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- Dr. Henry Jekyll experiments with scientific means of revealing the hidden, dark side of man and releases a murderer from within himself.
- A gentle orphan discovers life and love in an indifferent adult world.
- An indictment of the evils of child labor, the film was controversial in its time for its use of actual footage of children employed in a working mill.
- Episode 1: "The Mystic Message of the Spotted Collar" Zudora, 18, has a guardian, Hassam Ali, a disciple of Hindu mysticism. Hassam Ali was a fakir with a small caravan circus. Zudora's mother was his sister and the rope walker. Zudora's father remained in a small mining town where he prospected for gold. As the story opens Zudora, her mother and Hassam Ali, her uncle, are visiting the town of Zudora's birth and where Zudora's father is still prospecting. Zudora's father finds that the Zudora mine yields a wonderful run of gold. He becomes over-zealous and is killed in an explosion. He wills the entire mine, which is valued at $20,000,000, to Zudora, when she reaches her eighteenth birthday, and in the event of Zudora's death, going to the nearest heir-at-law. Zudora's mother receives information of her husband's death when she is about to ascend the rope and give her performance. She falls to the ground, and with a dying gasp turns over to Hassam Ali the guardianship of Zudora. Zudora reaches her eighteenth year. Hassam Ali has set himself up as a mystic, but his one purpose in life is to rid himself of Zudora, so that the mine will be his. He is also anxious to rid himself of John Storm, Zudora's sweetheart. He has kept from Zudora the information about her inheritance. He at last arrives at one plan that seems safe. Zudora has evidenced quite wonderful powers of deduction. He tells her that since she has always been so anxious to incorporate herself in his work, he will give her the next twenty cases he is called upon to solve. He says: "If you win, you may marry John Storm. If you lose on any one of them, you renounce him forever." Zudora's sweetheart is involved in a great case for the city. Opposed to him is one Bienreith, a prominent lawyer. The case is going well for John Storm. Hassam Ali decides that after eighteen years of waiting it is time to use heroic measures. He denounces Storm in front of Zudora, and then tells her about the twenty cases. The very first thing in the courtroom, Storm slaps the face of Bienreith, after a particularly insulting speech, and is invited to a duel that night. An hour later the newspapers are full of her sweetheart's trouble. Zudora rushes to his side and finds him practicing with a revolver. She plans to keep him from meeting Bienreith. She purchases a drug, and drops it in a glass of drinking water. Next morning the papers tell of Storm's disappearance. The great mystery of it is that Bienreith has been found dead in his room and the blame placed upon John Storm. Storm is arrested. Zudora rushes to her uncle and begs that this be her first case. When she goes to Bienreith's home that morning she finds the collar that he had worn when killed. It has queer markings on it. She studies the lines carefully, but can make no headway. Storm is formally charged with the murder. She reaches the courtroom just in time to say, "Stop, he is not guilty...," and falls into a faint. Hassam Ali and Burns, a confederate, watch as the girl recovers and explains that she has solved the mystery. Burns is placing a revolver, equipped with a silencer against her neck, when she turns suddenly and takes a pencil from his pocket to prove her contention to the court. She realizes, in looking at the mark, that there is a similarity between the markings of Burns' pencil and the markings on the collar. Court is adjourned. Zudora induces Burns to accompany her home. Under hypnosis he confesses to killing Bienreith. Zudora had placed two lawyers behind the curtains and they hear the confession. Zudora has solved her first case and Hassam Ali congratulates her. In the courtroom Zudora clasps Storm in her arms as the judge proclaims him free.
