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- Hugh Carver is an athletic star and a freshman at Prescott College. He falls in love with Cynthia Day, a popular girl who loves to go to parties. He finds that it is impossible to please her and still keep up with his studies and his athletic training, and soon the two face some difficult decisions.
- Street people Armand and Marie are madly in love, and she persuades Armand and other gang members to rob the home of Pierre Marcel, a wealthy scientist. The police break up the robbery but Pierre hides Armand from them because he kept a gang member from stabbing him, but Armand is wounded in doing so. When Armand regains his health, Pierre takes him around town and introduces him to many women, and Armand has no objections. Marie - jealous of the women - swears revenge on Marcel. They meet and he falls in love with her, and they are married while Armand is away in London. On their wedding night, Marie tells Marcel she is an Apache and her revenge is complete, and she rushes into Armand's arms. But another Apache, in love with Marie, wounds her with a gun shot.
- Ira Wilton and his son-in-law Harry Bennett resort to the subterfuge of telling their wives that they are members of the Thirteenth Regiment, to be sure of having a night off each week, Friday night, for the regiment drills. They substantiate their deception by bringing into their little game Ira's daughter Laura and her fiancé Jack Brent, a genuine member of the Thirteenth. Their deception runs along nicely until one Friday night when the men have gone to the club, their wives find the invitation, and are just about to start out when they discover that the water pipe has burst. Laura informs the men by telephone what is discovered, and warns them to hurry home. They arrive and find that the kitchen and dining room are flooded, and, after all has been given a good soaking, Lord Dudley, an admirer of Laura, manages to stop the flow of water. Just as the trouble concerning the flood has subsided, Jack Brent arrives home and tells the men that the Thirteenth has been ordered to the front. The husbands, seeing a good chance to take a little vacation, purchase soldiers' clothing and fall in behind the Thirteenth Regiment as it passes their wives, but slip out as soon as it is out of sight. They then go to the barn, where they substitute their soldiers' habiliments for civilian clothes and then make all possible haste to the lake, where they intend to spend a little vacation. But their vacation is short-lived, for one day they see in the newspapers that the entire Thirteenth regiment has been wiped out. They hurry home to the old barn, where they get into their regimentals as quickly as possible--not forgetting to add a few rents here and there, to make it appear as if they have had a terrible struggle at the front and in escaping. When they arrive home they observe that Mrs. Wilton's brother has returned from the West and promised to take care of the "widows." In reply to Lena's (the fat cook), question concerning her lover Conrad, they were just about to tell her that he died with her name on his lips, when in come Harry and Conrad with the news that the newspaper report was all wrong. Ira and Harry fix it up with Conrad, and Jack, desiring to keep on the right side of the old man, tells the women that the men had a terrible fight, and brother Tom forgets about asking questions when a couple of good cigars are shoved into his mitt.
- Following the Spanish-American War, a soldier is given the assignment of finding the leader of a band of rebels in the Phillipines. To do this, he must romance Roma, a cabaret spy working for the rebels. This does not please his commanding officer's daughter, whom he has been romancing.
- Mary, a poor but well-born girl, is invited to join a sorority club in the high school she attends, while her chum, Sophie, is ignored. Mary is flattered by the attention, accepts the invitation and gradually drifts away from her former friends. The spirit of snobbishness and unrest enters her life, and in her attempt to keep up with her richer companions, who are purse-proud and pretentious, she changes from a lovable girl into a discontented one. A sorority dance is arranged and Mary, unable to pay the assessment for the dance, steals the amount from one of the members of the club, in order to keep up with her new associates. The other members are so self-centered they do not realize the influence of their false pretenses and mistaken ideas of true worth. They are entirely unaware of the demoralizing effects of their example. Having taken the first step, Mary is still further tempted when she finds a new gown for the dance to be an impossibility. While shopping with a club member, she steals a pair of stockings and a roll of silk. A house detective sees her commit the theft, taking the two terrified girls into the manager's office. The silent partner of the firm is the father of the girl from whom Mary has first stolen. He investigates Mary's actions by gentle questions. She breaks down and sobbingly confesses that she did not wish the girls of the sorority to be ashamed of her. The father understands the situation. He takes the two girls with him to the sorority rooms, where he explains Mary's temptations and their false notions of the real standards of life, also explaining that character is the only criterion of personal superiority. The girls are convinced of their error, forgive Mary and dissolve the sorority. Mary once more becomes a normal sweet girl with wholesome surroundings.
- A young woman is released from the reformatory where she was unjustly sent. She starts a new life with the help of a judge and an idealistic young minister. But a gang of criminals have made plans that could destroy the new life that she has built.
- Wah-Ta-Wah, or Hist, the lady-love of Chingachgook, a Delaware chief, has been captured by the warlike Hurons. Chingachgook asks the aid of Deerslayer, a white man brought up among the Indians, in rescuing her, and. the two men arrange to meet at Lake Otsego, then called Glimmerglass. Deerslayer sets out for the meeting place, accompanied by Hurry Harry March, a trapper, who acts as his guide. Hurry takes him to meet Hotter, another hunter, who has established a permanent home on the lake. With his two daughters, Judith and Hetty, Hutter lives in a peculiar fortress, called the Castle, set on piles in the middle of the lake, and also spends much of the time on a strange vessel called The Ark, similar to the Castle, but built on a scow. It is on this vessel, fishing up a small stream, that they are found by Deerslayer and Hurry Harry. The two men receive a hearty welcome from Judith, who is betrothed to Harry and who at once greatly admires the evident strength of Deerslayer. News arrives that the Hurons are on the warpath, and all hasten to get the Ark out of the stream and out into the lake. That night, Hurry Harry, Hutter and Deerslayer take the canoe and land on shore. The others wish to go on a scalping expedition to the now unprotected Indian encampment, but Deerslayer will not accompany them. When the camp is attacked, both men are captured and Deerslayer is obliged to return without them, Hatter having charged him with the care of his daughters in case harm should have befallen him. The next day, Deerslayer goes to the foot of the lake, where he meets his friend, Chingachgook, and brings him to the Ark. Hetty, the simple-minded daughter of Hutter, secretly takes the canoe and goes off to shore to plead for her father and Harry whom she loves greatly. She is treated kindly by the Indians, who always revere the simple-minded and given the freedom of the camp. While there, Hetty meets Hist, and having told her that Chingachgook is at the Ark, she is given a message for him. She is brought back the nest day to the Ark by one of the Indians, who is given a present for his chief by Deerslayer, who offers a ransom for his friends. Harry and Hatter are exchanged for a pair of ivory chessmen, castles mounted on elephants, and are soon back again with Deerslayer and the anxious girls. Hist had sent a message saying that she would be awaiting her lover at sunset, and accordingly Chingachgook and Deerslayer set off to fetch her. By heading off the Indians in another direction, Deerslayer makes good the escape of Hist and Chingachgook, but is himself captured. Rivenoak, the Huron chief, promises Deerslayer