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- The scene opens with an assembly of citizens who are harangued by one of their number, whose words have great weight with the crowd, and their attitude of approval shows that Roman misrule in Jerusalem has reached its climax. Heralds now approach and Roman soldiers beat back the crowd to make way for the approach of the Roman Procurator. The scene changes to the home of Ben Hur, who is seen with his sister and mother on the house top. The cavalcade of Roman troops approaches, and to get a near view Ben Hur leans from the coping and knocks down one of the stones thereof onto the shoulder of the Procurator. This is seen and misconstrued by the Governor, who orders soldiers to arrest the inmates; they, after ineffectual pleas and struggles, are carried off. Ben Hur is consigned to the galleys, where he is loaded with chains. Here he signalizes himself by saving the life of Arrias, who publicly adopts him as his son and proclaims him a Roman citizen amidst the acclamations of the assembled crowd in the forum. Now comes the scene in the games where Ben Hur is challenged by Messala, and accepts it, to the great delight of the citizens. The chariots and athletes parade before the dais and in due time are arranged, and the chariot race commences. Three times 'round the ring dash the chariots, and at the fourth turn Ben Hur comes out the victor and is crowned with the wreath, to the great, chagrin of Messala, who is borne on a stretcher, wounded to death.
- An account of the life of Jesus Christ according to the New Testament, told as a series of tableaus interspersed with Bible verses.
- Jim wishes to make an impression upon Jane, his sweetheart. He calls upon her in a taxi, which he forgets to dismiss when he enters the house. Judge Holden, Jane's father, dislikes Jim and leaves the house when the boy calls. Later, when Jim leaves he faces a taxi bill he cannot pay. He is arrested and taken before Judge Holden. Jane calls to see her father and arrives while Jim is being tried. Jim is fined. Jane saves him from jail by slipping him the money with which to pay his fine. The chauffeur and the judge dive for the money. Holden gets it and pockets it, after which he discharges Jim. Jim is elected town marshal. He elopes with Jane. Judge Holden pursues the pair. Jim allows him to catch up and then arrests him for speeding. He places handcuffs on the Judge and has him arraigned in his own court. A substitute judge fines Holden. The humor of the situation appeals to Judge Holden. As Jim and .lane are leaving the court, he calls them back. Surprised, the two return. Turning to the substitute judge, Holden laughingly orders him to perform the marriage ceremony.
- A reel of mirth-provoking stunts that will draw the pennies from the children, but which is of much interest to young and old alike. It opens with a crowd of children leaving school and marching through the streets to the "Humpty Dumpty Circus." We see them crowd into the tent and at the end of each act they vociferously applaud the performers These are the little wooden toys that are familiar to all, and which are made to perform all the usual acrobatic stunts of the circus performer in a remarkably realistic manner. Some of the scenes are really comical and it is hard to believe that the elephants and donkeys are not alive.
- Helen, informed of the danger which menaces an excursion train because another engine on the same track is running wild, mounts a motorcycle and speeds down the track to warn the passengers of their imminent peril.
