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- Workers in a pottery factory labor in unhealthy, unventilated and dangerous conditions, but the plant's wealthy owner doesn't see any need to change things. It's not long before one of his workers falls ill to tuberculosis, and soon the owner learns the meaning of the old adage, "What goes around comes around".
- A young boy, opressed by his mother, goes on an outing in the country with a social welfare group where he dares to dream of a land where the cares of his ordinary life fade.
- Among New York's many municipal activities there is one whose importance is seldom realized by the average citizen, namely the United States Life-saver's work. Even the bootblacks at the Battery form a trained division and are ready to respond at a moment's notice to a call for their services. A typical rescue of this division is shown in the film. During the progress of the picture we also see how young girls are taught to swim in the Municipal Baths, and how they are trained to do rescue work. We are shown the work of the Life Guards at Coney Island and can well believe that, through their vigilance, many a bather is saved from the fatal effects of carelessness or over-confidence. In this connection views are shown at close range of different methods of rescue, showing how the drowning man is prevented from dragging his rescuer under water. The close of the picture shows the rescue work among the tide rips of Hell Gate.
- D'Artagan leaves home to seek his fortune. Armed with his father's sword and a letter to the Captain of the King's Musketeers, he rides forth boldly to face the world. At a wayside inn he arrives just in time to rescue a young woman from the clutches of several of the Cardinal's spies. He arrives in Paris shortly after and presents his letter to Captain de Treville of the Musketeers. Here he catches his first glimpse of the famous Three Musketeers, Athos, Porthos and Aramis, and decides to fight his way into the Musketeers. In leaving, he runs into Athos, who berates him for his stupidity. This is more than he can bear, even from a Musketeer, and a duel is arranged for one o'clock at the rear of the convent. Hastily turning from Athos he comes into violent contact with Porthos, tearing his cloak from his shoulder and disclosing his ragged jerkin beneath. D'Artagnan bursts into violent laughter at this unexpected disclosure and is challenged to a duel at two o'clock at the convent grounds. Upon reaching the street he spies Aramis chatting with two musketeers and decides to join them, when he discovers that Aramis' foot is resting upon a beautiful lace handkerchief. Wishing to ingratiate himself in the good will of Aramis, he calls his attention to the handkerchief. Aramis denies ownership, but D'Artagnan insists that he saw him drop it and, picking it up, hands it to him. D'Artagnan is again soundly berated for his stupidity; the result is another challenge at three o'clock at the convent. D'Artagnan has lost so much time quarreling that he finds it now time for his first duel. He hurries to the convent only to find all three musketeers waiting. Hardly has he crossed swords with Athos, however, when a company of the Cardinal's guards appear and attempt to take them into custody for dueling. D'Artagnan volunteers to fight on their side and is gladly welcomed. The fight proves a glorious victory for the musketeers, who gather up the swords of their fallen enemies and march triumphantly from the field, arm in arm with D'Artagnan, their sworn friend. They are all brought before the king, but when he hears of the odds against them he not only rewards them, but promises to make D'Artagnan a Musketeer.
- Retelling of the famous incident in the 1854 Crimean War when a British cavalry unit, because of a mix-up in orders, charged an almost impregnable Russian artillery position and was decimated.
- Tom is a boisterous boy who brings his playground manners into his mother's parlor. His mother knowing that he is a gentleman at heart, tries to improve his behavior generally, more by suggestion and example than by reproving him and her efforts eventually meet with success. She reads to him of the Knights of the Round Table, of Sir Galahad and the Holy Grail, and fills him with an idea of chivalry, gallantry and courtesy. She buys him a suit of toy armor and a sword and draws up rules of truth and honor for him to sign. The boy filled with enthusiasm selects for his special favors a little, spoiled girl who does not understand. Of all acts of gallantry, one of Sir Walter Raleigh appeals most to him. He takes advantage of an opportunity and spreads his coat for Ethel to tread upon. She laughs at him, stamps upon the coat and makes faces at him. Later he is very much discouraged and although he rescues her from the consequences of her own fault she denounces him as being the one to blame. He is in disgrace and his armor and his knighthood are taken away from him. All that his mother has told him of the reward for strict rectitude must be true because it was his mother who told him, but his faith has received a severe shock and is in danger of being lost altogether; but the spoiled girl in her childish way begins to understand and she decides to tell the truth. Tom gets back his honors and his knighthood and the seed so lovingly and carefully sown by the mother begins to take root and gives promise of bearing fruit. At the close of the story one has a complete belief that this boy and girl will grow into a noble man and woman helping others by their example.
- We show Lord Nelson leaving the admiralty room where he makes his famous speech and then introduce him with his captains giving the details of that wonderful plan of attack which was carried out to the letter at Trafalgar, the inspirations of the captains and their enthusiastic toast. We are then carried along to the day before the battle when the men are writing their last letters home. Here a beautiful scenic and photographic effect is introduced as the vision of the sweetheart of one of the lieutenants fades into view. This gives an opportunity to introduce that famous episode of the letter in which Lord Nelson called back the mail ship for a single message and which is endeared to the hearts of all those who sail the sea. We are then carried along to the morning of October twenty-first, Eighteen Hundred and Five, when the fleet of the enemy is sighted. The decks are cleared for action and the hoisting of the colors is portrayed with all the solemnity of the occasion before entering the battle. The correct incident of the hoisting of the famous signal "England expects every man to do his duty" is splendidly portrayed and carried out in every detail, and we note the pathetic touch in Nelson's life in bidding farewell to his captains having at the time a presentiment of his own death. We now get to the little human touch in his life and learn the true character of the man, for, in his last entry in his diary before the battle, he makes peace with his maker. And now we come to that wonderful spectacular picture of the real battle of Trafalgar. We see the ships in action, the firing of the guns, the ships caught on fire and then the camera switches to a close view of the deck of the Victory where human life is sacrificed by the hundreds, the fighting top of the Redoubtable, the fatal shot and Nelson's fall. We then see that wonderful character in his death, the solemnity, the beauty and the pathos of it all being carried out by the Edison players in all its grandeur; his farewell to Captain Hardy, the last kiss, the news of the victory and finally his death.
- Jack tells two people, privately, on a blind date that each of them is hard of hearing and wacky hijinks ensue.
- 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.
- A man is arrested while posing as a woman and is saved by suffragettes.