his life if he will join the tribe and marry Samac, wife of a brave he had killed in the struggle, but he will not accept the offer. Hutter has not been near the Castle for some days and goes there with Hurry Harry, notwithstanding the warning they receive from Chingachgook. They are ambushed by the Hurons, who scalp Hutter. Harry gets away and brings the dreadful news to his daughters at the Ark. He proposes that Judith, long betrothed to him, now marry him, that he may have the right to protect her and her sister. She refuses because of the secret love she had conceived for Deerslayer from the moment she first saw him. Hurry then leaves the two girls in the care of Chingachgook and Hist and goes to the British fort, where he tells of the death of Hutter and the capture of Deerslayer, and asks for aid. While he is gone, Judith, who would give her life for the man she loves, goes to the camp, masquerading as a queen, seeking the release of Deerslayer. The Indians, who have never seen her before, are at first taken in, but her identity is unwittingly betrayed by Hetty to Chief Rivenoak. The chief tells Judith that at sunset the brave Deerslayer must die. Meanwhile, Hurry Harry March is bringing the soldiers towards the Indian camp. They arrive just in time to prevent the death of Deerslayer and rout the Indians after a short but sharp skirmish. When all fighting is over and examination made of the wounded, it is found that Hetty has been hit by a stray bullet and is dying. In her last words she confesses her love for Hurry Harry, and, asking a kiss from him, dies in his arms, Judith, now deprived of father and sister both, is offered a home by the captain of the soldiers, who will take her back with him to his wife and sisters at the fort. She will not at once answer him, however, but asks time to consider what she shall do. She goes with Deerslayer a little apart from the camp and there confesses her love for him, telling him that if he returns her love, she will understand by his silence. Deerslayer listens to her gravely and with all respect, but answers not a word. -- Moving Picture World synopsis
- It came as a genuine surprise when old Mr. and Mrs. Jones inherited a large fortune with the distinct proviso that they occupy the swell town house of the deceased to properly sustain the social distinction and dignity of their acquired wealth. With many misgivings and regrets they close the old farm house in which they have lived for over fifty years and start for the city. On the train they are very much "upsot" by the novelty of things. Crossing the river on the ferryboat, they are astonished at the skyscrapers which loom up before them and which they have a sneaking feeling will fall over on top of them. A gentlemanly stranger on the boat who volunteers some information is looked upon with suspicion by the unsophisticated couple, who take an extra grip on their goods and chattels. In the great city at last, they try to find their way unaided to upper Fifth Avenue, where the inherited mansion is located. Unaccustomed to trolleys and elevated roads, they decide to take "shank's mare" and so plodding on, followed by a constantly increasing crowd of "ragtag and bobtail" as they are passing through the thickly populated tenement districts of the west side, when they are greeted as "Rubes." Reaching one of the city parks, they seat themselves on a bench, heated and exhausted; in the cool of the evening they become drowsy and the old gentleman takes off his boots and hat, while the old lady removes her bonnet, and thus making themselves comfortable, they fall into a restful doze. Their slumbers are disturbed by a policeman, who awakens them, and, after questioning them, learns where they want to go, calls a taxicab, sends them on their way, and they are taken speedily and safely to their place among the upper ten. They press the button and a stiff uniformed lackey appears at the front door and bids them enter, which they do with much fear and trembling lest they offend the gents in brass buttons, whom Mr. Jones wants to shake hands with and make friends, which friendliness is received with coldness and contempt. The old folks are disturbed and wish themselves back on the farm, where every neighbor around the place is nearer "'an a relation." In the quiet of the elegant boudoirs they feel like cats in a strange garret, and don't know how to make use of the elaborate furnishings; everything looks so grand "they don't jest look like they was meant to be used, only admired, museum-like." The maid and valet appear upon the scene and insist upon dressing Mr. and Mrs. Jones for dinner. Mrs. Jones is too frightened to resist, but Jones says, "By heck! I ain't no infant, and nobody has put on my clothes but my mother, and I can't so far forgit myself as to allow any other fellow to deprive me of my manful right as a natural and free-born independent citizen, and what's more I ain't going to rob another feller of his manhood by allowing him to do it." The valet insists, and Jones submits with the remark, "I don't mind a little help, but it ain't my style." At dinner the butler and servants await their coming. Mr. Jones offers to shake hands with the help, who stand as rigid and cold as icicles. When the old couple are seated at the table they are waited upon like infants until the old countryman tells his wife, "They was bein' treated as if they'd reached their second childhood and couldn't feed their own faces." The last straw comes when they are escorted to separate bedrooms. Mrs. Jones is snugly tucked in bed, and Mr. Jones is provided by the valet with a suit of pajamas, which he indignantly slams on the floor and exclaims, "Goshamighty! This is beyond all tolerance. I ain't never wore my clothes to bed yit, and I'm dang sure I ain't going to begin now. The old fashioned nightgown is good enough for me and anybody else that's got common sense enough to be sensible." During the night the old couple manage to have a little private conversation, arrange an escape from all this "pesky" style and nonsense, get their things together, stealthily leave the mansion and all its "vanity and vexation" behind them and return to the old home, where we leave them located and thoroughly satisfied to be content in the peaceful enjoyment of all its blessings, quietly musing, "What's the use of all this grand life and high situation, with nary a pink or hollyhock a-blooming 'round the door? Let's be content in our own life and station, just where we've always been so happy and so poor."
- Colonel Cavendish's wife has an extravagant interest in Army Lieutenant Billy Brinkley, the hero of the Army/Navy Game. When he is assigned to the Colonel's command, her attentions to him are noted and reproved by her husband, who fears gossip. Billy is in love with her sister, Joy Grayson, whom Captain Sutherland also wishes to marry, although he is carrying on a clandestine affair with the Sergeant's wife, Jane Smedley. His presents to Jane are discovered by the Sergeant and she defiantly acknowledges them. Billy and Joy's engagement arouses the jealousy of both Mrs. Cavendish and Sutherland. At a card party, Sutherland's bad feeling toward Billy crops out and they are only prevented from conflict by the other men present. Billy returns to his quarters to find Mrs. Cavendish awaiting him there. She pleads that she can't give him up to her sister. Billy quiets her and insists upon showing her home. Smedley goes to Sutherland and the same night to beg him to cease his dishonorable attentions to Jane. Sutherland replies insultingly. They quarrel, Sutherland springs upon Smedley. In the struggle between Sutherland and Smedley, Smedley stabs Sutherland, killing him. The murder is discovered at once. Billy suspected and found absent from his quarters. Confronted upon his return, he realizes that he cannot prove an alibi without compromising the Colonel's wife. He is arrested by the civil authorities and at the Central Criminal Court the evidence is strongly against him. Mrs. Cavendish finally breaks down and confesses to her husband that she was the woman with Billy. He demands a public confession from her, in court, to clear Billy. As she is about to confess to the court, Smedley. conscience-stricken, rushes in ahead of her and admits that he killed Sutherland. Billy is accordingly exonerated, and he and Joy are united. Mrs. Cavendish's good name is preserved and Smedley receives his just punishment.
