches harbor the captain takes the young couple with him to report to Barras, who, on learning of Duval's conduct, gives him a pardon.
- Hester Prynne has left Holland in advance of her husband, Roger, to join the colonists in Salem, Maxx. Roger follows her to the new world but upon landing in New England is captured by Indians and Hester waits for him in vain. There has never been much love in their marriage, Roger being an old man and she a comely young woman. Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale, the handsome Young minister of the Salem community, is revered and beloved by his parishioners. He meets Hester clandestinely and an unlawful love is the result. When Hester is discovered with a baby, a mother but not a wife, she is arrested, tried and condemned to stand upon the public pillory with her child and for the remainder of her life to wear conspicuously on her breast the letter "A." As she stands on the raised platform, the governor of the colony commands her to divulge the name of the father of the child. She refuses. The Rev. Master Dimmesdale is asked to persuade her to reveal her secret. He addresses her, and tells her if she thinks it for the best, to do so. She again refuses. Roger, her husband, has been released by the red men and he appears in Salem on the day of her public disgrace and recognizes her. He signals for her to be silent as the recognition is mutual. A silence for a silence is agreed upon. He takes the name of Roger Chillingworth and, being a physician, is called to prescribe for the suffering minister, knowing him to be the father of Hester's child. The child, Pearl, grows into a beautiful girl and the governor decides that Hester is not the proper person to rear her. Hester in her grief, appeals to the minister and he in turn prevails on the governor to allow her the custody of the child. As time passes the minister is growing weaker and weaker in bodily strength and the guilty secret gives him no peace of mind. Meeting Hester and Little Pearl by accident, he tells the woman of his terrible punishment. She, in love and pity, tears the letter from her breast and proposes that they leave the country together to begin life anew. Little Pearl finds the letter and restores it to Hester and they realize they cannot escape the consequences of their sinning. On a holiday the minister preaches a powerful sermon in the church on the sins of the flesh and the penalty for evil doing. As he appears in the market place, he is cheered by the members of his congregation. He is overcome by emotion as the awful truth is brought home to him that he is a hypocrite. Seeing Hester and Little Pearl standing near, he pulls himself together by a mighty effort and resolves to confess his sins publicly. Taking them by the hands, he slowly and deliberately mounts the pillory, with Hester amazed, and then, to the astonishment of his flock and the loungers standing near, proclaims Pearl as his child and arraigns himself as a sinful teacher. The members of the church are appalled and dumb with astonishment. They cannot comprehend it. Hester smiles through her tears. She will no longer bear the burden of shame alone. The moment has arrived when she is partially vindicated by the self-sacrifice of the sharer of her degradation. The final effort, coupled with years of intense suffering, proves too great a tax on the strength of the minister and he falls dead at the foot of the pillory. Hester supports his head, with tears coursing down her cheeks. The vindication has come, but with it has gone the man she has loved in secret while being subjected to the jeers of her fellows.
- Jasper, the negro janitor of an office building, asks Mr. Brooks, whose office he is cleaning, to write a love note to his sweetheart Lulu, as he cannot write or read. Mr. Brooks, while writing the note, is interrupted by a client. As he is talking with him, Mrs. Brooks drops in, takes a seat at her husband's desk (who is now in his private office), espies the letter, and leaves his office in despair. Just then Mr. Brooks emerges from his private office. He is dumbfounded at the note, and dashes out into the street to find her. However, after much talk, Mrs. Brooks is convinced that the letter is for Jasper, who quietly goes out.
- An injured builder's child writes a letter to God and his benevolent employer finds it.
- A woman hires a detective to investigate her husband on evidence of half a letter.
- In a jealous rage, Borden picks a tight with his rival Moran and shoots him. Jumping on his horse he gallops away, thinking he has killed Moran. The latter, up, angrily declaring he will get revenge, following however, has been grazed by the bullet and gets Borden. The sheriff, to prevent trouble, goes after them. Borden hears the galloping horses, and being hemmed in, decides to destroy himself rather than be strung up. He scribbles a satirical note and shoots himself. The wind blows the letter aside, and Moran's anger vanishes as he sees the lifeless body. The sheriff and posse coming up find Moran bending over Borden, and arrest him. He protests his innocence, but is tried and convicted. His sweetheart finds the letter in the roadway and by a sensational ride saves him from hanging.