- The second of "Thanhouser Big Productions," a monthly schedule, Joseph in the Land of Egypt was a true "feature" film, a new class of film which came to dominate the market by the end of 1914. A feature was an hour or more, heavily advertised, with elaborate production values, often with higher ticket prices, longer runs per theater, strongly promoted star cast and was always a drama. Thanhouser followed up on the enormous success one year earlier of THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM with a familiar Biblical story, large and highly decorated (and highly populated) sets, elaborate costumes and (something new) star promotion. Only a few "Thanhouser Big Productions" in early 1914 included specially-commissioned scores from Tams Music Library. It had been common for accompanists to improvise or use standard selections from theater and classical music, or "cue sheets" of compilations tailored specifically to the film. Beginning in 1915, the biggest features included original scores commissioned by the production studio. The performed score for JOSEPH IN THE LAND OF EGYPT is a combination of the written original music and the musician's improvisation based on its themes. This original music is a transition to the fully-composed scores introduced in Europe and the U.S. a year later. Whether it is another Thanhouser innovation is a subject for research. As in all the other titles in this Thanhouser collection, organist Ben Model exhibits the demanding and skillful art of improvisation.
- A romantic tale from Shakespeare's late career, concerning the trials of the virtuous Princess Imogen.
- Dr. Primrose, the vicar of Wakefield, enjoys life with his wife and five children. His two daughters, Olivia and Sophia, are courted by two apparent gentlemen, Mr. Burchell and Squire Thornhill, who is Dr. Primrose's landlord. But when Mr. Burchell is supposed to have seduced and abandoned Olivia, the Primrose family finds its fortunes dwindling in every sense. It is learned that Burchell is innocent of the seduction, and the real villain is unmasked, but not before Primrose and his family come very near disaster.
- A good example of the clever light comedy Thanhouser produced for its Falstaff label, while other studios cranked out broad slapstick comedies. Harry Benham and Mignon Anderson were versatile and popular Thanhouser stars, here showing considerable skill in light comedy, a genre that invites plenty of satirical social observation in areas such as the burgeoning beauty-salon industry. Cinema technique shows much more intricate editing and freer use of close-ups than just a year or two earlier.
- A messenger boy is wrongfully accused of stealing bonds worth $20,000.
- A young woman forced into servitude by her family gets more than she bargained for when her fairy godmother magically permits her to go to the royal ball.
- Unable to find help to work his farm, a farmer gets a bright idea--he advertises that any man willing to work on his farm will be permitted to court his two daughters. The girls and their mother don't take kindly to being offered as an "incentive", so when some college boys show up looking to take advantage of both offers, the girls come up with a plan of their own.
- Outside the door of the home of a sculptor and his mother, fell a poor, friendless young girl. They took the girl in and cared for her, and as time went on the mother began to regard her as her daughter. The son regarded the affectionate advances of the girl with only brotherly love. But there came a time when the misgivings of the son changed, for he began to pay scant attentions to a young beauty he met at a reception and who was characterized as a woman with a heart "cold as marble." This piqued the beauty, who was accustomed to abject adulation. She determined to bring him to her feet and in this she succeeded. She offered to pose for him, and, spurred on by such a splendid model and her praises, he produced a figure which was acclaimed by all the critics as a masterpiece. With fame thus attained he neglected his home and spent all his time wooing the beauty, who was cold and impassive as the statue. The sculptor was warned by an editor friend that the beauty did not care for him and that he would meet the fate of her other admirers. The sculptor, disbelieving his friend's warning, fell asleep and dreamed that he was a sculptor in ancient Athens when Diogenes, the philosopher, lived. He had created a beautiful statue for a rich man, and having fallen in love with his work, he was loath the part with it when the rich man came to claim it. The rich man then ordered the soldiers to carry the statue away, and they were on the point of doing so when Diogenes appeared and told them that the statue should decide who the owner would he. The sculptor presented his case, pleading great love, which the statue paid no heed to; then the rich man displayed jewels and money, and immediately the statue extended its arms to him. The sculptor then awoke and found that it was only a dream. He was happy in the beauty's company until he found that she had pledged herself to another. This drove him frantic, and, rushing to his studio, he smashed the statue and fell dying on the floor, where he was found by the beauty and the friend. The latter indignantly ordered the beauty from the home she had wrecked.
- Three wise men from the East follow a star to Bethlehem in search of the infant Jesus.
- An innocent man is accused of murdering his aunt.
- Several married couples go on a camp-out together, but the women soon realize that the men expect them to do all the dirty work.
