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- Ralph Valentine and his father are musicians of proud and aristocratic ways and are so wrapped up in their art as to be oblivious of their poverty. Their faithful servant, Joseph, has been wont to withhold the threats of debtors from them, but there comes a time, shortly after the father's death, that Ralph must be told the truth. Joseph tells everything and suggests that Ralph accept money that he has saved and go to Paris, where he may show the world his art. Ralph does so and goes to live with the Gardins. His uncle Victor Valentine, wealthy and fond of gay life, invites him to live at his home provided he will leave behind his foolish dreams and fancies. Ralph refuses, preferring to remain where he is. He wins the love of Pauline Gardin and is quite content. Through his Bohemian acquaintances he meets Mme. Flora Margot. This tired, blasé young woman makes a pet of him and enraptured by her dazzling beauty he longs to satisfy her every desire. Attempting to do so, he becomes indebted to impatient creditors, who demand immediate payment or his arrest. Pauline, ignorant of his infatuation with Flora, assists him out of his present difficulties with her own savings. Realizing Flora's fast waning affection, he resolves to regain it by buying a certain antique necklace which he knows she covets. The antique dealer demands an exorbitant price which he is unable to pay. He is further disheartened when one day he finds her in the arms of his uncle, and he rushes forth intent upon suicide. About to throw himself into the river, a vision of Flora appears before him and he resolves to secure the necklace at any cost. The dealer of the antique shop is busy when he enters and Ralph wanders into a room where there are curios upon the walls and tables. Curiously examining the various articles, his hand suddenly touches a secret panel which springs back, revealing a marvelous painting of the Christ. A spiritual influence comes over him, so profound is its impression upon his mind. While awaiting the attendance of the dealer, he becomes greatly interested in a peculiar skin which has writing upon it in Sanskrit. Sitting down he becomes drowsy and falls asleep. The writing changes into English, which reads that the possessor of the skin has only to wish and his wish will be granted, but that with each desire the skin shall grow smaller and the days of the possessor grow less until death is the penalty at the last wish. The dealer approaches and Ralph is amazed to behold him now in the form of a devil. The devil asks if he desires the skin and Ralph, fearfully undecided, suddenly thinks of Flora and agrees to take it. What are his desires and his terrible anguish as the talisman grows smaller have been woven into a story of weird and mystic situations.
- Young lord of Whitehall Manor, Sir Anthony Elliott, becomes secretly engaged to Elinore Vane, but she marries his brother Paul. Resentful Anthony, decides to go to America, Nina Desmond, whom he earlier rescued from a fall, asks to go with him, but he refuses. Nina overhears him also refuse Elinore, whom Paul mistreats. After Nina sees Elinore stab herself, she threatens to accuse Anthony of murder unless he takes her, but still he refuses. The morning after Anthony is sentenced to hang, he is found dead in his cell. Five years later, Paul, living with Nina in Monte Carlo, hopes to get money from the manor's new tenants, Mrs. Edgerton, a wealthy American, and her daughter Dolores. After Dolores sees a mysterious gondola, she discovers Anthony living in a secret room. He explains that while in jail his mother gave him a potion which made him appear dead. After Dolores tricks Nina into writing a confession, Anthony professes his love for Dolores.
- Tom, about to go on a hunting trip, consults his almanac and finds there will be a total eclipse of the sun, visible about 2:45 p.m. On his way he stops to visit his sweetheart, Nell. He has hardly left the cabin when in an attack by Indians, Nell's father is shot and she is made captive. Returning to the cabin about noon, Tom discovers Nell's absence, and noting the signs about realizes her danger. Trailing her to the Indian camp he seeks out the big chief and says: "Release her or I shall put out the sun." Instead of heeding Tom's request, the chief orders him tied to a stake. Just then the heavens begin to darken until the sun is totally eclipsed. The Indians, believing that Tom has made his threat good, release the captives, who quickly make their escape. A few minutes later the sun coming out from under the eclipse, the Indians start in pursuit of their fleeing prisoners. Nell's horse soon gives out. A few miles further on Tom's horse drops also. They continue running on foot dodging their pursuers until they cross the trail of a party of new settlers just as the Indians are about to reach them. A short and sharp fight takes place, the Indians being finally defeated. Tom thanking his rescuers declares that friends in need are friends indeed.
- Just before Mrs. Higginbotham dies she writes a letter to Colonel Grandson, her only relative, begging him to take care of her little son Albert. She entrusts the letter to the care of Uncle Ranse, her faithful old Black servant. After the obsequies, Uncle Ranse and Albert start out to the Abbeville Court House, where lives the colonel. Their scant supply of food is soon devoured and Uncle Ranse, touched by the little fellow's pitiful call for food, leaves him and starts out to get supplies. Just as he is about to appropriate a bag of potatoes, he is apprehended and taken to town. Meanwhile, Albert has been picked up by Captain Ransom, who happened to be passing along the road. The captain and Albert later meet Uncle Ranse and his captor and there is instant recognition between the old servant and the little boy. Uncle Ranse's explanation releases him, and the captain sends the pair on to the Abbeville Court House, where they are well-fed for the first time in many days.
- The beautiful and much loved Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland, is one of the most unfortunate and sympathetic characters in history. Born in Scotland, educated at the court of Francis II of France, whom she married at fifteen, queen of France at sixteen, a widow at seventeen, beginning her reign as Scotland's Queen at eighteen, married to Darnley of the Royal Blood at nineteen; her life began amid turmoil and disaster. Her husband, Lord Darnley, who after their marriage proved himself a vicious braggart and coxcomb, was intensely jealous of Rizzio, Mary's favorite singer and secretary. One night as Rizzio sang to the queen, Darnley and his band of night hawks waited at the foot of the narrow staircase for the singer. Down the staircase he comes full of youth and love. Darnley's hand shoots out of the shadow and Darnley's dagger finds its rest in Rizzio's heart. Such marital dissensions, together with political factions and religious contentions, cause Scotland to rise in arms, and the queen in jeopardy of life and without followers, accepts the offered hospitality of England's queen, Elizabeth, who extends Mary an invitation to sojourn at Kennilworth Castle, in Warwickshire, until the broils of Scottish clans subside and Mary can return to her throne. With gratitude and haste, the Stuart repairs to Kennilworth, only to find herself trapped, a prisoner, by Elizabeth who really fears not only the Scottish queen's beauty and power, but her legal birthrights to the English crown. Elizabeth, not daring to openly execute her royal sister, tries secretly to affect her assassination but in vain, owing to the loyalty of Mary's servitors. A charge of treason is then brought against her by the English crown. She is found guilty and sentenced to the block. Pending the signing of the death warrant by Queen Elizabeth, attempts to rescue her are made, one by a gallant and loving Englishman, Sir Edward Mortimer; but these only resulted in failure of plans, frustrated attempts on Elizabeth's life, and deeper confinement and unhappiness for Mary. In a meeting between the two queens, affected after much planning, Elizabeth taunts Mary whose proud spirit rebels and bursts forth in denunciations. After this disastrous interview and at the urging of Lord Burleigh, the Lord Treasurer, Elizabeth signs the death warrant and the martyr queen is led to public execution. The Earl of Leicester has been secretly in love with Mary but, fearing in his safety, deserts her when the crisis comes. There is a white haired old man who follows her, with breaking heart, to the scaffold, and a gray haired old woman bowed down by weeping; these, her nurse and her physician, the remnants of her faithful followers. She mounts the scaffold the charges of treason are read to the curious hungry crowd watching. She forgives the headsman, offers a prayer for her too trusting soul, and bares her white neck to the axe. The film fades on Leicester bowed with grief and remorse on the stairs which Mary had just ascended on her way to the scaffold.
- We are shown the spirit of the time of eighteen hundred and twelve, and here we are introduced to Dr. Beanes and his family; their friendship for the young loyal Key and the doctor's sympathy for the wounded and sick, the humiliation and insult in his own home and eventually his capture by the British soldiers. We also see Key's prompt action in arranging to secure his release through the help of President Madison. From there on the story carries us to his arrival on the British battleship and the release and exchange granted to Dr. Beanes, who is held there a prisoner, and shows us why Francis Scott Key was on board the ship a prisoner during the bombardment of Fort McHenry, which takes us up to the inspired moment when Key first wrote his wonderful first and second verse of the "Star Spangled Banner," on the back of an old envelope. We are also shown the patriotism and the emotions of the man on the night of September fourteenth in a room in a hotel in Baltimore, where he finished his work with, "And this be out motto, 'In God is our trust.'" The following day, when the "Star Spangled Banner" was sung for the first time in an old tavern next to the Holiday Street Theater, there one named Ferdinand Durang, mounted on a table, sang the soul-inspiring strain and words that caught the enthusiasm of the time and the old walls of the tavern echoed and re-echoed with cheer after cheer, which has continued to echo on down to our day and will still echo far into the future, every time the strains of the "Star Spangled Banner" reach the ears of the friends and daughters "O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."
- We see the British Colonel receive his orders to march on to Concord and destroy the stores gathered there by the Continentals. On his staff is a young captain, whose reluctance to take arms against the "rebels" brings upon himself the ridicule of his comrades. The morning of April nineteenth dawns and we see the Minute Man and his family, consisting of his father, wife and two children, at breakfast. The Minute Man and his son leave for their work in the field, while the others attend to their various household duties. While engaged in plowing, a horseman dashes up and informs them that the British regulars are on their way to Concord. Father and son mount their plow horses and hurry to the house, where they tell the news. Hastily donning their uniforms, they are about to leave, when grandfather insists upon joining them, and, seizing his old battered drum, departs for the front. At Lexington, where the Minute Men are gathering on the village green, to check the British advance, they arrive just in time to take part in the first fight for freedom. But, owing to the superior numbers of the British they are forced to retreat. The conflict then moves to Concord Bridge. Here the Minute Men take the initiative, and led by our three heroes, bravely charge across the bridge and defeat the regulars. The retreat continues along the roads to Boston, the Minute Men picking them off from behind stone walls and trees until the regulars become panic-stricken and the retreat becomes a rout. The Minute Man's little girl, hearing the firing, wanders into the road and gazes after the fleeing soldiers, and, finding herself between the fires of the opposing forces, becomes confused and frightened. Seeing her danger, the young captain of the retreating British rushes forward and snatches her out of harm's way, but receives a bullet in his arm in doing so. He manages to carry the child to her doorstep, where he falls fainting. Here the child's mother finds him and revives him, and in gratitude for saving her child, takes him into her house, where she bandages his wound and puts him to bed. The Minute Man, having been wounded in the fight, is persuaded to drop out of the pursuit of the British, and as he reaches his doorstep he finds the officer's hat and finds the blood stains. He questions his wife upon entering, but fearing further bloodshed, she tries to conceal the presence of the officer, and denies all knowledge of him. Her husband is describing the battle to her when he hears a sound in the next room. He insists upon searching the room, and, seizing his musket, goes toward the door. His wife tries to prevent his entering, which only confirms his suspicions, and he puts her aside. As he is about to enter the room the door opens and he is confronted by the officer. He raises his gun to fire, but his wife springing before him, tells him how the officer risked his own life to save their child. He slowly lowers his gun, hangs his head in shame, and asks the officer's forgiveness, which is freely given. The gallant young British aristocrat and the Minute Man warmly clasp each other's hand.
- A factory hires only children, forcing an immigrant family to put their daughter to work. When the girl brings home a foundling, the family gets sends her to work. Little do they know that the girl's father bought the factory.
- Two young people at a concert are listening to Von Weber's waltz. Some days later at a dance this same Von Weber waltz is the immediate cause of trouble. Of course they must always dance the waltz together and it so happens that another young man at the dance has put down his name for this waltz on the young lady's program. She feels that she must fulfill the obligation and of course her boy lover is more than a little put out. The result is the breaking off of their engagement. She tries to play it on the piano and finds that she cannot remember it, so decides to buy a copy. The youth hears a street violinist playing it and being near a music store, enters with the intention of buying a copy of it. And it so happens that the two young people come together. When the two young people meet in the store the proprietor understands the situation, and sending the girl to the window to listen to the violinist below, he tells the boy the story of his own mistake. The girl turns to listen and by the time the story is finished, they are both ready to forget their quarrel.
- Tom is a wire walker who gets injured. Patricia reads to him as he heals. Tom now works in a law office. Patricia is a reporter who gets caught up in a story involving political crooks. She's in a bind. Can Tom save her in time?
- Kate, the corporal's daughter, has been snubbed and humiliated by her sweetheart, Lieutenant Garrison. On the day in question, on the parade ground near Fort Millerton during the period when hundreds of whites were being murdered by the Indians in the border wars. Lieutenant Garrison neglects to recognize Kate as he passes by with some aristocratic friends when he is showing around. Subsequently, Kate gives back her engagement ring and will not even listen to explanations, changes have been ordered at the garrison, and Kate leaves with her father At the new location, she is warned not to go far from the garrison because of the activities of the Indians in that section. She meets Tom Keen, a government scout, and they become interested in each other at once. A few minutes later he sees Indians attack Kate and rides off with a detachment of men to her assistance. She is rescued. A few days after, Tom and Kate are playing checkers and Tom makes a significant move asking Kate to be his wife. She accepts. Soon after, a new consignment of troops with Lieutenant Garrison in command, arrive at the garrison where Tom and Kate are. A report is brought in that a massacre has just taken place. Troops ride out, including Lieutenant Garrison and Tom. They occupy a basin at the floor of a mountain. Against the face of the cliff is a boulder and down the almost perpendicular precipice is a large vine. The men are finally unable to get out as an attempt of this kind would mean certain death. At night a man is sent out, making his way up the vine and escaping. He gives the alarm at the fort, but the commander does not want to leave women and children alone and refrains from sending men to the assistance of the prisoners, preferring to wait for reinforcements. Kate, attired as a squaw, goes to the place where the men are entrapped, first learning from an old Indian at the fort that escape could be made through a tunnel in the mountain, dug for a coal mine. The men draw straws to determine who shall remain to cover up the escape of the majority, and Tom, who saw a change come over his wife when she saw Garrison, draws two cards. He gives the card of escape to Garrison and decides to remain. Kate determines to remain with him, because she says she prefers death to separation from him. Troops arrive from the fort together with the news that Garrison has been killed.
- Central Park is considered by travelers that have been the world over to be one of the most beautiful city parks in all the world, only one or two being larger. A rural gentleman and his pretty nieces add a human interest to its scenic attractiveness as we follow them through this beautiful park. At the Fifth Avenue entrance, the first thing they see is the magnificent statue of General Sherman by the great sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Then they stroll up the East Drive to the menagerie. We follow them to the different paddocks where we find hoofed animals from all over the world. A star among them is "Toby," the largest buffalo in captivity. Next come the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural History and the great obelisk popularly known as "Cleopatra's Needle," erected by order of Thotmes III, 1585 B.C., at Heliopolis, and brought to this country in 1879 from Alexandria, Egypt. The panorama of the frozen reservoir and boys playing hockey on the Mall prove attractive sights. Block House Number One is of especial historic interest, as it was erected in 1812 for the defense of the city and is one of a number that were built by its citizens. The picture closes with two really remarkable scenes of the frozen lake and the merry skaters.
- Completely wrapped up in his wedding preparations, Cleek had allowed everything else to escape from his mind and had not even noted the news from Mauravania announcing the King's death. In the very midst of this the Apaches decided to deal one lasting blow at their natural enemy, and having bribed the chauffeur to drive through a lonely road, they succeeded in abducting Miss Lorne as she was on her way to the city to make some final purchases before her wedding. The guests were assembling for the ceremony when Sir Horace Wyvern burst upon them, announcing that his niece had failed to return from the city. Convinced that his old enemies were at the bottom of it, Cleek started immediately on the trail and traced the abductors to a deserted house. After confirming his suspicions, he telephoned to Superintendent Narkom, who quickly arrived on the scene with a force of detectives. Miss Lorne was rescued and the entire band of Apaches were captured and thrown into prison. Cleek returned to the house with his fiancée, and just as the ceremony was finished, amid the congratulations of their friends, the Royal Councilor of the Court of Mauravania was announced. To the astonishment of the assembled guests, he proclaimed Cleek heir to the throne of Mauravania and urged him to return and accept the gift of a grateful people. Cleek came to a quick decision, informing the Royal Councilor that his Kingdom was in England, and that his newly-sworn allegiance to the queen of his heart would prevent him from taking advantage of the magnificent offer.
- The trouble started when the New York Lady Manicurists arrived in Tuckerville. The manicurists were three remarkably attractive young women. When they walked along the street, men involuntarily turned and stared at them. Of course this was in no sense the young ladies' fault, but it didn't increase their popularity with the feminine portion of the population to any extent. When the young ladies opened their shop in Tuckerville, Messrs. Henshaw, Jenkins, and Simpkins were among the first patrons. Having their hands manicured was a new and pleasant sensation, and the three girls were very easy on the eyes. When his mother brought little Willie to the Sewing Circle, and the enterprising boy discovered a telescope, things brightened up. From the window of the room in which the Sewing Circle met, Willie could see the window of the lady manicurists' establishment. When he gave Mrs. Henshaw the telescope and begged her to see the pretty lady who was holding Mr. Henshaw's hand, Mrs. Henshaw was distinctly interested. Willie, realizing that he had put his foot into it, rushed over and warned his father, who was one of the enthusiastic throng at the manicurists. Thanks to his warning, none of the men was in evidence when the indignant wives appeared. To revenge themselves on their husbands, the wives immediately started a tango class, to which no male over 25 was admitted. The manicurists, no whit daunted, started a turkey trot temple, entrance to which was denied to all women over 25. The turkey-trot temple did not do anything else but start. On the very first evening, the indignant wives swept down upon it and removed their husbands from the dangerous influence of the beautiful young ladies. A general reconciliation was effected, which resulted in the banishment of the manicurists and the institution of a new club for dancing purposes. One of the by-laws of the club: husbands must dance with their wives only.
