Moving Picture World (July-Dec 1909)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 139 lltmsell and his young wife. But the fates seemed agalnsl him, and, outside of a feu odd jobs he was unsuccessful. To add tu his burden and worry, his wife fell ill and was obliged to take her bed. The few dollars he bad been able to save rapidly disappeared, and, as she was too ill to be left alone, Tom found it almost impossible to absent himself long enough to seel; for work. The opening seel f the picture shows a plain bul neal bedroom in a cheap lodging house. Tom is sitting by the bedside of his sick wife, waiting anxiously for the arrival of tin doctor, win. bail promised i" come and minister to bis loved one's needs. A kocfe Is heard at the door, but on opening It, instead of seeing the doctor, the sour face of his landlady greets bis eye. Brushing |iast him into the room, she demands in a loud voice to know whether or not he was in a position to make her an immediate payment on his rent. Telling her lb. 11 he had not a cent at present, he turns to pacify her with the promise to raise some money as soon as bis wile is well enough to be left alone. That does not satisfy tile irresistible landlady, and she gives him twenty-four hours to vacate the premises, and the same time placing a "To Rent" sign in the bedroom window while she is venting her anger in loud terms. The doctor arrives, and. taking in the situation at a glance, tells Tom to get rid of her, as her presence was trying to the invalid's nerves. She is Anally ejected from the room, and the doctor, after examining the sick wife, writers out a perserlption and tells Tom to have it filled immediately. Fearing to confess his inability to pay for the medicine the poor fellow rushes out. determined to find sonic way Ifv which he might make the necessary raise. Meeting a neighbor I Miss Maggie Clancy) on his way out, he asks her to remain with hi wife until be can return. The goodhearted girl promises not to leave her alone, and so Tom siarts out on his mission. We next see loin at a drug store, where be accosts the druggist in the hopes of obtaining credit for a few days. II But that gentleman is hardened by many similar reouosts :ind so turns a deaf ear to the anxious husband. From one to another the poor fellow goes, inn always the same answer — "nothing doing." At last, worn out and discouraged, we see him enter the city park, where with a heart-broken sob be ilinu's himself down on a garden bench and gives way to his grief. Coming through the park witii rapid strides, whistling the last popular air, is Tim Bradley, a race tout. Tim also has been unfortunate lately in picking winners at the track. BOnseqiiently is, as he expresses it. "on the blink" I himself. Now, Tim had known Tom in his prosperous days, and the operator had staked him to . many a meal when he was in sore need. The tout never forgot a favor, and seeing his old \ friend in seeming distress, asks what the trouble is. and Tom is not long in informing him. Diving ! into his pockets, he finds them empty. But Tint . is nothing if not optimistic, and telling Tom to I come with him. starts out determined to raise the 1 iey. He is not long in forming a plan, which his fertile brain rapidly conceives. He will work a stunt that is risky, but apt to succeed, and. heBg .1 chance bis gaining instincts make it relishable. Hastening down an alley the two soon come to a back yard. A large washing is hanging out. Over the fence goes Tim. procures one of the clothes lines, and, returning, began to fashion a hangman' snoose on one end of it. Then back t<» the park, where a suitable tree is found, a bench is procured and placed beneath an overhanging limb. With instructions for Tom to make a round-about detour of t'ue park., and at a certain signal attract attention to him, the tout proceeds to arrange for a fake attempt at suicide. The plan works Beautifully. People walking along enjoying the flowers . : nd sunshine are suddenly startled by a ■cry of "Look, there is a man hanging himself!" In an instant a great commotion arises. Men rush wildly toward the tree where the tout is preparing to spiinu into space witii the end of a rope about his neck. Tom is in the lead and arrives just in time to catch Tim in his arms as be leaves the bench. The rope is cut and the struggling tout finally subdued. "Why did you do this?" blurts out an excitable old gentleman wdio has just rushed up out of breath. Then Tim, witii tears in his eyes ami a broken voice, relates a tale of woe about « sick wife and starving children that melts the hearts of the bystanders and causes a sudden diving for handkerchiefs and pocketbooks. Tom is I'liinliiMiipded at the acting of the clever tout anil •■an hardly keep a straight face as he sees its effect on the crowd. "There, my poor man. take that." savs the blubbering old gentleman as be dri'i. s ;i dollar into his hat and passes it around I'm further contributions. Many of the bystanders follow the old gentleman's example with the result that a goodly sum is turned over to Tim. and lie is sent away stammering out bis thanks to the kind hearts that have helped him so generously. "Von are a brick. Tim." cries the grateful Tom as the tmii h Is him a handful of money when they arc nut of siu'ht of the still excited