- A crippled little girl lives at home with her parents and her grandmother. She loves her grandmother deeply, but her parents can't get along with the old woman, and the girl is torn between both sides.
- At the request of her dying father, heiress Laura Fairlie marries Sir Percival Glyde, despite her love for Walter Hartridge and the warnings of Ann Catherick, a half-witted girl who bears a striking resemblance to Laura. After the marriage, Glyde schemes to appropriate his wife's money. When he learns that Ann has escaped from an asylum and has perished, Glyde takes Laura to the asylum and commits her, claiming that she is Ann. He then informs everyone that his wife had died, and buries the body of the insane woman in her place. Walter and Laura's half sister, Marian Halcombe, become suspicious, however, and remembering Ann's previous warnings, discover what Glyde has done. After Glyde meets his death in a fire, Walter rescues Laura and the two lovers are reunited.
- A lonely little girl is befriended by Shep, a neighbor's collie.
- The ghost of a selfish, inconsiderate woman must make up for her past transgressions by making sure that her descendant marries the man who is right for her.
- John Henderson and his wife are noted "card sharps" who prey upon traveling men, who believe that they are adepts at poker and other games of chance. Mrs. Henderson has a distant relative who lives in a small country town, a widow with one daughter, Muriel. The girl is pretty and longs for the city so her mother, believing the Hendersons to be the respectable people they profess themselves, sends her daughter to the city on a visit, in their care. The girl's beauty makes a deep impression upon the unscrupulous pair, and to Muriel's surprise and delight she is soon provided with beautiful clothes. The Henderson's plan to use Muriel's beauty to lure victims to the card table. Men of means gladly call at the Henderson's suite at the hotel, and always depart heavy losers in the game of chance. A millionaire finally becomes suspicious and consults the police, so the Hendersons flee the city, but the girl is kept in ignorance of the life they are leading. Boyd, a young businessman, meets the Hendersons at a summer resort and falls in love with Muriel and into the clutches of her dishonest relatives. Love comes to Muriel at the moment she discovers that the relatives for whom she cherished so much regard are merely unscrupulous gamblers. She threatens to expose them but hesitates to do so when they convince her that it will be impossible to prove her innocence. Finally, however, she braves their anger, and denounces them as a detective is about to place them all under arrest. The Hendersons are led away to punishment, while Muriel weds the man of her choice.
- An investment plan that tells potential investors they can "get rich quickly" turns out to be a swindle, and investors are in danger of losing all their money.
- After having been wrongly accused of murder and robbery, a heretofore kindly and gregarious weaver becomes a nasty, bitter, lonely old miser.
- Lear is an old man blind to his weaknesses. He decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters according to who recites the best declaration of love. Goneril and Regan pretend to love him but treat him cruelly. Cordelia is loyal but, confusing honesty with insolence, he disowns her.
- The son of wealthy Lord Stanley has been disinherited and thrown out of the house. He travels to Africa for fortune and adventure. He finds a job as a horse groomer for a wealthy family. He falls for the family's daughter, but they are against the relationship because they think he's just a common stablehand.
- The Vicar of Wakefield, although a man of culture and learning, is a poor man at business. Despite the fact that he inherited a large fortune, he loses it through the dishonesty of others, and at the age of fifty we find him living in a humble cottage, fighting desperately to support his large family. At this juncture two strangers introduce themselves to the Vicar. One is the young squire who owns the cottage in which the Vicar lives, and the other, Sir Witham, the squire's uncle. Sir Witham, however, does not disclose his rank, but poses as a simple country gentleman. The squire becomes infatuated with the Vicar's elder daughter, Olivia, and against the warnings of her father, she is induced to elope with him, the squire having arranged for a mock marriage. Later Olivia discovers how she had been tricked, and leaves the squire, who visits his wrath upon the entire family by having the Vicar imprisoned for debt. In prison the Vicar inspires the admiration and affection of all his fellow prisoners, to whom he teaches the comfort of religion. Among his converts is the squire's tool, who arranged for the wedding of Olivia and the squire. On learning that Olivia is the daughter of the Vicar, this fellow confesses that to play a trick on the squire, whom he really hates, he had furnished him a real minister, instead of a bogus one. The squire's uncle, Sir Witham, on learning the true state of affairs, forces the squire to ask Olivia's pardon on his knees, and the two are reunited. Sir Witham then discloses his identity and asks for the hand of Sophia. The Vicar is released from prison, and he and his family look forward to a future of happiness and plenty.
