Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1914)

3i8 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD SELIG. UNTO THE THmD AND FOURTH GENEBATION (Special — 2 parts— Jan. 5). — John Snaythe returns from war as a youth who has been seasoned by experience, vested with ambition and armed with a sword which has won him honors. His father is one of those merry old English squlreB, of the hard riding, hard drinking type, who lives in the open in the saddle, and when at home takes much to the flagon. His mother is a gentle woman, and abhors the night revels in the hall of their manor, but she has been overruled so long, that she has submitted to the disagreeable function that has become a bad habit. When the stalwart son returns, the jolly squire marks his approval of bis triumphs with much wine. The poor mother interferes, but the squire declares that it will "put red blood in bim like that of his ancestors." John soon meets up with blushing, budding Mary Wayne, their engagement is announced. A friendly rivalry springs up between John and his cousin, William Wayne. The latter strangely proves his superiority in archery and horse racing, but the former, as a soldier, pockets his pride like a natural gentleman, until a fatal evening, when heated in a drinking bout, high words are exchanged between the two youths — there is a quick passage of arms, William falls with a sword thrust through his heart and John Smythe goes out — a wanderer in the world, drifts far across the sea to the new world, leaving his stricken parents in the ancient home bereft. William Smith, who has eliminated the "y" from bis name, has been graduated with honors from a college, returning with trophies for physical prowess, in addition to scholastic degrees. His father and mother greet him proudly, and he Is the college hero: and behind them is the inevitable girl to make the triangle. The younger set celebrate the local Idol's victories on turf and field, and the high-living banker, Willis, follows the occasion with an invitation to drink. The young athlete with a system clean and strong, suddenly finds the taste of liquor most agreeable, and soon surrenders to the appetite. A shadow falls across the threshold of his happy home. His mother is stricken with a deathly distress over his weakness, but the young man with the hardihood of youth, boasts that, "all business men take a drink now and then without harm." His placid father Is startled when he finds a hidden bottle in the boy's room. All at once a new danger comes as a stalking skeleton in that household. Then the mother explains her perturbation in a secret visit to the cob-webbed attic, where she opens an ancient chest and removes a sword rusted with the stain of tragedy that fell upon their house two centuries before. On the raised lid of the chest is carved: "Beware ye curse of ye cup an' ye sworde!** Now comes the son, and his mother tearfully points hira the warning, but he laughs away her fears and carries the flagon and sword to his own room. Fast following, comes a birthday dinner in honor of his return. The guests come and some of his fast friends insist that it can be no dinner without wlue. and one has secretly provided liquor in plenty. The young man receives his friends in great pride, but his father has disappeared. He has found the liquor, yielded to the taste of wine and when they find him he is a besotted thing — a victim of the ancient, pursuing curse that has followed his house. At tlie sight, the guests are ashamed, aghast, and silently melt away, carrying with them a memory that burned like a scar. Time, however, effaces the cruelty of the blow, but the lesson tells. Will's soul is filled with repentance and abhorrence. He steals back to his room : breaks the sword and fiagon — breaks the spell of the curse. His father Is brought back to health and happiness is restored in the household in which the new mistress, the wife of the regenerated boy, becomes a goddess. THE ADVENTURES OF KATHLTN NO. 2— THE rWO ORDEALS (Special — 2 parts— Jan. 12). — Kathlyn quickly recovers from the curious sensation of being forced to occupy an unwelcome throne in compliance with the scheming councilors of a fanatical people. The high priest prepares to go on with the ceremony of marrying her to Umballah, who is the mainspring of all her troubles; but she conserves all her powers of resistance to this proceeding, and with the dominant force of the AngloSaxon, for the time cowes the superstitious brown men who hover about the throne. This causes a delay on their part, which she Instantly takes adtage of and the Council of Three, coerced by public spirit, decide that she will be given a week in which to consent to the marriage. Thus ends the sentimental episode in the gorgeous festival of the Durbar. During this horrible week of respite for the captive queen, a high caste native, Raraabal. Is charged with murder, and under the law, all his property reverts to the reigning sovereign, including even his wife. In this instance, the wife is a beautiful young person. Pundita, highly educated. Kathlyn at once frees the captive, as far as slavery is eoncemed; and Pundita, in gratitude, begs to remain with her until she learns the fate of her husband. When Kathlyn hears her story, she orders Ramabai brought before her and declares him Innocent. He, in turn, craves permission to remain