- The mighty Kalpoor of Swat had a shrewd suspicion that as a raconteur of humorous stories he had quite a bit on the justly famed Joe Miller. The Kalpoor liked everybody to be cheerful about him and he particularly liked everybody to explode in roars of laughter whenever he cracked a joke. Nur-ed-Din was a peculiarly poetic poet. Because he was so particularly peculiar and poetic, and also because he was desperately in love with the Princess Zulika, it happened that he one day failed to laugh at one of the Kalpoor's witticisms. The justly incensed potentate immediately exiled the poet from his court. Some weeks later, the light of Asia, the Mighty Elephant, the Kalpoor of Swat, placed his saintly foot on an ordinary pebble and leaped into the air with a loud and particularly devout exclamation. The idea that his austere and roseate foot should thus be subject to indignity from such lowly objects as pebbles struck the Kalpoor as a distinct reflection on the existing condition of things. Accordingly he issued a proclamation promising tremendous sums of gold and the hand of his daughter, Zulika, to the man who should carpet the earth for him. Zulika, who had her own ideas on the subject of marriage, went and begged her banished Nur-ed-Din to try to do something. So while the wise men and philosophers racked their brains in vain over the problem, Nur-ed-Din let his own massive intelligence dwell lightly on possible solutions. And at last he hit it. The Kalpoor was in a very bad humor when Nnr-ed-Diu disguised as an old man, presented himself at court. The summary execution of a few score contenders for the prize who had failed to make good had not appreciably improved the royal temper. But when Nur-ed-Din placed a fine pair of shoes on the royal feet and showed the Kalpoor how easily he could walk over tacks and broken glass, the monarch praised his gods in a loud voice, forgave Nur-ed-Din and bestowed the promised rewards upon him.
- Weary Willie, wending his way to the main thoroughfare of the town, starts his panhandling at a bakery, where he is thrown out. He then tries his luck at the cobbler's, clothing store and barber shop, and in each instance meets with severe treatment. He is half famished when he meets two young men about town who for a joke invite him to have a drink. Entering a café, they behold the barkeeper fondly gazing at two suits of ancient armor mounted upon pedestals. They repair to the bar and the tramp indulges to his heart's content, after which he curiously examines the knights' armor and falls asleep on the chair. He dreams that the knights come to life and offer their services as his body guard. We now see him leading the knights forth. First he goes to the baker's cellar, where he commands the knights to throw the baker into a vat of dough while he gobbles down pies and cakes. Next to the cobbler's, where he confiscates a pair of shoes, while the knights hammer the tall, protesting cobbler down, reducing him to a dwarf. In the clothing store he succeeds in securing a new outfit. They next proceed to the barber shop, where the knights coerce the frightened barber into shaving the tramp and cutting his hair in the latest fashion. Weary Willie drags the barber under the shower bath and receives a goodly portion of the spray himself. At that moment he is rudely awakened by the barkeeper's siphon playing a forceful stream on his face.
- Farley is a comedian and also the owner of a valuable race horse which he plans to enter in a steeplechase against a couple of other horses belonging to acquaintances of his. He is also in love, but as people are not inclined to take a comedian seriously, the young lady considers his affections of the heart rather a joke. His principal rival in her affections is the owner of the fastest one of the horses matched against his. This man offers Farley a pretty large bet on the outcome of the race and Farley not being a betting man, is disposed to decline the offer, but when he finds that the girl has put her money on his horse, he is shamed into making a wager much larger than his means ought to warrant, even though he is pretty sure that his horse can win. A few days later while at practice on the field, the rival discovers that Farley's horse is decidedly dangerous to his chances of winning and he instructs his groom to bribe the stable man and gives his a little bottle of so-called "dope," which will put Farley's horse out of the running. Farley's jockey, the only one who can ride his horse, is suspicious and watches the stable man and catches him as he is about to administer the "dope" to the horse. In a fight which ensues the jockey's arm is put out of commission and Farley is thus left with a horse, but no jockey capable of riding him. Not being much of a man of action, the comedian decides that he will simply pay his bet and as the girl has rather laughed at him, retires from both contests. Then he suddenly realizes that her money is in danger, too, and something in her eyes makes him feel that she does not believe him really a man. This stings the real personality within him into action, and to the surprise of all he announces that he will ride his own horse in the race. He does so and the race scene show how his horse lags behind as they jump the hurdles on after another until toward the end, when he suddenly comes to the front, takes the last hurdle just a fraction ahead of his rival's horse and in the stretch beats him by half a length. Something in the way Farley has handled this matter makes the girl feel that there is a real man there, inside of the comedian, and she is not backward in letting him understand that his old suit has assumed another aspect.
- When a Red Cross worker asks a prominent small-town banker for a donation to help fight tuberculosis the banker scoffs, saying that TB is a disease of poor people in the cities, not the kind of people you find in small towns. It's not long before he finds out just how wrong he is.
- Young Trotter had lost a good position as reporter on one of the big Metropolitan dailies and to all his applications came the same answer; they had no place for a man out of a job. They wanted men who could produce the goods and he was curtly told to make good first. Trotter was reduced to doing his own cooking in the little 2x4 bedroom, and knowing he would be ejected if caught, was in the habit of disposing of the remnants of his scanty meals by carefully wrapping them in newspapers and, under cover of darkness, slipping them into some convenient ash can. Seeing an officer approaching as he was in the act of disposing of his parcel in this manner one evening and, not wishing to be questioned, he stepped into a doorway until the officer had passed. As he stepped forward again to drop his parcel, a man passing by quietly dropped a similar bundle into the can and without stopping went his way. Something in the stranger's manner aroused Trotter's curiosity and, taking up the package the stranger had left, he hurried to his room. Upon opening it he was disgusted to find only a lot of dried plaster and bits of stone; but some shiny particles caught his eye. They turned out to be bits of steel shavings. They and the stranger's queer manner aroused his suspicions. The next night he followed the man and saw him enter a small basement shop over which hung a plumber's and electrician's sign. Trotter determined to see the inside of the shop, so, under pretext of having a bell repaired, he visited it. The man could not fix the bell, so Trotter had to leave. Waiting until the stranger had gone out again. Trotter entered by means of a skeleton key. Making his way into the back room he found a tunnel leading into the next building. Cautiously entering this he found himself confronted by a steel wall, which plainly showed the attacks of the drill. The steel wall must be the vault of the City National Bank next door. His duty was clear, he must notify the bank at once. But once out in the air his brain cleared. His duty was to himself first and he raced to the office of the daily. He outlined his story to the editor, who was at first skeptical but finally, persuaded by Trotter's earnestness, told him to go ahead. Trotter did go ahead, captured his burglar single-handed after a desperate struggle, landed the biggest scoop of the year, and the much coveted berth on the staff of the paper.
- The great tragedy in a mother's life is when her children grow up and leave her. When her son, John, left her to go to the city, Mrs. Carter was utterly heartbroken for a time. But, because there was no help for it, she was philosophical, and if she grew any sadder as the years went by, her sorrow did not show in her patient old face. When fifteen years had passed since "Laddie's" departure, Mrs. Carter learned that she must give up her home, on account of a railroad which needed the property for its right of way. Naturally enough, her first thoughts turned to "Laddie." She decided to go to him in the city and surprise him. Mrs. Carter arrived at "Laddie's" house late one evening. She was surprised at its prosperous appearance. Laddie's infrequent letters had not made her realize that her son had become a rich and successful physician. At the door, she told the maid to inform Dr. Carter that a poor woman from the country wished to see him. Laddie, with some impatience, consented to see her, and the mother, with a glad cry, flew into his arms. Laddie was glad to see her, of course, but the poor mother soon felt that something was lacking. When the realization finally dawned upon her that Laddie was ashamed of her, it nearly broke her heart. But because she was too proud to stay where she was not wanted, Mrs. Carter crept silently away from the house after nightfall. After a few experiences with the seamy side of city life, she was taken care of by two kindly people who were only too glad to do the lonely old woman a good turn. When Laddie realized that his own coldness had driven his mother away, his remorse was terrible. Every effort he made to find her, however, was in vain for more than a year. Then one morning, on his regular call to the hospital, he discovered her in one of the wards, dying. It was too late for the broken-hearted man to do anything else than tell the frail old woman that it had all been a terrible mistake, but even that poor consolation was enough to bring a smile to the dying lips, and a last stir of joy to the mother heart at the thought that she had really been loved after all.
- After having lost his job in a sweat shop, a poor workman, living from hand to mouth with a family to support, is nearly driven to distraction by his inability to secure employment. The workman meets a Mr. Goodfellow. He, being rich and philanthropically inclined, has his sympathies aroused by the workman's pitiful story of distress. He goes to the manufacturer, where he is informed that the former operators of the idle machines in the shop were discharged because of the fact that he was making more goods than he could sell. Mr. Goodfellow suggests that if the employees work slower and fewer hours it would afford work for the unemployed, but this ingenious suggestion is not received with enthusiasm. Mr. Goodfellow next visits the retailer to ascertain why he does not replenish his stock more frequently and is informed that trade is poor and it is not feasible to buy more goods than can be sold to his customers. Mr. Goodfellow then goes home more perplexed than ever, realizing that the question has resolved itself into a triangle which almost baffles him. He finally argues thus: Supply the workman with a little money and he will patronize the retailer, who in time will replenish his stock and thus compel the manufacturer to employ more workmen to enable him to meet the demand. The following day he puts his idea into practical use by distributing money among the idle workmen. Played mostly in comedy vein the film is a distinct novelty.
- Lulu, the daughter of an old miner, is much annoyed by the advances of Wild Dick, a dissolute gambler, who, in spite of her indignation, persists in his unwelcome attentions. One day she finds her father lying unconscious, having had a paralytic stroke at the mine. Unable to carry him alone, she is forced to accept the assistance of Dick, who has followed her, in getting him to the cabin. Her father not showing any signs of recovery, she asks Dick to go for a doctor. This he refuses to do, saying that it is useless. She attempts to go herself, but he prevents her and she sinks down beside her father. Here Dick makes her a proposition. He will go for help if she will promise to marry him. This she indignantly refuses to do, but fearing her father will surely die if he doesn't receive medical aid, she finally consents. Dick makes her swear it upon the Bible. He gallops away and returns with the doctor, who, after a short examination, pronounces her father dead. Dick recalls her oath and makes her keep her promise to marry him. But Dick remains the same worthless character, drinking and gambling, and is really brutal to Lulu. One day a party of Lulu's friends from the east arrive, among them a young man who falls violently in love with her. Dick has returned home unknown to Lulu, when he sees her and Tom coming up the path. He conceals himself and overhears the young man declare his love to her. He is about to shoot them when he hears Lulu dismissing Tom. Her lot is not a happy one, but she will remain faithful to her marriage vow. Dick realizes the sterling worth of his wife and resolves to make himself worthy of her and win her love. To this end he gives up drinking and gambling and goes to work in the old mine. Lulu notes the change in him and through his kind attentions is drawn to him. But Dick feels unworthy and thinking he can never win her, becomes discouraged. One day he strikes gold at the mine in great quantities, and telling Lulu of her good fortune, tells her now that she is provided for, he will set her free, but this last sacrifice completely wins her and she tells him she wants him to stay.
- When John Flynn saved the life of Ellen Ryan's little sister, he laid the foundations of a warm friendship which soon ripened into love. Ellen was a thoroughly nice girl. Her efforts to keep her small family together were tremendously hampered by the one great sorrow of her life, a drunken father. Peter Ryan was a gentle, kindly old man, and also a very weak old man. He had made alcohol a staff to lean upon and now after many years of dependence upon it, found that his feeble will could not subsist without it. When Bill Moffat learned that Ellen cared more for John Flynn than she did for him he laid a careful plot to ruin the policeman in the girl's estimation. Moffat knew that Ellen had been taking charge of her father's wages for some time. He knew the old man was almost crazy with the desire for drink. So Moffat deliberately put temptation in old Peter's path. He refuses to lend him any money, but left his fat bank roll within easy reach of the old man's shaking hand. Peter Ryan fell. He took Moffat's money and hastened with it to a saloon. Luckily Ellen intercepted him at the very entrance and took him home. Meanwhile Moffat hastened to John Flynn and telling him that an unnamed person had stolen money from him, demanded his assistance. Confronted by Ellen and the evidently guilty Peter, Flynn casting his duty to the winds, refused to arrest the poor old man on the strength of Moffat's testimony. Flynn was suspended from the force. Moffat went to Ellen and told her that he would not prosecute her father. Flynn had been the object of his plot and now that Flynn was ruined he was willing to let the matter drop. Ellen and her father hurried to the Police Commissioner's office and there the trembling old man poured out the true story of the whole affair. The Police Commissioner was a kind man and a just man. After a careful consideration of the matter, he restored Flynn to the two things he cared for most, Ellen and "the force."
- Tom was a great animal lover. This fact stood him in good stead among the gypsies in whose camp he was held. One evening he refused to help them steal chickens, and as the chief was giving him a sound beating, "Prince," a great lovable collie, sprung to Tom's defense. Fearing to return to the camp, Tom followed the dog's lead and soon found himself at the steps of a beautiful home, where he sank down on the steps and falls asleep. He was discovered the next morning by Colonel and Miss Standish. On learning the boy's story, Colonel Standish employs him in his racing stables. Soon he developed into a proficient jockey. The mutual attraction between Tom and Edith was noticeable since their first meeting, and this made it all the harder for all concerned when Tom was disgraced through losing the race on "King Gallop." Colonel Standish had been plunging very heavily and was depending upon "King Gallop's" winning to save his fortune. When the race was lost, he accused Tom of doing it purposely and preferred charges, which ended in Tom's being ruled off the American turf. The real culprit was Maloney. At first, he tried to get Tom to "pull" the race, but the suggestion was indignantly repulsed by Tom. Failing in this, Maloney played his final card and poisoned "King Gallop's" bit, thus causing him to lose. Tom left for England, only to find that his unsavory reputation had preceded him, the result being that all English tracks were closed to him. He wandered over to the Continent, and after a chance meeting with Edith, drifted south and quickly became an easy victim for Monte Carlo. Destitute and alone, he hardly knew what to do, until he suddenly caught sight of an ad saying that Lord Blyncourt was in need of an experienced boy to handle yearlings. Tom applied for the position, and was taken on. A short while after. Colonel Standish and his daughters called on Lord Blyncourt, and the Colonel had no sooner recognized Tom than he felt it his duty toward Lord Blyncourt to warn him against Tom. In the meantime, Wilkes had located the Gypsy Queen and secured from her a locket which identified Tom as the grandson of Lord Blyncourt, for whom a worldwide search had been made. Brought before his employer by the Colonel's accusation, Tom was able to refute the charge by producing proof of Maloney's guilt, and both families were gladdened by the announcement that Edith had decided to remain in England as the new mistress of Ivy House, which was to constitute Tom's ultimate heritage.
- The story begins by the finding of an elderly naval man by a traveler, and the former's recital of the verse, "Oh, I am a cook and a captain bold, And the mate of the Nancy brig, And a bo'sun tight, and a midshipmite. And the crew of the captain's gig." Upon the inquiry as to how he can be all three different people, his recital proceeds with the comic wreck of the good ship "Nancy Bell," after which the survivors jump overboard into the painted waves and make for the shore. The next situation indicates that, "For a month we'd neither wittles nor drink, Still a-hungry we did feel. So we drawed a lot, and, accordin' shot The captain for our meal." A large paper cannon dispatches the captain. And the succeeding scenes show the disappearance into the pot of the mate, the midshipmite, the bo'sun tight and the crew of the captain's gig. The effect of these scenes is ludicrous in the extreme and we are all prepared to laugh at the consternation shown in the face of the lone mariner when, after having made way with all his fellow seamen, a small ship appears on the horizon, fires a gun and supposedly rescues him from having to eat himself. As he finishes his tale of war we fade back to the original scene where the apparitions of his former shipmates appear and we can well believe with him that, "I never larf, and I never smile, And 1 never lark nor play. But sit and croak, with a single joke."
- Olive invites Vance Coleman to a skating party and they meet at Madame Forresti's bungalow. When Olive and Madame Forresti arrive, the place is locked and Olive climbs through the window and unlocks the door. There is a note from the caretaker to the effect that there is illness in the family and she must go home. Madame Forresti is suspicious, but Olive ridicules her fear. Vance and Olive join the many skaters at the lake, and as Madame Forresti sits at the campfire at the lake's edge, she sees gypsy Franz Belli, is startled, then laughs hysterically. Vance leaves and Olive and Madame Forresti go into the bungalow and prepare to retire. They are sitting before the brisk fire, and Madame Forresti tells Olive of her childhood, remarking that when she was a farmer's daughter she married a romantic gypsy named Franz Belli and they had a daughter. At this juncture Madame Forresti shows Olive a locket, and Olive recognizes the image in it as that of her father. Madame Forresti thereupon takes Olive in her arms, and mother and child are reunited. A noise is heard and Olive insists upon investigating, but is restrained. Madame Forresti goes downstairs and as she approaches a screen it moves. Quickly pushing the screen aside, she sees the form of Delli crouching. He utters a few revengeful words and attacks her. Olive hears the tussle and proceeds to the scene of the battle with a shot gun. She fires and misses, but Delli is frightened and escapes. Olive is restrained from shooting further by Madame Forresti, who tells her that the intruder is her father. Vance arrives at the bungalow the following morning and shows a newspaper with a story telling of the discovery of the body of a gypsy floating in the lake. The final scene shows the interior of a church, and the principals are Vance and Olive, who are made husband and wife.
- George Trent is the son of a widowed mother. He is engaged to marry Sylvia Bennett, and is a cock-sure egoist. An old clergyman, his mother's friend, gets him a chance with a prosperous architect in a large city, but his faults get him into a nest of trouble. He is careless with his work, unwilling to take advice and consequently his downfall is brought about. At the same time Sylvia gives him the mitten because he has displayed before her a bad trait. He has seen part of a letter from his employer to the Rev. Mr. Roberts in which the assertion is made that "he has a bad enemy." He goes to the clergyman and demands to know who his enemy is, for he has concluded that his downfall is due to this mysterious person, and in answer the clergyman leads him to a mirror. To his surprise and consternation he learns that his enemy is none other than himself. The result of realization is regeneration. His entire attitude changes and he is given another chance with his old employer. At the end of the picture we see that he has learned his lesson well.