- (Part One) The first scene shows us the outer court of the temple in Egypt, in the year 350 B.C. Here Amenartas, the Pharaoh's daughter, waits to meet her love, Kallikrates. He has just taken the vows, becoming a Priest of Isis. She urges him to renounce these vows and flee with her from Egypt. We next see them during the sacrificial ceremony in the temple. The young priest goes about his sacred office constantly feeling the eyes of the woman he loves upon him. At the close of the ceremony he can resist her appeal no longer and they make their escape. They leave the city behind them, and on the desert meet some friendly Arabs. The young priest is weak from fasting, and his wife secures for him the camel owned by an Arab chief, so that they may continue their journey. They thank their Arab friends, leave them, and on foot make their way to the water's edge. After traveling "twice twelve moons" they land with their infant son on the coast of Africa, near a rocky precipice, known as the Negro's Head. In her cave in the hollow mountain, "SHE," the white witch of Africa, who has learned the secret of eternal youth, sees the approach of the Egyptian, by her magic power. "SHE" determines that he is the perfect man, that "SHE" will have him bathe with her in the fires of eternal youth, and together they will rule the world. "SHE" summons him. In his camp in the desert the messengers of "SHE" find Kallikrates, his wife and child, and bring them before "SHE." "SHE" shows the Egyptian the fires of eternal youth and offers him her love, but when he remains true to the love of his wife, "SHE" strikes him dead. His wife, Amenartas escapes with her child. At the riverbank, the wife embarks with her child, whom she calls Tisisthanes. She swears that this child shall return and avenge his father's death, or if not he, his male descendants. Over the smoldering fires of eternal strife "SHE" tries in vain to restore the vital spark to the body of the man she loved. Unable to give her loved one life, "SHE" has his body mummified by a marvelous process, which makes him look as though he did but sleep. Beside her dead love, "SHE" weeps and prays, that though "SHE" cannot restore him to life, some day, though it be in the remote centuries to come, her love will be reincarnated, and return to claim her. (Part Two) We now see a room in England, in the year 1885 A.D. Holly, an Englishman, whose face is so ugly that it has won him the appellation of "the monster," receives, by the will of his friend, the fortunes and custody of that friend's son, Leo Vincent. This child is the direct descendant of the Priest of Isis, whom "SHE" destroyed centuries before. With the child, is sent a letter of instructions and an antique chest. The letter explains that Leo is to open the chest on his twenty-fifth birthday and follow the instructions it contains. Through the ages '"SHE" waits beside the body of her dead love, still praying for his reincarnation and return. On his twenty-fifth birthday, Leo opens the chest and finds in it the story of his ancient ancestor and the information that although many men of his family had spent their lives in seeking "SHE." None of them had ever found her. Leo also finds instructions to carry out the work, to seek "SHE," learn her secret of eternal youth, and then destroy her. Leo determines to set out on the mission. Leo and his guardian, Holly, approach the shores of Africa, and note the strange rock, the Negro's Head. "SHE," in her cave, sees in a vision, Leo approaching. He strongly resembles his ancient ancestor, and "SHE" firmly believes he is the reincarnation of her ancient lover. "SHE" sends for him. Through rocky caverns Leo's boat glides up the river toward the hollow mountain. At an ancient landing place, now fallen into ruins, Leo's boat is stopped by a tribe of natives, who pay allegiance to "SHE." They blindfold Leo and Holly and lead them to the cave of "SHE." "SHE" welcomes Leo as her lost love. He tells her he has come to destroy her, to revenge the death of his ancestor. "SHE" gives him the knife from her own girdle and. baring her bosom, bids him strike. Before her unveiled beauty, Leo is powerless to destroy her. "SHE" then bids him follow her and leads them through a strange passage. In a rocky cavern "SHE" shows Leo the mummy of his ancient ancestor, and so like is it to the young Englishman, that he feels he is gazing upon himself. "SHE" then destroys the mummy as she feels she has found her living love. "SHE" leads Holly and Leo over a rocky precipice to the cave containing the "fires of eternal youth." "SHE" begs Leo to step into the flame so that he, too, will never die. Leo fears to take the step. To encourage him "SHE" steps first into the flames. The quality of the fire has changed in the centuries since "SHE" last bathed in them. "SHE" suddenly shrivels up before the eyes of the astonished men. "SHE" grows suddenly old, until she resembles an ape. With outstretched arms, and a cry to Leo not to forget her, "SHE" dies. Holly and Leo, half crazed with the terrible sight they have witnessed, find their way back to the native village. They are directed, by an overland route, as to how they can leave the country and they do so. Safely returned to England, Leo, whose golden hair has been turned white from his horrible experience, destroys all records of "SHE," the mysterious. His family has been avenged.