- Bunny and Marsh attend a show and both fall in love with a charming danseuse. They send their cards into the Green Room to her, receive an audience and take her home in a taxi. Her father objects to their attentions and forbids her seeing them again. When her father is absent she sends them each a note to call on her. Bunny gets there first with a five-pound box of candy. While he and Lauretta are tete-a-teting Marsh is announced. Bunny hides behind the portieres. It is now Marsh's turn. He trips in with an immense box of Jacque roses, which he presents with a great flourish and much to do. He is getting on finely when another visitor comes in. Marsh is obliged to hide behind the lid on top of the grand piano, underneath the cover. The third caller is a very tall, handsome young man. To cap the climax her father returns and the last visitor takes refuge under the sofa. His obedient daughter tries to hold his attention. This is too much for the three hiders, who make up their minds to beard the lion in his den. Bunny and Marsh fearlessly face the old gentleman and bid him a cheery good-evening. The tall young man looks puzzled. Marsh and Bunny proclaim their admiration for the old fellow's daughter and tells him their intentions are honorable. This is the last straw for the tall young man. He waves them aside and boldly declares he has secretly married Lauretta and she is now his wife. The little fellow collapses and the big one takes his pal in his arms, carrying him from the room in tears, like a bawling infant.
- A lovers' quarrel. All about smoking a cigarette. She insists upon smoking if he does. He objects to women smoking. This is all done good naturedly until he tries to assert man's supremacy over women by taking the cigarette from her and throwing it away. She gets real mad now, gives him back his engagement ring and tells him to go. He does, but no further than the doorstep of her home, where he determines to sit until she comes to him and asks him to return. The rain is pouring in torrents, and every time she looks out the window she sees her lover sitting on the step, drenched and miserable. She orders the servants to drive him from the house. He is attracting attention and creating scandal. The hirelings go; the young "Spartan" bribes them to let him remain at his post, and they report to their mistress that it is impossible to get him to leave. "What's to be done? It's disgraceful. I'll just tell mamma." So she goes to her mother and reports to her the condition of things. The mother goes down to the front door and calls a policeman, whom she asks to make the young man go home. The young fellow explains the case and the policeman simply laughs and moves on. Lovers' quarrels are out of his jurisdiction. Mamma goes back to bed and tells her daughter she must settle it herself. The young beau holds the fort against all comers: milkman, butcher, baker, and all the rest of the early risers stop, laugh, and go on their way thinking him drunk or crazy, but the young man sits on. His girl is frantic, tries to fight against herself and forget him. She can't, "He is wet to the skin and will certainly get his death of cold. Something must be done" and she does it. She goes down to her forlorn and water-soaked "Napoleon" and asks him to come in out of the rain. She is very sorry and it's all her fault. He comes in as quick as his stiffened and aching joints will permit him. They kiss and make up, even as you and I, and there's an end to it. The clock in the steeple strikes three; he looks at his watch, "Yes, three o'clock in the morning." They kiss again and he makes tracks for home and a change of clothing, and so happily endeth a lovers' quarrel. How foolish it all seems, But, after all, isn't it true?
- At the outbreak of the Civil War in the United States, the six sons of widow Beecham enlist. The seventh son is very anxious to join the army and fight for his country, but his brothers insist upon his remaining home with his mother. At the "Battle of Bull Run" three of the brothers are killed. The seventh son, fired with patriotism, goes to the front, leaving his old mother alone. He distinguishes himself for bravery, saving his colonel's life during the "Battle of the Wilderness" at which three more of the widow's sons are killed. The youngest boy, his nerves shattered, flees in terror. He is brought up on charges of desertion and sentenced to death. Secretary of War Stanton receives an appeal from the boy's mother, but refuses to recommend his pardon. The widowed mother calls on the President personally. She is granted an interview. Lincoln listens with the tender sympathy for which he was noted. The bereaved mother unbosoms her overburdened soul and tells him of the six graves filled with the bodies of her sons, who fought and died for their country. With tears, she pleads for her last and only boy, the hope and love of her old age. The old lady anxiously awaits his decision and is about to leave his presence when the President calls her back and hands her her boy's pardon, saying: "You have given six sons for your country and I am going to give you the seventh."
- Left alone by the death of her mother and the imprisonment of her father for theft, little Alice goes to live with her uncle and aunt. The latter does not take kindly to the child. The little one longing for a mother's love determines to give her aunt a birthday present. Unknown to her foster-parents, she washes dishes and does little odd jobs in the homes of the neighbors, for which she receives small sums of money. She saves the money in her bureau drawer. Her aunt finds it and comes to the conclusion that she has stolen it, following in the footsteps of her father. She tells her husband and he kindly questions Alice, who tells him how she got the money, and her object. This revelation of the child's thoughtfulness and love, brings her very closely to the hearts of her aunt and uncle, and proudly they adopt her as their own child.
- Having developed a bad case of nerves, Lester Ridgeway is sent to Thorne's old homestead in the South to rest up and get well. It happens that there is a family "ghost" in this mansion, or so the legend avers. Ridgeway becomes infatuated with a portrait in the Thornleigh library of a dead ancestress, a very beautiful woman. Polly Allen, the great-granddaughter of the woman in the portrait, becomes aware of Ridgeway's infatuation, and remembering that there is an old dress in the attic which was worn by the lady in the picture when she posed for the portrait, she dresses herself in the gown, and decides to compare herself with the portrait. Ridgeway sees her and thinks it is the woman of the portrait. Upon his insistence upon the resemblance, old Lindley tells him the story of the woman in the portrait. How she was deserted and killed herself and how it is said she appears every now and then, wandering disconsolately about the premises. Polly overhears the story and decides that Ridgeway needs excitement. She decides to give him all he is looking for. It is her belief that what Ridgeway needs to get well is to have his mind taken off himself. He must be made to become interested in something besides his own concern. She dresses in her great-grandmother's dress, and leads Ridgeway a merry chase through the gardens of the estate and the great library. Thorn receives a letter from Ridgeway, telling him that he is deeply in love with the "ghost" lady, and intends to get her on the following Wednesday night, the anniversary of her death, when it is rumored that she will enact the tragedy of her life. Thorn thinks Ridgeway has gone mad. He persuades a specialist to come with him to Thornleigh and examine the stricken man. They find Ridgeway and a very substantial "ghost" lady in the garden, where all ends satisfactorily. Polly's prescription proves a real "cure-all."
- During the early Christian era, Karma, a very spiritual and virtuous High Priest of the Temple of India, resists with all his religious fervor, Quinetrea, a beautiful and fascinating enchantress. Quinetrea eventually conquers and Karma falls a victim to her wiles. She triumphantly taunts him, and outraged at her cruel deception. Karma curses her, and Quinetrea is transformed into a huge snake. Fifteen hundred years later, Karma appears, reincarnated in the personality of Leslie Adams and loves the beautiful heiress, Lillian White. Together they visit the ancient Temple of Karma and are shown the reptile, which every hundred years resumes human form. While Leslie gazes fascinated, the snake uncoils and Quinetrea stands before him in all her bewitching charm. She holds him with her hypnotic power and forces him to accept an amulet for his betrothed, upon receiving which Lillian falls dead. Karma beholds a vision of his former self as High Priest, again curses Quinetrea, and drops dead across the prostrate body of his betrothed.
- An inventor, David Hammond is the son of a ship's captain. He leaves his sweetheart, Lisbeth Bixler, and goes to the city to promote his invention. Lisbeth's father, an unsuccessful artist, deserts his family, secretly intending to commit suicide. When he fails to return, "Cap" Hammond protects Bixler's wife and children. David forgets Lisbeth until he returns to perfect his invention and finds that she still loves him. During a fire caused by a flooding of a nearby river, Lisbeth rescues David; and both are picked up by "Cap" Hammond, who has saved the whole village. Bixler returns, his courage renewed, and all are happily reunited.
