Moving Picture World (Oct-Dec 1914)

90 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD LICEN SED FILM STORIES EDISON. FATHER'S BEARD (Oct. 5). — Kennedy's greatest ambition was to' raise a full beard such as his father used to wear, but neither Mrs. Kennedy nor the children would hear of it. He therefore took advantage of a long trip and allowed his beard to grow. The result was an hirsute adornment which so thoroughly disguised him" that he was unrecognizable even to his old friends. On the very day of his homecoming, the entire village was in an uproar over the report that a desperate burglar had attacked several people. Sally, the village gossip, served as the means of scattering this alarming bit of news, and each time she told it the man's size and ferocity took on extra proportions. On one point, all were agreed — he had a full beard. The houses were placed in a state of siege, and everything prepared to give the desperate intruder a warm reception. Things were at this pass when Kennedy arrived home, only to find the door barricaded from the inside. His efforts to attract their attention was greeted with a pail of scalding water and his own shotgun was fired at him as he tried to force a window. Panic-stricken, Mrs. Kennedy fled from the house with her children. Kennedy followed her, trying to make her recognize him, but was forced to retreat before the onslaught of the constable and his friends. He succeeded in reaching the house and was in the midst of a veritable siege when suddenly it dawned upon him that his beard was causing all the trouble. Immediately, he began to shave, and had only succeeded in removing half of it when the door was forced, and the constable, the neighbors, his wife, and the children rushed in. Recognition was instantaneous, and as a result Kennedy decided not to grow a beard after all. GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN (Oct. 6).— The fatalism of ages was apparent in little Foomi's slow nod when Paul told her that he would have to seek a wife among his own people. Their love affair had been watched by Oshimo, who swore vengeance upon the young officer. With this object in view, he sent a note, purporting to come from Foomi, asking Paul to meet her in the garden tea house for a last goodbye. This note fell into the hands of one of Paul's comrades, who decided to keep the rendezvous in Paul's stead. He had no sooner entered the tea house when Oshimon sprang upon him and stabbed him to death. Foomi witnessed the crime, and as Oshimo dragged his victim into the garden, she picked up the broken hilt of a dagger and followed him. Startled by approaching footsteps. Oshimo dropped the body at the gate, and as Fate would have it, Paul issued just at that moment, and as he stooped to examine the corpse, was surprised and arrested by several soldiers who were passing. The blood stains upon his hands and his known enmity for the dead officer went hard with him at the trial. He was about to be sentenced when Foomi rushed in and proclaimed her own guilt, showing the broken dagger hilt as proof. Paul was thoroughly "convinced of the girl's innocence and tried to interest the doctor in her case to no avail. They were in the midst of a heated argument, when a little Japanese girl forced her way into the room and threw herself at their feet. To all questions, she would only answer. "Foomi is innocent." Despairing of getting anything more out of her, Paul and the doctor decided to follow her. She led them to the garden tea house and upon entering, they found the body of Oshimo and a confession of his guilt. The two men quickly secured Foomi's release, and a new day dawned for her when Paul assured her of his love and of his intention to marry her. SETH'S SWEETHEART (Oct. 7).— Midsummer days, with the arrival of smartly dressed city chaps, generally bring a certain amount of gloom into the lives of rural swains. Seth's was no exception, for when Old Man Green drove up to the house with Harry and Dick, the new summer boarders, Sally immediately became greatly interested in them and Seth's complaint gradually brought on more words, ultimately ending in Sally's returning him his ring. Seth became desperate and decided to end everything. He confided his intentions to Hy Green, but was disappointed at not being taken seriously. Drowning seemed an easy death until he realized how cold tli • ■ water was, and then he started off in search of a rope, intending to try hanging. He had just found the necessary cord when loud yells attracted his attention and he discovered Percy floundering around in the lake, having upset a rowboat in his citified efforts to show off. Seth sprang to the rescue, and on pulling the gasping Percy from the water, decided that turn about was fair play, succeeded in securing Percy's co-operation in getting the best of Harry and Dick. Percy entered into the plan with zest, and attackeu the two city chaps in behalf of his rescuer. In the midst of a rough and tumble fight, Seth rushed away to bring the constable, and having secured the latter's revolver, was able to pose in the light of a hero, and win back the attention of Sally. THE LONG WAY ( Special— Three Parts — Oct. 9).