- The Chinese Slave Smuggling scene opens up in the midst of a wood in which a shanty is hid; there appears upon the scene a Chinese Potentate, who is stealthily drawing nearer to the door of the shanty, and knocks in a peculiar manner. Lieutenant Manly, who has had his suspicions aroused, appears at this moment, peering around the corner of the shanty, and sees the Chinaman admitted by the captain of the sloop, after which Lieutenant Manly comes forward and looks through an aperture, and, seeing them about to reappear, he hides again. The door then opens, with the captain of the sloop and the Chinaman dragging a Chinese girl between them. At this point a controversy takes place between the Chinaman and the captain of the sloop, about the money to be paid for smuggling the girl, but the captain refuses to allow the girl to go unless he is paid in full. They re-enter the shanty and settle this matter, leaving the girl alone. At this point the lieutenant, seeing the coast clear, runs up to the girl and informs her that he will render her assistance. The two captors then re-appear upon the scene, and Lieutenant Manly again hides. They now drag the girl away, but they are followed at a distance by the lieutenant. The scene is now changed to the Coast Guard Station, with a coast guard performing sentry-go. The lieutenant rushes up and explains to the sentry his errand, and goes into the station, and, calling his comrades, he explains to them what he has discovered, and soon re-appears in the disguise of a common seaman. The next scene is aboard the sloop, and the men are seen quarreling amongst themselves. The captain and the Chinaman are seen coming along with the Chinese girl between them, and the sailors assist in getting the girl aboard. Just as they are about to sail, the disguised lieutenant springs aboard, and after a little parley is engaged as one of the crew. As soon as this matter is settled, orders are given to sail. While they are busily engaged, the lieutenant advances to the girl, tells her to be of good courage, but in this act he is observed and is felled by the marline spike of the captain; he lies on the deck in a swoon while the girl is beaten. The information given at the Revenue Station has caused the officers to bring out the cutter and they give chase to the sloop. We see them gradually drawing nearer, but as yet they are not observed by those on the sloop. The girl, turning to her rescuer, tries to revive him with cold water, bathing his face; this soon revives him from his swoon. Hearing steps, he feigns unconsciousness again, and the girl assumes her attitude of dejection. The Chinaman then appears and offers his attentions to the girl, but she repulses him, but he calmly smokes his pipe and puts his arm around her waist. At this moment the revived lieutenant strikes the Chinaman, and gives him a dig in the arm with his knife, and then lies back in a supposed swoon. The Chinaman then calls the captain of the sloop, and, with his marline spike, attempts to strike the prostrate form of the lieutenant, but the girl interferes and prevents the blow. The revenue cutter is now seen drawing nearer and nearer to the sloop, and the revenue men are seen training their guns upon the sloop. This takes the attention away from the couple, and they prepare to fight off the onslaught of the revenue men, but the men on the sloop are soon over-powered by the revenue men, who take charge of the sloop and rescue the girl and Lieutenant Manly. -- The Moving Picture World, October 5, 1907
- Old Tom Wells, a victim of drink, is unable to pay the rent when young landlord Steve arrives; his stormy interview is broken by the appearance of Tom's daughter Alice, whom the landlord has made many unsuccessful efforts to court. Alice, who has given her promise to Martin, an industrious young farmer, entreats with her father to overcome his weakness. Wells, knowing he will he dispossessed, becomes desperate and starts for the village to secure money. He is tempted to steal Steve's horse, but is discovered by the landlord, who declares that he will have the old man imprisoned if he does not force Alice to consent to the marriage. The unhappy father therefore refuses to permit Martin to visit Alice, to whom he explains that he is in the landlord's power. Alice sacrifices her happiness and marries Steve. Wells makes his home with the young couple but finds that he is in the way. Steve is harsh, often cruel, and the old man is finally obliged to leave the farm. Meanwhile, heartbroken Martin leaves for the village, unable to bear the sight of the old places where he has known so much happiness. Wells, in his journey, falls by the wayside and dispatches a note to Martin, beseeching him to look after the unhappy daughter. Steve meets a young woman with whom he determines to elope and he returns home to secure his money. He discovers Alice weeping over an old photograph of Martin and attacks her. Martin, fulfilling his trust, arrives on the scene and is confronted with Steve's revolver. In the struggle the pistol is accidentally discharged and the unfaithful husband is killed. As the days pass. Martin;s true love makes Alice forget her past unhappiness.
- The disappearance of the wealthy Miss Harding opens a problem for Tommy Grant, police reporter of The Chronicle. The only clue is a letter demanding ransom, but by clever detective work Grant succeeds in placing the blame for the crime on the shoulders of Miss Carter, the Harding private secretary. But her accomplice, the butler, spirits the kidnapped girl away and boards a tug headed down the bay to catch the liner Trieste. Grant arrives at the docks too late, but when wireless inquiries inform him that the butler and girl have boarded the Trieste off Sandy Hook, he speeds to the aeroplane sheds and sets out in pursuit of the liner. A thrilling chase by air, with the camera following in another aeroplane brings us to the climax when Grant by a leap through the air reaches the ship's ladder.