- Young reporter Billy Joy's chief tells him that if he will secure certain letters connected with a prominent divorce scandal, he will raise his wages $10 a week. This increase will make Billy rich enough to marry his sweetheart, Claire Taylor. Mrs. Gardner shows Claire the letters Billy disguises himself as a milkman and makes love to Mrs. Gardner's cook to induce her to help him get a look at the letters in the case. While holding the cook on his lap, in the kitchen, Claire Taylor, his sweetheart, calls on Mrs. Gardner. During her visit, Mr. Gardner shows Claire the letters and explains to her their connection in the divorce case. Wishing some refreshments, Mrs. Gardner rings for the cook, who does not respond. She hurries to the kitchen, accompanied by Claire, and there they discover the cook sitting on Billy's lap. Claire, who still has Mrs. Gardner's letters in her hand, is so astonished at seeing her fiancé in such a compromising position, drops the letters upon the floor and will not listen to Billy's explanations; leaving the kitchen thoroughly disgusted. Billy has his eyes on the letters, snatches them from the floor, places them in his pocket and makes for the Editorial Rooms of his newspaper. His Chief, delighted with Billy's work, gives him the promised raise of salary, and straightens things between him and Claire, clearing up his attentions to Mrs. Gardner's cook.
- Two shop girls, Lizzie and Betty, meet a millionaire and a plumber at a beach resort and fall in love with them. However the villain is conspiring to steal Betty away from her husband and obtain his wealth.
- Alice sues husband Robert for divorce for adultery. When her lawyer is murdered, her husband is charged. At the murder trial, as each witness speaks, we see the events they describe. A new witness pops up.
- Unable to support her baby boy, Grace Devereaux, a widow, leaves him at an orphan asylum. Kitty Rose, an actress friend of Grace's succeeds in securing a small part for her in the same company. Grace leaves her address with the superintendent of the asylum and later receives a letter from him saying that a wealthy widow wishes to adopt her baby on condition that she never make herself known to either of them. Grace finally consents. Twenty years later, Earle is of age. Mrs. Castro, his foster-mother, has chosen Lucille Perrin as his wife to be. Earle tells her he would like to visit Paris first, to which she agrees. In Paris, through an old friend, Earle meets Grace, now Madame Renee, a popular actress. Both are immediately attracted to each other. Although older than Earle, Madame Renee has taken such perfect care of herself that she is still youthful and beautiful and the two are soon madly in love. Earle asks Madame Renee to marry him. At first she refuses, saying she is too old. He will not be denied and she finally agrees, provided he secures his mother's consent. Mrs. Castro meets Madame Renee and tells Earle, "She is charming, but too old for you." He defies his foster-mother and pleads so, with Madame, that she finally consents to an immediate marriage. Mrs. Castro begs Madame to give up Earle, saying, "Suppose you had an only son, wouldn't you do the same." After battling with herself. Madame goes away, leaving a farewell note for Earle. He is stunned when he reads it. Later, Madame is ill and begs permission to see her boy. Her request is granted provided she does not reveal her identity. To her horror, she finds that her boy is none other than the man she was about to marry. She falls in a faint. Earle and his mother rush to her and Mrs. Castro realizes that Madame Renee is Earle's mother. Madame recovers and pleads that she never reveal the truth, which Mrs. Castro promises. Madame takes a last look at her boy, he kisses her and she dies. Mrs. Perrine and Lucille enter and Mrs. Castro soothes the boy, thankful he never knew.
- Ethel, whose financially distressed parents depend on her marrying into wealth, may be forced to abandon the man she loves for her father's rich friend.
- Larry is the suitor for the hand of a charming young lady whose father favors a big rough guy. Almost the entire action takes place inside the home of the girl during a severe electric storm. The manner in which Larry and the other principal are being continually struck by lightning and the way the lightning follows Larry all over the place, up and down stairs and around corners, is cleverly done.
- A harried propman backstage at a theater must put up with malfunctioning wind machines, roosters that spit nitroglycerine, and a gang planning to rob the theater's payroll.
- Bedelia spends every spare moment reading magazine stories, absorbing all the trashy novels she can get, and acquiring aspirations for city life and society. The farm becomes distasteful to her and she pays little heed to her mother's scoldings about wasting her time reading trash. Hiram, the farmhand who is in love with Bedelia, is almost heartbroken when she tells him that he is not her style and announces her intention of going to the city where she will be the cynosure of society, as she appears in its spotlight. At last her opportunity comes, and she is so carried away with herself, she cuts loose and by her behavior, shows her lack of good manners and the necessary polish to make her a shining light in the first circles. She returns to the old homestead, willing to take her place where nature and breeding has best fit her.
- In order to arouse the jealousy of Philip Steele, a wealthy young man who is infatuated with her, Isobel Becker introduces her father to him as her husband. Steele is bitterly disappointed and before Isobel can explain her little joke, he leaves and joins the Northwest Mounted Police, in which he soon distinguishes himself. He is assigned to bring in Bucky Nome, a notorious gambler and lecher who is wanted for murder. Colonel Becker, Isobel's wealthy father, is interested in the fur business and goes to Canada, taking her with him. Bucky wrecks the pleasure train on which they are riding and kidnaps Isobel. Steele eventually catches up with Bucky, bringing him to justice and rescuing Isobel. The subdued girl explains her joke, and Steele resigns from the force, again taking his place in polite society.
- Jack is orphaned as a young child when his wagon train is ambushed by Indians. Twenty years later, he rescues Rose from a runaway stagecoach. The two fall in love, much to the displeasure of Blaney, who later frames Jack for murder.
- The man, Adam, not content to he alone, unto him was given a woman, Eve. They are happy and content, until one day, there comes to their home a tempter. They take him in, feed and house him over night, and during his stay, he shows them many trinkets, laces and other finery, which appeals to the woman's vanity, and she begs her husband to buy them for her. His scant earnings as a gardener cannot cater to the indulgence of luxuries, and he refuses. She pleads with him and when the peddler retires for the night, Eve persuades Adam to steal from the peddler's pack that she may possess that which she craves. Adam succumbs to her enticement and the seeds of sin are sown and their happiness and peace of mind depart from them from that time henceforth. In the morning, when the peddler leaves, they would believe that their unhappiness had gone with him, but not so, they must reap that which they have sown and the disquieting spirit of evil hath taken possession of their hearts and home. When the peddler discovers that he has been robbed, he is fired with the spirit of revenge and immediately reports his loss to the town authorities, who hasten to apprehend the culprits. On their way, the news spreads among the townspeople, who pretend to be inspired with righteous indignation, but in reality they secretly rejoice in the downfall of their weak and foolish neighbors. Brought face to face with the peddler, Adam and Eve confess their guilt and the discovery of the stolen property at once convicts them. Imprisonment is the penalty of their crime, but through their appeals for mercy, they are condemned to banishment.
