The Nickelodeon (Jan-Mar 1911)

60 THE NICKELODEON, Vol. V, No. 2. Synopses of Current Films HIS TRUST. "His Trust" is the first part of a life story, the second part being "His Trust Fulfilled," and while the second is the sequel to the first, each part is a complete story in itself. In every Southern home there was the old trusted body-servant, whose faithful devotion to his master and his master's family was extreme to the extent of even laying down his life if required. This Biograph subject portrays a story which in no way exaggerates the self-sacrificing love of the man for his master. The cruel war has just begun and when Colonel Frazier leaves home to join his regiment of Confederate soldiers, he tells George, his body-servant, to take good care of the wife and child he is leaving behind. A short time after the husband is killed in battle and one of his comrades brings the news of his death to his wife, giving her his sword. This is hung over the mantel. This is indeed a heavy blow to the poor woman, but her burden is made heavier when the Union forces appear, plunder the house and burn it to the ground. When this occurs the child is alone asleep in her crib, it being the hour of her afternoon nap, and the mother has gone for a walk about the grounds for diversion to ease her heartache. The old servant is also out on the farm repairing a hedge. Seeing the flames he at once thinks of the child. Without thought of self. George dashes through the flames into the house where he finds the child on the floor overcome by the heat and smoke, and carries her out, placing her safely in her mother's arms, the poor woman being now in front of the burning house, frantic with anxiety. Recovering somewhat from the effects of his struggle in the house, he thinks of his master's sword, and at the risk of his life he re-enters the building and secures it. It is not long after that the entire house collapses and a most pitiable illustration is given here of the sufferings of many a Southern woman during that awful time of strife — homeless, with no apparent asylum. George now realizes the sacredness of his trust, and taking the heartbroken woman by the hand, leads her and the child to his own humble log cabin, where he gives his all for their comfort, he being content to spread a blanket on the ground outside the door on which to lay his head. Thus far has the servant been faithful to his trust. — 996 feet. Released January 16. HIS TRUST FULFILLED. This Biograph subject while being a complete story in itself is a continuation of that told in "His Trust," the synopsis of which is as fol •'•-vl leaving the woman and child homeless, and the old negro, faithful to his trust, gives up his little cabin for their comfort. The only thing saved from the wreckage was the master's sword. The opening scene takes place four years afterwards. The war has closed, and the negroes leave to enjoy their emancipation, but George remains true to his trust. He has all these years cared for the widow and her child. The poor woman, worn with worry and heartache is stricken and dies. The care of the child devolves upon George, who takes her to the lawyer, with whom he arranges for a home for her, paying for her support out of his savings, enjoining absolute secrecy on the part of the lawyer. For several years things go along uneventfully until the child now grown desires to go to the seminary to procure an advanced education. To the lawyer this seems impossible, but George when he sees the girl break down and weep, insists that he take the last of his savings and appropriate it for the purpose. This is an awful ordeal which old George goes through, denying himself even the positive necessities of life in order to keep her in school for the full term. However, at the end of the first term there is nothing left of George's savings and the lawyer is forced to inform the girl that a return to school is impossible. To witness the child's disappointment is more than old faithful George can stand, and going to the lawyer's office, he finds a cousin from Europe there inquiring as to the condition and whereabouts of Miss Frazier. George entering the office surreptitiously espies a fat wallet in the Englishman's coat pocket. His love for the child and his desire to grant her every wish leads him into temptation, so he takes the pocketbook. However, he has hardly secured it when his better self asserts itself and he puts it back, but not before he is detected. The lawyer knowing the negro's worth realizes what prompted his action and sends him off. The English cousin later meets the girl and they are betrothed and a happy wedding follows shortly after. Old George at a distance views the festivities with tears of joy streaming down his black but honest cheeks, and after they depart for their new home, he goes back to his cabin, takes aown his master's saber and fondles it, happy in the realization that he has fulfilled his trust. — 999 feet. Released January 19. WITH INTEREST TO DATE. Hanford, a young engineer on construction work, is ambitious to succeed in business, and also to marry the daughter of his employer. A big contract comes up and he feels that if he can land it, his chances will be decidedly good with the father. The girl he has made sure of in advance. The big contract is the rebuilding of the Wiley plant. He calls u,ion the Wileys and they lead him to understand that there is a possibility ' of his getting the order. He goes to work and spends much of his valuable time in study and research and finally lays his plans before their force. When he has finished his exposition the Wileys thank him genially and bid him good-day. He is given to understand that he does not get the order, that they simply wanted to have their force see how a really good salesman went to work (and incidentally they have had valuable points given them in structural engineering). Naturally Hanford is pretty sore and makes up his mind to get even. The opportunity comes when he finds himself a rival of young Wiley for a big English contract in London. Wiley has letters of introduction and every pull; Hanford has nothing. But Wiley incautiously shows the girl, for whose hand he is also a rival, a cipher cablegram to his father and she passes it on to Hanford. Then Hanford sees a way to beat Wiley, Jr., and get square with Wiley, Sr. In the office of the English syndicate having the contract to give is a clerk who strongly resembles Sir Thomas Drummond, the Chief of the Syndicate. Hanford makes a friend of this man and sends him to America, where he meets Wiley, Sr., and impersonates the Englishman of affairs so successfully that Wiley, Sr., takes his tip and cables his son to add fifty thousand pounds to their bid for the English contract, thinking that he is thereby adding this amount simply as graft for the Englishman. Of course the result is that the contract is awarded to Hanford, and he returns to America on the same steamer with the disgruntled young Wiley. In the custom house, while waiting for their trunks to be examined, all the characters come together and Wiley, Sr., learns how he has lost the big contract and how Hanford has gotten square with him. Incidentally Hanford convinces his prospective father-in-law that he is not only a clever salesman, but a valuable addition to the family, and everything ends ->appily. — By Rex Beach. 1,000 feet. Released January 17. UNCLE S BIRTHDAY GIFT. Uncle, a jovial old bachelor who is passionately fond ot practical jokes, conceives the idea of sending a valuable necklace to his niece concealed in the pot of a rubber plant. The messenger boy to whom the old gentleman entrusts the plant, through an unfortunate mishap, loses it. The boy realizes the importance of delivering a plant and buys one, but as he has only a quarter and all plants look alike to him, he buys a small fern and delivers it. The niece sees from the contents of the note that she has not received the proper plant, and she and her husband question the messenger boy until he confesses how he lost the original. After offering him a reward he promises to recover the plant. The uncle arrives at an unexpected moment and is immediately taken to another part of the house while the niece and her mother hurry to a neighboring florist to purchase a rubber plant so as not to incur the old gentleman's displesaure. The newly acquired plant is quickly placed upon a pedestal in the drawing room near an open window, after which they go to fetch the uncle to show him the place of honor which the plant occupies. In the meantime the plant falls to the pavement below. The case now reaches a point of utter hopelessness, but at the critical moment the messenger boy, having displayed considerable skill as a detective, arrives with the Original rubber plant and the valuable necklace reaches its intended recipient. — 995 feet. Released January 18. MIKE THE MISER. lows: The master leaving home at the opening of the war to join the Confederate Army, tells his body-servant to take good care of his wife and child. The master is killed in battle; the home is sacked and burned, "Mike the Miser" is a little district telegraph messenger boy who has won the soubriquet by his closeness. We see him first in the office of a hospital asking for information as to an operation which shall restore his little crippled sister to health. Then follows the receipt of a letter from