Film Index (Jan-Dec 1909)

THE FILM INDEX plan to his companion, who expresses great delight with the idea and agrees to assist in the scheme. They secure a portion of their savings and purchase an old photographic outfit which they carry to the beggar's old stand on the public square. Here the beggar kneels in his usual attitude of asking aid, holding his hat extended for coins. His companion impersonates a photographer, places his camera in such a position as to make it appear he is taking a picture of the beggar in his sad plight. People who would ordinarily pass with no thought of charity, seeing what they believe ari opportunity of having themselves photographed in the act of giving alms, Contribute very liberally. After gathering a very considerable harvest, the accomplices leave arm in arm rejoicing. Well rendered and excellent quality. "THE CRY FROM THE WELL." — A young carpenter falls in love with a charming gypsy girl and seeks her hand. The poor fellow has had a sad existence with his little sister, who was of melancholic disposition. Married life, he hopes, will bring happiness to his home and also be a blessing to the unfortunate sister. Things run on smoothly for a time, but soon the wife becomes tired of the care of the little girl and conceives a desire to spirit her away. The sweet melodies of an accordion in the hands of the woman lure the girl on to the ledge of a well and the inevitable accident occurs. Later the brother seeks, but fails to find, his sister and upon retiring he has a vision of the sad catastrophe befallen her. He forces his wife to accompany him to the well and there learns the truth of the disappearance of the poor unfortunate girl. ^ URBAN ECLIPSE (GEO. KLEINE) "THE NEW FOOTMAN."— A highly amusing and well-rendered story of winning a wife under difficulties. The suitor for the hand of the general's daughter does not receive encouragement from the object of his love and resolves to win by strategy. Learning through an advertisement that the General is in need of a butler, preferably a negro, he has his beard cut and a coat of black applied to his white skin and with the conventional garb of a professional he applies. Together with another applicant (white) he is taken on probation. An anonymous letter to the General advises that a daring plot is to be executed to win his daughter and his suspicions immediately rest upon his new servants. The colored servant is exceptionally good and the other so awkward as to cause much trouble and even precipitates a quarrel with the master, from which the latter is rescued by the colored servant. In the mix-up. however, the General acquires some of the servant's coloring and the entire party makes a woe-begone sight. The lover is recognized and his cleverness so appeals to his sweetheart that he is accepted. "MODERN ALGERIA." — In the Oasis of Zibans, Algeria, a delightful series of views, bringing before the public eye one of the most beautiful spots of the eastern continent. The scenes illustrated are: 1. The Pass of Sfa. 2. Tringad, an ancient Roman colony founded by Trajan in the year 100 B. C— a. The Road of Triumphs, b. The Temple of the Capitol. .3. Biokra — a. The market — b. Arabian School — c. The Oasis. 4. Roman Baths — Hot Water Springs. 5 Sidi Okba. fi. Among the Palm Trees. 7. The Governor's Visit. 8. Native Jubilee. LUBIN MFG. CO. "THROUGH SHADOW TO SUNSHINE."— A distinguished society is present at Lord Avalon's castle. Suddenly Lord Avalon enters, stopping the music and telling his guests that speculation in Lord pays off his servants and then, as poor as his poorest servant, leaves for California, accompanied by Dolly and Earl. Two months later they arrive at Rocky Camp. Blind Mike, the terror of the camp, tries to get fresh with Dolly, but he is promptly floored by Earl, who just arrives with a push-cart filled with baggage. Three years have passed. Lord Avalon, with the assistance of Earl, has made his mines pay. Blind Mike, knowing that much gold is hidden in the cabin, hires two outlaws to strike down the Lord and rob him of his hard-earned gold. Mike's wife is an unwilling witness to the plot. Dolly had been very good to her and she did not wish to see her father harmed. She follows the outlaws and witnesses the black deed. They strike down Lord Avalon and steal important papers, beside all the gold they can find. Blind Mike then accuses Earl of having killed the old man to rob him. The enraged miners want to string him up. but Bessie, Blind Mike's wife, comes just in time to tell the truth and thus liberate Earl. The miners now go after Blind Mike and his two accomplices, and they are soon swinging from the highest tree. Lord Avalon recuperated. He sold his mines, the young couple are married, and Bessie accompanies them as housekeeper to their old home. "CURING A JEALOUS HUSBAND."— Mr. Newlywed is of a very jealous disposition, and thus makes his darling little wife most unhappy. He kicks the ice-man out of the house, he fights the milkman, he gets after the letter carrier and even cools his temper on the garbage collector. In her despair the young wife invites her friend to come and help her cure her jealous husband. The young lady arrives and the two at once lay out a plan to effect a sure cure. A dummy of a man is made up and the same placed in the wardrobe of the sleeping room. The next morning the young wife flirts with the iceman. The husband appears and is furious. Imagine his surprise when the ice-man is a great, big fellow, and instead of punishing the ice-man, Mr. Newlywed gets a good trouncing. The same happens to him by the milkman, by the coalman and by the garbage collector. The young lady having ordered big. strong men to do the delivering on this particular day. Not enough with these lessons, the young wife pretends to have received a male visitor. She runs up to the bed-room, stands before the wardrobe and refuses her husband to open the wardrobe. Now he is sure a man is in the house. He opens the wardrobe, the dummy falls into his arms. He now wrestles with the intruder until the dummy falls apart and he sees he has been made the target of his wife and her friend's wit. He apologize* and from all appearances he is cured forever of his jealousy. "FLOSSIE'S NEW PEACH BASKET HAT."