- Miss Marbury comes on deck and looks haughtily at attractive young widow Mrs. Cray, half-suspecting that she has her steamer chair. When she finds that she is mistaken, she ties a large red ribbon upon her own chair, which is situated between Mrs. Gray on her left and Mr. Martin on her right. Miss Marbury is quite annoyed when little Dolores and Helen, Mrs. Gray's two playful children, come to settle a dispute over ownership of a tennis ball. Tom Blake stops to greet Mrs. Gray and plays with the children, making them forget their animosity. A very good-looking young woman walks by and attracts Blake's attention. Blake, the widow, and the children start for a walk, but the little girls stray away and go back to the chair; finding Miss Marbury asleep, they playfully pelt her with the tennis ball. Rising in a storm of wrath the indignant young woman throws the ball into the ocean and the girls run crying to their mother. Tom again comforts them and takes them for a walk. Passing by Miss Chaloner, sitting reading in her steamer chair, he conceives an idea how he might meet her: He writes upon a page torn from a magazine that he would like to know her. He entrusts the communication to Dolores, but mischievous Helen persuades her to place the note in the pocket of Miss Marbury's coat, that lady having left her seat for a moment. When Miss Marbury finds the note she becomes very kittenish and looks with longing eyes towards Mr. Martin, who is asleep on her right. He awakens, and is startled by the lady's demeanor. Blake is puzzled when he meets Miss Chaloner on the deck and she passes without noticing him. He discovers what the children have done and makes them get the note, much to Miss Marbury's disgust. Miss Chaloner finally gets the note and meets Tom.
- Though his wife doubts his ability to run the new automobile, Bunny insists that he is an expert driver. He starts out alone to familiarize himself with the car. He is very proud of his ability and gets more and more daring as he progresses. As he comes down the street, little Helene, out walking with her very big doll in her arms, tries to run across the street in front of him. She becomes frightened and drops the doll. Bunny runs over the doll and thinks it is the child. Bunny comes back, but when he sees a policeman talking to men near the spot where he ran over the doll and the pavement covered with red paint, which he mistakes for blood, he becomes panic-stricken and bolts. He takes shelter in a barn. The number of his car being known, Mrs. Bunny is called on to pay for the doll during her husband's absence. Bunny is pursued by all sorts of hoodoos. He meets policemen at every corner, farmers with shotguns and dogs. His car breaks down and he is forced to start pushing it down the road. He engages a mule team to help him. He has a fuss with the mule driver when time to pay comes and Bunny almost gets into a bad fight. Two policemen attracted by the noise come on the run and when they see Bunny they recognize him as the man who is wanted at headquarters. They do not tell him that his wife has put in a search order to find her lost husband. Bunny thinks his game is up. He holds out his hands to be handcuffed. When he arrives at police headquarters he confesses to a murder. The captain at the desk is puzzled. It is the first he has heard of a murder. Mrs. Bunny arrives, weeping, asking for news of her recreant husband. He tells her of his awful crime. She ridicules and scolds him and tells him that he has run over a doll. The policemen enjoy a good laugh. Ever afterward when the Bunny car gets out Mrs. Bunny is at the wheel and Mr. Bunny sits meekly at her side. She wears an air of triumph and Bunny seems utterly vanquished.
- That the way to a man's heart is by means of his appetite, is strikingly shown. Mother-in-law comes to visit the newly wedded couple and finds the young man somewhat discontented. It is no wonder, for his wife is so engrossed in her "art," although only an amateur, that she forgets all about cooking dinner and such like trivialities. Her mother shows her the error of her ways and son-in-law becomes very fond of her. Wifey's jealousy is aroused and she shows that she can cook just as well. Having restored harmony to the household, mother-in-law returns home, leaving nothing but happy memories behind her.
- Ellen Carson volunteers to serve with Florence Nightingale in the Crimean war and witnesses the charge of the Light Brigade.
- Pete has an unscrupulous rival for the heroine Betty. When the rival is spurned by Betty, he gets even by persuading her to ride one of the wildest horses on the range. The horse runs away with her, and Pete knocks down the rival and races to her rescue. Pete later saves Betty from the insults of a crowd of bullies. In the climax, Pete saves a cowboy from being lynched by severing the rope with a single shot, while the posse rides to the rescue. He then saves Betty by leaping from a high bluff into a lake while on Lightning's back.
- Tom and Dick are brothers and are being educated at the same college. Tom is a studious fellow and graduates with honors, while Dick is expelled from college through misbehavior. Dick is ashamed to go home, but before leaving Tom gives him a locket containing a picture of their mother. Ten years later Tom, who is a successful lawyer, is married and has two little children. Dick, who has now been reduced through personal neglect to a derelict, overhears a plan to rob his brother's house. Making up his mind to prevent it, Dick climbs through the nursery window, catches the burglars, but effects their escape. His two little nieces, who have been watching him, kiss and hug him before he makes his exit. When their parents return from the reception they attended, the children relate to them what had happened. Dick gets into a scrape with a gambler a month or two later, who laughs at the miniature of his mother that Dick puts up in lieu of cash. In the struggle the gambler's pistol is discharged and he is accidentally shot. Dick is arrested and his brother is appointed by the court to defend him. Tom, not recognizing his brother, makes a strong defense in his behalf and a touching plea in introducing the locket, pleading exoneration for the man who would defend an insult to his mother, Tom opens the locket and recognizes their mother. He is filled with a sense of his duty and shows clearly and concisely the accidental discharge of the gambler's pistol and so cleverly presents this phase of the case that Dick is acquitted. Tom takes his brother to his home, where he is recognized by his two children as the man who saved their home from robbery and they lovingly embrace him. Tom's wife is introduced to her brother-in-law and it is not long before Dick is in a good position and an honored member of his brother's family.
- Anne Stearns has a varied, unsettled life married to a sporting man. Finally Stearns moves her and their child to a Western town where he opens a gambling house. A man of coarse instincts and mercenary nature, he insists that his wife make herself agreeable to patrons of his den and dance-hall to popularize the resort. Their little girl becomes very ill. Stearns insists that she leave the little one and go into the barroom to meet one of her admirers. She refuses, asserting that her child demands her attention. He grabs her, drags her into the saloon, and commands her to entertain his friend. She acquiesces under protest. When the drunken fellow attempts to caress her, she resists him and her husband tries to force her to submit. At this moment, a strange prospector who has entered the room, springs to her protection, knocking down her annoyer and throwing aside her husband. He then escorts her to her home where she finds that her child died during her absence. The defeated gambler follows the prospector. Stearns entirely ignores his wife after this incident and the prospector helps her bury her child and consoles her in her grief. Later the gambler he had opposed in Stearns' place attacks him, and in their pistol duel he shoots his assailant. A drawn jury sentences him to exile and drives him into the desert. Learning of his condemnation, Anne hastily fills a canteen and follows him into the desert, where she finds him already delirious from thirst. He looks at her through his death-palled eyes and she appears to him as a ministering angel coming to cool his parched lips with a cup of cold water. Anne hastens to his side just as he breathes his last and passes into the land of eternal peace and rest. With thoughts of his kindness to her and her child and fearing to return to her brutal husband, she empties the water from her canteen into the sands of the desert, preferring to die beside the man who would protect her rather than endure the insults of a husband who would demoralize and degrade her.