in the palace, as the queen's personal bodyguard. Thus Kathlyn. by fate and force, secures for her personal service, two powerful factors In her favor (who remain with her throughout this series of plays). During this trying period, while Kathlyn has all her wits working to thwart the connivance of the crafty people about her; Bruce, an American sportsman, happens upon the scene from the far interior, where he has been hunting big game, and at once becomes a hero In spite of himself. Kathlyn still refusing the alliance with Umballah, the council has decreed that she must submit to two ordeals with wild animals. If she survives these, she will be permitted to occupy the throne like Elizabeth of old, as a maiden queen. Bruce, learning of her plight, has managed to communicate with her. and swears himself her life champion. Pundita communicates with Bruce the circumstances of the ordeals. In the first test Kathlyn is dragged to a leopard's trap, and lashed to the mainstay of the deadfall as a human bait to lure the spotted cat from the depths of the jungle. She is so secured that the heavy door will fall the moment the animal springs upon It. It would seem tliat there Is no hope of escape. The faithful Pundita, however, has informed her that Bruce will not fail to appear at the proper moment. Now comes the stealthy leopard closer and closer to the trap. At the last moment there is a flash, but It is not the form of the leopard hurtling through the air, but Bmce. Even as the heavy door falls, the f ami-shed, frenzied cat is clawing at it, trying to break through. Bruce fires at the animal through the bars and it limps back to the jungle, broken from his fire. While Kathlyn has escaped from the beast by a seeming marvel, for tbe second time she refuses the request of the Council, to marry the villainous man that dominates them. She Is ordered to an amphitheatre, where the populace assemble to witness her fate as the refractory leader of their community. Bruce, now more wonderfully resourceful than ever in Kathlyn's interest, appears before the high priest and the Council and tells them that a miracle will save the Queen from the jaws of the savage lions, biit If they compel her to submit to such a cruel ordeal, the same force will destroy many of the people assembled to witness her death. The impressionable people shrink at this Idea: but stern Umballah mocks at him and orders him driven out. That same night we see Bruce and Ramabai meet at the bouse of a high caste native. Ramabai is the leader of a band of high minded conspirators, whose object is to uplift the people and secure better government. They lead Bruce to a secluded place where are hidden land-mines, which have been smuggled by Revolutionists into Allaha, In view of impending military troubles. These mines, with electrical appliances for operation, are loaded on elephants, and then, under cover of night, the little band enter the silent and deserted arena of the amphitheatre, bury the mines, and connect them with wires leading to a bos on the lower amphitheatre. The great day comes. The hungry lions are shown in their dens; the populace crowd in the stalls : and then comes Kathlyn, the beautiful captive, regal even in her simple robes of white, who is led Into the arena. She walks to the far end, and stands under a canopy designed as a resting place for athletes between their feats. Umballah and Ms Council are in the royal box. The keeper opens the door, and the famished lions rush into the arena. They see the shining human mark; they crouch their lean, sinew^y bodies for the fatal spring. The scene flashes back to the shadowy box where Bruce Is manipulating the push-down of a blasting machine. As be establishes the connection, there is a rush — a roar — and the volcano of earth and stone bursts In the arena, leaving in its litter a great gash between Kathlyn and the savage lions. The spectators flee in panic, leaving many dead and wounded. Bruce leaps down from his box into the arena and seizes Kathlyn in his arms, as the scene dims. THE LIVING WAGE (Jan. 6).— An Investigating board learns from a factory girl that the average weekly wage is $4.00. and summons the reputed owner, Albert Dorn, before them. G'ertrude Mason, an heiress, and her fianc^, Stanley Sneed, attend the session out of curiosity, and hear the chief witness, Letty Green's testimony; also Dorn's sworn statement that his profit is only 7 per cent on the capital Invested. The young woman of wealth is deeply affected by the revelations of the factory system and strangely enough, her fiancS, unknown to her, is a silent partner in this very establishment; in fact, he sneaks off to the factory after the trial and congratulates the manager on his clever testimony. This . young woman of grit determines to play factory girl herself and ascertain conditions. She secures first, a position in the oflice of Dorn, and then overhears a conversation between that cruel taskmaster, and the man to whom she Is engaged. She finds In his desk a secret ledger showing profits of over 35 per cent, and devolves a plan to get possession of this book. In the Interim, poor Letty, who has been driven from pillar to post, becomes the victim of a "masher." He is fined a trlfiing^ •ujbSb ifaad oj aajj jas naqi puu asuajgo siif joj QO'Ojf Gertrude secures the assistance of Letty — they bulldl a fake flre in the ofBce and get away witli the \ secret ledger. The result is that both men are j summoned before the investigating board and properly dealt with. Gertrude also takes a hand her-j self and deals wltLi her fiancf in a way that ridsf decent society of his offensive presence. BY UNSEEN HAND (Jan. 7).