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Learn more- The first scene gives us a view of the dairy yard at the home of Squire Allen, a well-to-do farmer of the middle class, whose broad acres spread for miles about his comfortable farm house. In the foreground is Mary Morrison, the daughter of a neighboring laborer, employed as a dairy maid by Farmer Allen, busy at her work. Up behind her comes William, Farmer Allen's only child, a manly young fellow, well-liked by all who know him. Throwing his arm around Mary he steals a kiss. Mary gently remonstrates with him and continues her work. Now she attempts to draw a bucket of water from the old sweep well but William takes the bucket from her hands. As she tries to continue washing the dairy cans, William takes the brush away from her and secures possession of her hand. Both are laughing at the mere pleasure of being together. William draws an engagement ring from his pocket and places it on Mary's finger, then holds the hand up for her admiration. Mary smiles softly and hides her blushing face in the safe shelter of his shoulder. Back at the farm house we find Farmer Allen and his orphan niece Dora, who has been his housekeeper since the death of his wife. Farmer Allen has been reading but now he stops and after watching Dora, busy with her sewing, for a few minutes, lays down his paper and tells her of his plan that she and William marry. Dora drops her head shyly, but Farmer Allan lifts her chin and sees by her blushing face and downcast eyes that he will find no opposition to his plan here. Just then William returns from his visit to Mary at the dairy lot. Farmer Allan stops him and begins to tell him of his plan for the marriage. William refuses to do as his father wishes, and after telling of his love for Mary, calls her forward for a father's blessing. The old man is furious. He orders Mary off the place and gives his son the choice of giving her up or being disowned. William refuses to give up Mary. Farmer Allan orders him from his sight forever. Placing his arm around Mary, William leads her away. Farmer Allan stands watching them go, his face convulsed with passion, while Dora sinks into her chair, horror-stricken at what has happened. It is now four years later. William's first act after being driven from home was to visit the parsonage over the hill with Mary. After a hard struggle, he finally succeeded in securing work in a nearby stone quarry, and for three years they have been living happily in a little cabin just beyond his father's farm. William is leaving for his day's work. He gives the baby to Mary and kisses her good-bye. With the baby on her shoulder Mary watches him go, and as he turns the distant corner she and the baby both wave him a final good-bye. Here is the quarry where William Allan works. At first it was his duty to help push up the incline the heavy cars of stone that fed the crushers, but upon the installation of cables for this heavy work his task was the placing of the charges of dynamite that blast out the rock from the hill. Allan stops for a moment to look at the car sliding up the cable and thinks of how often he and a dozen fellow workmen struggled and puffed up the incline with a less load than the one he just saw gliding up so easily. Here is Allan at his work. The foreman indicates where he wishes the blast placed and William commences his work. But scarce has he begun when a blinding crash sends the rocks hurling in the air. A premature blast! When the smoke has cleared away the men rush in to find Allan's lifeless form lying on the ground. A flying stone has struck him in the temple, killing him instantly. With uncovered heads they bend over him in silent pity. At the little cabin home Mary is busy with her household duties when she hears someone approaching and turns to find the foreman of the quarry by her side. His white face tells her something has happened. She asks for William. Unable to break the sad news to her, he wrings his cap in silent sorrow. She demands to know what has happened. He tells her of the accident. She reels and staggers into the house. The foreman calls to the men carrying William's body and they carry it through the gate and up the steps into the little cabin where the desolate widow and fatherless baby are awaiting it. During the four years that have passed Dora has continued as her uncle's housekeeper, but they have been long, unhappy years, for she has not ceased to love William nor to mourn over the unhappy quarrel that drove him away from home. Farmer Allan comes around the corner of the house. He has aged greatly, although never by word or look has he shown to Dora that he misses the son he sent away. After a word to Dora he passes into the house. Dora sees approaching a neighbor who always brings them their mail from the little village post-office. She hastens down to the gate to meet him. The neighbor sees her approach and