— Eva Leven was the weaker of the two sisters, and though in love with Belhaven, she had refused bim repeatedly, and finally marrieu Johnstone Astry, a young millionaire. Had matters halted there, it would have been different, but both Eva and Belhaven failed to hide their real feelings, which resulted in Astry's becoming suspicious. Rachel, Eva's sister, was of a different type. Serious minded, and accustomed to watch over Eva, Rachel's thoughts were in the far away Philippines where Charter was stationed with his regiment. Her dreams suffered a rude awakening on overhearing a piece of gossip to the effect that Charter was engaged to another woman. She had every confidence in Charter, despite the fact that he had never been able to bring himself to the point of proposing.. His last word had been "remember" and surely the look in his eyes could not be mistaken. Vrt, it was likewise true that he had not written. All of this Rachel turned over in her tortured mind, little knowing that Fate had interfered preventing Charter from writing, and that, even at that very moment, the young officer was lyin~ in a Philippine hospital, stricken with cholera as the result of a stubborn fight to save his men from the scourge. On this very same night, Astry surprised Eva and Belhaven together in the conservatory, and curtly demanded an explanation. Nonplussed, the culprits stood with bowed heads. Eva blurted out the lie which turned away her husband's just wrath, but placed a serious charge against her sister's name, implicating her with Belhaven, thus deliberatel sacrificing them both in order to save herself. Astry was inflexible, demanding that Belhaven and Rachel should be married immediately. Frantic with grief and terror, Eva flew to her sister's room and confessed the whole sordid truth, begging Rachel to consent to the marriage, in order to prevent a tragedy. Rachel, remembering her promise to their mother to watch over Eva, and believing the gossip she had heard about Charter, after a terrific struggle, consented to carry out the plan, and was married to Belhaven a few days later. Their's was a marriage in name only, but little bv little, Belbaven learned to worship his wife. "Matters had reached this stage when Charter returned from the Philippines, he to learn of Rachel's marriage and she to realize that the report of his engagement was totally without foundation. Charter finally learned the real truth from Eva and confronted Belhaven with it. The latter alive to the impossibility of the situation as it stood offered Rachel her complete freedom which she refused on the grounds of her disbelief in divorce. He then took the only means left in his power to accomplish the desired end. A FRAGMENT OF ASH (Oct. 10)— The affair between Brooks and Jacyntha Carnforth had progressed to the point where Algy laid his claims before Lady Carnforth only to find that success in that particular direction was entirely dependent upon his making good with her Ladyship. Just bow he was to accomplish this end was rather vague, but he made up his mind to try. The house party at Carnforth Hall was at its height when Sir Hickson Fipps appeared on the scene. Fipps was in rather deep water and desperate and a chance conversation concerning the relative display value of real and imitation jewelry gave him an idea which he immediately put into operation. It was nothing else than a plan to have a paste duplicate made of the famous Carnforth necklace and exchange it for the original. He purloined a photograph of Lady Carnforth, showing the necklace, and ordered the paste duplicate made. Endeavoring to secure a confederate. Fipps made love to Hortense. Though he escaped recognition. Lady Carnforth witnessed one of their meetings, which resulted in Hortense's discharge. Fipps had one great peculiarity. He never smoked anything except a certain brand of cigarettes. He was so fastidious about it that everyone was aware of this idiosyncrasy, and voung Brooks had remarked upon the peculiar ash made by the tobacco. In due time, the paste duplicate arrived. Fipps was surprised as he made the exchange in Lady Carnforth's boudoir, and was forced to make his escape, carrying the case containing the duplicate with him.