— Arthur Baster| comes to spend the week end with John Masterson»j a wealthy merchant. With him are his nephew,] Jack Warrington, and his niece. Margaret Warring-j ton. Arthur is in love with Margaret; she repels! his advances, but he persists. Her uncle, however,r rather favors the match, as he thinks Baxter Isl wealthy. Jack Warington. however, takes a| different view of the matter and is badly worsted in a fist fight. He goes out hunting, and when he| returns, later, he finds Baxter asleep In the library; so he quietly slips in and lays his revolver andl cartridge belt on the table. He leaves the room,! and some time thereafter a shot is heard — Baxtefl is found dead in the chair; the police investigate! and arrest Jack. Jimmy Norton, a keen police reporter, and friend! of Margaret, refuses to believe that Jack Is guilty. f He discovers by accident, that the sun shining! through a glass gold-fish bowl, has focused on a! cartridge in the belt that Jack laid upon the table,! exploded the shell and caused Baxter's death. The! judge, and the Jury immediately clear young War-T rington, and Norton's Interest in her brother's case! inspires Margaret to give him the answer he haaj waited for so patiently and long. PIETRO. THE PIANIST (Jan, 8).— Pletro. noted pianist, calls on wealthy Miss Hobbs, aadl makes such a hit that Percy, her sweetheart. Is! relegated to a back seat; so he departs in auger,! registering vengeance upon the handsome Italian.! When Pietro becomes engrossed in the practice of a! soulful selection. Percy employs a German street-f band to serenade the Hobbs home, to the great! distress of the temperamental visitor, Pietro.r Finally, by threats and bribes, the "tooters" are! driven away. Then Percy hires a "hurdy-gurdy"! that does its worst to disconcert him, so that Pietrall is almost thrown into hysterics. This noise-maker! is bribed away; then Percy plays his last card! — with a woman organ-grinder and a diminutive! monkey. This Is too much for the temperamental! Pietro. He, himself, rushes out to drive the worn-! an and monkey away, when the woman tbrowgl her arms about him, and declares he is her long! lost husband. This as a particuarly happy hit for! Percy. He finds out that she was deserted in Italy^r and has made a fruitless search in America, and! the monkey was really a business partner ofp Pietro. Meanwhile, poor Miss Hobbs Is torn by hen emotions and Pietro again seeks sanctuary in her home. Percy turns the monkey loose that leaps! through an open window and takes affectionate! possession of its former master. This is the fina^ blow and appears to cinch the evidence on the! pianist; so that he is dismissed from the Hobbs! borne. Percy wins the young lady for his persist-j ency and Ingenuity. ON THE BREAST OF THE TIDE (Jan, 9).. Big Jim Huntley lives in a cabin on a rock-bound" coast, with his pretty wife, Jennie, and their darling daughter. Vera. Ideal happiness would be theirs, were it not for the fact that Jim is addicted to strong drink. He cannot keep away from the village grogshop o' nights, a weakness most distressing to his gentle wife. Finally her situation grows BO unbearable that she orders him to leave and never to return until he has made a man of himself. Shocked Into second thought, he resolves to maroon himself on a little island until he has conquered the demon, rum. There, alone, he fights It out, smashes his last fiask of whiskey, and once again feels that he is master of himself. Little Vera is playing in a boat which bre.iks adrift, and she Is carried to sea by the tide, which sweeps by the little island, where her fatlier is the sole inhabitant. The boat strikes a reef, capsizes, and she is about to be drowned, when Jim swims to her rescue. When he finds that he has saved his own little child, his thankfulness is so great, that he is positive no temptation can ever sway him from the duties at his own fireside. So he returns on the breast of the tide with his own little one clasped in his arms — a sober and a cl.r.ngrd man. ANGEL PARADISE (Jan 13).— Lonesome Llnthlcum and Bill Jernigan, a pair of cowboys, have been up all night, playing the tiger in an Arizona saloon. Ordinarily firm friends, they are now irritable from loss of sleep and too much drink, and have drawn guns over some trivial matter. A tragedy seems Imminent when a little baby girl appears upon the scene. The other men of the room have taken to their hands and knees on the floor, and are hiding behind tables and chairs, waiting for the expected fusillade. When the child breaks upon the scene she thinks they are playing "I spy." She calls up all the big men and the two fighters sink into chairs In wonderment. She soon has all the big sobered ones playing "London Bridge is falling down." They stand her upon the chair and give her lemonade. Suddenly her father rushes In, and is greatly alarmed at seeing his child surrounded by these rough-looking men. It appears that her parents are traveling for the mother's health, and the little one had wandered away. One of the big miners lifts the baby on his shoulder and then the