- Two boys from Labrador, Canada, visit their aunt in Westcheser, New York. Although it's in the middle of a cold winter in New York, the nephews from Labrador are used to much colder weather and think the New York winter is too warm for them, and act accordingly.
- When his play closes down, an actor returns home to find that his children are gone. He's then notified that a wealthy relative has died and left him a substantial amount of money.
- A painter in New York City discovers that he has inherited a harem. Since he's already married and his wife would definitely not approve, he must find a way to rid himself of his inheritance.
- An accidental death on a hunting trip results in an innocent young man being accused of murder.
- During World War I, a countess and her young son volunteer to don disguises and take an important secret message through enemy lines.The fluid editing and vastly more dramatic cinematography (especially the use of close shots for expressiveness and intimacy) are part of the extremely rapid advances in the artistry and technique of the film medium compared to just a year earlier.
- The productions from Thanhouser's mature period, 1915-1917, clearly show the advancements that set the stage for the first cinematic golden age, the 1920s. Such advances are evident in this surviving shortened version of "Fires of Youth": detailed character development by veteran actor Frederick Warde (and in a smaller role, at least in the shortened version, by Jeanne Eagels), mature editing techniques, special lighting effects, intelligent story development, realistic use of locations, fluid dialogue inter-titles, complex staging and access to better cameras with the defeat of the Patents Trust. Acclaimed French stage and film director Emile Chautard was brought from Éclair studio in France to direct.
- An American in Turkey is mistakenly arrested and thrown in jail. He escapes and is helped by the daughter of the local ruler, called the Pasha.
- A recreation of the Thanhouser Studio fire of 13 January 1913, it includes the rescue of a small child from the flaming building.
- If you thought Lassie had little to draw on in way of predecessors, there's a revelation in store in this silent 1914 melodrama and its titular star, a fun-loving collie.
- An American family in need of some money decides to pull a little innocent scam on a wealthy English relative.
- Randall and Ruth Foster were little tots. The two children lived side by side on one of the fashionable streets in New York City. One day Helen and her parents were starting for the park when the little one suggested that they invite Ruth to go with them. The idea pleased them all, and as for Ruth, she was in an ecstasy of delight. She skipped down the steps into the Randall's automobile, and her father (a widower), watches as the machine whizzed off, realized more than ever the little treasure he possessed. At the park the two children got into a boat unobserved by their elders and drifted into the lake. In total ignorance of their peril they frolicked about the flimsy craft until it suddenly capsized and two little figures were hanging to the gunwale. Randall swam out to the boat. Even his love for his child made him hesitate to take her to the shore first until the little Ruth assured him she was safe, that she would stay on the boat until he returned. But when he returned, and with him her frightened father, the little form that they brought to land was still, the child bad slipped from the boat and drowned while he brought his own child to safety. The loss of his little girl made Foster almost frantic, and he became as vindictive an enemy to Randall as he had been a friend. A power in Wall Street, step by step he smashed the latter back in the merciless warfare of the street, until Randall, innocent of wrong though he was, stood on the brink of ruin. But when all hope was gone, when he had brought himself to looking upon a life of poverty with the resignation born of necessity, his daughter took the matter into her own hands and John Foster, wealthy financier and lonely man, learned the lesson of forgiveness.