- D'Artagnan having discovered that the girl he has rescued on his way to Paris is none other than the Queen's confidante, Constance, loses little time in becoming better acquainted. The Queen has a secret love affair with the Duke of Buckingham and as a token of her love, she gives him a set of twelve diamond studs. Richelieu's spy, Milady, discovers this and at once reports it to the Cardinal. He sends Milady to steal the studs and persuades the King to give a state ball and ask the Queen to wear the diamond studs, which he does. As soon as she hears this request she writes a note to Buckingham, but finds she has no messenger whom she can trust. Here Constance comes to her aid. The Queen gives her the note and also her handkerchief as a token and she leaves to find D'Artagnan. He is not far away, so she tells him his mission, gives him the note and handkerchief and bids him God-speed. Richelieu's spy has overheard their plans and hurries to report the matter to the Cardinal. He sends the spy out on the road ahead of D'Artagnan with instructions to prevent his reaching Buckingham. D'Artagnan in the meantime has confided to his comrades that he is on a dangerous mission and all three decide to accompany him. The spy manages to leave D'Artagnan's three friends disabled, but our hero arrives safely at Calais, where he finds the port has been closed. Buckingham's boat is about to lift anchor. He forces the Captain of the port to have him rowed out to the ship, where he meets Buckingham and finds that Milady is also on board. Milady manages to cut off two of the diamond studs and hurrying out of the cabin jumps into D'Artagnan's boat, and is rowed ashore, realizing that Milady has taken them they hastily call for a boat to go ashore, but Milady has taken the last one, so there is no way but to swim. Taking two valuable studs from Buckingham to replace the stolen ones, D'Artagnan leaps through the port and swims ashore. He wins the race to Paris, arriving in time to have the two studs set and delivers the twelve intact to the Queen, who generously rewards him by giving him a valuable ring and also his heart's desire, Constance.
- Kimura, a drunk and a gambler, has no affection for his daughter Kiku-San, who falls in love with Dick Tower, an American college friend of her brother Okuma. After Suzuki, a geisha house proprietor, meets Kiku-San, he runs up Kimura's bill to such an exorbitant amount, that Kimura readily agrees to give him Kiku-San as payment. Seeing her peril, Tower and his friend Thompson rescue Kiku-San after fighting Suzuki and his patrons. Tower takes her to his home, and because this compromises her, they marry. Kiku-San and Tower are happy until his friends at the American Club snub them. Even Thompson encourages Tower to divorce her. After Tower meets Margaret, a wealthy American widow, he tires of being ostracized, and becomes cold to Kiku-San. Her sadness, conveyed to Okuma, causes him to threaten to kill Tower unless she refuses to go with him to America for Christmas. She does refuse, and Tower sails with Margaret, happy with the belief that Kiku-San wanted the separation, while Kiku-San sits in sorrow among cherry blossom trees.
- A young clerk, a small salary, a wife and child, the child long ill then the doctor's bill and other bills and debts accumulate; the advertisement in the news about borrowing money on your furniture at six per cent. Ah. That's the solution. I'll try it. Yes, he tried it and as the picture unfolds itself we see the clerk careworn and desperate borrowing twenty-five dollars from a loan shark, who compels him to return five of it for drawing up papers. At this the clerk remonstrates and shows the loan shark his own advertisement at six per cent. The shark snarls and snatches back the money, but the child is ill, what can he do but submit and take what he gets and sign that fatal card, which reads that he must pay forty-five dollars for tho loan of twenty-five. He signs it; he has to. Now comes with sickening regularity the dreaded monthly payments. He cannot always meet them, what then? Slowly they go, his watch, her brooch and last, the baby's ring. And next comes the "bawlerout." The clerk at his desk in a large office is told that a woman wishes to see him. She demands a payment, he can't comply, she raises her voice, threatens, heaps imprecations on him, she will not be silenced. The clerk is humiliated before the whole office and the manager discharges him. He plods home and breaks the news to his wife, who comforts him and bids him try again. The clerk succeeds in getting n new position and a kindly, sympathetic employer in whom he confides, when the "bawlerout" next appears. His employer takes him to a loan association, where anyone who is employed and in distress may borrow money at the legal rate of interest. Again, through his employer, the clerk meets the district attorney and tells him of the loan shark who is squeezing money from him, although he has already more than paid the debt. The district attorney investigates and intervenes just in time to prevent the ruffian from taking the very bed from under the clerk's sick child. He also compels him to give back all the usury interest he has received above six per cent.
- We have all seen the quaint, blue plates of Nankin ware, with their queer, formal decoration, known as "The Willow Pattern." Not so many of us are familiar with the beautiful old legend which explains the various figures in the pattern. Here it is: Li Chi of the almond eyes, Lived in China long ago. Daughter was she of the wise, Mandarin, Ching Ho. Spake the mandarin one day, "Chung Wang shall your husband be." Answered Li Chi, bravely, "Nay, None but Chang shall marry me." In her room above the stream, Ching Ho locked the poor Li Chi, Left her there to sit and dream, Till her love for Chang should die. But Li Chi refused to sit still and dream. She wrote a note, put it in a coconut shell and opened her window, "O kind river flowing there, Neath my casement," Li Chi sang, "Of thy mercy, deign to bear, This to mine own lover, Chang." The river granted Li Chi's prayer and carried the coconut to Chang's feet. He opened it and read the letter. "Heart's beloved, hear my call; Watch the graceful cherry tree; When its leaves begin to fall. Come, and I will fly with thee." Chang was a man of action. He shook the cherry tree and made its leaves fall. Then he hurried to Li Chi and saved her from her prison by means of a ladder. The lovers fled to the gardener's house. The angry Ching Ho pursued them, hut the kindly gardener saved them from him and sheltered them until they could sail to an island far out in the sea. On this island, Li Chi and Chang were very happy. But Ching Ho soon followed after to their island in the sea. Mirthless rose his cackling laughter. "Certain gifts I bring with me." "Certain gifts for this whose loving, Runs against Ching Ho's desire. I will cure them of their roving, With the soothing touch of fire." Then the cruel father set fire to their house. The lovers must have perished in the flames had not the gods loved them. But because the gods are always kind to lovers, they saved them from the fire and transformed them into a pair of snowy doves.