crowd. fThat's all right, old fellow, you have helped Be man] a time when I needed it. Tal»e it borne, give it to the little w an. then come willl me || 1 I ami we will see if we can't pick up some re." The medicine is ipiiekly procured, and. kissiiii. his fond wife good-bye for a few hours, [eaves her in charge of the g 1 hearted neighbor I accompanies Tim out to the race track. After paying their admission the two boys have very little left as most of the money was turned over to the sick wife. But the tout wre re sourceful, as most men who live by their wits are, and not easily discouraged. So lie sets out to sec what he can learn about the horses and peddle his information to whoever he could. He was not long in spotting John McGee, the owner of a string of thoroughbreds and a clever plunger. Unknown to him, Tim follows him about the stables till finally be sees him stop, and pulling a telegraph blank from his pocket, begins to write a message. It doesn't suit him, so tearing it up lie walks away. Tim watches him out of sight, then procures the torn pieces of the dispatch and, putting them together reads it. "To-day Kay, a 50-tO-l shot, looks good to me." signed Jack. That was enough for Tim. Now. then, to raise some money. A farmer standing near by looking at some of tile racing stock attracts the tout's attention, ami straightway for Ruben makes the Irrepresible Tim. At first the farmer is suspicious of being done, but so convincing is Tim's argument, and so tempting is tlie chance to make a winning, that the bucolic gentleman loosens up for a twenty, and away goes the tout for the betting ring, where the bill is placed on "Lady Fay" with odds of 50 to 1. At last the eventful race is run. and the little mare gallops home a winner by a length. "Jumping beeswax!" shouts the excited farmer as Tim thrusts $500.00 into his hands (being one-half of the amount the clever tout drew from the chagrined 1 kniaker). "Never knew there was so much money in the world." Dividing his share with Tom, the two boys hasten back to the sick wife to bear her the cheering news of their good fortune. The landlady receives her rent. Maggie Clancy decides she needs a husband and picks Tim as the favorite, anil the characters of our drama are left rejoicing over their unexpected turn of luck, which all goes to show that much good may he found "In the Heart of a Race Tout." VITAGRAPH COMPANY. THE LITTLE ORPHAN; Or, All Roads Lead to Rome. — Arthur Ware, a young artist, lias just lost his wife and baby and is sunk in the deepest grief over bis affliction. George Perkins, a middle-aged man, marries ami brings home his new wife. Lucy, a pretty but hard, unloving woman. At l'erkin's house lives bis little orphan niece Olive, who looks forward with pleasure to see her new aunt, but .Mrs. Perkins slights the Child, and beats and scolds her for the slightest fault. One day Olive sees in her uncle's library some pictures of the beautiful buildings in Rome and reads in a book the sentence. "All roads lead to Koine." Taking this literally, her life made wretched by her aunt's treatment, she sets out to find the beautiful city. She 11 Is with the young artist. Ware, on a sketching tour. when she is worn out and half starved. Ware's heart warms to the poor orphan. He listens to her story, takes her home with him and resolves to adopt her to take the place of the child lie lust. He writers to Perkins, who lias become anxious over the loss of Olive, and Perkins consents to let him adopt her. The final scene closes on Olive's happiness, as she does at last get to Koine with her protector and with him visits the beautiful places she has read about. Length. Too feel. MID-WINTER SPORTS.— An interesting scenic subject taken in the extreme north of Michigan, picturing an exciting and popular sport in that section. Dogs are hitched to small sleds and trained to race, are matched and the races are watched with as much interest as are races between horses or motor ears in other sections. In this picture the training of the dogs and the races over the snow the faithfully reproduced, the last scene showing the winners. Length, 236 feet. A GEORGIA WEDDING.— A colored widow "lady" is visited by a very stout colored man, wdio asks her to forsake widowhood and share his hit. She calls her two pickaninnies from the house and asks if they will accept the gentleman for a father. After receiving a goodly supply of candy and oranges the kids give their consent and preparations for the wedding are made. The widow thinks her cabin is not good enough for the grand affair, so tlie hubby-to-be suggests his own. and mi the Independent Films FOR RENT All Subjects personally selected by Wm. H. Swanson Independent Service Means Individual Service All of the Swanson Offices receive a full supply of New Independent Subjects Weekly ALL MAKES OF MACHINES Supply parts for Edison and Powers machines, 20 per cent, discount. Send for descriptive pamphlet of the Swanson Lamp House, Rheostat and Picture Machine Stand BEST ON THE MARKET Wm. H. Swanson & Co. AMERICA'S LARGEST FILM EXCHANGE 160=162=164 Lake Street, Chicago, 111. WM. H. SWANSON ST. LOUIS FIL/I CO. 200-202-204 North Seventh St. ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI OR WM. H. SWANSON OriAHA FILfl CO. 106 South Fourteenth Street OflAHA, NEBRASKA