Moving Picture World (Jul-Sep 1911)

228 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD cblldreu who followed him. Tliey marched out of the city behind him, and the citizens awoke to find that all their homes were desolate. One version of this old legend is that one Utile boy, a cripple, was unable to keep up with the others, and when they followed the Piper into a hollow hill, he was so far behind that the doorway was closed before he limped up. It is said that he lived a lonely life in a city of sorrow, where the voice of children, except his own, was not heard. But there is reason to believe that the Piper was not so bard-hearted as some chroniclers have maintained. How could he make a whole town unhappy, ceaselessly unhappy, and bow could he blight the existence of a poor little crippled boy? So we like to believe that the Piper listened to the prayers of the cripple, and restored to him bis playmates. And that after a time there was Joy In Ilamelln, and that its citizens learned a lesson, that dishonesty never pays, and that in the long run, if you cheat a man or woman, you may expect some day, in some way, to pay the penalty. THE JUDGE'S STORY (Aug. 4).— A poor friendless negro stood at the bar of justice, on trial for his life. The evidence was purely circumstantial, but even I lie lawyer assigned to defend him was skeptical :is to his innocence, and indifferent as to the result. The prisoner told a straight story, but others swore that the victim had identified him, In a manner, before lie died. The trial proceeded speedily, and the outcome looked black for the prisoner. The aged judge on the bench, who had listened to stories of sordid crimes for years, heaved a sigh of relief when the lawyers concluded their arguments, and started in to sum up. His charge was brief, for there was little he felt called upou to say. Just as the jurors were preparing to file out, there was an interruption. A feeble old colored woman forced her way through the crowd, and falling on her knees before the judge's bench, implored "Massa Jack" to save her boy. The judge looked down and recognized her. He showed strong emotion, called the wondering jurors back to their seats, and told them that before they started in to consider their verdict, he wanted to tell them a story of fifty years ago. At that time a young Confederate officer, while in camp, received word that his mother was fatally 111. He secured leave of absence and started for his old home. It was a trip full of difficulties, because the Union troops were all around that neighborhood, but he managed it somehow, and was in time to receive his mother's dying blessing. On his trip back the officer was unlucky enough to be seen by the enemy, and was wounded, but managed to elude them. Finally he took refuge In a negro cabin, where a colored woman took him in, cared for him, hid him, and when searchers came denied that he was there. Her six-year-old boy also did what he could to help the wounded soldier, finally securing him a horse, on which the officer rode away. As the soldier started off, a Union trooper appeared and called upon him to surrender. But the Confederate, noting that the other was unmounted, put spur to his horse and galloped away. The Union soldier seeing his enemy escaping, knelt and took careful aim at him, but just as he was about to Are, the little negro boy jumped forward, grasped his musket, and struggled to take it from him. There was a shot, and the boy fell wounded. The Confederate would have gone back to his assistance, but other mounted foes appeared, and he saw it would be useless, so he made his escape. After the war the Confederate tried to find the child to reward him, but utterly failed. "I was the officer," the judge concluded. "The prisoner at the bar was the child who saved my life. Some persons have come forward here to testify to his good character. He says he is innocent of this crime, and I believe him. For a child who would risk his life to save another, could hardly develop into a cowardly assassin." The jurors agreed with the judge, and when the real slayer was captured later they were glad that they had done so. And the judge saw that the man who had saved his life spent the rest of his days in the happiness and comforts that were surely his due. AMBROSIO. ALONE IN THE WORLD (July 26).— A story, in which a little orphaned boy lakes up his bundle and goes out into the world. He is unable to secure employment owing to his diminutive stature, and in despair applies to the king for permission to enlist as a soldier. The monarch chaffs him and sends him away, but the boy takes up a spear and follows the army. A sharp engagement takes place, in which the boy is wounded by a stray shot, and an angel descends and wafts the boy up to heaven into the arms of his waiting mother. ARTFUL TWEEDLEDUM (July 26).