waves a letter at her. Pulling up his horse, he hands it to her with a pleasant word of greeting, then drives on. Returning to the house, Dora notices it is addressed to Farmer Allan, but recognizes the handwriting of Mary, William's widow. She calls Farmer Allan and gives it to him. Allan opens it and reads Mary's pathetic appeal for aid, not for herself, but for her baby, his grandchild. At the sight of her name Allan remembers all she has cost him, his face darkens, with a curse he tears the letter in two and throwing it upon the ground re-enters the house. Dora looks at the torn letter, then stealthily picks it up and reads it. Pity floods her face, and brushing away a tear she starts towards the house, determined to aid Mary If she can. Dora loses no time in carrying out her determination. She fills a generous basket with good things and starts to visit Mary in the little cabin just beyond the last of Farmer Allan's many fields. As she passes one of the cornfields she notices the hands busy cutting and shocking the ripening com. Seeing Farmer Allan among them directing the work, she hurries by for fear he may inquire where she is going and forbid the visit. Arriving at the cabin, Dora finds Mary sad and worn, a resigned look on her face, patiently fanning the baby, fast asleep In a big rocking chair. At the sight of Dora, Mary rises, half antagonistic, for she feels that Dora is the cause of her trouble. But Dora, all gentleness, extends her hand and drawing the poor, tired girl to her, kisses her. Mary breaks down and sobs on Dora's shoulder, while Dora tries to cheer her up. Now she goes to the sleeping baby and tells Mary of her plan. She will take the baby and place it in the cornfield, and the sight of his baby grandchild will soften Farmer Allan's hard heart, he will relent and give them both a home. Mary is fearful of the result, but finally consents. Dora lifts up the sleeping baby, kisses it tenderly and with an encouraging smile back at the little mother goes through the gate, while Mary stands with hands clasped watching them depart, half fearing, half hoping. Back to the cornfield Dora hurries with the baby. She finds Farmer Allan still busy with the hands. Down beside one of the shocks she places the baby, then hides in the standing corn to watch the result. Up the field comes Farmer Allan. He sees the baby, looks around for its guardian, and finding none, stops to watch the child, his face gradually softening from its stern lines. Now Dora comes from her retreat. Seeing her, Allan asks if she knows whose child this is. Fearfully she tells him it is William's. Allan's face hardens with anger and in a passion he turns to her and tells her she can go as William did. Dora pleads with him, not for herself, but for the child. She will go if he will take the child and give it the home it is entitled to. Farmer Allan hesitates. He feels the tug of his own offspring at his heartstrings. He tells Dora he will keep the child, but she must go. Sorrowfully Dora leaves. Mary is still anxiously waiting when Dora returns. Noticing the baby has been left behind, her face lights up, for she thinks the plan has been successful. But Dora is forced to tell of her failure and of her own disinheritance. But the boy is all right and has a home. At this Mary's mother love flames up. What! leave her boy to be brought up by that hard-hearted man. No, surely the Heavenly Father will show them some way by which they can live together. Off she starts for the farm, followed by Dora. Meanwhile Farmer Allan has taken the baby to the house. Down on his knees in the yard with his grandson on his back, Farmer Allan's usually stern face is wreathed in a smile. The baby has won his heart. One of the servants in passing holds up his hands in amazement at the sight. Now across the yard hurry Mary and Dora intent on reclaiming the baby. They pause for a moment to watch the unusual sight, then Mary comes forward. The baby sees her and goes to her. The old man turns, his face grows stern again. But Mary, no more afraid of him, pours out all the bitterness of her heart to him and tells him neither Dora, the baby or herself will ever darken his door again. Allan listens in stern silence. As the three, Mary, Dora and the baby, move away, he seems to realize what their going means to him, how lonely will be his future. He steps forward, holds out his arm, then drops it, and just as they are about to leave calls, "Dora, Mary, come back." Dora comes quickly, but Mary hesitates, for she thinks of her years of suffering. But the old man calls again and the three are folded in his arms. His face is wreathed in undreamed-of happiness, for instead of the darkness of lonely solitude, he sees his path down the declining years brightened by the presence of a rollicking grandson and two loving daughters. The Moving Picture World, November 13, 1909
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