- He is the talk of Jimpsonville, a typical village cut-up, and his name is Willy Wildwave. He visits New York dressed in loud college style. A street fakir talks him into buying a "Chicken Inspector" badge. He explains the privileges of the badge and Willy says, "I'm on." He returns home with the badge and a rubber stamp reading, "Approved by Chicken Inspector No. 23," and proceeds to examine and stamp everything that looks like chickens, even to reviewing the "squabs'" and "broilers" in a young ladies' seminary. The principal sends for the constable to arrest him, hut when Willy shows his badge, they surrender. The seminary girls file out in caps and gowns and the "Chicken Inspector" gives them the "once over." Willy next decides to "Inspect" the burlesque show. The manager apparently "falls" for his talk, but in reality conspires with the company to "fix" him. The burlesque girls are lined up and, after Willy signifies his approval, march out. At the manager's signal, the actors and stage hands make a rush for Willy, armed with all sorts of weapons. He grabs a "prop" tree and it goes over with him, the whole crowd piling on top. Scrambling to his feet, he rushes out past the astonished audience. Followed by a big crowd, he finally dodges into a henhouse. The owner, hearing a suspicious noise, pokes a shotgun in and fires. Willy, with a shriek of pain, rushes out and is grabbed by the owner. He breaks loose, leaving his badge in the farmer's hand. He then dashes for freedom, nursing the perforated seat of his trousers.
- The simple truth presented in this picture is that man is a combative animal and a predatory one. This is especially true where a woman is the prize covered by two males. The lady in the case is an ex-circus rider by the name of Pauline. She is married to a man of wealth, and preserves a memory of a circus performer, who in this case contributes his modest share to human evolution by walking a tightrope. This is about all that he does well, and there is nothing doing on the credit side of his ledger when he calls upon Pauline at a time when she begins to long for a little variety in life, such as is afforded by automobile tastes with a trolley-car income, the lot of the average circus performer. The husband does not approve of the invader, and instead of carrying his wife away to Palm Beach for a season he bursts into all kinds of rage; there are fifty-seven varieties shown in this screen portrayal, and so outrages his wife's self-respect that she leaves him and goes back to the old life, taking her little girl along. On account of this act of folly on her part, her husband decides to devote the remainder of his existence to the business of retaliation. With the privileges his wealth and leisure afford for doing something worthwhile, he devotes his career to gratifying a bitter desire, sure indication of a perverted or decadent mind. He goes forth completely disguised and reappears as the proprietor of a circus in order to effect a dramatic vengeance and he thus becomes the employer of his wife and her lover. He is not particularly subtle, else he could have driven them gradually into acute poverty, the worst punishment doled out to human beings of health and ambition. He bides his time until the rope walker is dazzling an audience. (The audience is made up of exhibitors who visited the Vitagraph yard during the convention.) The dirty work, that of cutting the rope, is discovered and some athletes climb up rope ladders to the swings to save the little girl on the ropewalker's shoulders, the daughter of the man who planned the dastardly deed. The husband now realizes that his scheme may react and attempts to climb after the athletes, but his time has come. The men on the swings save the child through their daring and skill. For some reason or other they also save the family breaker as well. The husband, who felt himself to be a wronged man because of the loss of his wife and child, who attempted to destroy the enemy of his peace and happiness, falls to his death.
- Margaret Brachen and her guest Rita Malrose, an attractive young widow, are extremely jealous of Mlle. Vivian, the Diver, whom Margaret's husband Rupert and his friend John Hawley see performing at the Hippodrome. They are indignant went the two met invite the charming diver to perform at a lawn fete which Margaret has organized at their country place at Travis Sound. But Rita gets an opportunity to make Hawley suspicious and she puts her plans into execution. Some flowers are sent to Margaret by her husband for a sick friend, but arrive after Margaret has started for the friend's house. Rita sends them to Vivian unidentified and bribes the messenger boy to drop a handkerchief marked with Brachen's initials in Vivian's room. When Hawley sees the flowers and the handkerchief his suspicions are fully aroused. Rita sends a note to him saying that if he would know Vivian's true character, to watch her house at midnight. She dresses up in some evening clothes belonging to Brachen, who is away, and when Hawley comes to Vivian's house, walks down the front steps in full view, returning then to the Brachen home, thus confirming his worst suspicions. The Brachens and their guest Rita stop at Niagara Falls before returning to the city. One day little Agatha, Vivian's daughter, wanders away and gets into a boat which some boys are playing with by the river. The boat slips the boys' grips and is carried into the swift current toward Niagara Falls. Vivian is in Niagara to open her season there, and while standing on a cliff above the falls she sees Agatha coming down the river. She throws off her pumps and dives into the water. She has a tremendous struggle fighting the current, and only by supreme effort succeeds in getting the boat before it goes over the falls, and taking the child from it to the shore where she falls in a dead faint and is taken to the Brachen cottage to be given medical attention. Rita, repentant, wires for Hawley, and tells him of her duplicity. Hawley rushes in to Vivian, to be reunited with the girl he thought had been false to him.
- Jim is engaged to Elizabeth Emery. While out sleighing, Jim sees the New York train going by, and tells the girl he should like to be going there. The next evening, in a "little game," Jim holds the highest hand in poker and "cleans up." He tells Elizabeth he is going to visit the big city. She is reluctant at first, but finally gives in. In New York, Jim tries to get fresh with Bessie Williams, a manicurist, but is promptly squelched. Becoming lonely and homesick he confides his troubles to Bessie, showing her a picture of the girl from the town of Prosperity. She begins to like the boy. He gets in with a fast crowd and speculates in a bucket shop, where he makes a fortune. Carried away by his success, despite Bessie's advice to quit, he plunges and loses all. Down and out and spurned by his "friends," he is on the verge of suicide when he meets Bessie, who persuades him to go back to Prosperity, but he is too proud, so she writes to Elizabeth and tells her Jim is ill. This brings Elizabeth and her married sister to New York. Bessie tells them, "Jimmy is a good boy, but an awful fool.'' Elizabeth is angry at the girl at first, then indignant at Jim as she learns of his adventures and downfall. But Bessie induces her to see him before judging too harshly. Bessie brings Jim to the hotel and pushes him into the room where Elizabeth awaits. Realizing from his care-worn face he has learned his lesson, she forgets about the scolding she was to give him, and seals her forgiveness with a kiss. Bessie, behind the curtain, watches the reconciliation she has brought about and goes back to her work light-hearted.
- The Hon. Algernon, a younger son, comes to America to make his fortune, but instead he gets left high and dry in NewYork. He is a decent chap with a university education but no idea how to use it. He writes to his fiancée in England, telling her of his troubles and releasing her from her engagement. He then pawns two athletic medals which he won at Oxford, his last things of value. Strolling down the street, he sees a sign advertising for a waiter in a small restaurant and he applies for the place. Mrs. Potter, the proprietress, takes a fancy to him because he is so polite, but Blinkers, her head man, is jealous and does his best to make his life miserable. Poor Algernon has all sorts of mishaps. To save himself he goes to his attic room to bemoan his lot. Mrs. Potter discovers through the address on one of his letters that he is an Honorable, and finding on inquiry that it is true, she scents a romance and starts out to win him. Algernon cannot make out what it all means. She invites him to supper after the day's work is over, and takes him down to the beach on Sundays. Algernon is grateful for her kindness, but made very uncomfortable by it. Blinkers is consumed with jealousy and plans revenge. Algernon gets a letter from his fiancée, telling him their troubles are at an end, as she has inherited a fortune and is coming to America. Just then he is summoned to the parlor and Mrs. Potter frankly makes him a Leap-Year proposal and offers to share the profits of the restaurant with him. Algernon declines and tells her he is engaged, whereupon Mrs. Potter gets hysterical. Blinkers rushes into the room and though triumphant at the turn things have taken, generously offers to revenge his mistress's injuries and thrash Algernon. He tries, but gets a good beating for his pains. Angela arrives in the midst of this scene. Algernon introduces her to Mrs. Potter and thanking her for all her kindness, leaves. Mrs. Potter resolves to console herself in the discomfited Blinkers.