— A short comedy, in which Twedledum becomes involved with the father of his sweetheart and Is kicked out, but by a clever plot manages to get into the good graces of the old man again. Silver Wing, is terribly wounded, He manages to drag himself away from the scene of carnage and to the bank of a stream, where he falls unconscious. That night Silve^ Wing has a vivid dream, in which she sees her wounded lover, and awakening, goes to the scene of battle and searches till she finds him. She bathes the wounded warrior, reviving him, and half carries him to the camp. When he has recovered he Is made chief of the tribe in place of the leader, who has fallen in the battle, and Silver Wing is wed to him in a unique ceremony. THE TABLES TURNED (July 28).— Mary's father is persuaded by a bad companion to steal a couple of horses. Joe, an unsuccessful suitor, sees the theft, and threatens to expose him unless Mary marries him. Jim, her lover, plays a clever trick on Joe by tracing the horses and buying them from the horse dealer. He returns them to the shed from which they were stolen, and Joe, thinking Mary's father has brought them back, takes them away to hide them. He Is caught in the act and arrested by the sheriff. Mary's father then confeses to the ranch owner, who forgives the offense and persuades the sheriff to drop the case. Joe Is driven away, and Jim and his sweetheart are wed. puiut. The i i.lebratiou u i«,. .attended by an Immense crowd and was one of the biggest events ever held in the South. RELIANCE. THE TWO MOTHERS (July 22) — Bele is engaged as governess for little Marjorie, by the wealthy Lorimers. George Lorimer comes home from college and the young people fall in love and are' secretly married. He goes back to his studies, and finally, unable to conceal her marriage any longer, Belle implores him to come home. Mrs. Lorimer surprises Belle in her room sewing on baby clothes and sends her away, and the girl goes back to her old mother, where a pathetic scene takes place. George comes home, but is forbidden to see his wife on pain of being disowned. Little Marjorie dies and Mrs. Lorimer is on the verge of Insanity. George decides on a bold stroke, and goes to bis wife, and persuades her to come to his home. Her tiny baby is placed In Mrs. Lorimer's arms, and as the baby fingers twine about her, George's mother impulsively strains it to her breast and kisses her daughter-in-law. Mr. Lorimer, taking in the scene, repents his stern action and forgives his son with a glad heart. BISON. SILVER WING'S DREAM (July 25).— The Indians are shown preparing for the war, and In the battle that follows, White Bear, the lover of IMP. THE CALL OF THE SONG (August 3).— Hugh Norton and Amy Gordon are sweethearts residing in a village. Hugh receives an offer to enter the office of a business firm in the city. He hastens to Amy to inform her of his prospects, and takes leave of her in her rose garden. Hugh goes to the city, and mingles with the fast set. Amy sends him a pair of slippers that she has embroidered with his initials. He receives them just as he is entertaining his blase friends. The package is opened, but tossed aside. In the meantime, Amy visits the postofflce every day, awaiting news from her sweetheart. At school she reads the engagement of Hugh to a wealthy city woman. The shock is too much for her; it turns her prain. At a dinner, surrounded by his companions, a street singer appears and sings, "With the Last Rose of Summer, I'll Come Back to You." Hugh listens. In an instant it all comes back to bim. He rushes out of the place, and denounces the woman to whom he is engaged. He journeys to his home town, but is ostracized. At her mother's home, she points to the rose garden. He finds her there in a demented stage. He sings their favorite song: "With the Last Rose of Summer, I'll Come Back to You." She listens; her reason gradually returns, and is clasped in his arms. THE SKATING BUG (July 31).— Convict No. 34 makes his escape from prison by scaling the wall and, dropping outside, casts about for a means of a speedy getaway. He espies a dude about to engage in the pastime of roller skating on the pavement. The convict is desperate, also resourceful, and in a jiffy he has appropriated the skates and swapped costumes with the ladylike young man. Once on t^e skates the criminal shows his familiarity with the footgear by gliding rapidly away. The alarm is given and the escaped prisoner is chased, and chased closely. He has many mishaps, throwing his pursuers oft the trail and eluding them by skillful manoeuvres and piling them up on the walk and in the street. Hotly pressed, he skates off a dock into the water and the chasers, unable to check their momentum, take impromptu baths, the scene producing material for screams of laughter1. The dude Is captured and locked up only to be released when the convict is finally captured and restored to bis cell. THE BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION AT MOBILE, ALA. (July 31). — Striking scenes in the recent celebration at Mobile, Alabama, showing the development of a Southern city and the enterprise shown In furnishing the fiMe event. Soldiers and civic societies participate In street pageants, in glittering spectacles, the whole combining to make a film of interest from scenic and historical stand SOLAX. THE DOUBLE ELOPEMENT (July 26).