Universal Weekly (1914-1915)

THE UNIVERSAL WEEKLY 7 Burro Leads Girl To Prospector's Mine LD PEG LEG'S WILL, a two-reel mining drama, produced by the "101 Bison" players, in which Francis Ford and Grace Cunard enact the leading roles, will be released on Saturday, January Old 'Teg Leg" was a real character and came to California in 1847, just be fore the big gold boom. The story of the play was suggested to Grace Cunard by an old miner, who actually knew the original and who conducted the "101 Bison" players to Barstow, where the story was filmed, not far away from the spot where Peg Leg's mine was located. The story of the play is as follows : Grace, a rosy-cheeked Western girl, has been sent East to school. While she lived with her father in a far-western mining town the old man lived peaceably, but soon after her departure he recommenced his old life and became involved in several saloon brawls. Just before his daughter is due to return from the East the old man engages in a free-for-all gun fight and kills a man. Realizing that he will be strung up by the vigilance committee the old man shoots himself rather than subject his daughter to the shame of his public execution. Grace returns and is heartbroken over her father's death. Her sweetheart offers her some consolation, but is too busily engaged in "sparking" with the other town girls to linger long with the young woman who has given him so much. About this time Old Peg Leg, a recluse prospector, who lives irl the hills about the mining camp, comes into town with some gold nuggets as large as eggs. The news quickly spreads that Peg Leg has ■"struck it rich". All the miners and young men in the town attempt to follow Peg Leg to his mine, but the old prospector is too wise for them and disappears in the gathering darkness. Meanwhile, Grace, heartbroken at her father's death and her former sweetheart's desertion, determines to leave the town and to make a start elsewhere. She is several miles from town, along the wagon trail leading to the railroad, when a heavy storm comes up. A lightning flash reveals a shanty not far up in the hills, and Grace makes for this place of refuge. Although she does not know it, Grace has stumbled into Peg Leg's shanty. His mine is not far away. Old Peg Leg, when he has assured himself that Grace is not trying to find out the location of his mine, welcomes her heartily and stumps about the cabin getting her something to eat. Dying miner in "Old Peg Leg's Will" confides secret of immensely valuable mining property to girl who befriends him. Made fatherless by her parent's suicide, girl finds source of recluse's wealth when all others have failed to do so. Scenario of "101 Bison" two-reel drama by Grace Cunard. Production by Francis Ford. Released Saturday, January 23. CAST. Peg Leg Francis Ford The Girl Grace Cunard Her Father Marc Fenton Her Sweetheart Mr. Denecke Peg Leg's Burro Leads Grace Past the Dead Prospectors to the Hidden Mine. Grace thanks the old recluse for his hospitality, and when a lull comes in the storm, leaves his shanty and starts out again on the trail. Hardly has she got ten out of sight of the cabin, however, when the storm bursts again in renewed fury. Grace hastens back to the cabin and finds that the roof of Peg Leg's shelter has been smashed in by a falling piece of ledge rock which overhung the cabin. Grace finds that old Peg Leg has been mortally injured by the fall of rock and, after trying unsuccessfully to revive him, she starts to town for a doctor. Every one in the town, however, is gold mad, and Grace, unable to find a doctor, gets some remedies at the local drug store and returns to Peg Leg. She finds him dying fast. The old man realizes that his end is Dear and draws up a will, in which he leaves his possessions to Grace in return for her kindness to him. When he is about to describe in the will the location of the mine his strength fails and soon after he dies. Grace takes charge of Peg Leg's affairs r.nd tries to find the mine, but is unsuccessful. Believing that the burro will lead her to the mine if left to his own devices, Grace attempts to mount him. The burro, however, objects, and Grace is finally compelled to disguise herself as Peg Leg, even to his stumpy leg, before the burro will help her out. This time the burro lets her mount and sets out without bidding for the top of the cliff. Arriving at the top of the hill he stops. Grace dismounts and finds a faint trail marked by the tracks of the peg leg. Finally she stumbles over the entrance to the boarded-up mine. Not far distant from the mine Grace comes upon the bodies of miners who have died of exhaustion in their vain search for Peg Leg's treasure. Grace returns to town and takes out deeds to the mine in her own name. The will which Old Peg Leg, before hi* death, made out in her favor, prevents any of the tough miners from "jumping" Grace's immensely valuable property and the local vigilante committee sees to it that Grace's interests are protected. Grace writes East for capital to develop the property, and not long afterward mining machinery makes Old Peg Leg's mine the most valuable property on the Pacific coast. *k> *t* rt» *tr While waiting for the completion of a number of Egyptian sets, to be used in the production of the sixth chapter of the Terence O'Rourke" series, the KerriganVictor company, under the direction of Jacques Jaccard, has staged another of their one-reel Western dramas, entitled "Five Hundred Dollars Reward".