- The first scene introduces us into a drawing room in England where amateur theatricals are taking place and we see one of the big financiers, the Hon. Grant Richmond, of the country in the audience. The next day at his club, word is brought to him that the Navy Bill is about to come up before the House and that if Sir Andrew, the influential member, speaks in its favor it will pass. The question is what the financial man and his friends can do to prevent the bill coming to a vole or passing. As Sir Andrew proves not to be amenable to argument, the case looks hopeless, but the financial man suddenly bethinks him of the amateur players and he evolves a brilliant plan. Sir Andrew having left the club, Mr. Richmond dashes out, jumps into his automobile and passing the member on his way to Parliament, rushes on until he comes to the house wherein be saw the amateur performance. Knowing that the member must pass this house on his way, he begs them to play the drama as though it were some family incident and to drag the resolute Sir Andrew into it. In a spirit of fun they take up the project and, when Sir Andrew passes the gate with his friend, a young woman, apparently in great distress, runs forth and begs him to come to her assistance. Telling his friend to go on to Parliament, he follows her into the house and there finds apparently a deep family intrigue, a young man apparently lifeless lies upon the floor, a small bottle which seems to have contained poison, beside him. The amateur drama goes on until after the hour for adjournment has been reached.
- Old Jim Elliott's life was not pleasant after he came to spend his remaining days on his son's farm because of his daughter-in-law's coldness and lack of consideration for the old man. She knew nothing and cared less of his record from '61 to '65, when he fought with the famous "Fighting Sixth." To her he was merely a lame old man who had to be cared for and fed. The love that grew up between the old soldier and his little granddaughter Jennie was his only source of happiness, and when the announcement of the annual township picnic came, it was Jennie who helped him brush up his old uniform for the occasion. Judge Williams from upstate was to speak, and Jennie wanted Grandfather to look his best. But Grandfather was not to go. At the last moment Jennie's mother gave the old man's seat in the backboard to a neighbor's child. Sitting alone, Grandpa nursed his keen disappointment. Suddenly an auto drove in and a stalwart, soldierly old man alit and inquired the road to the picnic grounds. Old Jim gave the desired information, a look of recognition passed, and two old comrades clasped hands that had not met in 50 years. Judge Williams (for it was he) was to speak at the picnic, but as he and old Jim fought battle after battle over and over again, the picnic was forgotten until finally the chauffeur called his attention to the time. He insisted upon his old friend accompanying him and they arrived an hour late, but greeted by the cheers of the waiting assemblage. Jennie's mother was thunderstruck at sight of her father-in-law and was more than ever embarrassed when the judge eulogized him from the platform. After lunching together, the old fellows strolled off for a chat on the bank of the lake. Little Jennie and the boy who had usurped her grandfather's place in the buckboard played on the rocks beside them until Jennie fell into the deep water. In a moment Grandfather's coat was off and he had plunged in, saving her only after a bitter struggle. Jennie's mother's shame was great when she learned of Grandfather's heroism, but she was womanly enough to repent of her past smallness towards the old man and make amends.
- Jimmie has a good job in an office where there is a bevy of pretty girls, but being at that age where his appreciation of the fair sex has not developed, he considers them inferior to him. So it is his pleasure to make all the fun he can for himself at their expense. This time he reckons without his host. There is plenty for Jimmie to do, errands to be run and dust to be kept off the furniture in the office. Lunch time comes around; the girls all chip in and get Jimmie to buy their lunch, but not a minute does he do it without "getting his" in the shape of a generous tip. Soon in he comes with an armful, ginger ale and bananas for himself, ice cream, pickles, crackers and what not for the girls. It is a royal feast and they enjoy it. There is one pretty girl in the office who powders her face too often to suit Jimmie and he consequently chides her about it. She daubs his face with the puff. This is too much for his boyish pride and he decides to get even. He does so, and so do they. It won't spoil your fun to say that Jimmie goes out to buy cigars for his boss and in passing a paint store sees a sign advertising the sale of lampblack. Now you'll say, "I know, the powder box." That, however, isn't all. When you see it you'll have one good, hearty laugh at what the girls did to Jimmie.
- Plodding along, his bag gradually filling with scraps of paper and cloth as he plied his sharp-pointed stick in cranny and nook, Silver Joe formed one of the best known characters in New York, but few realized his sorrows. In his room Joe is sorting out the day's find, when he finds a letter, the handwriting on which carried him back many years. His astonishment caused his companions to ask him what was the matter. As if in a dream, the story came out. How he had been engaged to a beautiful girl and how, on the eve of their wedding day, he had been warned by a friend that his fiancée was to meet an unknown man. He and the friend had spied upon her and witnessed the meeting. Torn by jealousy and too proud to ask for an explanation, he had broken off his engagement and had returned, unread, a letter written by his sweetheart, Viola. At the name of Viola one of the men started forward. He disclosed the fact that he was the man whom Viola had met that night. He was her brother; the meeting with her had to be secret, as he was being pursued for a crime of which he was innocent. Joe could hardly believe him, but the brother produced proof of his statements. Joe goes back to the house where he had picked up the letter. He was too late. Grief and sorrow had crushed the flower of his youth and she was gone. He returns to his boarding house and burns the letter which had come to him too late.
- A pretty white cat is the joy and pride of an old maid known as Aunt Miranda. Every afternoon she sits at the window with a novel and her cat, and incidentally flirts with Jonathan Biggs, a bachelor who occupies a room directly opposite hers, in the house next door. One afternoon Miranda's cat, in company with another feline, gives a high pitched concert on the back fence and rudely disturbs old Biggs' peaceful slumber. He quickly demonstrates his antipathy for cats by shying the heaviest missile he can lay hands on and with good effect, for Miranda's cat falls to the ground with a thud, apparently dead. Not wishing to incur Miranda's enmity, he hastily descends to the yard, places the limp body of the cat in a bag and buries it under a tree a short distance up the road. Two tramps hiding behind the tree silently observe this proceeding and when Biggs leaves, they feverishly dig up the bag thinking it contains a treasure, only to find a dead cat. Meanwhile Miranda has missed her cat and is frantically searching high and low for it. To make matters worse, she catches her niece in the act of eloping with Dick Perkins, whom she berates and drives from the premises. To escape Miranda's wrath, Dick doesn't let the grass grow under his feet. Up the road he passes Biggs, who is returning from the cat burial, and a little farther on Dick comes upon the two tramps and discovers Aunt Miranda's cat, not dead, but alive, having been stunned. With due haste Dick returns the cat to Miranda's house. Suffice it to say she is overjoyed to recover her darling cat; while, on the other hand, Biggs is so startled at the cat's return that he nearly faints. Dick threatens to tell all he knows. Biggs quickly sees the point and induces Miranda to give her consent and blessing to the young couple after which old Biggs pops the question, Miranda accepts him and all ends well.
- Fred Bonsell, a young mining engineer, is sent to Georgia to investigate some mineral property. In a little backwoods settlement he meets Pinkie Floyd and her brother, Bub, who have had very few advantages and readily accept the magazines which Bonsell offers them. The stories and the pictures of the life which they have never seen make them want to improve their condition. Their father won't hear of any improvement and tears one of the magazines to pieces. Yet after much coaxing on Pinkie's part, the father consents to a plan to make some money by raising chickens. The building of the chicken yard is the starting point of a general improvement of the little farm. Fred Bonsell returns to the city with a very warm spot in his heart for the girl and sends books which Pinkie and Bud read from cover to cover. Two years later, Bonsell finds that a remarkable transformation has taken place on the Floyd farm. Neatly painted fences and other improvements have taken the place of the old disorder. Pinkie takes him to see the big chicken yards, but Bonsell spends most of his time looking at Pinkie, who has become a beautiful woman. Bonsell discovers that a hill which was left to Pinkie by her mother has very valuable mineral deposits and informs the girl of her good luck. He informs her at the same time that he loves her.
- Countess Dorothea was plunged into the depths of despair on learning, through her tutor, that her uncle, the Duke, was so set upon her acceptance of Count Sigismund's suit that she was to be taken to the Isle of Sarne and kept there under the watchful eye of the Baroness until she saw things in the proper light. Rebellion being out of the question, Dorothea was forced to submit, but she managed to have her tutor accompany them, hoping thereby to be able to frustrate her uncle's plans. The party arrived on the island, and Dorothea lived in daily fear of the arrival of Count Sigismund. At last, one day her tutor announced the arrival of a yacht. All waited the landing of the expected suitor with varying emotions. Entirely without realizing it, the tutor was at fault, as the boat he had sighted belonged to Peter Seabrooke, who was forced to put into port as his provisions were exhausted. Much to Seabrook's astonishment, he was met at the dock and escorted to the castle with signal honors. Being presented to the Baroness and Dorothea, he was at a loss to understand the former's attitude until he learned of the plot from Dorothea and finally consented to carry out the deception, as the Baroness, never having met Count Sigismund, was completely fooled concerning Seabrooke's identity, and thought him to be the real Sigismund. The intimate association of the young couple had its effect, and when the real Count Sigismund's yacht was sighted, Seabrooke set about seriously to frustrate the plans. Boarding the yacht, he managed to lead Count Sigismund to a deserted part of the island, where he left him securely fastened to a tree, and returned to the island to carry out his own plan. He was in the midst of an explanation to Dorothea when the Count arrived at the castle, having been released by his own men. He attacked Seabrooke furiously but was forced to retreat as Dorothea came to the rescue with the fire hose. On learning that the Duke had arrived, Seabrooke, realizing that the game was up, hastily declared his love for Dorothea and prevailed upon her to fly with him to England, where they could be married and safe from the despotism of the Duke.
- Some very greedy and selfish relatives are all after the failing old Martin Chuzzlewit's money. He is surrounded by all these sycophantic relatives that he truly despises whilst ill, each one only interested in getting their hands on his estate.
- A gentle smile played on the lips of Monseigneur le Prince Gautier de Severac. Inwardly he was debating on the relative merits of poison and the sword as a means of ridding himself of a rival, but Monseigneur le Prince had never been one to take the world into his confidence by allowing his expression to match his thoughts. He was very angry. It was an impossible position he had fallen into. He, a prince of the house of Savoy, had permitted himself to fall in love with a mere actress, and she, instead of praising Heaven for her astounding good fortune, preferred, if there was any truth in rumor, the captain of the Prince's bodyguard to his august self. To test the truth of the rumor, the Prince had lately sent this captain, Jacques Duval, with a note to the actress, and had commanded a faithful spy to dog Duval's heels and note his every action. Monseigneur le Prince looked up as the spy entered. "Well?" At the reception of Mademoiselle Yvette Bordeaux, the Prince enjoyed himself extremely. It pleased him to order Duval about like a lackey in the presence of the woman they both loved. Yvette, who sensed Duval's danger, grew pale with fright. When at length the Prince conceived the brilliant plan of dispatching Duval to Yvette with a necklace, and following close on his officer's heels. Yvette saw his waiting figure outside the door. To save the life of the man she loved, Yvette turned coldly from Duval to the Prince, and begged him to fasten the necklace about her neck himself. He did so, and kissed her. Duval rushed from the room with heart turned to stone. Later in the evening, the assembled company begged Mademoiselle Yvette to prove to them whether she was better in comedy or tragedy. Yvette, in compliance with their request, started to act a little scene of comedy. Just as she finished, a note was brought to her. It was from Duval, and said simply that he was to fight the Prince immediately, that the Prince would certainly kill him, and that he was glad to die. She staggered, nearly fell, and started blindly for the door. The company applauded, and pushed her back. She looked at them dully, "I must go to him. He is dead," she said simply. "Ah," cried the old actor, who had proposed the wager, "It is the very perfection of tragedy." When Yvette at last reached the garden, a shrouded figure was lying on the ground. As she stumbled toward it, it seemed to her that light had left the world forever. She lifted the cloth from the face, and it was the Prince. Then Duval came to her, and the stars came out again, and the moon shone.
- Young Van Bibber is on the way downtown one day when he notices a typical "Weary Wanderer" following him and begging money for something to eat Van Bibber hands him a half dollar. The tramp continues to do this sort of thing for some little time. He is now seen outside a restaurant, begging and again he asks Van Bibber for money, who happens to be going into the place for a meal. He is dragged into the place by Van Bibber who orders them to bring the hungry man a good dinner. A big spread is quickly set before the tramp, who chokes and curses all through the meal as though it were poison. Unable to keep up the deception longer, he starts for the door, but Van Bibber, anticipating his move, calls in a passing policeman. Everybody in the place is now up forming a circle around the thoroughly disgusted tramp, who is compelled to pay for his meal and to tip the waiters with the dollar and a half given him by Van Bibber, who smilingly makes his way through the admiring crowd and out into the street, satisfied that the hungry man was fed.
- When Jane and Margaret's father died, the two sisters found themselves without a cent in the world. Jane, a helplessly inefficient girl, would soon have succumbed to the force of adverse circumstances, but Margaret was made of different stuff. So, while Jane stayed at home and wept, Margaret went out, took a position as stenographer, and supported the little family. In the course of time, Jane married. If she had married a man with even a moderately respectable salary, Margaret might have been relieved of some portion of her burden. Instead, Jane married a sallow youth with an insecure salary of fifteen dollars a week, and small prospects of advancement. Shortly after Jane's marriage, Margaret met Edward McBride, a wealthy man whose life was devoted to the untiring pursuit of pleasure. The strength of Margaret's character, her fearlessness, her common sense, all so different from the qualities he had observed in the women of his acquaintance, aroused a keen interest in the jaded millionaire. For two weeks he showered her with attentions. Then suddenly he was called to Europe. He bade Margaret farewell, and asked her to wait for him, and the girl promised. After McBride left, the old dreary round closed in again about Margaret. Jane's husband died, and the helpless widow was left penniless with two children to care for. To meet the necessities forced upon her, Margaret moved to a distant city, lured by the promise of more remunerative work. She wrote bright, cheerful letters to Jane, and stinted herself to send her sister the money she required. Meanwhile McBride had turned back to the gay life from which Margaret had temporarily distracted him. At last, after ten more years of revel had gone to his wasted account, he realized, with a sudden sickening of heart, all he had missed, and resolved to go back to Margaret and try to build his life anew. On the night before he returned, Margaret, sick and faint, climbed to her dreary tenement and sat down at the dingy little table. Present and future alike were hopeless. She was too tired to work anymore, and the man she loved would never come back. In the morning when McBride and Jane came into the tenement, Margaret was still sitting at the table. So natural was her pose that for a moment they thought she was still alive.
- There are few of us who cannot remember the time our old "family doctor," gray whiskered and bespectacled, came gravely into the room, looked at our tongues, felt our pulses, gave us eight grains of quinine, admonished our mothers to keep the doors and windows closed. This film tells the story of one of these hard-headed old doctors, grown old in his native village, snug and content with his methods, refusing to accept the new and better theories; his patients believing in him only because he has gotten to be a habit. Old Dr. Fogg takes his son into partnership in his practice. The young doctor is of the new school and tries hard to teach his father the value of latter-day methods, but without avail. While he is out on a call one of the doctor's patients has a relapse and the son answers the call. He sees at once the error in his father's treatment, and immediately throws open the windows, discards the old-fashioned nauseous doses and replaces them with a light tonic. The patient, a pretty girl, takes on the young doctor's cheerfulness at once and begins to recover. A plan is laid to save the old doctor's feelings and at the same time take advantage of his son's more effective treatment. His medicines are brought and the windows closed during his visits, only to be changed again at his departure. The patient waxes strong and a love story is developed between her and the young doctor. In a pathetic scene the old doctor is told of the subterfuge, but is broad enough to see the error of the old way and the story ends with his quiet retirement, leaving the practice in his son's hands.
- At the outbreak of the Civil War Colonel Dabney is given command of a regiment of Georgia Infantry. He leaves his home and his two daughters. Virginia and Georgiana, in charge of his old majordomo, Uncle Wash, and starts for the front. A year later he is killed in action and his body brought home and buried in the little family burying ground. The action of the war sweeps southward, and Virginia and her young sister find themselves deserted by all their slaves and servants except faithful old Wash. A foraging party of Union soldiers, very much the worse for liquor, appear and demand entrance, Uncle Wash bravely resists them, but they brutally overpower him, and using him as a battering ram, burst in the door. Then ensues a scene of looting in which the soldiers appropriate everything of value. One of them starts to seize Virginia, and poor old Wash in trying to rescue his mistress is roughly thrown to the floor, but Georgiana, seeing Virginia's peril, shoots down her assailant. This enrages his comrades and they start for the girls, when they are interrupted by the entrance of Captain Percy and a squad of Union soldiers. Percy clears out the house and placing two guards at the door, assures Virginia that she will not be molested further. As he is about to leave he faints, the exertion having opened an old wound. Virginia has him put to bed and nurses him during a serious illness. Percy falls desperately in love with his lovely nurse, but she remains true to her colors and will not notice a mere "Yank." Virginia and her sister are busily engaged mending a Confederate flag, which was torn by the foraging party, when Georgiana drops the needle. Captain Percy enters the room and seeing them searching for the lost needle, offers his assistance, which is hastily declined. Percy is finally obliged to return to his regiment. Before leaving he declares his love to Virginia. To Uncle Wash, however, he manages to give money to care for her, and also a farewell note in which he promises to return for her after the war. When the war is over, true to his promise, Captain Percy does return, and this time he has little trouble in making her surrender to a "Yank."