- Mrs. Wethersby comes to the police station with the complaint that several thefts have been committed in her house, and Detective Kate Kirby is allowed to undertake the investigation as her first case. Accordingly she enters Mrs. Wethersby's house as her private secretary. She subjects the inmates of the house to a severe scrutiny. Besides Mrs. Wethersby, the household consists of a dissipated son and three servants of suspicious appearance. While writing invitations to a house party in Mrs. Wethersby's room. Miss Kirby discovers a revolver in the drawer of the desk, which Mrs. Wethersby explains she keeps on hand for protection. An inspection of the desk and the wall of the room causes a peculiar expression to pass across Miss Kirby's face. With the aid of a piece of chewing gum, she takes an impression of the key to Mrs. Wethersby's room, and has a duplicate key made for herself. The guests arrive at the house party and go to their rooms to dress for dinner. Miss Kirby, sitting at Mrs. Wethersby's desk as the hostess makes her preparations, is aware of a subtle delicate perfume, which is markedly different from the odor of the cologne with which Mrs. Wethersby is liberally spraying herself. Immediately the girl's suspicions are confirmed, and she sends immediate instructions to the police. That night after the guests have retired, Miss Kirby steals along the dimly lighted hall, and listens with her ear against the wall outside Mrs. Wethersby's room. Suddenly she glides to the door, unlocks it with her duplicate key, and enters. Taking the revolver from the drawer of the desk, she waits quietly. After a few moments, the wall of the room slides out of place without a sound, and Mrs. Wethersby, herself the thief, enters through the secret panel, carrying the jewel boxes of the young heiress, whose room is next to hers. Confronted by the quiet figure of her secretary, Mrs. Wethersby rushes to the desk drawer. The discovery that the revolver is missing leaves her no other alternative than to await the arrival of the police, who quickly answer the young detective's signal.
- On the eve of his marriage to Alice Osborn, Philip Morton realizes that he cannot marry her; he loves her sister, Marguerite, more than he does his bride-elect. Marguerite breaks down momentarily, but upon hearing her sister's voice, commands Philip to go where his honor calls him. She then goes to a lounge at the head of a stairway and writes a letter to Philip, telling him that while she loves him her little sister's happiness must have first consideration. Hearing the approach of someone, she hides the letters in the lounge. Into the drawing room, where the guests have been assembled ready for the commencement of the ceremony, a maid rushes with the terrible news that Alice has been found dead upon the stairs with a stab wound in her back. The chief of police is given the case, and with a number of officers and Kate Kirby, the famous woman detective, he arrives at the Osborn mansion, where a rigid search is instituted. Kate finds the hidden letter, and this, together with the knife that is found to be the property of Philip, cause his arrest. Morton is put through a vigorous third degree and the chief, being unable to get a confession from him, leaves him alone with Marguerite, in the hope that he will confess to her. But he only protests his innocence. The whole matter is cleared, however, by Kate, who discovers finger marks upon the lounge.
- In a succession of splendidly enacted scenes, we are led, step by step from the beginning of the dissatisfaction of the Indian troops at Lucknow. Finally the outbreak occurs and we are shown the night of May 12th, 1857, and just what occurred on that memorable evening at Lucknow. At the beginning of the mutiny we are shown the burning of the officers' houses, the news of the outbreak received by Sir Henry Lawrence and also the manner of Sir Henry Lawrence's death, his burial at night, midst shot and shell and, like Sir Thomas Moore. No useless coffin enclosed his breast. Nor sheet nor shroud rebound him, but he lay like a warrior taking his rest with his military cloak around him. Hospital scones are shown giving one an idea of the work that befell the women during the siege. General Havelock is also introduced and he is shown starting for the relief of Lucknow from Cawnpore. This all eventually leads up to that never-to-be-forgotten moment at Lucknow when hopes had deserted them and each moment they thought would be the last. Then comes the shrill notes of the bagpipes. And in the closing events we are shown the fight in the streets of Lucknow when General Havelock forced his way through those narrow lanes to the relief of those heroic men and women.
- Mary Wilson, an orphan, has inherited all of her father's money; when her unscrupulous lawyer, Samuel Kingman, tells her that all her investments have turned out badly and that she is ruined, she immediately suspects Kingman of dishonest dealings. She consults another lawyer and is told that she really has no redress. Mary is compelled to sell all her possessions and goes to a boarding-house. Then she starts out to look for employment. Unsuccessful and embittered, she is finally compelled to take a cheap room "with meals" in an East Side house. This house is the home of many noted underworld characters, and here Mary meets Dan Reedy. a crook, and Lilly, an all-around thief. One of the gang has, stolen jewelry and brings it to Dan, who is at the gambling den. The place is raided by the police. They help their leader to make his get-away. Hastening to the boarding house, Dan rushes into Mary's room and begs her to take the jewels out and pawn them for him. She objects, but finally agrees to help him. She passes the police at the door, pawns the jewels and returns just after the police have left. She eventually becomes one of the gang. Meanwhile Samuel Kingman's son Ralph, has been given a position of cashier. Although handling large sums of money each day, he draws only a moderate salary. One night Ralph meets Mary and Lilly, and Mary prevents Lilly from picking Ralph's pockets while in a semi-intoxicated state. This leads to further conversation, during which Mary discovers that the young man is the son of a man who has cheated her out of her fortune. She obtains her revenge upon Ralph's father by getting the son infatuated with her, and by having him steal a lot of money. Mary agrees to go with Ralph to South America when the shortage is discovered, but before boarding the boat, she tells him that she has forgotten something at home and leaves. Mary does not return to the ship and Ralph goes in search of her. He finds her in her apartment, and upbraids her. Mary then makes it known to Ralph that, with the aid of her lawyer, she will make good his shortage, and shows him papers to this effect. Being in love with Mary, Ralph proposes. Mary does not love him, and tells him so. She is later confronted by Dan, who pleads his love for her. Having been impressed by his manliness, she consents, and together they seek "the way back" to upright living.
- The small son of wealthy young parents is left to the care of a governess while the father and mother enjoy themselves. One day in the park, a little mischief entices the boy away from his governess and after a long walk they arrive at the foot of the Palisades, and take off their shoes and stockings to go in wading. On the top of the cliff above them, workmen are engaged in some blasting, and while the children are playing they are suddenly startled by a cry from above. Looking up they see a huge boulder dislodged and rolling down the declivity toward them. Not being used to action, the boy hesitates, but only for a second; then the real spirit of the man within him awakens and he dashes forward, pulling the little girl aside just in time to save her from the huge boulder, which dashes over the spot where she had stood a half-second before. The boy delivers her safely to her father and starts to leave, but she tells her father what happened during their walk. The man takes the boy home to his parents. The little girl's father tells what the boy really did, and for the first time the parents realize that here is a son worth having.