- Jack, a sailor, comes ashore and falls in with two pretty girls. One girl tries to outdo the other, and win his love. One night he visits the girl of his choice, Mary, and makes love to her. Fate brings Nora there, too, and she tries to win his love. Nora asks him to see her home, and this he reluctantly consents to do. Here fate again intercepts, and Jack leaves Nora in the hands of one of his friends, whom he meets. Then he hastens back to his true love. Jack is suddenly called away. He has no time to say "good-bye" to his little girl, so he writes a letter and entrusts it with a friend to be delivered. Here Nora again intercepts and agrees to deliver it herself. She encounters Mary and she shows her the letter. Nora does not divulge the fact that it is for Mary and not for her, as the envelopes are addressed "Dearest," so Mary goes away heartbroken. Her sorrow brings on brain fever. Jack returns in a week, and Nora confesses her guilt.
- Showing some of the obstacles which had to be overcome by the postal authorities before letters could be transmitted between the four corners of the earth.
- Her education completed, Marie leaves the convent school and returns home. She is courted by two men, one, George Barnes, an elderly, wealthy man, and the other Paul Carter. Carter's sinister appearance fills her with revulsion and dread, which she is unable to control, and which angers Carter. After she is married to Barnes he writes to his son in college, who is displeased that his departed mother's place has been taken by another. Shortly thereafter he is taken sick and brought home, and the young stepmother decides to impersonate a nurse and try to win his affection. She succeeds too well, for the youth falls in love with her. He is then told the truth, and the family would have been happy but for Carter, who writes an anonymous letter to Barnes, telling him his wife and son are deceiving him and to be on his guard. .Mrs. Carter and her stepson go for an automobile ride and about 35 miles from home the machine breaks down. They meet friends residing in the vicinity and are persuaded to remain overnight, notwithstanding ineffectual attempts to reach the Barnes' home by 'phone. The letter preys on Barnes' mind, and when his wife and son fail to return he imagines they have eloped and works himself up into a terrible state. The next morning the party returns and explanations are made, but the shock has so affected Barnes' heart that he dies. The last scenes show the young widow leaving the home and entering a convent, safe from the cruel world.
- A married woman is fascinated by a young man and makes an appointment with him. Her sister discovers the plot and persuades her sister to renounce her new friend. To do this the married woman calls on him; is followed by her sister, the sister sees this, manages to get to the rendezvous first and save all parties. This film is exceedingly dramatic from the opening scene to the final action on the screen. Napierkowska, the Russian dancer, and Henri Krauss both play in the film.
- A gold miner returns in time to save his wife from suicide after a jealous postman destroys his letters.
- John Carroll, living in a small town, becomes engaged to Belle Graham, a wealthy girl. Before marrying he goes to the metropolis to establish himself, and secures employment in a construction company, where he rises to a position of importance. In a boarding house he meets May Burrows, a pretty stenographer, and falls in love with her. His affection is returned by May, who is grief-stricken when John tells her he is bound to Belle. The day set for the marriage approaches, and John determines to keep his promise. A letter arrives from Belle, and May sees it on the letter-rack and purloins it, knowing it is in answer to John's note to Belle reminding her of the wedding-day and asking regarding arrangements for the occasion, May thinking that if John thinks his letter unanswered it will cause an estrangement between him and Belle. Her conscience hurts her, however, and she takes the letter to John, confessing her action. The letter from Belle turns out to be a declaration of her love for another man, and asking to be released from her engagement.
- A comedy of errors caused by two young men advertising in a newspaper under the same name. One wishes a job, the other a wife. As fate would have it, the answering letters are delivered to the wrong persons, and both young gentlemen manage to get "in wrong." Serious results are fortunately prevented just in time, by the amiable newspaper manager.
- When Uncle Bill passed away in the little cabin out west, all his old comrades and friends mourned his death, especially his little pal, "Kid," whom he loved as his own child. Before he died, the old man entrusted to "Kid" the delivery of his will to his niece Kittie in New York. This will disinherits an ungrateful nephew and leaves the old man's wealth to the girl. The nephew, learning of his ill fortune, tries to marry Kittie and when she refuses, carries her off to the rendezvous of the "Silk Mask Band," where she is finally traced by "Kid" and his pal "Kit" who have reached New York with the will. By a clever ruse, the boy hero places a decoy and rescues Kittie, the Silk Mask Band escaping in an auto, which, owing to a disengaged brake, plunges into the Hudson river.