- When Bob and Frank went down to the beach to spend their summer vacation, and met Colonel Fairfield's two daughters, they both felt very sorry that they were not rich. For the Colonel, although in all respects a very fine man, had too much regard for his daughter's future welfare to allow him even to countenance the idea of giving either of them to a man not properly able to support them. Since the Colonel was a man who always believed in saying exactly what he thought, he made no bones about telling the young men exactly where they stood. The next evening, as Bob and Frank were sitting by their camp fire, they saw a small sloop with an old man at the wheel, plunging heavily in the breakers, a few hundred yards from shore. They signaled to him to come in, but he refused with a shake of the head. The next morning, there was no sign of the sloop, but there was wreckage on the beach, and in it the boys found a paper written in Spanish. They submitted this paper to a Cuban beachcomber, named Mendez. He read a portion of it aloud, and then stopped, claiming that he could not understand it. Luckily, one of the Fairfield girls could read Spanish. They showed the paper to her, and to their astonishment discovered that it revealed the location of treasure buried some distance down the beach. For the excitement of the thing, the young people went to the given location and started digging. After a time, they unearthed a chest. Just as they discovered that it was filled with gold pieces, Mendez and a couple of villainous compatriots appeared in a launch. The Cuban and his companions were armed, and after a useless attempt at flight, there seemed nothing left to do but surrender the treasure. But fortunately, just at this moment, Colonel Fairfield came on the scene in a powerful steam launch and Mendez fled. The Colonel was at first very angry, but the sight of the treasure caused him to modify his wrath, and somewhat change his attitude toward the young men.
- Vance Coleman fully makes up his mind to marry Olive, and while Madame Forresti is dining with her spiritual advisor, the Bishop, Vance tells her of his resolve. The Madame and His Lordship caution Vance against marrying so wild and ungovernable a creature. Olive overhears them and on the impulse of the moment decides to leave, as she is a source of trouble and is anxious to earn her own living. Frivolous society lady Mrs. March sees Olive wandering along with her monkey and violin, and thinking the gypsy would be a novelty for a social entertainment, offers Olive a home in her establishment. Mr. March, an elderly man, is a lover of books and the fireside. His tastes are so divergent from those of his wife that quarrels are the frequent result. Olive soon feels how a separation will be the issue of this discordance. Freddie Carrington, a silly society idol, imagines Mrs. March unhappy and makes love to her, which she gradually permits, and they finally agree to elope. To balk this scheme. Olive, at the moment that suits her purpose, snuggles up into Mr. March's arms, with the excuse that a mote is in her eyes. The old man unconsciously tries to help her. Mrs. March appears in the doorway, and sees this seeming-compromising position. With rage, she seizes Olive by the collar, literally throws her out of the house and then returns to her husband to whom she begins to administer the little attentions that Olive had taught her. Olive window appears at the grinning, gladdened of having brought the silly wife back to her husband's arms.
- When Harry Wallace, coming home late at night, discovered a burglar in the act of rifling his father's safe, he disregarded the advice of the two young men who accompanied him, and instead of handing the man over to the police, he decided to give him another chance and offered the surprised burglar the position of butler in the house. When the other young men protested against his foolish trust in the man, Harry proposed a novel test of their own characters. He proposed that each of them put $200 in a certain safe in order to see how long they could resist the temptation of taking it. When Harry made this proposal, he knew that his father's savings bank, in which his companions' money was deposited, would be obliged to suspend payment for a few days. He suspected that McClure and Bennett might fall in need of money, and he was curious to see how much resistance they would offer to temptation. A few days later, the bank closed. At about the same time, Harry's mother was taken very ill, and the doctor advised the family that a change of climate was the only thing that could save her life. Bert McClure, one of the young men who had made the wager, was nipped badly in a drop of the stock market, and put in desperate need of funds for more margin. Ralph Bennett, the other young man, lost a $500 payroll of which he was in charge. On the evening following the closing of the bank, several shadowy figures entered the drawing room of the Wallace home. When the lights were turned on, Harry Wallace, his father, his sister, Bert McClure, Ralph Bennett, his sweetheart Helen Wright, and Saunders,the butler, were discovered. The safe was open and the money gone. An intensely dramatic scene followed. A policeman was called and each of the people in the room confessed, for various reasons that he or she was the guilty party. Finally, Hetty Wallace produced the money, and confessed that she had taken it to save her brother from temptation. A telegram to Mr. Wallace, containing news that led to an announcement on his part that the bank would open in the morning, cleared matters up, and Harry Wallace decided to leave well enough alone from then on.
- Boyd and Coleman were sitting in Boyd's private office in Pine Street when the phone rang. Boyd picked up the receiver and heard the following: "Boyd, come quick, help, they'll kill me." Then came the sound of a falling body and all was still. After considerable difficulty Boyd and Coleman finally located the place where the message came from, and there they found Smith, the head bookkeeper for Hersey and Company, lying on the floor in a pool of blood. However, the man was not dead, so upon his recovery, he told of a man that looked like Mr. Hersey, the banker, who had ordered him to hand over certain bonds and cash, but, upon Smith's discovering his mistake, this crook had beaten him into unconsciousness. Everybody believed Smith's story, with one exception, Boyd. He had noticed that the man's pulse was regular, and that fact made him suspicious. However, he had Smith taken to his home, outside of which he kept watch. That night, Smith came out, and. followed by Boyd, made a trip to a house in the suburbs. Boyd, looking through a convenient window, discovered Wykoff, the master criminal, and his band, dividing the loot with Smith. Entering by another window, he held them up, but was frustrated by another crook, who came late to the rendezvous. At that minute, Coleman, for whom Boyd had sent before, entered. However, in the interval, Wyckoff managed to get away, but his band, including Smith, were grabbed.
- The feud between the Hargroves and the Buckners, like many other similar feuds, began over a mere trifle, and gradually grew in fury until Viney, on the one side, and Ben Buckner, on the other were the only survivors. Ben had been sent away to school before the feud had culminated, whereas Viney had remained in the mountains with Lige, a clansman of the Hargroves, who swore to her dying mother that when she was old enough to "tote a bear gun" and if there was a Buckner living, he would help her find him. A number of years later. Ben Buckner returned to investigate his heritage. His meeting with Viney, the wood nymph, at Eagle Rock, came as a distinct surprise, and led to developments which he least expected. It so happened that Lige had likewise seen him as he made his way through the mountain trails, and recognizing in him a member of the hated Buckner clan, he urged Viney to join him in his hunt. She did so, without realizing that Ben was the object of the expedition. They failed to locate the intruder, but several days later, when Ben visited the cabin which Viney had pointed out from a distance, a shot rang out and Ben Buckner fell. Horrified at the result of her marksmanship Viney did all she could for the wounded man, and upon his recovery, the sheriff was called in to perform the ceremony, which wiped out the longstanding feud between the Hargroves and the Buckner's, and brought peace to the hills and valleys, which owned both factions as masters.
- Uncle Hiram is the oldest resident of the village, and has appointed himself public censor. To this end he institutes the "skunk list," to which he adds from day to day the names of those who trespass beyond his ideas of the lines of proper decorum. One day Jimmie Long is playing marbles, when a boy considerably older attempts to take them from him. Jimmie resents this and in the fight that follows, he lays his opponent low by striking him with a club. Uncle Hiram seeing this, though not knowing the cause, puts Jimmie on the skunk list as a coward. All pleas are in vain, and when his sweetheart scorns him, Jimmie is heartbroken. He can't eat and at night his bed is surrounded by goblins who jeer at him in fiendish glee for being a coward. Jimmie resolves to redeem his good name and to this end proceeds to lick most of the boys in the village. But Uncle Hiram refuses to erase his name. Jimmie rescues a puppy, which a man is about to drown. Again Uncle Hiram refuses. Finally Jimmie is passing Jones' barn, when some boys rush out, telling him the barn is on fire, and that one of their number was unable to escape. Jimmie goes into the burning barn, finds the boy, but is unable to drag him out and is also overcome. He is rescued in the nick of time and carried home, seriously burned. Through all his pain he has but one thought, he must see Uncle Hiram. Uncle Hiram is brought from the fire, where he is directing the volunteer department, to Jimmie's bedside, and Jimmie repeats his plea to have his name erased. This time Uncle Hiram relents and not only takes Jimmie's name from the skunk list, but adds it to the list of heroes, such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
- Fresh air being ordered by the family physician, a young man takes his infirm father to the country, where he engages a furnished cottage next door to Judge Porter, who is the owner. It so happens that the young man and the judge's beautiful daughter were schoolmates and their renewed friendship soon develops into love, much to the judge's displeasure. The courtship continues nevertheless, and the lovers are frequently seen under a large peach tree, which grows between the two houses. As the judge prizes the tree very highly, his anger is thoroughly aroused when he catches the young man plucking the fruit and a warm dispute follows. Later, however, the judge relents and writes a note of apology, regretting his outburst of anger, and also stating that the young man is welcome to anything that falls on his side of the fence. These last words are the means of bringing the lovers together, for when the young lady falls on the other side of the fence in an attempt to pluck some peaches, the young man promptly picks her up, claiming her as his own, and proving his claim by the judge's own handwriting. The judge sees the point and gives them his blessing.
- Kathleen wishes to marry her sweetheart Terence, but Bernard, the local squire takes a fancy to her and wants to wed her. Kathleen accepts his proposal and the two are married. The rich squire soon tires of his peasant wife, and when a rich woman comes along, he makes plans to get rid of Kathleen.
- The village Squire with designs on a village maiden has her suitor falsely imprisoned. " Charles Reade who wrote this book in 1856 so exposed the prevailing conditions in English prisons that he is generally credited with being responsible for the present reforms. Queen Victoria after reading this work, demanded to know if such brutalities were being performed in her name and ordered an investigation which brought about the universally high standard prevailing today."
- The little daughter of a professor forgets that she has attained that age when love affairs are the thing and forbids her to associate with the young man she is in love with. He gives her money to buy a new hat. When it reaches the professor, he puts it under the pump and pours water on it, thinking that it is a bunch of flowers the young man sent her. When the young people reach the house, the girl asks for the hat she bought. The professor tells her what he did. She begins crying, and eager to get out of a bad scrape, he comes to terms with the young man.
- The Pickwick Club sends Mr. Pickwick and a group of friends to travel across England and to report back on the interesting things they find. In the course of their travels, they repeatedly encounter the friendly but disreputable Mr. Jingle, who becomes a continual source of trouble for all who know him. Pickwick himself is the victim of a number of misunderstandings that bring him both embarrassment and problems with the law.
- Ebenezer Burke and Jeremiah Briggs are in the same line of business in the small city of Bedford. Julia Burke has become fascinated with a traveling salesman and she receives court from him against her father's wishes. They plan an elopement, but their plan is frustrated by Briggs, who asserts that it is his business to protect her, even if he is her father's rival. While out driving with his family, Briggs sees the salesman waiting in a secluded spot with a buggy. Becoming suspicions at once, he stops and watches him. He soon sees Julia coming with a suitcase and his suspicions are confirmed. Jumping out of his carriage, he rushes over to the buggy and seizes the girl. The salesman attempts to interfere but Briggs thrusts him aside and Julia is taken back home in the Briggs equipage, dissolved in tears. Burke is wild with rage at this interference on the part of his rival and he decides that the meddlesome old codger has gone too far entirely. Early next morning Burke is at his store waiting for the appearance of Briggs. When he arrives the climax is reached. Into the back yard of Briggs' store they go and fight it out in true country style. Both "winded," they realize that they are a couple of old fools and a reconciliation takes place. They join hands and fight the appearance of a new store.
- Eccles, a profligate old drunkard, is the father of two beautiful girls, Esther and Polly. George D'Alroy, a young officer in the British Army who is infatuated with Esther, brings his friend, Captain Hawtree, to call. The captain is greatly taken with the lively Polly, who makes him carry the teakettle about and generally dance attendance on her to the emphatic disgust of Sam Garridge, an ardent suitor for Polly's hand. Meanwhile Esther shows George a letter from an impresario offering her an engagement on the stage. The offer seems a veritable godsend to the girl, but she changes her mind when George asks her to be his wife instead. A few months after they are married, George receives the unpleasant news that he must sail for India with his regiment. Owing to her ultra-aristocratic ideas, George has not dared to tell his mother, the Marchioness D'Alroy, that he has married a girl of common origin, and he is in a quandary as to what provision he should make for Esther. The farewell scene between husband and wife at D'Alroy's city residence is broken by the appearance of the aristocratic mother, come to bid her son Godspeed on his way. Her astonishment and disgust may be imagined when a lowly ballet girl is introduced as her son's wife. To cap the climax, old Eccles, in his customary state of saturation, enters and greets his newly discovered relative. The Marchioness departs in a huff, refusing to recognize her daughter-in-law, and George sails for India. Shortly after his arrival he is seriously wounded in an engagement and the news of his death is sent to England. Esther, with her young baby, leaves her husband's house and goes back to her family. Here she is soon in destitute circumstances. Old Eccles, sniffling with pity over his sad fate, soon spends all her money and then steals the necklace of his "poo lil grandson." The Marchioness calls and haughtily offers to take the child and give Esther an allowance. To Eccles' horrified disgust, Esther indignantly refuses to be separated from her child. Happily enough D'Alroy is not really dead. He returns home and effects a reconciliation between aristocracy and democracy, which gives the picture a highly satisfactory finish.
- Among a group of little girls dancing to a street piano, one attracts the attention of a sweet, old master of the art of dancing, and he gives her tickets to the theater and her first opportunity of seeing professional work in this line. When, after a lapse of some few years, he returns to the town, he finds that she has gone to work in the braid mill, but that her heart is still filled with the love of the poetry of motion and her work is a terrible drudgery in consequence. The old man's heart is touched and on talking with the girl he finds that her mother has convinced her that dancing is a sin, consequently he presents his side of the argument, telling her that the gift is not one to be despised, but to be cultivated, and going to her home he makes her dance before her aunt and finally her mother. The latter, who had known dancing only of the cruder sort, sees in her daughter's movement a beauty and simplicity, which opens her eyes to the possibilities of this art, and when the old man presents his plea for its cultivation. She gives her consent. Of course, the little girl with her heart in her work, becomes a the artist, and it is not difficult to see that the son of the old dancing master, himself a disciple of the art, will be likely to share her joy in her chosen work.
- At her death, Lady Barrington, whose dissolute habits had caused her to break with her husband, placed Robert, one of her twin sons, in the charge of Father Journet, who apprenticed him to old Jacques, the clock maker. Several years later, Robert, having fallen into bad habits, became associated with a band of anarchists and was chosen, by lot, to kill Chevalier de Lausan, the Minister of the Interior. At the same time the Chevalier became incensed at the dissolute conduct of young de Brissac, and an open quarrel took place, in which the Chevalier forbade Claude to pay further attentions to his daughter, Mademoiselle Clarice. On issuing from the house, after the scene, the Chevalier was shot down on his very doorstep and the gendarmes arrived on the scene just as Claude came upon the body. Seeing him standing there with the revolver in his hand, they at once arrested him on the charge of murder. There was, however, a witness of the crime. Louis Norton, from her house across the street, saw the whole thing, but, to her horror, the culprit was the perfect image of Richard, her sweetheart. Realizing that young de Brissac was entirely innocent of the crime, she appealed to Richard to clear him. Richard, however, was completely puzzled by the whole thing and could do nothing. Driven to desperation, Lois went to the Cardinal to appeal to him to save Claude and to ask for advice. After telling him what she had witnessed, she gave him a locket which had been given her by Richard. On opening the locket, the Cardinal was truck with the resemblance of the enclosed portrait with that in a locket given him by Lady Barrington several years before. Realizing that he held the threads of the mystery in his hands, the Cardinal took Lois with him and visited the shop of Old Jacques. Her recognition of the real culprit was immediate. On her accusation, the detectives attempted to take Robert in charge, but he broke away and escaped. In the chase one of the detectives came face to face with Richard, and, arresting him, took him to the station, where the Cardinal and Lois awaited them. More complications were added by this last episode, when suddenly the other detective entered and announced the capture of Robert, who had been killed in resisting arrest. The mystery of the twin brothers then came out and de Brissac and Richard were liberated, to the great joy of their respective sweethearts.
- Chollie and George compete for a young woman's affection, using trickery and sabotage.
- Hungry Bill lies down on a public park bench for a nap, when the noise of an automobile brings him to his feet. Approaching the auto, he tells the occupant, a lady, his sad tale of woe, who recognizes him as her long lost brother. Inviting him to ride in her auto, she drives to her banker, where she identifies him as the missing heir of her family and accordingly the banker supplies him with a large amount of money to meet his immediate wants. He loses no time in buying the best outfit of wearing apparel he can find and becomes a howling swell. Finally he decides to indulge in a Turkish bath and hiring a taxi, is swiftly whirled to the desired establishment, where he presents the masseur with a handful of money, demanding the best treatment possible, when he suddenly wakes up to find himself on a bench in the park and a rude policeman ordering him to move on.
- When the directors of the bank decided the institution needed a more progressive hand at the helm, they elected Bruce Canfield president in place of Caleb Worth, they gave old Caleb his heaviest blow. His life had been spent in the service of the bank, and as a reward, was thrown out into the world, too old to make a fresh start in life. The directors had not meant to be unfair. Caleb was old, and from their view, past his period of usefulness. Bruce Canfield was young. The bank needed young blood. There was only one answer to the situation. Winifred, Caleb's daughter, and Canfield had been very good friends. In fact, they were engaged. When Bruce took old Caleb's place, Grace promptly refused to marry him. The next year old Caleb vainly tried to find a new position. He could not afford to retire, and was too old to learn new tricks, and for a time there was desperately hard sledding. Winifred tried to help by giving piano lessons. Her sadness was changed to acute misery. One day, he sighted Canfield, out walking with his stenographer. Caleb, discovering his daughter's fondness for the latter, sacrificed his pride for her sake. The bank, after a year of the new progressive policy, was on the verge of ruin. When the young president submitted his first annual report, he was obliged to confess that affairs were in bad shape. While the horrified directors were discussing the situation, Caleb appeared and told a few things they had forgotten. Youth and progress were well enough in their way, but when things come to a pinch, it was well to fall back on wisdom and experience. Caleb made good his words, saved the bank, and restored the humiliated Canfield to Winifred.