- Young Jamie loved a lassie and she loved him. His love was strong but his purse was weak, and so he went to sea to make his fortune with which to claim his lassie as his bride. The good ship "Ben Lomond" bore him away, and while he was on the seas the lassie's father had his arm broken, when the gypsies stole their cow and the mother of the lassie was taken sick. They were poor folk and the lassie was obliged to spin and weave, keep the house, care for her father and nurse her mother. "Auld Robin Grey," a friend of the family, generous and true, aids them in the time of their need and kindly bestows his beneficence whenever he can do so without pretension or obtrusion. He likes the father and the mother, but he loves the daughter. He asks her to marry him. Her parents favor good old Robin Grey, but the daughter still loves Jamie, and she cannot give heart and hand to another. Men must work and women must weep, but it seems the poor lassie must do both, for it is not long before there is great sorrow and excitement among the town folk. The ship "Ben Lomond" is announced as wrecked, with Jamie and all on board lost. They try to keep the news from Jenny, but bad news travels quickly, and despite Robin Grey's efforts to have the shock come to her as gently as possible she sees the bulletin posted on the outside of the ship chandler's and is supported from falling by her faithful friend Robin. Giving up her Jamie as gone to a watery grave, she is urged to marry Robin Grey, while her heart is at the bottom of the sea. Robin proves a good husband and she tries to be a good wife to him, although she does not love him. Like one from the dead Jamie escapes the wreck and comes back to claim Jennie's hand and heart. She can scarcely believe she sees aright, and she is not easily convinced that her Jamie is alive and talking to her, and when she does realize it she tells him she is the wife of "Auld Robin Grey," and he is a good man and she will do her best to be a faithful wife to him. Jamie and she kiss and then part from each other, to go their own ways as their consciences direct.
- Gerald Foster, a young artist, is supported by his rich uncle, who intends to make him his heir. Uncle George has a rooted aversion to young men marrying, so he tells Gerald if he ever becomes matrimonially entangled, he will cut him off at once. One day, while painting in an art gallery, Gerald meets Peggy Rainsforth, a struggling art student. Peggy faints while at work, and Gerald offers to see her home. On the way he draws from her the story that she has fainted from want of food, and he at once takes her to a restaurant to dinner. They become friends. Friendship turns into love and Gerald marries the struggling art student and takes her to his flat. Their life is a happy one till they get word from Uncle George that he is coming to visit Gerald and that he expects to be put up at the flat. They are at their wits' end what to do. At last Peggy hits on the idea that she will disguise herself as a page boy. She does so. She sleeps, or is supposed to sleep, in a clothes room off Gerald's room, while Uncle George occupies the room supposed to be the page's. Uncle George is seized with a toothache in the night and wants to send the page out for medicine. Gerald declares his page is sick and goes himself. He has to rouse Peggy first, however, and get her into her boy's suit in case Uncle George needs help. His tooth gets worse while Gerald is gone, and Peggy bathes his face with hot water and relieves the pain and Uncle George tips her fifty cents. Gerald arrives with the medicine and after many complications, they at last get Uncle to bed. The next day he falls asleep in his chair while smoking and sets himself on fire. Peggy rushes to the rescue and extinguishes the flames, but burns her hands terribly. She faints and her wig comes off. Uncle George discovers her sex, but when Gerald returns, Uncle George is so delighted with Peggy's heroism that he withdraws his objections to their marriage and gives them his blessing.
- The fighter is a "second-rater" and loses his fight for the championship title. After his defeat he goes downhill very rapidly until he meets the captain of the sloop "Wasp," which is manned by desperadoes. The captain is a second edition of Wolf Larsen, of Jack London's story, a very bad man. The down-and-out fighter ships with the captain and goes to sea with him. On an ocean steamer, a young heiress and young man, newly married, are going abroad on their honeymoon The steamer founders in mid-ocean, all hands going down with it except the young couple, who escape in a life-boat. Later they are picked up at sea by the "Wasp." The captain takes advantage of the girl's helpless position, after setting her husband to work in the forecastle. The young couple try to reason with the captain by promising him a liberal reward. The ex-fighter, now a sailor of the sloop crew, takes their part. While he is fighting off the captain and some of his gang, the young husband and wife manage to escape from the sloop in one of the dories. They are later picked up by another steamer and saved. While they are getting away, their protector fights off the captain and his villainous desperadoes, and finally falls dead in the struggle. The last seen of the young couple is a view of them in the cabin of another steamer, thinking of what may have befallen the man who sacrificed his life for them.
- A poor mother of five children offers the youngest for adoption. The newspapers hear of it and publish it as an unusual case. Mrs. Upton reads the article. She and her husband are wealthy and childless, and she persuades her husband to go with her to see the child. They find the tenement where Mrs. O'Flynn lives. The mother tells them Victor's father was a good man, not dissipated, but inclined to idleness. Mrs. Upton is immediately charmed with the child and after arrangements are made, Mrs. O'Flynn parts tearfully with it. Jim O'Flynn, in the meantime, returns home, learns his youngest child has been adopted, takes what little money the poor woman has left and departs in an ugly mood. Victor is showered with every attention and soon becomes a spoiled child. Fifteen years later, his foster-father receives notice that his son failed to pass his college examinations. Victor is sent home. Mr. Upton gives him a position in his office. He displays some of the characteristics of his father. He then puts Victor to work in the machine shop, where he will not have time to idle. He has a quarrel with the foreman. His father, angry and disappointed, writes out a check for $5,000, hands it to Victor and tells him, "When that's spent, you needn't come back.'' Victor loses the money gambling and wires his mother for more. Mr. Upton learns the import of the message and telegraphs him a refusal. Victor, unable to find work, is homeless and penniless. Incidentally, he meets his own father, who is a veritable hobo, and to his horror, learns the truth. The boy decides to ask Mr. Upton for another chance. Mr. Upton, seeing that Victor has learned a lesson, receives him cordially. Victor conquers his inherited tendency and shows his gratitude to his foster-parents, proving himself a valuable business man and an everlasting credit to those who have cared for him.