* expecting to have a chance to place it on the table again. Lady Carnforth, however, immediately noticed that it was gone. Fipps, be ing unable to find anv other hiding place, dropped the case into a dry well. Though in possession of the genuine necklace, Fipps was now unable to do anything with it unless the duplicate was found. He hit upon the plan of writing a letter, signing the name of Hortense, tellin° them that the case was in the well. Young Brooks descended into the well, and recovered the case, but on opening it, was astounded to recognize a fragment of the peculiar ash made by Fipp's cigarette. The latter broke down completely upon being charged with the crime, and Brooks, judging the moment propitious, laid his suit before Lady Carnforth, and was accorded the great prize which he sought to win. ESSANAY. THE FICKLENESS Of SWEEDIE (Oct. 5). — Henry Bigger, a short fat fellow, and Danny Slimson, short but slim, are rivals for the hand of Sweedie. une day while Danny is peeking in the window at Sweedie, he sees her reading a letter and immediately takes it for granted that it is from Henry. Instead, it is a notice from the landlord requesting her to pay her rent. Sweedie rushes out to find Henry and while she is gone Danny steals into "the room. When Sweedie and Henry return, Danny slides into a hole in the mattress for a hiding place. Sweedie then sews up the mattress unaware that it contains a man. After it is all mended, Henry and Sweedie are horror-stricken when the mattress starts to move. They call the police and all give chase. At the station when Danny is extracted from the mattress Sweedie falls into his arms. '1HE VERDICT (Oct. 6). — The remarkable display of modern photography along with the pretty settings in this photoplay, tend to make it one of the most extraordinary imaginable. The man meets and falls in love with a girl much younger than himself, and decides to cast off the woman with whom he had had a love affair. He eoes to his old sweetheart and asks her to return his love letters. She does so on condition that he tell the new girl of their affair. He does not live up to his promise, but tells her that she is the first girl he has ever loved. In the meantime, he has lost his letters, and the new sweetheart, upon finding them, returns them to the owner. From this source she is advised to have nothing more to do with him unless she is convinced in her own mind that he is kneeling to her in spirit at all times. Upon meeting him the next time she is convinced of this, so all ends ha^'iily. THE FABLE OF THE FAMILY THAT DID TOO MUCH FOR NELLIE (Oct. 7).— The Todd family had no success in finding a suitable cook, and after firing the thirteenth one that month, they went to an employment agency and secured the services of Nellie, the prize cook. Nellie was there like a duck when it came to cooking, and they didn't understand how they got along without her before. Everything went fine, and after each meal the entire family of ten would go out to the kitchen and jolly her up. When her birthday came they blew themselves right and bought her clothes spiffy enough for the Queen of England. Then Nellie began to make eyes at the men and within a week had suitors galore. One morning Mrs. Todd went downstairs and found a note from Nellie saying that she had gone away to marry the butcher. The family was then forced to go back to the Canal Boat Junk. Moral : Give them books to read. WHEN SLIPPERY SLIM MET THE CHAMPION (Oct. 8). — Snakeville is all excitement. The world's champion pugilist is to arrive the next day and anybody who can stay three rounds with him is to receive $100. Slim is selected by his friends to try out the champion first," then, if he loses, the rest will try for the prize. The night of the encounter poor Slim is paralyzed with fright, and it is necessary to carry him into the ring. Then the fun starts. He is simply hammered into several different shapes, but manages to gain his feet each time before the count. Sophie, who is at the ringside nursing a toothache with a bottle of chloroform, suddenly has an idea. She slips Slim the bottle and he saturates his glove with it. In the next clinch, he holds the glove over the champion's mouth until he drops asleep. Slim is then declared the winner and carries home the "bacon." BRONCHO BILLY AND THE GREASER I Oct. 10). — Broncho Billy, the mail carrier, ejects a greaser from the postofflce for pushing a girl out of his way. The halfbreed is thoroughly angered and swears revenge. Broncho then goes home, and on his way loses his mail bag. He does not miss it. so goes to bed that night unaware of his loss. The girl he protected at the postofflce finds the mail bag. and when she approaches Broncho's shack to return it she sees the greaser prowling about. She hastens to a dance hall, where she tells her friends of Broncho's danger, and she leads the way back to his shack, where they arrive just in time to save him from being stabbed while asleep.