- Old Dr. Morton has been practicing in a little village for over forty years. This, his little world, is bound on the north by the woolen mills, on the south by Widow Jones' chicken farm, on the west by the quiet, sluggish river that cuts its way into the unknown, behind a cluster of woods, and on the east by Bill Cumming's pig sty. Within these boundaries lies the village of Centerville and the kind old doctor never dreamed that his boy, who had just graduated from a medical college in the great city, would aspire to anything higher, thinking he would be quite willing to come back home and take up his practice when night calls and weary watching by the sick would become too much for him. But youth and love climb higher than old age and gray hair and it is no small wonder that his son meets a woman he loves, in the great city. But when the boy told his father of his hopes and bright prospects, he could not help but see behind the sad, kind eye, a look of disappointment, and when at night he found the entry in his diary telling him of all it meant to the dear old man, he realized what he owed to the man who had worked day and night by the sick and dying in order that he might become what he is. So at last he takes from his old worn hand the medical case and goes forth to help those whom his father had loved and known for forty years. He gives up his high ambition and after a battle, the woman he loves, fully believing that she would not consent to become the wife of a simple country doctor. He had, however, failed to take into consideration the greatness of her love, and only realized it when, on returning home one evening, he finds her in his father's garden with the words upon her lips: "Where you are there is my world also. It is the happiest and the best I shall ever want."
- It was just one hundred years ago that the national anthem of the United States came into existence. In this film we have attempted to present the dramatic events which led to its creation, in a realistic and accurate manner. When the combined military and naval forces of the British were threatening Washington during the fall of 1814, President Madison, fearing for the safety of the Declaration of Independence, sent it, in the care of Captain Potter, his aide, to the commandant of Fort McHenry at Baltimore. On his way to Baltimore, Potter stopped at the house of Dr. Beanes. While they were at dinner, a British reconnoitering party, consisting of General Ross and his aides, invested the house. Potter and Helen Beanes took refuge behind a secret panel in the dining room. From this position, Potter heard General Ross say that Baltimore would be attacked by land and sea within two days. To save Dr. Beanes from torture when the Captain's hat was discovered. Potter jumped from his hiding place, and, after holding the British officers at the point of his pistol, escaped. Dr. Beanes was taken aboard the British cartel ship, while Potter delivered his mission and warning of the British attack to the commandant of Fort McHenry. Helen Beanes appealed to President Madison to help her father, and the President sent one of his aides, and a certain Francis Scott Key to interview Admiral Cockburn. Admiral Cockburn agreed to release the doctor, but insisted that both Americans should remain aboard the cartel ship "Minden" until the forthcoming battle was over. So Key was forced to watch the long bombardment of Fort McHenry throughout the long night. "The rockets' red glare; The bombs bursting in air; Gave proof through the night; That our flag was still there." But towards morning, the fire of the fort slackened, and Key feared it had surrendered. His feelings, when the first rays of the sun fell on the fluttering flag are embodied in the great song he wrote for his country.
- This is the story of an old musician and his little daughter. Beginning when they play and sing in the saloons together, passing through the time when she is a coon shouter in a popular priced theater and then under his careful training becomes a good concert singer, she finally accepts an offer of a leading role in a big production in a large city. This, of course, leaves the old father alone as he cannot travel with her and at their parting she gives him some money to take care of him until the first salary day comes around. As he turns from the railroad station he is followed by two men who have noticed the money. By the river's edge they attack him, take the money and put him, unconscious, into a small boat, which is shoved off into the stream. At Rest Haven he is cared for by fisher folk who find him, but he has lost his memory and all idea of who he is or where he belongs. The singer is fairly beside herself because she can get no word and finally employs a detective to trace him. The years roll by and the great singer comes for a vacation to Rest Haven and is asked to sing at a benefit concert for the Old Men's Home. The detective, coming there, tells her that his search is over, that he has exhausted every resource and failed to find her father. Later, among the fisher folk, he sees one who resembles the picture which he had. He questions him but the old man can tell him nothing of his past and so he invites him to the concert. Thus the father is brought face to face with his daughter, but while something in his mind puzzles him, he is unable to place her until she sings an old song which he taught her. Then, of course, recognition comes, and his mind is restored to him.
- We see the meeting of Lizzie, the progress of her love for Wrayburn, the introduction to Bradley Headstone and his growing jealousy, Lizzie's escape from London and attempt to hide herself so that Wrayburn shall not find her. We see the little doll's dressmaker, her friend, give Wrayburn the address. We see him find her, followed by Headstone and finally Headstone's attack upon Wrayburn and the lock-keeper, whose suspicions have been aroused by Headstone's dress, which is a duplicate of his own, following him and witnessing the crime. We see Lizzie's rescue of the unconscious Wrayburn as he goes down the river with the tide. Headstone's terrible death as he and the lock-keeper struggle beside the canal and eventually, locked in each other's embrace, plunge in together. And last of all, we see Wrayburn's awakening to the fact that he really loves the girl and there is a happy ending.
- Old Stephen Clark had two children, John and Margaret. Margaret, like the little princess of a fairy story, was as good as she was pretty. John was different. His over-indulgent father had always allowed him to do just about as he pleased. As a result, John had become a member of one of the worst gangs in the city. On one occasion, when John, to win the praises of his fellows, had planned a robbery of a valuable consignment of laces, Margaret learned of his intentions, and followed him to the building in which the goods were stored. Through John's carelessness with a cigarette, a fire was started. Margaret was hemmed in by flames. In a cowardly effort to save his own life at any cost, John left his sister to her fate and fled. On the street, he met Frank Henley, his father's assistant. Learning of Margaret's danger from the trembling John, Frank plunged into the burning building and rescued her. A week later, Margaret promised Frank that she would marry him. Some time afterward, Frank was engaged to make some repairs on the great clock which towered above the city, four hundred sheer feet from the pavement. He was paid an ample bonus before starting in to work, and John learning of the fact, determined to rob his sister's fiancé. Frank got out on the hour hand of the clock at a little before three. A few minutes later, John stole up to the room behind the clock fence. A search of Frank's coat convinced him that the victim must have left the money at home. To keep Frank safely out of the way, John softly shut and locked the little door leading out to the fact of the clock. At quarter of four, Frank had finished his work, and turned to leave. His horror when he discovered that the door was locked may be imagined. With the hour hand in its present position, he could just comfortably get enough of a grip on the door sill to clamber up. In half an hour at the most he would be unable to reach the door at all, and must inevitably fall to the street. Meanwhile, John had found Frank's money, and also a watch. As he noticed the position of the hands on the watch, he suddenly remembered where Frank was. John dropped the money and looked at the hour hand with fascinated eyes. After a time, he became suddenly and horribly mad. When Margaret went up to see her sweetheart, and found the door locked, she was alarmed. When she wrenched it open and looked down, she nearly fainted. John had grained a temporary respite at ten minutes past four by climbing on the minute hand. Ten minutes later, he was hanging to the doorsill by his fingertips. Another minute would launch him into space. Just as he was about to let go, Margaret seized his hand, and with a superhuman effort pulled him up to safety.
- Old Jim nearly causes the downfall of himself and his son, who is boss in a quarry and who falls in love with Amy, daughter of Pearson, his employer. Pearson refuses to accept Old Jim's son. This makes Old Jim do better and he is able, when the chance comes to save Pearson's youngest daughter from the danger, of a big blast at the risk of his life. This changes the face of the matter and gives a happy ending.
- When Major Thorndyke's illness became acute, and he felt that the end was not far off, he acted on a thought he had long held in his mind. Leaving a small income to Belden, the son whose wild ways had saddened and embittered the old man's declining years, he provided, in his will, that the bulk of his property should fall to Marjorie, his grandniece. Shortly afterward the Major died. The search which was made for the will it was known he had drawn up was unsuccessful and the entire estate fell to Belden as the lawful heir. Shortly after his father's death, Belden asked Marjorie to marry him, but the girl refused. There was only one man in the world she loved, and that man, Lieutenant Edward Preble, U.S.N., had lately been ordered to sea. Rather than remain longer at Thorndyke Manor as a helpless dependent, she determined to seek her own living in the city. But earning her own living was not easy for the untrained girl. The end of a few months found her ill and starving in a dingy tenement house. In the kindly neighbors who came to her rescue, she recognized Terence, the Major's late groom, and his mother. Terence shocked at the pitiful case of Miss Marjorie, was filled with a sudden suspicion. He had witnessed a new will and he remembered that he had seen Belden looking at it a few days before the Major's death. So Terence went to Belden and asked him why Marjorie had been left in such poverty. Under pretense of discussing the matter, Belden lured Terence out to the old estate and pushed him over a cliff. Terence was stunned and badly bruised by the fall, but not killed. In a semi-conscious condition, he was found by Lieutenant Preble just returned from his cruise. Preble heard the man's story, and instantly went with him to confront the guilty Belden. Face to face with the man he thought he had killed, Belden lost his nerve, and with trembling hands gave Preble the will he had stolen. Preble took it to Marjorie, and a new era dawned for Thorndyke Hall.
- John Farley and his wife were in very comfortable circumstances. They owned their own little farm and, as a result, were able to live very nicely on John's income as a railroad switchman, and to put money in the bank as well. The one great drawback to the farm, was the fact that it was so far from the tower in which John worked. Tired out from his long day's work, John was frequently nearly exhausted when he had finished the long walk home. As a surprise to her husband, Mrs. Farley one day took the money she had saved up, and bought a second-hand automobile. After that, John Farley always rode to and from his work. One day, a note was brought to Farley telling him that Flood the other operator, was sick, and unable to go on duty. Farley sent word to his wife that he would not be able to come home, and settled down for an additional eight hours on his station. Just as Mrs. Farley came down to bring her husband his dinner, a message came over the wire directing Farley to sidetrack train No. 49 in order to make way for the President's Special. Before she left, Farley happened to mention to his wife that No. 49 had been chartered for a picnic party. After his wife had gone, the overworked Farley fell asleep. He was awakened by the roar of a passing train, No. 49. It was too late to do anything, and the agonized man realized that nothing could prevent a terrible catastrophe. Mrs. Farley, at home, saw the passing train, noticed the children waving flags, and in a moment of utter horror, realized what had happened. There was only one thing to do. Jumping into the automobile, she raced after the flying train. A long road lay alongside of the railroad track, and down this she tore, the little automobile straining every fiber to overhaul its gigantic rival. Meanwhile John, out of his senses with the horror of it all, paced up and down the switch tower, picturing the terrible scene which must result when the two fast trains met each other in head-on collision. But the miracle happened. Nellie reached a crossing before the excursion train, and forced it to stop. Acting on her frenzied commands, the engineer backed the train down to the siding just in time. The President's Special tore by and Nellie rushed in to carry a message of incredulous joy to the crazed man inside the switch tower.
- The only thing in the world old Grouchy, the stage-door keeper at the Zephyr Theater cared about was his little granddaughter, Dolly. Dolly loved the theater. The music, the bright lights, and, above all, the beautiful dresses worn by the actresses, filled her with delight. One day Dolly heard Paul, a boy actor, who played the part of a little girl, complaining bitterly upon the distastefulness of his task. His masculine sense of superiority was offended by the necessity of wearing girl's clothes. Dolly heard him and was astonished. It seemed absolutely incredible to her that anybody should object to the inestimable privilege of wearing the beautiful dresses assigned to Paul's part. That evening the leading lady was late for the second act. Making up hastily, she forgot to remove her jewels, until she was on her way to the stage. Since there was no time to take them back to her dressing room, she put them in the first object that presented itself, the coat of Paul's costume, which was hanging on the wall of another room. That night when she had finished, the actress went home, completely forgetting all about the jewels. That same evening Dolly stole into Paul's dressing room and abstracted his clothes. She ingenuously argued that since he did not want them, there could be no possible harm in her taking them. The next afternoon she arrayed herself in the clothes and set out for a walk. Shortly after she had left, the actress remembered her jewels. When she went to look for them, and discovered that the coat was missing, she insisted on an immediate clearing up of the mystery. When Dolly came back from her walk she was just in time to extricate her grandfather from the embarrassing position, the finding of some of the clothes in the closet where Dolly had hidden them, had placed him.
- The mining community of Bear Track Gulch must adapt its ways when it receives its first female visitor.
- Part 1. Arthur Wardlaw, the son of a rich London merchant, graduates from Oxford heavily in debt from gambling. Under a plea of lending his tutor, Robert Penfold, money, he forges his father's name to a check for a large amount drawn to Robert's order, getting the latter to cash it and gives him the amount above the loan. The crime is laid to Robert, and as Arthur fails to help him he is sentenced to five years' servitude in exile. Arthur is engaged to marry Helen Rolleston, the daughter of General Rolleston. Part 2. Robert Penfold, under another name, is a convict on parole in Australia. Arthur Wardlaw, who has involved the firm of Wardlaw & Son by speculation, arranges to have a ship belonging to the firm scuttled for the insurance. Through a strange series of happenings Helen, Arthur's fiancée, sails on this very ship and Robert saves her. They are cast on an uninhabited island. Part 3. General Rolleston arriving in London finds to his horror that his daughter, Helen, has been wrecked at sea. He starts to search the ocean for her. Meantime Robert and Helen are living happily on their island and a mutual love has sprung up. Robert has dispatched a number of wild ducks with messages attached giving their location. Through one of these the general finds them. In the closing scene, an unusually strong one, Arthur is confronted with his double villainy, a great wrong is righted and Robert Penfold comes into his own.
- The fatalism of ages was apparent in little Foomi's slow nod when Paul told her that he would have to seek a wife among his own people. Their love affair had been watched by Oshimo, who swore vengeance upon the young officer. With this object in view, he sent a note, purporting to come from Foomi, asking Paul to meet her in the garden tea house for a last goodbye. This note fell into the hands of one of Paul's comrades, who decided to keep the rendezvous in Paul's stead. He had no sooner entered the tea house when Oshimo sprang upon him and stabbed him to death. Foomi witnessed the crime, and as Oshimo dragged his victim into the garden, she picked up the broken hilt of a dagger and followed him. Startled by approaching footsteps, Oshimo dropped the body at the gate, and as Fate would have it, Paul issued just at that moment, and as he stooped to examine the corpse, was surprised and arrested by several soldiers who were passing. The blood stains upon his hands and his known enmity for the dead officer went hard with him at the trial. He was about to be sentenced when Foomi rushed in and proclaimed her own guilt, showing the broken dagger hilt as proof. Paul was thoroughly convinced of the girl's innocence and tried to interest the doctor in her case to no avail. They were in the midst of a heated argument, when a little Japanese girl forced her way into the room and threw herself at their feet. To all questions, she would only answer, "Foomi is innocent." Despairing of getting anything more out of her, Paul and the doctor decided to follow her. She led them to the garden tea house and upon entering, they found the body of Oshimo and a confession of his guilt. The two men quickly secured Foomi's release, and a new day dawned for her when Paul assured her of his love and of his intention to marry her.
- When Octavius received a letter signed by Professor Harper, asking him to come out to his country residence to solve a mystery, he felt greatly flattered. When he arrived at the Harper home, the Professor explained that for the past two weeks, somebody had been regularly stealing from his collection of antiquities. Warning the professor to say nothing of his presence in the house, Octavius settled himself in the room with the curios and waited. While he was waiting, the professor received a telegram reminding him of an important engagement in the city that evening. In the excited hurry of departure, the professor completely forgot about Octavius. Thus it happened that when a mysterious female glided into the curio room, and abstracted a few more of the professor's relics, and when Octavius, starting to pursue her, knocked over a few antique busts, the butler, hearing the noise, and believing Octavius to be a burglar, promptly collared him and threw him into the wine cellar. In the wine cellar, Octavius found the missing curios hidden in the pocket of a long coat. When the professor returned the next morning, and effected the release of his ill-used guest, Octavius' first question concerned the identity of the person in the household who owned a stork-print kimono--the only thing he had been able to distinguish clearly about the mysterious female who swiped the relics. The professor reported that the kimono belonged to his daughter. Octavius ordered that the household be summoned before him. He recognized the mysterious female at once. Nonetheless Octavius's duty was only too dear. So he turned sadly to the professor, and informed him that his daughter was guilty of the theft. The beautiful mystery was not the professor's daughter. She was the second maid, and had simply "borrowed " the kimono. The professor's real daughter came in just in time to hear Octavius accuse her of the crime. Things immediately became so lively that Octavius was glad to escape alive.
- 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.
- John Smith, while leaving his club, carelessly jostles a table at which two men are playing cards for high stakes. As he leaves the club, a bill, blown from the same table, falls at his feet. The bill is instantly missed and the man who jostled the table immediately suspected. Smith is found with the money in his hands and immediately rushed to the police station. He is tried and convicted. To Henry Langdon, a clergyman, who visits him in his cell, Smith protests his innocence. He gives Langdon a written statement of the true facts and begs him to help him in getting a new trial. Langdon, on the point of going west, is unable to help him, but wishes Smith every success in his attempt and leaves, profoundly struck by the prisoner's odd handwriting. A little later Smith is given a new trial and exonerated. Wishing to avoid the notoriety attached to his arrest and imprisonment, he changes his name to Ward, and going west, becomes cashier of a bank in a growing western city. Soon after his arrival he discovers that Langdon is rector of a church in his new home. To Langdon, Smith seems vaguely familiar, but he is unable to place him. Admiring Smith immensely, the clergyman welcomes his attentions to the beautiful Miss Langdon, his sister, and finally marries the couple himself. When his new brother-in-law signs the marriage registry, Langdon immediately recognizes the peculiar handwriting. He is horrified for a moment, and then realizing that Smith has started life anew, decides to keep his discovery a secret. A few days afterwards the niece of the president visits the bank and hangs her parasol beside Smith as he is counting a number of bills. One of the bills falls from the desk into the parasol. The balance is taken to the bank, the loss is discovered, and once again Smith falls under grave suspicion. To Langdon, who enters at this time, there seems to be no doubt that the man must be guilty, but he keeps silent for his sister's sake. Just as he is about to be dragged off to jail, the president's niece opens her parasol and the mystery is explained. The happy Smith gives his no less joyful brother-in-law the printed record of his acquittal on the former charge, and everything ends as it should.