- John Arnold is a fugitive from justice, charged with a crime of which he is innocent. One night be pays a visit to his home town and sends a note to his sister to meet him at an appointed place. In her excitement, Mabel tears the note in two, one-half of which falls to the floor as she hides the portions in her dress. Throwing a shawl over her head, she hurries from the house to meet her brother. Scott Mabel's husband, is of a very jealous nature. Returning home in the absence of his wife, he finds the part of the note which Mabel had dropped, reads it, and believes his wife guilty of being untrue to him. On returning, Mabel is confronted by her husband, who demands that she tell him the name of her lover. In order to shield her brother Mabel refuses to talk. Scott goes to his room, packs suit case and disappears. The following morning Mabel finds letter from Scott, saying he has drowned himself. A searching party, on dragging the river for his body, come across Scott's hat and coat (which he had purposely placed there) and all believe him dead. Two years later, Mabel, having to look around for a means of livelihood, becomes governess to the six-year-old child of Doctor Robert Ford, a widower. The child loves Mabel at once, the doctor later. He gains her consent to lead her to the altar. In the meantime. Scott and the fugitive brother have met in the mines in the Colorado mountains and neither knowing the history of the other, by an inscrutable decree of Fate, they become partners and close friends. Both remain in ignorance of each other's past life. Mabel, having learned at last of her brother's whereabouts, writes to tell him of her husband's (Scott's) jealousy and suicide, enclosing in the same letter the other half of the letter which had caused so much pain. Scott, upon seeing the handwriting and postmark upon the envelope, believes John to be the lover of his wife and he endeavors to get John's gun with which to shoot the supposed-to-be destroyer of his home. After a severe struggle, Scott is subdued and explanations follow. Scott compares the half of the letter he has always carried, since discovering what he thought his wife's perfidy, and finding the words and indentures complete, is broken in spirit, and in penitence starts for the east, a race with time, to repair the ruin his jealousy has wrought. Heart failure, which he has contracted through his passion and brooding during the interim, prevents him making great speed, and he arrives upon the day of the wedding of Mabel to the doctor. He witnesses the ceremony through the window and attempts to ascend the steps leading to the house, but the shock has aggravated his complaint and he passes away upon the doorstep of the man who has just claimed Mabel for his wife.
- Isaac Silverman, a jeweler, takes unto himself a new and lovely wife who he finds is extremely jealous, particularly of stage ladies. Unfortunately, Silverman's sister and her daughter, both on the stage, now arrive in the city to play an engagement. Knowing of Uncle Isaac, Sarah writes him a letter enclosing her photo and asking for $100. Silverman gets it at the breakfast table and instantly Wifie's suspicions are aroused. After reading, he tears up the letter to prevent her reading, secretly pockets the photo and hikes for the office. Wifie manages to piece the torn letter together and instantly has hysterics. At the office Silverman receives a letter from a jewelry firm dunning him for payment of a bill. He writes an answer, also pens a note to Sarah enclosing the photo back again and a check for $100. Of course the letters are put in the wrong envelopes and the jewelry firm receive the check and photo while Sarah receives information that her Uncle cannot pay his bill. The clerk discovers the error, tells Silverman and he rushes to the jewelry firm, only to be told that if he doesn't settle at once they will send the check and photo to his wife. Silverman departs in a rage and they laugh over their joke. But the joke is reversed when the stenographer really sends the check and photo to Mrs. Silverman through another mistake. Things look black for poor Silverman until he meets his sister and Sarah, who persuade him to take them home and introduce his new wife. In despair he does so and prospects are bright once more when Wifie learns their relationship and begs forgiveness for her unreasonable jealousy.
- A girl saves her lover from drowning himself over a mislaid letter.
- Weary Willie, noting the ease of a crippled street beggar in obtaining alms of passersby, by the aid of a letter, decides that he too shall secure one of these "sesames" to fortune without work. He chances to pass an office window, where inside he sees a man busily writing. He enters the office and asks the man to write him a note, for Weary is what is called an illiterate. Now, the man at the desk is none other than the Health Officer of the town and a bit of an absent-minded man is he. When Weary makes his strange request, he laughs and proceeds with his work at hand. This finished, he in his absent-mindedness hands it to Weary, though he had meant it for another person. Weary reaches the street, and in keenest anticipation of a silver shower, he hands his letter to the first passer-by. The man reads it, fear flashes into his face as he shoves the letter back into Weary's hand and runs down the street yelling for the police. As the cry of "police" has ever been the cue for Weary to disappear, he does. Everyone he displays the letter to either runs from him or pounds him and chases him out of sight. All this is most mysterious to him till at last he is cornered by the village braves and driven ahead to the Village Pest House. The letter he had received read as follows: "Admit bearer to Pest House as smallpox suspect. Henry Saxe. M.D., Dept. of infectious Diseases."