- The police set out to take down a gang of counterfeiters, using every tool they have including police dogs.
- A gay dinner party took place in one of Broadway's showiest restaurants. The host was a bachelor of wealth, and his guests included men of his own station in life, and young girls caught in the whirl of gaiety. The bachelor told the young girls that the keeper of his mountain lodge had advised him by letter that she requires the services of a maid, and he offered the proposition to the girls, but they refused. A face then appeared at the window of the restaurant. It was the face of a woman who had been cast aside. The girls told their host to offer the job to her. Being in a mood to take the advice, he hurried from the restaurant, overtook the derelict, and brought her back with him. The woman was starving and accepted the position in the mountain. Her past life was recalled to her that very night, for one of the guests in the restaurant was the man who had made her what she was. In the Adirondack Mountains the woman found life quiet, but a chance acquaintanceship with a family in the valley marked another change in her life. The family (a man, his wife, and their little daughter) took a liking to the maid and induced her to attend services at the village church. The weeks passed, and then the owner of the lodge arrived from the city with a number of his friends. instead of the forlorn outcast whom he had sent to the mountains he found an attractive woman, but one who would not listen to his advances. Angered by her attitude, her employer tried to force his intentions upon her. She then left the lodge and went to the home of the little family, where she was welcomed. Some days later the little daughter was accidentally injured. The doctor declared that her spine was broken, and despite all his efforts, the child steadily sank. The outcast prayed for Divine help, and as she prayed it seemed to her that she was told to heal the child. Strengthened and transfigured by her religious devotion, she accomplished what the doctor had failed to do. The woman's power soon became known and was as effective with other invalids as it was with her first patient, while at the mountain lodge its worldly owner laughed cynically as he thought how these respectable, narrow-minded people reverenced a woman whom they would despise if they knew her past. From the city the man came who had blighted her life. His friend at the mountain lodge had written him about the woman's new career. He came to sneer, but soon learned to respect and honor her. But one day the woman failed for the first time. A mountaineer brought his wife, a cripple for several years, to be cured. Th« owner of the lodge threatened that he would reveal the outcast's past life. Realizing that he would keep his word, the woman's great faith disappeared. While the assembled people were still discussing the failure of their idol, her former employer told them what this woman had been before she came among them, and they recoiled from her in horror, all of them except the man who had been her first enemy and had now become her friend. He asked her to marry him and she refused, going out into the world alone. The old bitterness did not return to her and she prayed for guidance. It seemed to her that she was told to make the cure which she had failed to achieve, and she set out for the mountaineer's cabin. The mountaineer's wife had been crippled by a racing automobile and that day the owner of the mountain lodge told her husband the name of the man who had driven the car. It was the man who had asked the outcast to marry him. The mountaineer decoyed the guilty man into the mountains, and there a fight took place between the two men. The man from the City was no match for the mountaineer and he was about to be hurled into the chasm when he beheld a sight which caused him to forget his vengeance forever. His wife was walking down the mountain path towards him. And with her was the healer, the woman who had failed. Realization came to him as his wife told him of the great cure, and he thanked the woman whom he had misjudged. Happiness has come to the outcast as the wife of the man who made an outcast.