- Bill Winters, the keeper of Lighthouse No. 21, had a remarkably attractive daughter, Alice. The two men to whom Alice seemed peculiarly attractive were Jim Francis, the assistant light keeper, and Ned Redmond, the wireless operator at Shore Haven. Alice did not care for Jim Francis. Ned Redmond was different, so different, in fact, that Alice became deeply interested in wireless telegraphy. One day, when the regular shipment of oil had not arrived at the lighthouse, Winters sent Francis ashore for a few gallons to replenish his depleted supply. Two hours later. Winters came ashore to discover what had delayed his assistant, and discovering him in an advanced stage of intoxication, discharged him on the spot. While Winters went up town to buy the sorely needed oil. Francis came upon the keeper's boat, and decided that he would be revenged. Accordingly he rowed out to the lighthouse with the full intention of wrecking the entire place. When Francis entered, Alice locked herself into the wireless room directly below the great light. By this time the sun had set, and the light was still dark. While Jim, shouting hoarsely, battered upon the frail door, Alice sent a message to Ned Redmond at Shore Haven. "Lighthouse 21, S.O.S., S.O.S., S.O.S." Ned received the message, and rushed to the shore, where he found Winters searching vainly for his stolen boat. They procured a light dinghy and set out for the light. Meanwhile, in the midst of her terror, Alice remembered that the great "Carolia" was due to pass. Without the light she might easily be wrecked. So even while the door was splintering under Francis' blows, Alice sent a message out through the void to the "Carolia," "Light dark in Lighthouse 21." The door fell, and the infuriated Francis savagely attacked the girl who had baffled him, but Ned and the keeper arrived in the nick of time, and while Ned was throttling Francis, Alice sped upstairs, filled the lamp, and lighted it. Then together the two lovers watched the "Carolia" steam safely past.
- Affairs are in a terrible state in Rubeville. The ladies of the choir are in a state bordering on violent hysteria on account of Will Green, the choir leader's marked favoritism for Eldora Perkins. When the "Rubeville Sentinel" publishes a glowing tribute to the young soloist, Eldora immediately proceeds to spread the news by mailing copies of the paper to her relatives and friends. A copy reaches her Aunt Martha's Boston boarding-house, and one of her boarders, Alphonse, reads it and, seeing possibilities of exercising his somewhat-doubtful talents as a music teacher, he jumps his board bill and heads for Rubetown. His arrival there causes great excitement among the "talent," and it looks as if Green will lose his artistic hold upon the community. In order to offset the popularity of the new arrival, Green opens a Singing School, hoping to win back Eldora, who has become interested in Alphonse. A climax is reached when Alphonse announces his intention of giving the opera of "The Bohemian Girl." There is a great scramble for the parts. Through the influence of her rich father, Minetta is awarded a prominent role. Her father proposes a trip to the city in order that a presentation of the opera by professionals may serve to fire the local talent to heights undreamed of. They leave for the city, followed by Green, and after viewing the performance, return to the village, where rehearsals are undertaken with great enthusiasm. Green's Singing School fails to attract further interest. Disappointed, he sets out for Boston to seek a new job. Calling on Aunt Martha he discovers the picture of Alphonse in the album. Learning something of that young gentleman's past, he decides to return to Rubeville. In the meantime the rehearsals are in full blast and further complications are introduced by a second love affair between Alphonse and village heiress Minetta. The eventful night arrives and all Rubeville assembles to witness the performance. Jealousy runs rife, stage fright is in considerable evidence, and the climax is reached when Aunt Martha and Green appear on the scene. Alphonse is denounced and leaves town. Green and Eldora become reconciled and harmony reigns once more.
- At the battle of Piedmont Heights, one of the culminating episodes of Sherman's march to the sea, a wounded Confederate sharpshooter is saved from death and carried into the Northern lines by a Union scout. During the prisoner's convalescence, a warm friendship springs up between the two men, which is interrupted by the Southerner's return and the close of the war shortly afterward. Years later, the Northerner is robbed of his money on a train and forced to alight at Atlanta. He recognizes a gentleman at the station as his former captive and friend. The Southerner, with the characteristic hospitality of his race, immediately gives up all other affairs to suitably entertain his friend. After luncheon in the Southerner's comfortable home, the two men ride about the city in an automobile so the Northerner can see the prosperous city which has arisen from the smoking ashes Sherman left. The Peace monument in Piedmont Park, marking the spot of the desperate battle in which they met, is of course of the utmost interest to the two soldiers. To the ordinary spectator, the splendid public buildings, the shady streets, the towering skyscrapers, and the evident signs of business activity so typical of the new South will be even more interesting. In addition to numerous views of this beautiful and progressive city, characteristic pictures of the Hon. J.G. Woodward, Mayor of Atlanta, and of Governor Joseph M. Brown, governor of Georgia, are shown. Finally, after the Northern veteran has seen all the sights, and met most of the prominent people in the city, his generous friend lends him sufficient funds to continue his trip, takes him to the train, and wishes him Godspeed on his way. The Northerner leaves with a firm resolution to return for a longer visit to this delightful city of charming people.
- Episode 1: "The Perfect Truth" The day after Dolly Desmond had startled the community with the excellence of her graduation oration, Bobby North, a reporter on the local paper, suggested that it would be a good idea for her to write stories and things for his paper. Dolly was delighted with the idea, and started at once to put it into effect. She decided to write a story, which, although ostensibly fictional, should actually give a truthful picture of life about her as she saw it. After a week of hard work, which involved much burning of midnight oil and much weariness for the fair young authoress, the masterpiece was finished. The editor was delighted with it. It was published under the title, "The Perfect Truth: A Story of Real Life" and, at Dolly's request, the name of the author was omitted. On the afternoon of the publication of the story, the Ladies' Home Sewing Guild was engaged in its customary routine of languid needlework and somnolent gossip. One of the members began to read "The Perfect Truth," but stopped with a gasp of surprise, and called the attention of the other members to the article. In graphic, pitiless bits of description, the essential characteristics of each of the members of the Ladies' Guild were set forth so plainly, that there was no possibility of mistaking their several identities. Dolly had used the pen of a satirist with telling effect. The meeting of the Ladies' Guild ended in a furor of confusion. Mrs. Broome, the hostess of the afternoon, who had been particularly scored by the anonymous author, rushed to the newspaper office and demanded the name of her defamer. The editor refused to give her the desired information, but a note from Dolly on Bobby's desk made all things clear to Mrs. Broome. With the spreading of the news, the storm center shifted to Dolly's home. While indignant citizens waited on Mr. Desmond, and threatened to withdraw their accounts from his bank, the infuriated wives filled Mrs. Desmond's ears with their complaints. Dolly's father commanded her to stop the story and make a public apology, but Dolly, for the first time in her life, refused to comply with her parents' wishes. With the fifty dollars her story had brought in, she left for the city to earn her own living. We shall discover later what happened to her there. Episode 2: "The Ghost of Mother Eve" The first thing Dolly did after her arrival in New York was to try to find herself a job. The fifty dollars she had been paid for her story was practically all she had, and Dolly was wise enough to know that such an amount would not carry her very far in the city. At the very time that Dolly went to apply for a position on "The Comet," Mrs. Yorke, a wealthy society woman, was also on the list of applicants. But whereas Dolly merely wanted a position in order that she might feed and clothe herself, Mrs. Yorke desired a sinecure of a post wherein she might indulge her love for notoriety and scandal. As not infrequently happens, the rich and undeserving succeeded, while the poor and deserving failed. Dolly was politely turned away, while the paper agreed to publish a column from Mrs. Yorke's pen under the name of "Mother Eve." Mrs. Yorke noticed Dolly as she was leaving the newspaper office. Discovering the girl's literary ability, she invited her to lunch, and offered Dolly a position as her private secretary. Dolly, naturally enough, jumped at the offer, and entered upon her duties immediately. The main portion of her duties consisted in writing the "Mother Eve" column. Mrs. Yorke had not the remotest idea how to set about her self-appointed task. All she cared for was the money. For some days Dolly was moderately contented and happy. But one afternoon, while she was collecting news of an approaching ball in the showrooms of a fashionable modiste, she happened to encounter Mrs. Yorke. That estimable lady looked over and past and through Dolly, without the slightest trace of recognition in her face. When Dolly entered her room that evening to accomplish her nightly literary task, she fell, sprained her wrist, and promptly fainted. When Mrs. Yorke returned from a dance in the wee small hours of the next morning, she found a copy boy waiting patiently for the "Mother Eve" material. Dolly, roused from her swoon, was unable to work the typewriter on account of her wrist. So the copy boy wrote it to her dictation, while Mrs. Yorke stood by and fumed. After the boy bad left, Mrs. Yorke was highly unpleasant. Dolly, in a few crisp words, told her employer exactly what she thought of her, and informed her that hereafter she could write her own column. Then Dolly went away. Episode 3: "An Affair of Dress" It will he remembered that Dolly was engaged by Mrs. Yorke, a fashionable member of the smart set, to write a society column for the "Comet." Dolly furnished the brains and did the work. Mrs. Yorke received the money. After she had received a few unpleasant proofs of her employer's unreasonable selfishness, Dolly shook the dust of the Yorke mansion from her feet, and departed. In the course of her gathering of society notes, Dolly had met Minnie, a mannequin in a fashionable tailoring establishment. As luck would have it, there was a vacancy when Dolly arrived to ask Minnie about her work, and twenty-four hours after her quarrel with Mrs. Yorke, the girl was engaged at Browngrass' as a mannequin, with the princely salary of twenty-five dollars a week. Let it not be supposed that she was entirely infatuated with her position. She had come to the city to write, and write she would eventually. This was merely a makeshift, a temporary bar to keep the wolf from the door. There were other reasons too, why her situation did not satisfy her. The proprietor was kind, a little too kind, Dolly thought. One afternoon, he tried to kiss her, and she, quite naturally, slapped his face. In the midst of all her little difficulties, Dolly was not allowing herself to drift out of touch with the magazine and newspaper world. A poem sent by her to the "Jester," brought a gratifying return in the shape of a letter from the editor inquiring into her capabilities for a small editorial position. Later, the editor called, and since he was a nice sort of person, Dolly took dinner with him. In the excitement of the moment, she sailed off to the restaurant in the gown she was wearing. As it happened, the proprietor of Browngrass' came to the restaurant, saw the gown, called a policeman, and ordered him to arrest Dolly. Aid came from an unexpected quarter. Rockwell Crosby, editor of the "Comet," was sitting at the next table. He discovered that Dolly had written Mrs. Yorke's column, showed his card to the policeman, and ordered him to remove the angry proprietor. Dolly, he said, had no connection with Browngrass'. She was his star reporter. After the man had been removed and Dolly thanked Crosby for his kind lie, he told her it was the truth. She was engaged. Episode 4: "Putting One Over" When Miss Mindel, president of the Reform League, received a pathetic letter from certain tenants of the Union Realty Company, complaining of unsanitary living conditions and unjust rents, she wrote a sharp letter to the president of the Realty Company, threatening action in the courts unless improvements were made. James Boliver, the president, had put his company into its position of prominence, largely through his entirely unscrupulous method of dealing with any type of opposition to his plans. Briefly summing up the probable results of any action on the part of the Reform League, he decided that it must be prevented at any cost, so he decided to bribe Miss Mindel. Miss Mindel did not understand the carefully couched letter she received from Boliver, asking her to come and see him. She felt that she was getting into deep water, and decided to appeal to the newspapers, before taking any action. At the office of "The Comet," where she went first, Miss Mindel met Dolly Desmond, and with characteristic impulsiveness, told her the whole story. Dolly immediately hit on a plan, which she confided to Miss Mindel. That good lady, after some thought, consented to it. She was personally unknown to Boliver, and there seemed no reason why the plan should not succeed. In accordance with it, Dolly presented herself at the Union Realty Company's office as Miss Mindel. Mr. Boliver was very nice to her, indeed, and, finding her even more compliant than he had hoped, gave her a check for five thousand dollars, and allowed her to write him a receipt on the typewriter. Dolly made a carbon copy of the receipt, thanked Mr. Boliver, and turned to go. At the door she met Mr. Browngrass, her late employer, who happened to be one of the directors of the company. Since Browngrass recognized her immediately, there was nothing left for Dolly but flight via the fire escape. The enraged directors pursued her, but without result. She got her story in in time to go to press, and we leave Dolly glancing affectionately at the staring headlines of her "scoop." Episode 5: "The Chinese Fan" All newspaperdom was excited over the strange disappearance of Muriel Armstrong and each daily was doing its best to discover the missing heiress first, and thus secure for themselves one of the most sensational bits of news of the day, but no trace of her could be found, despite all efforts. The editor of the Comet ground his cigar and swore impotently and even Dolly, the star reporter, was at a loss for clues. Dolly was pondering over the matter on her way to her evening's assignment: the Chinese theater in Mott Street, where she was detailed to report the play. During the second act a little Chinese pin in the shape of a fan, which Dolly was wearing, unconscious of its significance to the Tongs, started a riot in the theater. As Dolly was escaping down the side street a huge hand protruded itself from a small door, pulled her inside, down a narrow corridor and thrust her into an ill-lighted den. How could she get out? She pounded on the door and called for assistance but all that greeted her was a chuckle and a slushing of soft footsteps down the corridor. She peered around in the gloom and suddenly a frightened bundle of humanity detached itself from the corner and a young girl fell at Dolly's feet, imploring assistance. Dolly raised her gently, looked into her face and discovered that she was Muriel Armstrong, the missing heiress. All fear of the Chinese vanished. Here was the scoop of the year. Fate helped her too, for the half-crazed opium fiend who was Muriel's guard, upset the lamp and set the place on fire. This enabled Dolly and her prize to escape and the next morning the heiress was turned over to her delighted parents. Episode 6: "On the Heights" Dolly's friend, Rockwell Crosby, editor of the "Comet." disagrees with the management and resigned. Dolly was disappointed at the news, but that was as nothing compared to her rage at the attitude of his successor, who was a self-confessed "hustler" and intended to make everybody on the paper "sit up and take notice." The first assignment he gave Dolly was to wander about the streets after dark until she found a story. Dolly was furious. She had made a distinct place for herself on the staff, and was accustomed to being treated with consideration. There was nothing to do but obey, so Dolly started out. To her amazement she ran across Ella Snyder, an old school friend, who was weeping bitterly. She had eloped with a young man named Oliver Allen. Oliver had brought her to a hotel, and had departed in search of a license. Having not come back for two hours Ella concluded that she had been deceived and decided to drown herself. Dolly took the girl home, told her not to be silly, and went to get Allen. She found him at the hotel bewildered at the disappearance of his bride-to-be. Dolly, convinced that his intentions were honorable, took him back with her. They found Ella had disappeared again. She left a note, saying she had resolved to die. In order to repay Dolly, Ella said she was going to jump from the highest building in town, so Dolly could make a scoop of the news. Dolly and Allen rushed to the Woolworth Building, and stopped Ella just in time. Then they repaired to the City Hall, where Ella and Allen were married. Dolly returned to the office and told the editor she had a story, but didn't intend to write it. He was wildly indignant at first, until she had calmly explained she knew perfectly what she was doing. Episode 7: "The End of the Umbrella" The Aqueduct Construction Company has been having a good deal of trouble with certain anarchistic elements, who, anxious to seize any cause of discontent to further the bloody revolution they hoped for, opposed the building of the great pipe which would carry fresh sparkling water to the crowded people of the great city. Finally, after the company had been worried half to death by anonymous threats, a tremendous explosion killed a couple of dozen workmen and completely wrecked the main section of the great work. Dolly Desmond, in the city office of the newspaper, heard of the catastrophe and begged the editor to allow her to investigate it. The editor, who had formed a high opinion of Dolly's character, readily consented, and Dolly set out for the scene of the disaster. As she wandered about the wrecked aqueduct, she came upon a curious umbrella handle in among several pieces of a shattered bomb. Dolly kept her find and said nothing about it to anybody. With some little difficulty, she succeeded in obtaining a position as cashier in the dining room of the little hotel near the works. She had the umbrella handle placed on a new umbrella, put it in the stand where she could keep her eye on it, and settled herself to watch. It wasn't as easy a matter to devote her entire attention to the stand as she had thought at first, for Grant, a young engineer at the works, fell madly in love with her. and insisted on talking to her at every opportunity. At last, when she was on the point of giving up in disgust, a shifty-eyed individual picked up the umbrella, started to go out with it, and then apparently remembering, looked at it, put it down and looked frightened. Dolly recognized him as "Nutty Jim," one of the lodgers in the hotel. That evening Dolly went up to his room to investigate. She had just unearthed several bombs when Nutty Jim entered and sprang at her. She fired at him, but missed. A bomb was knocked off the table and exploded. Nutty Jim was killed and Dolly severely injured. We leave her at the hospital with the anxious Grant at her side, delightedly reading her "scoop" in the Comet. Episode 8: "A Tight Squeeze" When the news came to the Comet office that Mr. Martinengro, the well-known Italian-American merchant and philanthropist, had been murdered, Dolly Desmond was very anxious to have the assignment. To her disgust, the managing editor gave the story to Hillary Graham, the young man Dolly had met in "Mother Eve's" house. Dolly, forced to be satisfied with a Salvation Army wedding. Hillary set off on his assignment in high spirits. He had not made much of a success of reporting yet, but he was confident that his work in this case would convince the Comet management that he was one man in a thousand. Arrived in a dingy little barroom near the scene of the crime, he announced his intention of apprehending the criminals to the interested bartender. As a result, a few minutes later, Hillary was knocked on the head and thrown into the cellar. Dolly, after finishing her report on the wedding, donned a Salvation Army uniform, and accompanied the band about town in search of more material. In the course of her wanderings, she entered the barroom, and saw a necktie on the floor which she had noticed that morning on Hillary. Creeping unobserved into the cellar, she discovered the unconscious Hillary lying on a pile of coal. As she stood in puzzled anxiety, wondering how she could possibly save the young man and herself, she was startled by a sudden rush of coal into the cellar, through the coal hole from the street. Daddy, the copy boy on the Comet, happened to be on the street above, watching the coal men at their task. Hearing a muffled