- Carleton Kirby, a thieving politician, offers Senator Denton ten thousand dollars to vote for his bill in the Senate. Denton refuses and angrily dismisses Kirby from the house. Later in the day, however, Denton changes his mind and writes Kirby a letter agreeing to vote for the bill if the offer still holds good. This letter he neglects to mail and leaves it in his desk. Called out of town, Denton is seated in the railway station when his disorganized brain conjures up a vision of himself on the floor of the Senate, congratulated first by his colleagues for putting the bill through and then, as the price of his vote is discovered, surrounded by a cursing, angry mob, who threaten his very life. Hastening to a telegraph office Denton wires his daughter, Renee, to destroy the letter in his desk addressed to Kirby. Winslow, a friend of Kirby's, discovers the contents of the wire, hastens to Denton's home, secures the incriminating letter, substitutes a blank in its place and takes it at once to Kirby who conceals it in the top of his hollow walking-stick for safety. The theft is discovered and Denton realizes he is trapped. A detective is employed, but fails to find the letter in Kirby's house. To save her father, Renee now adopts a disguise of a lady agent, hires a tough to shoot and scream under Kirby's window and, in the excitement secures the letter from the hollow cane. Returning home she restores it to her father, and with a prayer of thanksgiving in his heart he takes her in his arms and gives thanks for his salvation.
- A foreign spy poses as a chauffeur to obtain a secret letter.
- Rejected by Mabel Hinton, Bob Legrande goes west on business with Raymond Condon, his partner and successful rival for Mabel's love. About midnight on the Special Western Limited, Condon steps out on the rear platform of the Pullman to take the air. He is followed by Legrande, who diabolically attacks him and tries to throw him off the fast-moving train. A violent struggle ensues and Condon, in self-defense, throws Legrande over the railing. This last act is witnessed by a young country couple, who are driving along in a buggy and hurry to the aid of Legrande. The train is stopped and backed up to the spot. Legrande, unconscious, is carried to a nearby farmhouse, followed by the passengers. A physician is summoned. Condon is taken to the county jail. Legrande, believing he is going to die, writes Mabel Hinton a confession of his crime, writing on the envelope, "In case of my death to be delivered. If I recover, to be returned to me unopened." The doctor takes the letter, agreeing to carry out instructions. The doctor leaving next day, for a six months' trip abroad, the letter is packed in his trunk, with his coat and forgotten. Months later, in Cairo, he comes upon it and believing Legrande to be dead, forwards it. Condon, in the meantime, is tried for attempted murder, the charge being pressed by Legrande who has recovered. Found guilty, the letter arrives just in time to change the verdict of the jury and save the innocent Condon from condemnation.
- Robert Lee is deeply in love with Margaret Ellison. Both are undemonstrative, and Robert, not feeling quite sure that he possesses Margaret's heart, delays his proposal. He is called imperatively to New York and writes a letters to Margaret asking her to be his wife and this he places in his pocket to mail. But his valet points out that he has his wrong coat on. He changes it hastily and starts for the railroad station. Arriving in New York, he awaits patiently for the answer which never comes. Robert is terribly grieved and decides that Margaret did not love him sufficiently to marry him. He instructs his valet, Parker to close the house, to remove everything to New York and to offer the place for sale. Margaret wonders why she has neither seen nor heard from the man to whom she is so deeply attached and is shocked when she sees the empty house and the "For Sale" sign, as she drives up to inquire the cause of his absence. The years pass and Margaret accepts a rich suitor, who later dies She still cherishes the memory of Robert, who also is constantly thinking of days gone by and of her. One day he decides to rummage through old trunks, and finds the letter be wrote to Margaret thirty years ago. He decides to call upon her and in her own home to at least explain. The years have not stolen any of Margaret's charm. She is surprised and pleased to see him. He explains the missing letter. They decide to remain inseparate forevermore.