- In the early 19th century, Beau Brummell was the most talked-of person in all the world, the extreme of fashion, the personification of elegance and the most pretentious individual imaginable. Helen, the daughter of Lord Ballarat, falls a victim to his charms, although she is warned by the Duchess of Devonshire, against him. Beau, not the least disconcerted, persists in his attentions to Helen and proposes to her. He is an intimate of the Prince of Wales and all the nobility of the period. They copy his style and ape his manners. Lord Devonshire and the Prince of Wales are very close friends, and when Beau Brummel insults the prince, the lord forbids Helen seeing Beau until he apologizes to the prince. Helen pleads with him to make amends to his highness, but he refuses, rather than disregard his own conceit or sacrifice his overbearing pride. The prince does not fail to resent Beau Brummel's effrontery and through him, Beau's privileges and importance are very much lessened. He indulges in all sorts of extravagances, irrespective of his means, and is soon reduced to social and financial ruin. Yet his pride is not at all disturbed, for he takes occasion again to snub the prince, whom he chances to meet. In desperation, Brummel endeavors to recoup his fortune with his few remaining crowns, by staking his all at cards and he loses. He is now besieged by creditors and placed in a debtor's prison. Helen Ballarat, in sympathy, sends him, through her bankers, five hundred pounds, and he is released. With shattered mind, he retires into seclusion, and after five years of destitution he is rescued from poverty and the madhouse by his old friend Alvanley, who gives him a comfortable home where he passes his time in dim memories of the past.
- Struggling to earn a living, artist Roger Vibrat receives an order to paint an enlargement of a portrait; the money will be paid on delivery of the picture. He has no canvas the required size and no money to buy one. He tries in vain to get credit; no one will lend money to a poor artist. It is the day before Christmas. Sonny Boy, his little child, while showing pictures in a book to his mother who is ill in bed, comes across a Sunday-school card with the text, "I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you." His mother explains to him the meaning of the text. When his father returns home downcast, Sonny shows him the card; pointing to the words with his little finger, tells him that they are true. Roger braces up: he goes out and pawns his overcoat and buys an old canvas. While cleaning it, he discovers the signature of a famous artist on it; wild with excitement he keeps cleaning it and beings to light a famous painting. He rushes out with it and shows it to a dealer, who gives him $5000 for it. He buys food, toys, and flowers for his family, and when he returns home with his arms laden with the gifts, Sonny, wild with joy, runs up to him and says, "I knew God would come."
- Having tramped the city day after day in search of a job and finding none, Tom Weyman is reduced to desperation. He has an invalid father to support and has spent his last cent. Honesty having failed him, he resolves to try dishonesty. Seeing a house deserted by its occupants for the evening, he climbs to a second story balcony and enters a window. He is seen, however, by two policemen, who at once hurry toward the house. Tom sees them coming and flees as fast as he can, but being weak from starvation, they soon gain upon him and he realizes that to get away he must take a desperate chance. Tom bursts through the fire-lines in front of a burning dwelling and rushes into the house, hoping to be able to get through and out at the back and so escape his pursuers. In the house he hears the cry of a small child upstairs and rushes up to rescue it. By the time that he finds the child, the stairs are alight and it is impossible to get out of the way. He climbs to the roof, and making a rope of clotheslines, he lowers the baby as far as the top of the nearest fire escape. Tom then makes another life line for himself and is able to let himself down to the ladder, where he faints in a fireman's arms. Tom is taken to the hospital, for he has been badly burned, but the policeman recognizes him and a guard is put over him as he recovers. He is visited constantly by the mother of the child he had rescued, a poor widow, who is filled with gratitude for what he has done for her. The newspapers take up his case and Tom is pardoned without trial. A kind sympathizer offers him a job and he is able to marry the widow who has fallen in love with him and whose love he returns. His fortune has turned and he is able now to support both his father and his wife in comfort and happiness.
- Commodore Blunt, a wealthy, well-preserved man of about 50, and Mrs. Preston, a well-preserved woman of 42, have for some time looked forward to an alliance between their respective children, Henry and Helen. Helen is a charming, thoroughly unaffected girl, very fond of athletics, which has given her a splendid physique and natural beauty. Henry is a fine, healthy specimen of young manhood. They are about to fulfill their parents' wishes when Henry meets Irene Pearl and becomes desperately infatuated, while Helen meets foreign adventurer the Viscount De Gagaine, and falls victim to his apparent charms. This causes the two parents great concern. The Commodore, discovering they intend to elope, proposes to Mrs. Preston that they all take a trip on his private yacht. In this way he hopes to gain time and find some way out of the difficulty. The Commodore discovers by accident that the charms of his guests are false. Irene Pearl happens to get into Henry's cabin, mistaking it for her own The Commodore looks in at the window and is surprised when he sees, not his son, but Irene, who places her light wig on the bureau, along with a pair of eyelashes and other accessories. He then goes to the Viscount's cabin, where he finds the Viscount brushing a false toupee and placing a set of false teeth on the bureau. Under the pretense of shipwreck, the Commodore plans to disclose the adventurers. He first, with the aid of a fishing line and rod, gets Irene's false make-up through the window and the Viscount's toupee and false teeth, all of which he carefully drops into the sea. A revelation comes to Henry and Helen, when their respective sweethearts are seen without their disguises. The revelation brings about a complete change of affections, much to the satisfaction of the Commodore and Mrs. Preston, when their children beg forgiveness of each other, and decide to end all discord in their marriage.
- Captain Bunce comes ashore after a cruise, meets some old friends, and the next morning he finds himself in a strange town with very little cash. He goes to a lodging-house kept by Mrs. Mulligan, a widow. He takes a room, but when asked for his rent in advance, he cannot pay it. Mrs. "M," however, is anxious to remarry and thinks she sees in Bunce an easy victim, so she takes him as a lodger, and when some weeks later he is still bankrupt, proposes that she will cancel the debt if he will marry her. Bunce consents, but as the wedding day draws near, he repents and tries to escape. She brings him back and takes away his shoes and hat so he cannot escape. He gets the servant to send a letter to Barnacle, telling of his plight. Barnacle arrives on the scene, pretends to sympathize with Mrs. M. and be horrified at Bunce's lack of taste, and at last gains admittance to his friend. There he sternly upbraids Bunce for his conduct, but left alone with him for a minute, he slips him a coil of rope, and also, wishing to be strictly honest, deposits the amount due Mrs. Mulligan on the table. He then gets Bunce's shoes, locks him in the room and offers to go for a parson. Instead of that, he goes around to the back yard where Bunce has let himself down out of the window, helps him over the fence and they start to run. Mrs. M. sees them and gives chase, but they reach Barnacle's boat, which is anchored at the pier, and escape. The final scene sees Bunce sitting at Barnacle's fireside, smoking his pipe in peace.
- The Mudville B.B. Club has one sure winner: Casey, the idol of the fans and the admiration of the ladies. Housemaid Kitty and cook Mary can see nothing but Casey. Grady, a police officer, is his rival for Kitty's love. Mudville and Hicksville Clubs are to play their final game for the championship. Casey's first hit is a home run. Mudville cheers him to the echo. In the last half of the ninth inning, Mudville is at the bat, two men on bases and two out. "Casey at the bat," shouts the crowd. He takes his place with all the confidence of a hero. With a cheering salute to the Mudville rooters, "Watch me boys!" he strikes out. The game is over, the score is, Hicksville 9, and Mudville, 7. Casey is a fallen idol. He makes a lone sneak to Kitty's home. She has already heard of his overthrow. He peeks through the window as the rain descends in torrents and beholds Grady, his rival, being feted and petted by Kitty and the cook.