cry, he stopped the men. A moment later Dolly crawled through the hole. She and Daddy rushed for the police. After Hillary had been rescued, the police entered the saloon, and arrested its occupants. A lucky chance resulted in the discovery of the Martinengro murderers. While Dolly was writing her story in the police station, the grateful Hillary proposed. Dolly was non-committal. She was afraid she wasn't quite ready to give up her adventurous life even for so successful a reporter as he was. Episode 9: "A Terror of the Night" Mrs. Winslow, a young widow, owned a piece of property known as "Beach House," for which the Union Realty Company were the agents. The money for the rental of the property meant a good deal to Mrs. Winslow, and when her tenants began to grow few and far between, she naturally called on her agents to inquire into the causes. President Bolivar, of the Realty Company, gravely informed her that "Beach House" was haunted. To substantiate his remarks, he showed Mrs. Winslow some newspaper clippings about the reported ghost at the house. Many complaints had been received from tenants and the property was becoming more and more impossible to rent. In short, Mr. Bolivar advised Mrs. Winslow to accept the Realty Company's very generous offer of $10,000 for the property worth $50,000. Mrs. Winslow thought that her property was worth more and went to consult her friend, Dolly Desmond, the star reporter on "The Comet." Dolly, instantly excited at the prospect of investigating a haunted house, suggested that Mrs. Winslow leave the property to her for the space of a week. Mrs. Winslow made out the necessary papers and then went to Bolivar and told him what she had done. Bolivar, an old enemy of Dolly, immediately planned a trap for her. He arrived at Beach House a little while after Dolly had made herself at home in one of the gray dreary rooms. After his first expression of pretended surprise, he began to make love to her, but the derisiveness of her answer showed plainly that his original plan was useless. So he bowed and took his leave. Dolly slept that night on a sofa in the front hall in the midst of a number of garden implements which had been stowed there for safekeeping. In the middle of the night, she was awakened by a slight noise. Looking up, a terrible sight met her eyes. A shrouded figure, clad in garments of ghastly white, was coming down the stairs toward her. Instead of shrieking and fainting, Dolly turned the hose on the advancing figure. It halted, wavered, and then ran out of the house and into the arms of Malone, who had just arrived to investigate the anonymous letter. The ghost was, of course, Bolivar, who had chosen this means of attempting to get Mrs. Winslow's property at a low price. Episode 10: "Dolly Plays Detective" When Mrs. Cambridge invited Dolly Desmond, and Malone, the managing editor of the Comet, to a dinner party, Malone naturally offered to take Dolly around to the Cambridge's in his car. For in the short space of time in which he had held his new office on the Comet staff, Malone had grown very fond of the clever young girl. When, on their way to the party, Dolly waved her hand to her old friend the policeman on the beat, she noticed a quick frown of displeasure on Malone's face. To tease him, she started to flirt outrageously with all the men present as soon as she arrived at the dinner, among whom was one of society's newest lions, the Count de Rochepierre. In the midst of the dinner, it was suddenly discovered that one of the ladies' necklaces was missing. She had worn it about her neck when she sat down, and it seemed absolutely inconceivable that anybody should have been able to remove it in the brilliantly-lighted room. On the following afternoon, the count called on Dolly, and begged her to accept a beautiful ring as a slight token of his esteem. Dolly, who rather enjoyed leading the count on, told him she should be delighted to wear it. Shortly after he had apparently taken his leave, Mrs. Cambridge and several ladies came to call. At Dolly's suggestion, a game of auction bridge was commenced. As they sat about the table, precisely the same thing happened as on the preceding night. Two of the ladies' necklaces vanished. The fact that Dolly had been present at both occasions when the mysterious occurrence had taken place, seemed a little significant. The ladies left hurriedly, and somewhat coolly. Left alone, Dolly decided to go and see the Count. She was led to this decision by several suspicious little incidents she had observed. In the Count's quarters, she discovered not only the missing necklaces, but absolute proof of how he had perpetrated his astonishing crimes. But even cleverer than her discovery of his method, was the way in which she inveigled the Count into playing a game of '"Forfeits" at the Cambridge's, and at the crucial moment in the game, clapped a pair of handcuffs on him and turned him over to the police. Episode 11: "Dolly at the Helm" When the city editor of the Comet burst into the managing editor's office and told him that his child was desperately ill with diphtheria, Malone, the managing editor, naturally told him to take as much time off as he wanted. Malone himself was feeling very badly at the time, and his resolution to take charge personally of the city editor's department was never carried out. Shortly after the city editor had left, Malone fainted at his desk. Dolly Desmond, the Comet's star reporter, found him there when she came into the room. She revived Malone from his stupor and had him taken home. In nine cases out of ten, both Malone and the city editor might well have been absent without any particular disturbance in the ordinary routine of the office. It was four o'clock on an unusually dull summer afternoon. The likelihood of anything happening seemed extremely remote. However, scarcely had Malone been taken away when things started. A terrible excursion boat catastrophe was the first. Right on its heels came the news that a great hotel was burning. In the excited chaos into which the Comet office was plunged, Dolly showed the stuff of which she was made. Her small hand seized the deserted tiller and with the quick incisive decision which was her chief characteristic, she wearied the legs of messenger boys, and kept the telephone wires hot with the dispatching of her swift Napoleanic commands. When it was all over, and the day was won, Dolly received a letter from home telling her that her father's bank was on the verge of ruin, largely as a result of the hard feeling which had been stirred up by Dolly's story, "The Perfect Truth." Poor Dolly, at her wits' end, went to Malone for advice. She took the manuscript of "The Perfect Truth" with her. Malone' s illness was a blessing in disguise for it gave him a chance to read the story, the first installment of which had had such a disastrous effect. He was amazed by its brilliance of style and theme. In a gush of unwanted enthusiasm he told Dolly that he was willing to publish the story at his own expense as a speculation. So Dolly, with her hopes once again raised, went away with the dim belief growing in her that "The Perfect Truth" might not be so bad a thing for her father as it had at first seemed. Episode 12: "The Last Assignment" When Dolly Desmond left the home of her youth to embark on a journalistic career in the city, she left the town in a state of furor behind her. The story called "The Perfect Truth," the first installment of which Dolly published in the town newspaper, aroused so much resentment against Dolly that the townspeople revenged themselves by withdrawing their money from her father's bank. Two or three months after Dolly went away, the bank was in such straits that suspension of payment seemed only a matter of hours. Then "The Perfect Truth" in its complete form was published as a book. It met with an immediate and startling success. Dolly attained to fame and wealth almost overnight. The echo of her success reached her native town, and people began to sit up and take notice. It was one thing to feel themselves the butt of the joke of an immature schoolgirl, and quite another to know that they had been the material from which a famous authoress had drawn her inspiration. In the midst of the excitement, Bobby, at the newspaper office, suddenly received word that Dolly was coming to town. The news was not an unmixed pleasure for Bobby. He had an evil conscience. He had been madly in love with Dolly before she left town, and believed that she cared a good deal for him. After she left, he fell in love with another girl. However, Bobby's first duty in the matter was perfectly clear. So he wrote up a headline article for his paper announcing Dolly's arrival. The town went wild with excitement. Fame was about to fall upon it again for the first time since Hank Bowers had been lynched for horse stealing many years before. All hatred and jealousy was forgotten and Dolly was welcomed by a tremendous popular demonstration. The first thing she did was to set her father's bank on its feet again, partly with the help of the money she had made and partly by the use of her extremely persuasive tongue. In the midst of the excitement, a stranger arrived in town, James Malone, the enterprising business manager of Dolly's paper. Everybody wondered who he was, and Bobby was the first to find out. For when he went to Dolly's house, with hanging head, to explain how matters stood, she told him that she was going to marry Malone. And that is how we leave Dolly with one career behind her, and another and far finer one ahead.
- A ragged tramp, wandering about the countryside came upon a scarecrow in a cornfield. "That's the sort of job I'd like to have," he remarked enviously, "Just stand still all day, and look ugly at the crows." After which lofty observation, the tramp threw himself down and fell asleep. A mischievous imp, hearing the tramp's words, decided to take him seriously. Accordingly he brought the scarecrow to life and put the tramp in his place. He gave the astonished scarecrow his magic wand, told him that he could bring inanimate objects to life or restore them to their original condition at will with it, and warned him that his life would cease when the wand left his hand. The delighted scarecrow immediately set out for the city. Coming across another scarecrow on the way, he touched him with the wand, and brought him to life. A little later, he animated the dummy in front of a clothing store. The two scarecrows and the dummy were simultaneously struck with the charm of a beautiful young lady of wax in a modiste's window. The first scarecrow brought her to life, and because he feared the dummy would become a dangerous rival, forced him to take the young lady's place in the window. More of the same happened before the tramp woke up.
- Things are going none too well for the firm of Wentworth and Sons. The volume of business is steadily decreasing, and importunate creditors make things highly unpleasant for Richard, the reckless fellow who has taken his late father's place. As a final drop in the cup of bitterness, a terrible fire destroys the warehouses, rendering them a total loss. Richard breaks down and asks his fiancée's father for help. During their conference, the girl comes in unnoticed, and shocked by the disclosure of Richard's weakness, gives him back his ring. That night, in a fit of dejection. Richard decides to end his troubles with a revolver. In the very shadow of death, his eye falls on the picture of the grim old Puritan which hangs among the family portraits. As he looks, the picture fades away. In its place is a log cabin, hotly besieged by savages. The doorbolt falls, shattered to the floor under the stress of the blows without, and the Puritan thrusts his arm into its place, and. despite the fearful agony, holds the door until help arrives. Richard draws his hand across his brow, and reaches for a decanter. As he does so, his glance shifts to another picture, which, in its turn, fades. A dispatch rider, after a perilous ride through the British lines, delivers his message to Washington, and falls senseless to the ground. The lines about Richard's mouth grow harder. He sets the liquor aside, takes a cigar from the box nearby, and looks at the portraits of his father and grandfather. The pictures fade, and Richard looks upon the moments in their lives when everything seemed dark and blackened by the hand of fate. He sees how these strong, clean-hearted men met their troubles squarely, face-to-face, and how they fought and conquered the evil fates opposing them. For a long time the boy sits in thought. At last he rises, with a new, strong look on his face. The disheartened old family servant starts back in joyful wonder as Richard Wentworth, erect and fearless in his newly-found manhood passes him and goes forth to fight his good fight and win back the love of the girl he has lost.
- Bragg, a member of a city club, who is one of those garrulous persons who likes to pass as something which he is not, is taught a most striking lesson while spinning one of his yarns. He happens along the street when a scrubwoman carelessly slips and falls on the ice in front of an automobile. She is not seriously injured, but Bragg is very persistent in giving his card, to appear if needed as a witness, and rather proves himself a nuisance. When he gets to his club he calls several members around him and tells of a most wonderful rescue that he made of a beautiful maiden run down by an automobile, and how he himself carried her to the drug store and took out the proper drugs to administer, and rode home with her in an ambulance, and describes in glowing terms the profound thanks which he received from her parents. Just as he is about to finish, the victim of the accident forces her way into the club with a subpoena to appear as a witness. Fairly caught, the club members give him the laugh and their hilarity prevents him from attempting to explain.
- Prof. Dislow and his daughter, Ruth, are passengers on the trading vessel Barbuda. It's soon revealed that the crew was infiltrated by gangsters scheming to steal the cargo. With all the men bound and gagged, what can Ruth do about it?
- Joe was a convict. Because his mother was dying and because the long strike had robbed him of the little he had saved, Joe stole food. The food came too late to save his mother. She died and he went to prison. When he had served his term he came out of prison with a firm resolution that his life thenceforward should be above reproach. But unfortunately, the way is not easy for an ex-convict. Once he lost his chance to get work because a policeman recognized him and once again because he was accosted by one of his jail companions. At last, when there seemed to be nothing before him but death or a relapse into crime, Providence sent him to the gate of a minister in a country town. The minister was a kind man and gladly gave the sad- faced wanderer a helping hand without questioning him about his antecedents. By hard, faithful work Joe succeeded in raising himself from the place of a mere recipient of charity to a position as the minister's private secretary, and he gradually won his way into the heart of the minister's only daughter. One day a man called upon the minister, whom the horrified Joe recognized as his former cellmate. The man, Bill Haskell, had interested the minister in some worthless mining property and the simple-hearted minister was on the point of signing the papers. Haskell and his sister met Joe outside the town. The man warned him to keep silent if he did not wish his past life to be exposed. Joe pleaded with him, but Haskell, despite the intercession of his sister on Joe's behalf, remained obdurate. Unknown to any of them the minister's daughter had overheard the conversation between the two criminals and her lover. She was shocked at the disclosure of his past life and her heart bled for him in his present difficulty and temptation. On that same afternoon the minister's daughter stood in her father's study and watched Joe fighting his silent battle as Haskell prepared the papers for the minister's signature. Joe won his fight, denounced the swindler, told the story of his past life and turned sadly away; bat the minister's daughter ran after him, and when he turned and saw the light in her face he knew that all the clouds and doubt lay behind him forever.
- Two hungry tramps approach the rear of Mrs. Weston's house with the intention of begging for food. They overhear a spirited war of words between Mr. and Mrs. Weston, who appear to be insanely jealous of each other, and when the eavesdropping tramps appear on the threshold they are promptly kicked out. This treatment so angers the tramps that they decide on a plan to get even and procure a square meal too. Accordingly they write an anonymous letter to Mr. Weston telling him of his wife's infatuation for a portrait artist, in whose studio she can be found at twelve o'clock. Mrs. Weston also receives an anonymous letter stating that her husband has an appointment in a dressmaker's establishment at the same hour. The green-eyed monster is so firmly embedded in this loving couple that they take this bait beautifully and are promptly on hand at the places indicated in the letters, with the result that the misinformed couple become entangled in some unexpected complications making them ridiculous and highly amusing to the spectator. Thoroughly disgusted, but still suspicious, they rush for home, where they both meet at the front door and demand to know where the other has been. Still quarreling they enter the house, where they find the kitchen in great disorder, the refrigerator and larder having been robbed of every morsel of food, with the following note from the tramps: "Sorry to have caused any hard feeling between you but we needed a square meal. Kiss and make up. Weary and Pal. P.S. The pie was sure bum." They now see their folly and take the tramps' advice.
- In a small-sized city, two brothers, lawyers, are practicing. The younger one is wont to go astray. Gambling is the dissipation and he even brings his gambling chums to his office. It is on one of these occasions that Eric, the older brother, comes upon them and discovers a dice which had fallen to the ground. The two brothers, Bob and Eric, love the minister's only daughter. Jean Lindsay. The first sight of love is seen when Mr. Lindsay with Jean calls on the brothers to get the elder one, Eric, to call for a small legacy left him. Here Jean goes at once to Bob and the first sign of love appears. Later Eric tells Jean of his love and is refused. This is seen by Bob. The minister comes upon a love scene between Bob and his daughter and he at once asks Bob to go. The boy is desperate and pleads with his brother to help him. This is where the elder brother shows his true worth. He pleads with the minister to consent to the union between Jean and Bob but it is useless. The father is obdurate. Bob goes from bad to worse and forges his brother's name on a check to obtain money to elope. The elder brother discovers it and just as Bob and Jean are about to board the train he and the minister arrive on the scene. The minister makes Jean return home and Bob goes to make a man of himself. A year passes and finally Bob writes to his brother telling of having seen him propose to Jean and suggesting that he propose to her, since in all probability he, himself, has been forgotten. The letter pleases Eric. He shows it to Mr. Lindsay and is told that Jean had just left for his office with a document. In the meantime Bob's longing to see the old home town is too much for him so he comes back, finding no one in his brother's office he waits and soon Jean comes to deliver the document. The meeting of the two sweethearts is too much for them. The old love still lives and, just as they are in each other's arms, Eric appears, realizes Bob is the one, yields and as Jean's father comes in, begs him to bless them.
- When young Gerald Stuyvesant went down to his club and saw several of his friends laughing over a newspaper, he naturally asked them what it was about. When they showed him the paper he was sorry he had asked. Two photographs were placed side-by-side at the head of the page. One was his own; the other was that of Miss Maud Varian, a musical-comedy star who had just risen to her first success. Gerald was very indignant. Even if he had just come into more millions than many people had dollars, there was no reason why he should be held up to his friends' ridicule side-by-side with a common actress. Some time later, Gerald met Miss Varian at a musicale at which she had come to sing. Still smarting from the newspaper episode, he treated her with a frozen impassiveness that wounded her. Maud Varian was a thoroughly nice girl. After many years of uncomplaining hardships she had jumped overnight to the pinnacle of fame. She had seen the pictures in the newspaper with a thrill of satisfaction. What had been unpleasant notoriety for Stuyvesant was the hallmark of success for her. His coolness hurt her more than he could have suspected. Stuyvesant left the musicale in a sullen mood. The girl's face, with its surprised look of disappointment, haunted him and troubled him with a vague feeling of remorse. That night he decided to go and see her play. In the middle of the second act, a tiny spiral of smoke arose from the middle of the stage. It rapidly thickened and the awful truth soon spread behind the scenes that the room below the stage was on fire. Maud's little sister was in the dressing-room near the danger, but Maud never paused in the performance of her duty. Ordering the spotlight man to throw on a red spotlight, she stepped upon the stage and began to dance. The audience taking the smoke for a necessary attribute of a fire dance, remained seated while the ushers went quietly about the task of emptying the house. Maud almost overcome by the smoke, danced on. At last she staggered and fell. Gerald leaped from the staged box, caught her up, and carried her outside. Sometime later their pictures appeared together in the newspapers again.