- A wealthy ship owner cared for but two things in life, his gold and his daughter. But his selfish love of the girl led him to frown upon her suitors, while his greed for gold induced him to follow a niggardly policy so far as his ships were concerned. He insured them, it is true, but he begrudged the money he spent for repairs. He looked at it from the viewpoint that sailors were cheap, and could more easily be replaced than the money of which he was so fond. Therefore, when one of his captains insisted upon repairs being made, he was gruffly rebuffed. The owner told him that he could sail the ship as it was or hunt another job, and the captain decided to stick to the ship, hoping that things were not as bad as he had imagined them to be. For the captain was married, although the fact had been kept a secret. His bride was none other than the daughter of his employer, the miser ship owner, and they were waiting for a favorable chance to break the news to him. The girl wanted to sail with her husband. He refused, but did not tell her the real reason, as he knew it would frighten her, and cause the time on shore to be days and nights of dread. But the girl refused to accept his commands, and secretly stowed herself away on the ship, revealing herself when the ship was out at sea. The captain was glad to see her, but his joy was mingled with forebodings. He knew that he had an undermanned, leaky ship, and that the chances were only even that the he would reach port. When the father found a letter from the girl, telling him what she had done he broke down completely. He had never worried about his "coffin ship" before, but never before had the only person he loved been aboard one of them. The blow that he had expected came, for the ship was reported lost with all on board. And the old man realized that his niggardliness had lost him something that he would have given all his wealth, miser though he was, to retain. He neglected his business, he grew to hate his once beloved gold, and at last, half demented, decided to end his life. The vision of the daughter, for whose death he was responsible, was constantly with him, and he decided to die as she did, in the water. He went to the dock from which her ship had sailed, and gazed down in the cool depths. There was oblivion. On land was only sorrow and remorse. He was about to leap overboard when he heard excited cries. Looking up he saw some people landing from a ship nearby. One of them was his daughter, or else it was a vision. But he decided to approach anyway. It was no vision, but a living, loving daughter, who flung herself into his arms, and rained kisses upon him. Her husband was with her. They had been rescued after a harrowing experience in an open boat at sea. They did not have a chance to ask the father's forgiveness. He humbled himself to them and diffidently asked them to accept his love. He realized that the tragedy was due to him and him alone, but determined that the lesson he had been taught would never be forgotten, and that he would do his duty to the men who risked their lives to bring him wealth and never count the cost when human lives were at stake.
- This is the story of a gardener whose whole lifetime had been spent in the one place. He loved the flowers, petted them, and gave them the detail of the only romance he had ever witnessed. "You see, little pansy," he said, "when I came here, many years ago, Miss May was a little girl. There was a nice little boy who lived right over there, and they were greet chums. They played together, day after day, and were childhood sweethearts. Well, they grew up, and one afternoon I saw them talking earnestly over on the old bench there. She nodded her head, when he kissed her, and taking a ring, put it on her finger. For a time they were happy, then they quarreled. It was a silly dispute, and in my opinion, both were to blame. I hoped they would make up but they didn't. He went to the city, she remained here. Other suitors came, but she would not have them. Her heart was with the man she had loved when they were children. You know, little pansy, how Miss May has thrown her garden open to the poor children. Well, to-day I was standing out under the big sign that says all children are welcome, when an auto came up. 1 looked at the man in it, and recognized the chap Miss May loved. I called a greeting to him; he stopped and we shook hands. It had been many years since the boy had played about here, and I had to be careful. If he had known Miss May was here, I doubt if he would have come in. So I talked about the children, and he stepped in to see them. Then, before he realized it, I had led him to the old bench. It must have called back recollections, for it was there that as a boy he had wooed his tiny sweetheart. It was there that as a man he had won her promise to be his bride. Better than all, she was sitting there now, all alone and forlorn. I just led him up to the bench, and left him. I knew that my work was successful when I saw the glad light in their eyes. It was only stubbornness that had kept them apart all these years. The job was to bring them together and I did it."