- The eighteenth day of April, 1775, still lives in the hearts of all loyal Americans, as the birthday of our country. It was the day the first shots were fired against the British at Lexington. Throughout the years of privation and suffering which followed, that same spirit of the "minute men" endured up to the very last, when Lord Cornwallis surrendered his army on the nineteenth day of October, 1781, American independence was assured. Of all the characters of our Revolutionary period, none is more endeared to all than that of Paul Revere, whose exploit has been immortalized by Longfellow so effectively that the lines of the poem and the incidents portrayed are graven more deeply, perhaps, upon the average American mind than any other character or exploit of our American history. When Revere learned of the British commander's intention of attacking the patriot's base of supplies in Concord, and told his friend to, "Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch of the North Church tower as a signal light." He little realized that the tiny light would serve as a beacon of liberty for future generations but so it has proven and we follow him today as he clattered along the country-side rousing the men to fight for their life and our liberty and our pulses beat with each stride of the mount.
- When old Bill Mason left his home to join the Continental Army, he left his daughter, Margaret, in the care of Mrs. Lane, a neighbor. Mrs. Lane was something of a shrew, and poor Margaret, who missed her father terribly, soon found her life unbearable. After she had home Mrs. Lane's tyranny as long as she could, she decided to run away and find her father. With the aid of her playmate, Jack, Margaret procured a suit of boy's clothes and a drum. One afternoon, she put on the clothes, took the drum, and stole silently away. After a long, weary tramp, she at length arrived at a camp of Revolutionary soldiers, and enlisted as a drummer boy. The rough soldiers, disgusted with the effeminate characteristics of their comrade, christened the supposed boy "Molly." But Molly had a chance to prove her mettle a few weeks after her arrival in camp when Washington, hard pressed by the pursuing British, called for volunteers to remain behind and keep the fires burning while the army stole away. Molly stayed with the men, and beat her drum to give the British the impression that the army was still in camp. Washington's army escaped, and the British, occupying the camp in the early morning, found only dying camp fires. Molly, escaping through the British lines, came across her father on sentry duty. Mason, a weakling and a drunkard, had deserted to the British army. Captain Morley, of the English army, making the rounds, found Mason in conversation with Molly. Fearing treachery, he fired. Mason was killed, but Molly, wounded in the arm, escaped. The next morning, when she was again attempting to escape through the lines, after a night in the woods, she met Morley a second time. He drew his pistol, but this time Molly was a little quicker, and Morley dropped with a bullet through his heart. After many vicissitudes, Molly at last arrived in the American camp, where she fell into the care of kindly surgeon Bell. Discovering that his patient was a girl, he had her removed to his mother's home, but not until Molly, wearing her uniform for the last time, had received an honorable discharge and the public thanks of her great chief, Washington. When Molly was perfectly well, the good doctor took her hack to her old home, and brought Jack, her old friend, back to live with them.
- A monk tells a tale about a woman who can only surrender her heart to a man who can offer her jewels. A poor man falls in love with her and steals jewels off a statue of the Madonna to give to her.
- All I Need Is You is the sixth song on Rob Cantor's album Not a Trampoline. The music video was directed by Randall Maxwell, and features cameos from Ross Federman and Bora Karaca.
- Winsome Winnie is besought by the Particular Young Man to go motoring with him and declining the invitation in order to help in the Charity Bazaar at the Armory. He goes with her, and the other girls decorate the booth. The other girls discover Winnie talking to a prepossessing looking man and they are highly incensed that while they work she flirts. But, when we look closely and see what Winnie is saying to the gentleman, we find that her smile has conquered the individual and he suddenly appears before the booth and makes the announcement that although he is the busiest man in the room, he intends to do all of the decoration for them because Winnie has smiled upon him. When the sale opens her smile makes the customers flock around the booth so that they are soon sold out and still there is money offered. Winnie offers to auction off a kiss. The bidding is fast and furious from everybody. Old Colonel Dare finally makes the highest bid and wins the kiss, but not until the "busiest man in the hall" has tried to put in his bid, offering his last ten dollar bill for it. The Colonel takes the kiss, pays one hundred dollars for it and then Winnie finds that her own particular young man does not approve of this proceeding and is more than put out. We see her conquering him as she has conquered everybody else by the winsome smile.
- When Rosita McMullen, of Silver Plume, Colorado, married Madison Lane, the Frio Kid attended the wedding celebration on Christmas Day, shot three men, and rode away after expressing the pleasant hope that on some future Christmas he might return, and present Madison with a neat little present in the shape of a few ounces of lead. Thereafter the Frio Kid embarked on a fervid career. Accompanied by the notorious Mexican Frank, he dynamited trains, shot bank messengers, and did other things incompatible with good citizenship. Throughout it all, he never forgot Madison Lane. One Christmas Day, three years later, the Frio Kid, riding up to a crossroads store at dusk, heard a man talking about a party to be held that night at Madison Lane's house. The reason the man was talking was because he had been chosen to appear as Santa Claus. The Kid rode back to his camp thoughtfully and confided an amiable little plan to Mexican Frank. The plan consisted simply in shooting the would-be Santa Claus, attiring himself in his garb, and then killing Madison Lane at a favorable opportunity. Now, some years before, Rosita had done Mexican Frank a great kindness, and the outlaw had never forgotten it. The party at the house was in full swing when Santa Claus arrived. After the presents had been distributed to the delighted children, Santa withdrew to an adjoining room with Lane. In a few moments he returned. "Mrs. Lane," he said, "I've left your Christmas present in the next room." Madison Lane was in the next room with arms and head sprawled on the table; no, not dead, asleep. When he awoke and kissed his wife, Mexican Frank appeared at the window, and blessed them silently. Meanwhile, the Frio Kid was lying out under the stars with a bullet through his heart.