- The opening, with Hester condemned to wear the blazing scarlet A, is back in England. It shows Hester in the garden of her home, with her father; and then the introduction of the old medico Roger Chillingworth, who asks for and receives from the father the hand of Hester. There is realism when the Indians rescue the shipwrecked Chillingsworth. He is washed ashore lashed to a mast, the waves driving over him. Again where Hester tells Dimmesdale "Fear not, I'll not betray thee;" where the old man confronts Hester, with babe in arms, and in the secrecy of a cell warns her to tell no one she had ever called him husband; where the minister appeals to Hester, "Give us the man's name and thou shalt go free;" where the minister, conscience-stricken, stands in the pillory and bares his seared breast, not knowing that old Roger is looking on; and where the minister, after Hester had made all plans for their escape, plans which the old man had upset, falls by the pillory and dies in Hester's arms. There are some beautiful scenes in these three short reels.. One that stands out is of Hester, her troubles behind her, standing by the rail of a ship outward bound. Little Pearl is by her side. The photography throughout is excellent. There are two scenes that particularly will stir the emotions. These are where the pastor, attracted to the young wife on sight, reproaches her for avoiding him, '"when thou knowest thy husband was lost at sea;" and Hester, hesitating, responds to the desire of her heart and flies to his arms. Again, years later, when Hester sees the minister dying slowly under the torturing of his conscience and the evil influence of old Chillingworth, she entreats him to go with her and begin life over again, away from the scarlet letter, away from Chillingworth, away from the shame and suffering of the past seven years; as Dimmesdale takes Hester in his arms after all the penance they have undergone one feels that this couple have been more sinned against than sinning, that they have earned the right to have peace, to be by themselves.
- Tom Gallagher, a shrewd Irish office boy in the employ of Mr. Carney, plays a terrible trick on his employer, which almost cost the latter his wife's affections. Not only did this letter get Mr. Carney into trouble, but it caused friction between Carney's cook, Bedelia, and Officer O'Brien. The trouble did not stop here. Carney's daughter Gwendolyn, and her fiancé, Harold Wheeler, had a terrible spat over it. Gallagher is finally caught and discharged.
- A man uses a fake letter-box to thwart his daughter's elopement.
- A young dandy flirts with a pretty young woman, and follows her home. She shuts the door in his face, but tosses him a note out the window. The wind catches it up, and blows it into another window of another apartment. To get into this place and secure the note, Max, the dandy, poses as the Chief Gas Inspector. A poodle, however, has carried the note out into the street again, although the beau is not aware of this. While he is searching for his letter, a neighbor complains to him of his exorbitant gas bill of $15. This Max remedies by making it 15 cents. At last he learns the dog carried off the note, follows and captures it, only to find it written in a foreign language. Nothing daunted he carries it to a translator, who interprets it as follows: "Sir. I am an honest woman, and I beg of you to cease your attentions. Otherwise, I shall tell my husband. X.Y.Z." A little farce, slight in the telling, but so cleverly done throughout by the excellent actor appearing as Max that it is funny every inch of the way.
- Mr. Smith plans to surprise his wife with a pet dog. The owner of the dog sends him a note telling him that Rootsy Pootsy is his and to get rid of his old cat. His wife finds the note, and thinking it refers to her, she starts divorce proceedings. The lawyer's wife discovers the note and the general mix-up is excruciatingly funny. See the outcome.
- An exciting drama of an attempt to rob a village post office, of the post mistress's courage in telegraphing for assistance and of the thrilling rescue.
- When Paul King married Kate Dwyer they were obliged to keep the wedding a secret. Paul was a law student, studying hard for the position awaiting him in his father's office. His father was a stern, irascible man. To have revealed the marriage to him would have mined all chances of success. So Paul put off this acknowledgment until success should arrive. After his admission to the bar, he went to the city, leaving his wife with her sister Jane, of the "unce guid", in the little college town. Jane was a prim, severe woman with rigid ideas on all subjects. When she learned of her sister's marriage, she was horrified. As the months went by with no word from Paul, Jane took no pains in telling her sister that Paul would never acknowledge her. When desired success came to Paul, he wrote a joyous letter to Kate, bidding her come. But it came too late. Jane holding their motherless daughter in her arms, received it just after the funeral, and directed it to be returned unopened, and when Paul arrived to see what the trouble was, Jane told him only that Kate was dead, saying nothing about the child. Years later Jane has moved to the city and opened a boarding-house; her niece Louise, now grown into a beautiful young woman, helps meet expenses by working as a stenographer in a factory office. Jack Osborne, son of the younger member of the firm of King and Osborne, meets Louise and falls in love with her. Louise is injured at the factory, and Paul institutes proceedings against the management. King and Osborne were the attorneys for the defense. The case was full of exciting points until Jane Dwyer, testifying, gave her name and explained that she was the plaintiff's aunt. Paul King turned white, attempted to continue, and broke down. A satisfactory verdict was awarded to Louise. After the trial Jane and Paul met. Jane's reproaches were softened when Paul told her what the unopened letter had contained and all Paul's anger was dissipated by his joy at the discovery of his daughter.