- When a member of a theatrical orchestra went "on the road" he left behind him in a big city his wife, their little boy and their baby girl. For some weeks he sent them money regularly, then all word from him ceased. The wife on inquiry learned that the company had disbanded in a western city, and the members of it were presumably making their way east the best they could. The woman was sickly, and practically unable to work, but her little son proved to be an energetic bread winner, secured free board by aiding his mother to do the work of a janitor, and at odd times sold newspapers. He always had his eye out for a chance to make money and one day determined that little sister was in a position to help them. A local theater advertised "Amateur Night" with a cash prize for the winner, and the boy saw no reason why the little girl should not bring the money home to mother. She was little, and cute and could recite, therefore why should anyone doubt her success. "Amateur Night" was a night of triumph for the little girl and the brother who believed in her. The other contestants were outclassed, while the audience rapturously greeted the baby girl who smiled at them so sweetly and lisped out a few words with a confident air. Even the members of the orchestra, ordinarily the most stolid of individuals, enjoyed her performance. One in particular, the first violin, was deeply affected. It was his first night at the theater, and he was overcome with emotion, when he recognized in the tiniest of stars his little girl whom he had so vainly sought. There was a joyous reunion in the wings of the theater, and a proud little girl went home to tell her mother that "I got papa and some shiny money for being a good girl." It is needless to say that with the father's return their troubles of the family ceased, and the little girl was never again called upon to be leading lady on an amateur night.
- Some of the vaudeville manager's "star acts" had failed to make good, others were still detained abroad. The manager called his press agent in, scolded him and ordered him to secure a vaudeville team, adding that "they must be extremely funny and extremely cheap." Within a short time the agent returned and proudly announced he had found "an absolute novelty, and a joint salary of $15." "I dodged all the agencies," he explained, "and down on one of the side streets I ran across an old-time ham actor. I followed him. He went into a laundry and tried to get his duds out without paying for them. Well, the woman who ran the joint was a regular comedy queen. She didn't say much, but she certainly was full of 'pep.' She nearly wrecked the laundry with that actor, and I never laughed so much in my life. When I offered them an engagement the man balked, but the woman accepted for both of them, saying he could work out his laundry bill anyhow." The manager tried the act out, and it made a big hit. The morning papers gave much space to the "Soap Suds Star," Sophie, the laundress. Much to his dismay, however, the press agent found the manager in an extremely bad humor. "It's all your fault," he said bitterly, "You get me to hire amateurs, and now they are going to be married, and quit vaudeville for the classics." "I think it a dandy idea," said the agent. "Sophie as Juliet would coin money for any manager. Why not try them out in the balcony scene" The manager, impressed, retained his "Soap Suds Star," and his leading man. Sophie s bad temper, however, spoiled her artistic career. She was on the job as Juliet, all right, but Romeo nearly missed the performance, and when he did appear he wore his street clothes, explaining with an alcoholic smile that he had been out with the boys and really had no time to dress. Sophie left her art to chastise him, but after a lively chase he escaped by leaping into the river, and the one-time actress returned to her laundry, believing she was a widow. But her husband came back and Sophie forgave him. Then, finding that his clothes had been well sprinkled in the river, she ironed him out, and gave him a life position in the laundry.
- In the 1850s twin girls fall in love with the same young man, and must struggle with their feelings once he goes off to fight in the Civil War.
- Lucille, a beautiful and romantic young woman, marries John Linforth, a wealthy businessman, who is twice her age, and too distracted by his business affairs to give her the attention she craves. John is pleased when she takes a liking to his young friend, Ronald Standish. After the friendship has grown to romance, however, John tries to keep the two apart. As he is about to depart on a short trip, John orders Ronald from the house. Later that night, Ronald asks Lucille to elope with him, but before they leave, they realize that an illegal union would only lead to unhappiness, and Ronald returns home. A burglar, who, in stealing certain securities from John's desk, witnesses the couple in an embrace, blackmails Ronald into purchasing the bonds. To save her lover, Lucille confesses everything to John, who promises to give his young wife her freedom. A year later Lucille and Ronald marry.
- A chorus girl in a theatrical show is being pursued by a "Stage Door Johnny" while her prudish boyfriend tries to "rescue" her from a life in the theater. Old Jane, the show's wardrobe mistress, takes the girl under her wing and gives her advice on how to handle her situation.
- Two girls fall in love with the same man. Out motoring one day they are thrown from the machine and carried to the hospital. Here one of the girls pours poison in the medicine of the other, and later the dreaded white screen is placed about the rival's bed. Here the 'twist' enters, and the story swings into a very pleasant finish.