- Becky, a child, is left an orphan by the death of her father and is consigned to the tender mercies of the Misses Pinkertons, who conduct a fashionable school for girls. Becky feels keenly the semi-charitable nature of her life, and, when kindly-hearted Amelia Sedley invites her home, she eagerly accepts. It is then that Becky, the child, becomes Becky, the adventuress, cold, calculating and selfish. With the entrance of Becky into the peaceful Sedley home comes misfortune. Sedley goes bankrupt. Old man Osborne promptly breaks the engagement between Amelia and his son, George. Becky lays her traps for Joseph Sedley, Amelia's brother, and nearly succeeds in her designs on that self-satisfied young man. Urged by his faithful friend, Captain Dobbin, George marries Amelia. This change throws Becky into new surroundings. She goes to Queen's Crawley and enters the most active sphere of her existence. Her adventures with old Pit Crawley, her marriage to Rawdon Crawley, their poverty Becky's flirtation with Lord Steyne and her subsequent separation from Rawdon, the Battle of Waterloo and the death of George Osborne are all faithfully portrayed incidents of Thackeray's novel.
- A halfwit sees a foreman kill the owner of a copper mine.
- George Steele had made all the money he possessed by his own efforts, and was proud of it. He was a plain man, and the son of plain people. The idea that anyone should be ashamed of him or any of his family had never for a moment occurred to him. When, by a stroke of luck, one of George's inventions began to pay him tremendous royalties, he was enabled to fulfill his dearest wish by marrying Marion Ashmead. When Marion discovered that George's mother smoked a pipe, she was greatly disgusted. Accustomed as she was to surroundings of delicacy and refinement, the plain, substantial crudities of the Steele home came to her as a distinct shock. So distasteful did it all seem that she began at once to beg George to buy a house more fitted to their new position in life. George readily complied with her wish. A couple of months later, they were safely installed in the new house. Old Mrs. Steele did not care for the change. The associations of the old home meant more to her than George could possibly have realized. Marion would not let her smoke her pipe in the new house, and in addition the young wife continually made the poor old woman feel that she was distinctly unwelcome. At last old Mrs. Steele crept quietly away one night, and went back to the old home. George's discovery of his mother's action led to a dramatic scene with Marion, which ended in George leaving his wife alone in the new house, and going home to his mother. After George left, Frank Reynolds, a life-long friend of Marion's, became very attractive to her. Under his influence, Marion gradually drifted back into the careless gay life of society. One night, during supper at a large dance, she lighted a cigarette. As she did so, a sudden remembrance flashed upon her of the cruel words with which she had reproached George's mother for smoking her pipe. After the dance, Reynolds kissed her. Filled with remorse, Marion returned home. As she reviewed her conduct of the past few weeks, a wave of homesickness and regret swept over her. Putting on her things, she hurried over to the old house. George was reading to his mother beside the fire. Sobbing, Marion flung herself into the kind old arms. "Mother," she cried, "I have come home."
- Three bad boys come into possession of the famous Aladdin lamp and without realizing its marvelous power cast it away at the lake side as a valueless article, where it is found by poor penniless Tim, the gardener, who is about to commit suicide because Farmer Jenkins objects to him as a son-in-law. He picks up the lamp and examines it curiously. In trying to remove the sand and dirt he rubs it vigorously when to his astonishment a slave of the lamp suddenly appears coming from nowhere and informs Tim the slaves of the lamp are at his service, and by simply rubbing it his every wish will be granted, then he disappears as mysteriously as he came. This is a delightfully unusual comedy, full of trick work, which is wonderfully well done.
- Jean Dutard, a habitant of the Canadian woods, has a beautiful daughter, Annette. It is his ambition to have her marry Philip Boileau, a young woodsman. Annette, despite her dislike for Boileau, dares not rebel against her father's wishes. One day, Gerald Austin, a young American camper, gets off his usual trail and stops at the Dutard's to inquire his way. Dutard gives him the directions, but Austin pays little attention to them because he has suddenly caught sight of Annette. Dutard angrily orders the girl into the house and dismisses Austin coldly. Austin takes every opportunity to grow more intimate with Annette. One day Dutard surprises them together in the forest. He orders Annette home and threatens to kill Austin if he does not leave the woods. Austin follows Dutard back to his house and saves Annette from a whipping. With the assistance of Boileau, Dutard overpowers Austin, carries him out into the woods, and tying him to a sapling, leaves him to the tender mercies of hunger, exposure and the wolves. Dutard sends for the priest and makes immediate preparations for marrying Annette to Boileau. Cowed by her father's will, the girl dares not protest and proceeds with the ceremony until the moment when the priest asks her if she will take Boileau as her lawfully wedded husband. Her love for Austin overcomes her fears, and in a tensely dramatic moment she tells the priest the whole condition of affairs. A powerful scene follows in which the fearless priest completely dominates the two savage woodsmen by sheer strength of personality. Guided by Annette, he effects Austin's release and then marries the two lovers. Later he returns to Dotard, lectures him severely on the error of his ways and persuades him to turn over a new leaf.
- The first thing a bride and groom in the rural districts does after the ceremony is performed and the opportunity presents itself, is to have their photographs taken. Here we find Zeb and Cynthia going into a photograph gallery to engage the services of the artist. They are an exceedingly eccentric pair, both lacking all the elements that would make them attractive. In fact, they are just exactly the opposite and the moment the bride looks into the mirror to fix her hair it cracks into a dozen pieces. Her husband's attention is attracted by her to the catastrophe. Both are surprised and when their attention is attracted to the camera it runs around the room and finally exits precipitously. The photographer returns after a short absence, and to his dismay sees the damage that has been wrought by the couple's ugliness. He tries to run them out, but the bridegroom, being well supplied with money, readily offers to pay for the damage and all is well. The camera is again brought in, but refuses to stay, out it runs. The photographer brings it in again and nails it to the floor. This proves too much for the camera and it explodes. The enraged photographer insists on their leaving. His assistant then announces another customer to the dismayed photographer. In comes a very attractive young woman whose beauty is such that when she looks into the mirror it is immediately made whole, the camera becomes whole again, and the photographer is happy once more.
- 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.
- With the co-operation of the New York City Cleaning Department the Edison Company has produced a film that will enlighten the outside as to the various methods employed in this city. First there is the ordinary sweeper, who sweeps the streets, brushing the dirt to one side where it is at once picked up and carted away. A recent innovation is the pneumatic sweeper which sweeps and picks up the dirt simultaneously. The latest type of flushing machine now used has a gasoline engine, which forces the water to the pavement under a pressure that wipes it absolutely clean. For wet pavements the squeegee, with its revolving rubber drums, serves both for cleaning and drying. From the refuse of the city has been built an entire island in Long Island Sound, known as Riker's Island. Here when it has reached the proper size the city proposes building a new prison. The garbage is taken down the bay to Barren Island, where it is thrown into huge vats, boiled, pressed, dried and then ground into fertilizer, from which a considerable revenue is derived.