— Flossie ordered a new peach basket hat, and the milliner brings an enormously large box wherein is the new peach basket hat with its trimmings. While Flossie leaves the room. Bridget enters, and seeing the basket and fruit thinks the huckster left the gold mines has made him penniless. At once the others remember pressing engagements and one by one leave the houso under vague excuses. Only ono remains, Earl, a lad of about !'.'{, who is in love with Dolly, the Lord's daughter. Thu goods in the sitting room instead of the kitchen. She puts the trimmings in the hat, brings it in the kitchen, puts the trimmings in the ice chest and the hat for a waste basket: Flossie's little brother makes use of the hat, so does the little sister. The father, too, gets some use out of the new hat, and it would just have been thrown out of the house when Flossie returned in time. She gathers the trimmings and what is left of the hat, takes it to her room and then does what young ladies do generally, if they do not know what to do: she lies upon the bed and cries. In the meantime a good fairy trims the hat, and when Flossie arises, she is delighted to see before her the very latest Paris creation of a new Peach Basket Hat. KALEM CO. "A PRIEST OF THE WILDERNESS."— Or, Father Joques' Mission to the Iroquois. — In the splendid Kalem film about to be thrown on the screen we ask you to turn back with us to a time some two hundred and fifty years ago, when this glorious country of ours with its millions of busy inhabitants was one vast virgin forest sheltering a nation of savages. A few small settlements of white dotted the land near the coast, the beginning of that mighty forward movement that was to sweep from coast to coast and to crush the savage Indian race into a few pitiful fragments. Foremost among the early explorers were the Jesuit priests. Fearing no hardship and their lives always at the mercy of the savage Indians, they were ever in the van, eager to push forward, not for conquest, but to carry the blessings of the Christian religion to the natives. Our story tells of the heroism of Father Joques, a Jesuit priest from Quebec. At the time of the opening of our story, in August, 1G42, he has organized a small party and is setting out to establish a mission among the Iroquois Indians, the most savage of all the Indian tribes and the most bitter in their hatred of the white invaders. Scene I. — The first scene' shows us the little mission chapel the priests have established at the outskirts of the settlement of Quebec. It marks the extreme advance line of approaching civilization. Beyond lies nothing but the primeval forest given over to the savage Iroquois and kindred tribes. At the door of the chapel stands a priest. Around the corner comes Father Joques and his little band, who are about to set out to establish a mission among the Iroquois Indians. With them are some of the devoted people of the settlement, who have come to see their beloved Father Joques depart on his dangerous mission. Now all knees are bent in prayer and Father Joques says a benediction over them all. Farewells are soon said and the canoes are filled. In the first canoe are Chief Eustace of the Hurons and two other converted Huron Indians. With Father Joques in the second are his two friends, Goupil and Couture. Now the paddles dip into the water and down the stream passes the little band, while those on the shore wave them a last farewell and stand watching until they pass out of sight around a bend in the river. Scene II. — After many days of weary travel the little band reaches a small stream that flows into Lake St. Peter. Around a bend comes the first canoe. Silently and cautiously the Indians paddle along, for they know they are in the land of the Iroquois, their life-long enemies. Here comes the second canoe. The goodly old Father is peacefully reading his book of prayers. One of the Indians tells him they are nearing their destination, and the Father looks about in admiration, of the beautiful scene before them. Scene III. — Now the scene changes. On the bank of the little stream appears a solitary Indian warrior. Silhouetted against the background of green he stands with folded arms gazing across the water. Suddenly his keen ear detects the dip of the paddles. He turns and sees the approaching canoes. Down on all fours he drops and creeping forward he watches them a moment. Then he is off to warn his people. Up to the shore come the canoes. Out jump the three Hurons and turn to assist Father Joques to land. Stopping only for a moment to admire the beautiful scene before him, the Father asks all to kneel while he gives thanks to the Heavenly Father for having brought them safely here. While the little band are praying, up creeps the savage Indians. Not a sound betrays their approach. Forward they crawl and with a sudden yell of savage triumph they are upon the little band. A desperate struggle ensues. Couture is si ruck down. The two Hurons are killed and Chief Eustace is made a captive. Father Joques tries to tell the savages he has come on a peaceful errand, but he. Couture and Goupil are forced to lift the heavy canoe and accompany the Indians. Two warriors remain behind to scalp the two dead Hurons, then rush off to loin the others. Seeen IV. — And now we see the Indians hurrying through the forest with their captives toward Lake George. They are delighted at having captured a chief of the haughty Hurons. On come two warriors waving (he bloody scalp locks of the Hurons. Now Father Joques and the two trappers stagger forward with the canoe. Pour Couture is fast losing his strength from his many wounds. He staggers, makes a brave effort to go on then falls dying.