- "Reckless" is a tramp through and through. He refuses to become a burglar and leaves his two tramp companions to go their way while he pursues his own. Two years later "Reckless" sees his two tramp friends and learns that they are the Golden Valley Mining Company. Consequently when, on begging at a back door for something to eat in a small town in lower California. "Reckless" is invited in and given dinner and thereby learns that the father of the little family has his entire life's savings invested in the Golden Valley Mining Company; he is somewhat interested. And so, without saying anything, "Reckless" decides to take the situation into his own hands and performs a journey across the country, until he reaches Chicago. Then he gains admittance to the office and finds that his former companions are just about to skip town with the money that they have accumulated. He holds up the one whom he finds in the office and after extracting a signed confession, takes from him the full amount of the investment of the family in California. He then resumes his journey until he arrives at the little town. Even here his tramp nature asserts itself, for he does not boldly come to the front door and proclaim his good deed, but slips in through the window, to find that the news of the collapse of the Gold Mining Company has preceded him and that the little child's birthday party has been spoiled by it. Surprised by the child, he presents her with the ten thousand dollars in bills which he has taken from his old comrade and again slips out through the window, and the story closes with the joy of the parents over the return of their money.
- John Hart, a counterfeiter, is arrested in a restaurant while dining with his fifteen-year-old daughter Mary. He succeeds in concealing the fact from her by excusing himself for a moment and leaves a note and money for her wants, to be delivered to her by Jimmy, the old waiter who had served them a long time. Some years later when Hart is released from the Federal Prison, his first thought is of Mary whom he seeks in the last place he saw her, the restaurant where Jimmy works. Fate favors him as Mary is there with her husband one Jack Hanley who has defied his father's will by marrying Mary who had become the elder Hanley's stenographer. Hart does not disclose his identity knowing the disgrace it would cast on his daughter. Things had gone poorly with Mary and Jack and they were reduced to sore straits, but Jimmy was their friend and often made their simple orders more sumptuous by strategy. Old Hart at once returned to his counterfeiting, and therefore Stoll, the secret service man was sent out to find him as before. Meanwhile old Hanley had relented having been so harsh and had a private detective looking for his son and daughter-in-law. Hart in disguise frequented the restaurant where Jack and Mary took their meals and tried to find a way of relieving their financial distress but without success. Stoll, knowing Hart's love for his daughter and remembering their former place of dining, sought the old counterfeiter there. The detective failed to penetrate Hart's disguise but Jimmy, the old waiter, had not, and gave Hart warning to go. The latter, in trying to bluff the detective stopped to light a cigar and in doing so used the peculiar mannerism of the engraver unconsciously rubbing the steel shavings from between his fingers. The moment he had gone Stoll remembered the mannerism and followed but Hart escaped through a ruse. Old Hanley, having located Jack and Mary, gives them a splendid dinner and incidentally a fifty dollar tip to old Jimmy of whose kindness Jack and Mary had told him. The closing scenes mark the end of Hart's misspent life and are full of tragic pathos.
- A young owner of a mine in the west, is told that the mine is not particularly valuable but that by high finance methods a great deal of money can be made out of the proposition. In other words that the money from the sale of stock can be much more easily gotten than the gold from the mine itself. Ashamed of himself he yet accepts the offer and after organization of the company, comes to New York. Money pours in and the business is more than prosperous though both the partners know that it is only a question time when a collapse must come. One of the employees, a stenographer, attracts the attention of young Morton, the owner of the mine, an attention which becomes fixed by her refusal to go to the theater or to ride in his automobile with him. Matters drag along until a small legacy is left to her father and believing in the genuineness of Morton's mine, she comes and offers the money for investment in the stock. It is too much for Morton and he would refuse the offer, but Blake, his partner, stepping in, accepts the check and congratulates the girl upon her good business sense. When she has gone. Morton lakes things into his own hands, demands the return of the check, and when it is not forthcoming, draws his old western six shooter from the desk drawer and in this way gains possession of the bit of paper. He returns it to the girl although he knows that this amounts to a confession that their business methods are crooked. Blake, realizing that this is a finish, gets all of the securities and money into a suitcase and tries to leave the office. The girl catches him, however, and Morton makes him give up the suitcase and retire. Then the girl expresses her confidence in Morton's innate honesty and it is announced that all the stockholders will be paid in full. She and Morton marry, go to the mine and start to work it for what it is worth.
- Morris the elder, trained in the old school of thrift and simple living, abominates the extravagance and pretensions of his daughter-in-law. While she is entertaining friends at an afternoon tea, Morris is with his two grandchildren in the library. The gaiety of his daughter-in-law's guests becomes boisterous, and the old man peers between the portieres to find its cause; the children's curiosity prompts them to do likewise. On seeing the guests depart, the youngsters enter the living room and proceed to a furtive dispatch of the goodies before a quick-eyed maid calls them to task and ousts them. Morris, Sr. stops his daughter-in-law as she returns from bidding her guests goodbye and cautions her against further extravagant uses of her money. She lets him understand that if she and her husband begin to reduce expenses, he must remember that they are giving him a home gratis and that his departure would be a good start. A conference on this subject between husband and wife leads to the old man being turned adrift. A week before Christmas, the grandfather, who is quartered in a municipal lodging house, sees an advertisement calling for a Santa Claus for street-corner charity work, makes application, and is assigned as a Santa to keep a coin-pot boiling for the Newsboys' Christmas dinner. While scanning a newspaper, he comes across an item, setting forth how his son has met with heavy financial losses, and that his business is ruined. While out marketing with the maid, Tommy Morris is attracted by the ringing of Santa Claus's Christmas bell and slips away from the maid to beg Santa to bring him a Christmas gift. The old grandfather recognizes his little grandson, and with a promise to call, sends the child across the street to join his little sister and the maid. Tommy tells his sister of his meeting with Santa, and of Santa's promise, and on Christmas night, the old grandfather enters his son's home, and is heard by him. He learns that his son is able to settle 100 cents to the dollar, and is shortly confronted by bis daughter-in-law, whom the frown of Fortune has considerably subdued. With the old man reinstated in the Morris home, the children are brought in and learn Santa's identity. The peace and goodwill of Christmas now permeates the Morris home, and while father and mother set up and trim the Christmas tree, the children, nestling with their grandfather, watch them lightheartedly.
- The story begins with Dora, the daughter of Farmer Wilson, and Dick the son of neighbor Andrews. The young folks are very much in love and there seems to be no reason why they should not be the happiest mortals on earth. It is while they are saying their farewells over the garden fence that Farmer Wilson approaches, leading Farmer Andrews' cow which has broken into his garden. Farmer Wilson is properly outraged at Farmer Andrews, for it is more than likely that the latter's shiftlessness in allowing his fences to fall into a state of dilapidation permitted the cow to commit a trespass. Accordingly, Farmer Wilson berates his neighbor and the trouble starts. Dora is ordered home forthwith, and when she tells her father of her love for their neighbor's son, the old gentleman declares himself in unmistakable terms. Dora temporarily accepts the verdict, but she does so with a mental reservation and later when she announces her determination to marry Dick, the stern old farmer orders her from the house. Farmer Andrews is not so vindictive. That his son should want to marry Farmer Wilson's daughter appeals to his sense of humor, and he aids the young folks in their plans. Dick and Nora get married and set up their own little establishment. Farmer Wilson learns of the event and, out of the bitterness of his soul, he takes down the old family Bible and sternly draws his pen through the name of his daughter on the family record. To the old man this is a stern duty. The disobedience of his daughter in marrying the son of his sworn enemy is more than his simple nature can endure. It embitters his life. With Farmer Andrews the event has an entirely different aspect. While he regrets the uncompromising attitude of his fellow neighbor he sympathizes with his son and daughter. In the course of events Dora gives birth to a son and it seems that this should be an occasion for rejoicing. Farmer Andrews is truly elated. The news of the event reaches the country store, where all the old farmers foregather to exchange gossip and, when Farmer Wilson appears, an effort is made to reconcile him to the circumstances. The old doctor is urged forward to communicate the news, but Farmer Wilson receives the information without a show of interest. When Farmer Andrews offers his hand in reconciliation, it is ignored and, with a determination characteristic of his kind, old Farmer Wilson rides away, more than ever set in his purpose to ignore his daughter. But curiosity gets the better of old Farmer Wilson and he makes his way to the new home of his daughter and managers to slip into the house unseen, where he finds his little grandson in the cradle. The old fellow gathers the child into his arms and, while he is thus fondling it, the daughter comes in. There is a moment's hesitation and then father and daughter embrace. A speedy reconciliation of the two families follows and the little grandson has become a true harbinger of peace. As a last scene in this beautifully told story, Farmer Wilson again takes the old Bible and inscribes upon the record the birth of his grandson.
- We see Jefferson writing the declaration with extracts from the famous document and the next morning the argument and final adoption of it by Congress, while John Adams' son, afterward the sixth President of the United States, has stationed himself at the door to listen for the news so that he may notify the old bell ringer in the tower of Independence Hall and enable him to send the news broadcast through the city by the iron tongue of the old liberty bell.
- A young man, while out for an airing with his valuable dog, meets a young lady and stops for a moment's conversation. While thus engaged a tramp espies the canine, picks him up and disappears into another street, where he sells him to a man for five dollars. Afterward he seeks the owner of the dog and offers to return the animal to him for twenty-five dollars, five dollars on account and the balance of twenty upon delivery. With ten dollars in his pocket and twenty more in sight, the avaricious tramp succeeds in picking up the dog a second time when the man to whom he sold him isn't looking. He restores the dog to its original owner, who is on the point of paying the extortion, when the second victim, having trailed the tramp, appears upon the scene and claims the dog. Here a wrangle ensues. In which the tramp, subjected to some rough handling, is forced to give back his ill-gotten money and is then kicked out. Having recovered their property, the two men now come to a mutual understanding and indulge in a friendly drink, in which the dog joins!
- Mrs. Wilson is the treasurer of the Ladies' Aid Society of the Readville Methodist Church. The church is sorely in need of a new carpet and the members of the Aid Society are putting forth all efforts and energy to purchase one. They decide to give an entertainment and supper at Sister Brown's house, the proceeds to go towards buying the new carpet. The affair is a great success. The proceeds are entrusted to Mrs. Wilson, the treasurer. The next morning Mrs. Wilson receives a letter informing her that her daughter, who lives in Boston, is very ill and wants her mother to come to her. Mrs. Wilson asks her husband for the money to make the trip, but he refuses. She remembers the society's carpet money. The temptation is too great and she takes the money and goes to her daughter. The daughter under her mother's care grows better and when she leaves for home, she takes with her her daughter's little girl, Mary. They go to the meeting, taking little Mary with them, and when the others rise to sing the hymn, Mrs. Wilson is so overcome that she sits in her seat, staring ahead apparently neither hearing nor seeing. Little Mary has overheard their previous conversation, and realizing that her grandmother is in some trouble about money, unties her little handkerchief and gives her a penny which her grandfather had given her earlier in the day. He sees the generous action of the child and is touched by it. The treasurer of the Aid Society is asked to make her report, but before she can make her confession, her husband has opened his purse and counted out the amount. This he gives to little Mary, whose tiny hands press it into those of her grief-stricken grandmother. Mrs. Wilson hands in her funds and sinks into her seat, where her husband clasps her hand in mute forgiveness and love.
- This is a story of more than common interest showing where the "boss" of a small-sized city, not knowing whom to put up for mayor, falls on the idea of putting in Blanchard, the reform man, and ran his chance of getting some power over him. The chance soon comes; too much politics and too little attention to business cause Blanchard to run short of working capital and as the bank refuses to take any more of his paper, he turns for advice from the "boss." Realizing the power in holding some of Blanchard's paper, the "boss" loans the amount on a ninety day note. Next we see him trying to force him to turn a paving contract his way with the threat of publishing his note broadcast. Blanchard refuses and tries to get back the note which is not yet due. This is all overheard by his old bookkeeper, who decides to try to turn the tables by getting some power over the "boss." He goes to the latter's office and discovers a torn letter in the wastebasket. A fragment shows the words "paving contract." This excites interest in the old man and gathering all the fragments he pastes them together. These he gives to the mayor's wife. She comes to the rescue and forces the "boss" to return the note. In the meantime Blanchard has carried the matter to the committee chamber and, through the force of public opinion behind him, has defeated the iniquitous measure.
- A hard working father finds it next to impossible to find a room where he can concentrate his thoughts. His mother-in-law's squeaking parrot drives him from the sitting-room, to his bedroom, where he gets into trouble because of his wife's pet dog and entering another room where all seems quiet he is interrupted by his two daughters who come in and scrape ragtime on the violin. Again he removes his account books, this time to his son's mom, where he is about to enjoy peace and quiet when the son begins his usual exercise on the punching bag. In utter disgust he returns to his bedroom where at last he finds quiet, his wife having retired for the night. He manages to put in two hours when he is again annoyed by the dog. It is almost midnight, but he determines to finish the work and decides to try the sitting-room once more. Here, however, he encounters a hungry tramp who has entered the house for the purpose of obtaining food. A bright plan now enters the old man's head; he transforms the tramp into a burglar and loads him down with the parrot and cage, the musical instruments of torture, not forgetting the pesky dog, slips him a ten dollar bill and thrusts an empty revolver into his hand. Shouting for help he arouses the household who see the burglar making a getaway with their beloved pets and musical instruments, while father laughs up his sleeve with assurance that in the future he will be able to make up his accounts undisturbed.
- War has been declared. The North and South are going to fight. Tom Weldon joins the army of the North and John Sterrett casts his lot with the Confederacy. Both are suitors for the hand of Bess Howard. Time passes and the war is at its height. Tom Weldon's regiment is stationed in Bess's home town. Tom has been doing sentry duty for forty-eight hours without leave. From sheer exhaustion he falls asleep. He is discovered, tried and sentenced to death for neglect of duty. His only hope lies in a pardon from the President. Mounting a steed, Bess speeds on to Lincoln's headquarters. The President grants the pardon and telegraphs a stay of execution to Tom's camp. The Union wires have been cut and the confederate soldiers are listening in on Union orders. John Sterrett receives the stay of execution as it flashes across the wires. With the wires cut, the message will never reach Tom's camp. Leaping on a horse, John dashes through the Union lines. He reaches Tom's camp, and delivers the message. The execution is stayed until Bess rides in with the pardon, signed by Lincoln. Tom gives John a trinket in token of his gratitude, and in return, John gives him the chevron from his sleeve. Many years have run their course. Magistrate Weldon is holding court, and an old man is brought before him for stealing a loaf of bread. The prisoner is searched, and among his things, the Magistrate sees a familiar trinket. It awakens memories within him, and he begins to speak slowly. Slowly the years begin to unwind themselves again, and the story is unfolded. "He saved my life once," says the Magistrate, "shall I send him to jail for this?" Court is adjourned. Magistrate Tom Weldon is leading his old chum, John Sterrett, home with him. Hereafter, he shall live with him and the old friend, Mrs. Weldon, whom he knew as Bess. Together, they will provide for him, and he shall know need no more.
- The story hinges about a minister who receives a pamphlet announcing that the melodrama, "Why Girls Leave Home," is to be produced at the local theater. Stirred by the danger to his flock from so pernicious an influence, he prepares a vigorous sermon against the play. In order to make his sermon particularly apt, he decides that he must see the play himself, and so he steals secretly from home on the night of the performance. His daughter, stenographer and cook arrive at the same conclusion and also go to the performance with their respective young men. The simultaneous homecoming of these seven people after the play, produces an extremely amusing situation which is culminated by the arrival of an usher with the minister's coat.
- Harry, the only son of Howard Randolph, is cursed with too great an allowance. His father calls him to task and he promises to reform. The promise is soon broken, however, and he is carousing with some friends in a café, when he protects Nell, a Salvation Army lassie from insult at the hands of one of his friends. He calls upon his father one day in an intoxicated condition. This so angers the old man that he disowns him and drives him out. Weak from hunger, one day, he drifts into a saloon and staggers to a table. Here he is found by Nell, who recognizes him as her former champion and pleads with him to accompany her. Three years pass by. Harry has proved himself a man and become one of the best workmen in a large manufacturing concern. He and Nell have married and are living happily in their little home, whose shining light is Harry Junior, now almost two years old. While at work one day a sign is posted in the shop saying that the company has sold the plant to Howard Randolph and that he will take possession immediately. Randolph decides to reduce expenses and posts a notice that all wages will be reduced ten percent. The workmen at once appoint a committee to wait upon Mr. Randolph, and not knowing Harry to be his son, make him chairman. They visit Randolph, and father and son come face to face. Harry pleads the cause of the workmen, but Randolph remains firm and refuses their demands, and they leave. When they have gone he turns to his old clerk, Griggs, who has been Harry's friend in all his trials, and demands an explanation. Griggs then tells him of Harry's splendid work, his little home and of his wife and son. This so pleases Randolph that he insists that Griggs lead him to Harry's home. Nell's charm soon convinces him that Harry has made a wise choice, and bundling her and his grandson into the auto, he goes to the shop and sends for his son. When he appears Randolph goes to the sign, writes the word "increased" in place of "reduced," adds "& Son" to the signature and offers his hand to his son, who warmly clasps it.
- Artemas Winthrop suffers from dyspepsia, and he is ordered by the physician to the country to take a rest and live on a diet of tea and toast. Believing himself more feeble than he really is he decides to go to the country to visit a farmer cousin and his wife taking his only friend, a dog, with him. Arriving at the farm he is considered a most unwelcome guest on account of his irritable disposition. It so happens that the farmer and his wife are called away on account of the illness of a relative and he is left in the care of a neighbor. The neighbor is a good natured but domineering woman who does not believe in encouraging his whims. She therefore cooks for him a big meal of corned beef and cabbage. Unused to being opposed he insists on having his tea and toast but she treats him like a child and tries to persuade him that all he needs is good substantial food. He flatly refuses to eat the corned beef and cabbage and is informed he will take that or nothing. He attempts to make his own but she puts him out of the kitchen. His opportunity comes when she goes down to the cellar. He locks her down and in triumph makes his own tea and toast and repairs to his room to enjoy it while the woman who finds herself a prisoner in the cellar is obliged to cut her way to freedom with an axe. Aroused to a high pitch of anger she goes to his room and gives him to understand in plain terms what she thinks of him. The dyspeptic's dog seeing him master abused springs at the woman who hastily makes her escape through the window making a beeline for home with the dog in pursuit. When he finally does get her he helps himself to a goodly portion of her dress and the master at last is able to enjoy his tea and toast.