- In a peasant's cot we find a fair, young maiden who is loved by an honest, true-hearted peasant lad, while yonder stands the manor of Glenwood with its noble lord, who chanced to pass by one fair day and there noble eyes met peasant meekness and love found work a-plenty to do. But maiden thought naught of my lord o' the manor, nor so much as gave him cause to hope that all his castles and lands could win her heart from the true peasant lad who had gone forth in the world to win humble living for his bride to be. It was then that Dame Poverty came knocking at the peasant's door and upon her heels crept a fever which held the young sister close within her breast only waiting for death to knock gently at the humble cot. And still no word from the loved one in a foreign land! Had he deserted his fond-hearted lassie? Weeks passed by and still no word nor sign of the one held most dear, and then my lord of Glenwood Keep came suing for her hand. On one side poverty, silence and perhaps death to her beloved sister, on the other riches, honor and life for her who needed it so much. If he would only write, her peasant lad. Little she knew that he lay ill raving with fever in a foreign hospital. And so the battle of poverty and riches was fought and her heart grew sick. In a few weeks Glenwood Keep had a new mistress in the maid of the peasant cot. Months later, worn and weary, a peasant boy wandered back to his own land to find the idol of his heart close within the gray walls of a rich man's mansion. Silently at night he stole into her chamber and there learned from her lips the sad story of her love and struggle. Ere they could part forever, the lord of the manor returned and the peasant boy gave up his life for the honor of the woman he loved. But ere the sun went down we find the lad and maid clasped at last in each other's arms, the kiss of death upon their brow.
- Jennie, a coquettish housemaid, flirts with the grocer's delivery boy and thereby incites the jealousy of her sweetheart, Frank, the butler. Frank goes to his station in the hall and, in his anger, tells the marble statue that is a part of the furnishings of the handsome home, that his sweetheart is as cold as the stone of which it is made. He quiets down, and as he is not very busy, soon becomes drowsy, and dreams that the statue comes to life and goes with him to a ball. While they are walking along the street, a policeman meets them and questions Frank. He gets frightened, they run and as they rush back into the hall, the statue falls and breaks into a thousand pieces. His sweetheart comes down the steps and wakes him up and tells him to answer the bell. Frank's surprise at seeing the statue whole is plainly shown and his delight that is has all been a dream causes him to make up with his sweetheart.
- Thelma, Mr. Chadwick's little daughter, is not at all agreeably surprised when her father returns from his honeymoon with his second wife. With undue frigidity, Thelma meets her new mother, and then recoils, as if wholly displeased with the selection. She is called into the next room by her father, given a scolding and told to go out and meet her stepmother as any nice little girl should. She goes reluctantly and stands looking at the new arrival doubtfully. As the days go by, Thelma's attitude toward her new mother remains unchanged, despite the fact that the latter has done practically everything in her power to alter the narrow perspective of the child's mind. Thelma and her dog, Jerry, played together and the girl took little or no notice of the sorrowful mother. Occasional trips were made to the attic by Thelma for the purpose of gazing at the portrait of her real mother which had been relegated to the heap of rubbish and antiques. One evening, after a birthday supper in Thelma's honor, she went to the attic to spend a few minutes with her real mother. Jerry followed her, but before he could get up through the trap door, it had slammed, breaking off the strap which was used to lift it. Thelma went to the old couch and took the picture. She soon fell asleep with the picture in her arms. She dreams that her real mother had come back to her and tells her to love her always, but to love the new mother for father's sake and as she deserves. In her dream, Thelma embraces her real mother. In the meantime, the others are frantic not finding her in bed, as expected. They search the house and finally hear Jerry barking upstairs. They go up and find him at the foot of the stairs to the attic. The dog rushes upstairs when he sees them, and soon they are at the couch where Thelma is asleep. The stepmother sits at the foot just where the real mother was in the dream, and when Thelma is awakened, she embraces her stepmother, thinking it is still the dream and that she is her real mother. Suddenly realizing, she recoils and then remembering what her real mother had said to her in the dream, throws her arms about her stepmother and forthwith calls her mother.
- Jimmy Carter, a millionaire, leading an idle, indulgent life, gets an urgent message from his friend, Reginald Travers. Travers, who is dying, has been ruined in the stock market by Mortimer Reynolds, and penniless, he leaves his little daughter in care of Carter, who promises faithfully to look after her. After the death of Travers, Carter takes Ruth to his luxurious home and gives her to the motherly care of Mrs. Jenkins, his housekeeper, Mortimer Reynolds, anxious to add Ruth to his list of unfortunates, instructs his mistress, Edna Morris, to make her acquaintance and to gain her confidence. Carter and Reynolds become bitter enemies because of Reynold's sarcastic reflections on the relationship between Carter and Ruth. As time passes, Ruth, by her winsomeness and innocence gradually changes Carter's mode of life. He no longer feels an interest in the gay life of former days, and even loses his taste for the morning nip. Unconsciously, Ruth is transforming his sympathetic dutiful interest in her to love. In a moment of ecstasy he crushes her in his arms. At the Charity Ball, where Ruth is taking part in a tableau, she meets Edna Morris. Fearful of Reynold's wrath should she fail, the unhappy girl works her way into the graces of Ruth. Carter sees this and immediately takes Ruth home, refusing to explain his conduct to her. Meeting Ruth in the park the following day, Edna denounces Carter for his action of the previous evening, "Why should he object to me, pray? Everybody knows that your father didn't leave you a penny, and that you are living on the, shall I say, generosity, of Mr. Carter." Stunned by the revelation that she is looked upon as Carter's mistress, the impetuous little girl rushes to the house, and in a burst of fury, screams her hatred of Carter. In the still of the night, she makes her way out of the house to Edna's apartment. It is here that Reynolds finds her. Impelled by a fiendish lust, he forces her to partake of his wines, and slowly they begin to work their effect. Carter, who, in desperation, has been searching for her, finds her in the apartment, stupefied and disheveled. Disgusted and heartsore, he looks upon her contemptuously and leaves, feeling that she has gone the way of Edna. Mrs. Morris, Edna's mother, prompted by a subconscious feeling that all is not well with her child, comes to the house from her little cottage in the country. She takes both penitents back home with her, hoping that they may forget and begin life anew. Meanwhile, Reynolds, whose financial affairs have taken a turn for the worse, and who is being sought by the police for forgery, attempts to make his escape. He is caught by the police and so made to pay for the misery and misfortune which he has brought upon others. Miserable and despairing because Carter has mistaken her, Ruth can find no peace. But Edna, she who has dragged her to darkness and degradation, succeeds in lifting her once more to the light of hope. The once impetuous Ruth is again folded in the arms of Carter, knowing that there only will she find eternal happiness and peace of soul.