^IIra and May are engaged to be married, but fearing that their parents will refuse to give their con-" sent on account of their youth, decide to elope. It so happens that Jim's father and May's mother have fallen in love with each other, and they, too, fearing that their children would not think will of their plan, decide to elope. Unfortunately, both couples chose the same night to elope. Jim secures an old horse and buggy, and getting May lie drives to the minister. As they stand before that reverend gentleman and are about to be married, they are startled to hear the approach of an auto. As it stops Just la front of the minister's housb, Jim looks out of the window and is astonished to see his papa and May's mamma aprroachiug the house. Thinking the old people are on to their game, Jim and May make a hurried exit through the rear window and jump into papa's car just as that worthy is going into the parsonage with his prospective bride. Papa is no sooner in the parsonage when he hears the chug-chug of his auto. Jim has decided to be on his way in the faster vehicle. Papa rushes out and be and mamma pile into the dilapidated buggy and give hot pursuit. The old people finally overtake Jim and bis girl. The auto has broken down and we see Jim's feet sticking out from underneath a machine, while he vainly tries to put the engine to rights. Papa, greatly excited, and feeling sure that he has now got the thief to rights, jumps out of his slow, but as it proved, much more dependable vehicle, and pulling the person by the feet from underneath the auto, is astonished to see his own son's face. After explanations are offered and everything Is made right, the happy four take their way back to the parsonage, where a double wedding is soon in progress. OUTWITTED BY HORSE AND LARIAT (July 28). — A crowd of cowboys is lolling about in front of Casey's saloon, amusing themselves with feats of horsemanship and lariat throwing. Among those is iittle May. the rose of the ranch, and who is dear to the hearts of all the big manly boys. But as she mingles freely among her friends she is approached by Bill, the bully of the town. As he seizes her in his grasp and endeavors to kiss her he is surprised to receive a stinging blow. Turning angrily about he faces his opponent, who proves to be Jack Freeman, a very popular boy of the ranch. The men face each other for a moment and then like a flash Bill draws his gun and is about to shoot Jack when Ned, one of Jack's friends, seeing the danger in which his friend is placed, throws his lariat and catches Bill's hand just as it is descending with the gun. In a thrice they have Bill tied up and after bouncing him up and down in a blanket, finish his treatment by dousing him in the horse trough. After they release Bill he swears revenge, and going to a camp of Mexican renegades, he enlists their aid. They wait by the roadside, and as May passes on her way home, they spring out and carry her away to their stronghold, back in the mountains. Many miles away from friends, and securely tied to a tree, she is about to lose all hope when an idea enters her head. Taking a leaf from a nearby bough, and with a hairpin piercing In its surface a message for help, she sticks the leaf in her horse's bridle, and sends him back to the camp. As the faithful horse gallops into the camp he is surrounded by the cowboys, who after a short examination, discover the leaf with the message. Quickly saddles and bridles are brought forth and the small party is off to the rescue. As they near the rendezvous the boys stay back while Jack, May's lover, approaches with his horse. As he cautiously raises his head above the tall grass he is horrified to see May tied to the tree surrounded by the desperate men, who are discussing her. Jack quickly makes up his mind what to do. Jumping into the saddle he whips his horse into a whirlwind gallop, and dashing right into the renegades' camp, be picks the girl from the ground and is off before a shot can be fired. The Mexicans quickly lose the trail of the daring American boys, and tbey return to camp, where things look as if there would be a wedding very soon. LUX. BILL BUYS A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE (July 28). — Bill sets out to buy a bottle of champagne. The transaction being satisfactorily accomplished, he remembers that he does not possess a corkscrew, and consequently he requests the wine merchant to remove the cork for him. This done. Bill places his finger to the mouth of the bottle and departs upon his homeward way. As may be imagined, before he has gone very far he discovers that the improvised stopper is resulting In a leakage of champagne, and, in Investigating matters, he lets fly a tremendous volume into the faces of passers-by. This occurs on several occasions, until poor Bill finds himself once more Involved as the quarry in a wild comedian hunt. After numerous narrow escapes, he throws off