- Characters from various nursery rhymes sing together.
- Charlotte Marlin was raised on a Connecticut farm in the shadow of Micah's apple tree, whose fruit, according to legend, changed from pale green to spotted red after a peddler was killed and buried at its base. Orphaned, Charlotte goes to live with her aunt and pretty cousin Margaret. She meets Neil Kennedy, a poor boy who is working his way through college, and they become friends. Margaret, who is engaged to wealthy Willis Hayland, teases Charlotte, who considers herself to be plain-looking. At high school graduation Charlotte's academic achievements are obscured by Margaret's leading role in the school play. Jealous of Margaret, Charlotte resolves to make everybody like her, to be famous, and to marry a millionaire. She learns that to make everybody like her, she must be friendly to everyone. To become famous, she becomes a golfer and wins the world's championship tournament. She nurses millionaire Perry Graham after hitting him in the head with a golf ball, supposedly an accident, but when Perry falls in love with her, Charlotte realizes that she loves Neil, who has become a promising physician.
- 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.
- Lieutenant Adams, U.S.A., on special duty in Cuba in the fall of 1897 fell deeply in love with Alva Bellins, daughter of General Bellins of the Spanish army. Shortly after the war broke out in 1888, General Bellins was killed in action. Jose, his son, Alva's twin brother, was at his father's aide when he fell. Just before his death the general gave Jose important dispatches to be delivered to another division of the Spanish army. The death of his father paralyzed Jose with terror. A wild impulse for flight seized him and flinging to the winds all thoughts of the honor which had always been attached to the Bellins name, he fled from the field, crept to his home, divested himself of the uniform and put on civilian's clothes. Alva knocked on his door as he finished dressing. Ashamed to face her, Jose escaped by the window and Alva entering found the uniform and the dispatches General Bellins had given to Jose realizing the situation. Alva decided to return the honor her brother had forfeited. Accordingly she dressed herself in his uniform, placed the dispatches in an inside pocket and set out for the distant Spanish camp. On the way she was intercepted by American soldiers, fired at and seriously wounded. In a fainting condition she was taken before their commanding officer, Lieutenant Adams, who after continued questioning at length discovered her identity. Alva, feeling that her brother's honor was hopelessly lost, now that she had failed in her mission, fainted away. A moment later shots were heard outside and some time afterward the body of a Spaniard was brought into the tent. It was Jose. He had discovered his sister's sacrifice, and had taken the only means in his power to relieve her of her responsibility. With his arm about the weeping girl, Adams promised her that Jose should have a soldier's funeral and that the blot upon their name should be forgotten.
- We see Jack and his mother very poor and the project of selling the cow discussed. Jack meets the familiar figure of the butcher who bargains with him for the cow and finally Jack consents to part with the animal for the wonderful beans which will grow up overnight until they reach the sky. He takes them to his mother, and, of course, she is heart-broken and throws the beans out of the window. The next morning the vine not only covers the window, but reaches far above the top of the house out of sight in the clouds, and we see Jack start to climb upward. Upon arriving at the giant's castle Jack meets the ogre's wife, who towers majestically above him, and after some parley is invited in, on his plea of hunger. Before he can be served the giant is heard and Jack is hidden in the kettle. The giant comes on and then follows the familiar scenes in which the ogre calls for his bags of gold, his magic harp and the wonderful hen that lays the golden eggs. While the giant dozes Jack takes first one of his treasures and then another and carries them to the top of the vine, where he throws them down toward the earth. But when he steals the harp the giant awakens, follows him and would probably catch him but for the good fairy, who, standing at the top of the vine, trips the giant and makes him lose his footing. Jack arrives safely at the bottom of the vine, shows his mother the treasures and then above them they hear the coming of the giant. Seizing an ax, Jack chops the vine and when it falls to the ground the giant tumbles after it, his immense head nearly filling the stage.
- Mr. Waters, the owner of a large woolen mill, is careless about having the fire exits kept clear. The factory inspector listens to Mr. Waters' promise to right matters and does not report the case. Tom Watts, an employee in the mill, breaks the rule which prohibits smoking. Thus the three are to blame. Tom Watts and Hilda Fox. another employee of the mill, are lovers with the wedding only one day off Tom carelessly throws the lighted match, with which he had lit his cigarette, into a pile of rubbish in the basement of the mill. The fire started gains headway so rapidly that Tom is barely able to make his escape up the now blazing stairway. Meanwhile the smoke has penetrated to all parts of the mill; the hundreds of employees are panic stricken and rush wildly for the fire exits, only to find them locked or cluttered with heavy boxes and bales which make them impractical for use. Tom comes upon a crowd of them at one of these doors, and hastily grabbing a fire axe, cuts a way for them through a partition. Upon escaping to the street he finds that Hilda is still in the mill which is now blazing from every window. In a series of thrilling episodes Tom finds the unconscious Hilda and carries her to the street, where he acknowledges his blame in setting the mill afire. The employees nearly mob him and he is driven out of the town. His name is heralded among other mill owners and he is unable to secure work. This, added to the fact that Hilda was badly crippled in the fire, drives him to contemplating suicide from which he is prevented by the timely arrival of Hilda with a letter from Waters in which he acknowledges his own blame as well as Tom's and invites Tom to return to the new factory, both having learned a needed lesson.
- Vance Coleman had landed his canoe when suddenly his eyes were greeted with the remarkable sight of a beautiful gypsy girl strutting around under the trees, while in her hands she held the very volume of Tennyson for which he was searching. His advent upon the scene startled her and she sprang away like a young wild thing, but quickly returned when he picked up her mandolin and began to play. Repeated meetings caused something more than mere friendship to spring up between the two young people and this sentiment was made fairly evident a short while after, when Vance rescued her from the embraces of Drew Martin, his cousin, and forced the young reprobate to make proper apologies for his conduct. This incident took place when Drew was on his way to meet Judge Stone, who had been summoned to the city to draw up General Coleman's will. Realizing that the general was wrapped up in his son, Drew saw a chance to get even with Vance, and at the same time feather his own nest. A slighting remark about Vance caused the general to ask for more details and on hearing of his son s infatuation for Olive, the gypsy girl, he faced him with it, and being unable to make him change his plans, he furiously demanded of the judge to change the will so that it would read in Drew's favor, completely disowning Vance. The general's outburst culminated in a complete collapse, and the doctor being summoned, he informed them that the old gentleman was in a very serious state of health. Judge Stone returned to the city and Drew was left in charge of his uncle, with a warning, under no circumstances, to give him more than three drops of medicine. It was during the period that news reached him of the discovery of his having forged his uncle's name, and fearing disclosure, he deliberately gave the general an overdose and fled from the cabin. Olive, in the meantime, had decided not to accept her lover's sacrifice and was on her way to the cabin when she came across the general's body. Quickly summoning Vance, she ran to the gypsy camp, and returned with an antidote for the poison, which saved the general's life. Gratitude quickly caused the general to view her in a different light, and won his consent to their marriage.
- Young Jim Hawkins is caught up with the pirate Long John Silver in search of the buried treasure of the buccaneer Captain Flint, in this adaptation of the classic novel by Robert Louis Stevenson.
- Dr. Gilderbrand has a large and remunerative practice in the East Side. He is very soon to be married. The doctor is to give up his East Side practice and buy one in the country, where his fiancée lives. Sybil is impatiently waiting for the day when the doctor will go to her father's house for a short visit. There are, of course, frequent letters exchanged by the lovers. A day or so before the doctor proposes to leave the city for his visit his office is invaded by Bill Smart, a burglar, who asks, begs and implores the doctor to go and see his dying child. The doctor is impressed by the man's excitement and leaves his patients in charge of an assistant while he goes to Bill's home. There Bill and his wife are in despair over the child's condition. The doctor, with his calm, business-like manner, soon reassures them and sits by the child's bedside all night. In the morning the crisis has passed and the doctor prepares to leave. Bill offers him a fee, which he refuses, and he leaves them surprised and happy. The doctor, dismissing everything else from his mind, prepares for his visit to his sweetheart's home, taking with him his latest photograph as a present, Sybil meets him at the station and together they drive to her father's home. They have naturally much to talk about, and sit up quite late in Sybil's sitting room. The photograph is greatly admired and given a place of honor. It so happens that Bill Smart has selected Sybil's home for his next "haul," and soon after Sybil has retired and the doctor has made himself comfortable in the smoking room we see Bill lurking in the shadows of the house. He effects an entrance through the window of Sybil's sitting room, and after selecting a few valuable gold ornaments he sees the doctor's photograph. He at once remembers the face, and in his agitation he drops the photo. The noise brings Sybil to see what has happened, and at the sight of Bill she screams. The doctor hurries to her assistance and decides to call the police and have Bill arrested, but Sybil is so full of happiness that she cannot bear to see another suffer, so Bill is released. He is so impressed with the goodness of these two people that he decides to reform, and as a reward is taken into the doctor's house.
- "Thus conscience does make cowards of us all," has yet to be disputed with sincerity. No matter how calloused the criminal, at some time or other he has felt the vise-like grip of compunction and wished that he had followed in the path of rectitude. Probably after a few minutes or hours, or even days of unhappy recollection, he may fall back into his old ways again, but nevertheless he has experienced the feeling he has heard the dictate of that indescribable something inside and unconsciously he finds himself admitting his guilt. We are all casuists unknowingly at one time or other, and in this story the woman is suddenly brought to a realization of her wrongdoing while she awaits the arrival of her paramour so they can elope. Dr. Yorke, a famous surgeon, because of his medical obligations, is unable to spend much time in his wife's company. By force of circumstances he is obliged to refrain from attending the many social functions to which they are invited. His wife resents this and when Jack Cravin, Dr. Yorke's cousin, arrives at the Yorke home for a brief visit she soon becomes infatuated with him and they plan to elope. As they are in close embrace. Dr. Yorke appears at the doorway and overhears their plans. He withdraws and goes to the hospital in answer to an emergency call. At the hospital he reflects and pictures their happy wedding and the indications of a happy companionship. His meditations are interrupted by the entrance of an orderly, who tells him that everything is ready in the operating room. In the meantime, Helen leaves the house with her handbag and is seen waiting patiently at a small station for Cravin. Dr. Yorke happens to pass Cravin on the road in his automobile, and stopping him, orders him to go through with the scheme. The doctor lurks in the background as Cravin meets Helen. She has had a change of heart while waiting there and Dr. Yorke hears her tell Cravin to take her back to her husband. The doctor leaves quickly and is home when Helen arrives in all her humiliation. As if wholly unconscious of what had taken place, he listens to her story and then accepts her back into the fold.
- Feodor Turov, chief of the Russian Czar's secret police, orders his Cossacks to attack a village he believes to be infested with rebels. The Cossacks attack the village and massacre almost everyone, and the young Katerina is whipped to death. Before escaping to England, her sister Darya swears to avenge her sister's death. Years later--now one of the world's most famous prima ballerinas--she returns to Russia. Turov falls in love with her and manages to secure a meeting. She coyly asks him to take her to see a prison first. As it turns out, what he has planned for her is nothing compared to what she has planned for him.
- The forerunner of all serials, "What Happened to Mary" was a series of 12 monthly one-reel episodes, each a complete entity in itself, revolving its immediate dramatic and melodramatic problems within the framework of a single episode and designed more for story and suspense situations than action. Episode Titles (q.v.): #1: "The Escape from Bondage"; #2: "Alone in New York"; #3: "Mary in Stage Land"; #4: "The Affair at Raynor's"; #5: "A Letter to the Princess"; #6: "A Clue to Her Parentage"; #7: "False to Their Trust"; #8: "A Will and a Way"; #9: "A Way to the Underworld"; #10: "The High Tide of Misfortune"; #11: "A Race to New York"; #12: "Fortune Smiles."