- Amina loves Rudolph and turns the powerful Count Wolfenstein down when he proposes to her. In a jealous rage, Wolfenstein throws Rudolph into a dungeon. Meanwhile, Hertzog, "The Black Crook," has a deal with the devil: he must hand over to Satan one soul each year or find himself banished to Hell. With only 24 hours left before the year ends, Hertzog focuses all of his attention on Amina and Rudolph, believing them to be weakened from despair and therefore easy prey.
- Lieutenant Yancey's southern sweetheart, Rose, is jealous of Elinor, a northern girl, who is visiting her aunt Mary de Lane. This jealousy is excited by an invitation which Yancey receives from Mary to call and meet her niece. Yancey visits the de Lane home, and while walking along the river with Elinor, he shows her where the Confederate Ironclad is being constructed. Elinor, having strong Union sympathies, reveals the location of the Ironclad to the commander of the Federal gunboats. An attack is made on the Ironclad and Yancey rides to give warning. The Confederates are temporarily helpless as their power is exhausted. Yancey, knowing that a supply of ammunition is loaded on a train in another location, prepares to bring the needed powder to his compatriots. As the train is about to leave, a Federal scouting party rides up and opens fire. Rose and Yancey jump on the engine and make a wild dash to escape with the powder. Elinor, from a distance, sees the fight and sets fire to the bridge over which the train must pass. While riding over the bridge the last car catches fire. Yancey, who has been wounded, is left in the engine cab while Rose crawls over the loaded train and succeeds in cutting off the end car just in time to escape the explosion. The powder is delivered to the Ironclad in the nick of time, and a fierce battle wages between the Confederate vessel and the Union gunboats.
- This picture has for its theme the power of triumphant love and depicts the transformation worked in the nature of a man by his love for a young girl. At the time of the opening of our story they were both living in the same little Western mining camp. The man, Morgan, a big hulking miner, young, but crude and savage, disliked by all his fellow workmen on account of his sullen temper and vicious tongue; the girl, Nance, a timid, gentle slip of a young girl, just budding into womanhood. Scene I: The Girl Fills a Mother's Place. In one of the little cabins that dot the hillside back of the camp lives an elderly miner named Martin and his two motherless daughters. Nance, a young girl of eighteen, and Millie, a chubby, mischievous little miss of seven. Martin is busy getting some wood ready for Nance's use before he starts to his day's work at the mine. Millie comes around the corner of the cabin and wants to help daddy hold the wood. Martin remonstrates with her, telling her a splinter may hurt her, but she persists and grabs the stick he is splitting. Down comes the stick, driving a splinter into little Millie's finger. Hearing her cry of pain, Nance rushes from the house and attempts to console her. It is now time for Martin to start to his work at the mine. Getting his dinner pail, which Nance has filled for him, he leaves his two daughters together. Nance comforts the weeping Millie and giving her their pet bunny for a companion, starts for water. But little Millie is unwilling to be left alone, and after a minute inspection of her injured finger starts after Nance. Scene II: The Man Is Rejected for His Cruelty to Little Sister. A short distance from the cabin a little mountain stream of delicious sparkling water comes tumbling down from the snow-capped mountain above. Here Nance comes with her two buckets. At her back appears young Morgan, one of the mine workers, a rough, hulking man, young but gruff and rude, with frowning eyes and sullen face. Morgan is madly in love with Nance and devours her with his eves. Seizing her two hands roughly, he tells her of his love. She listens with panting bosom, for her heart has gone out to the rough miner. Just then little Millie, who has followed Nance, comes up and halts, frightened at the man, Morgan. Impatient at this unwelcome intrusion, Morgan grasps her roughly by the arm and with a curse tells her to get out of here. Millie flees in terror. Morgan laughs and again turns to Nance. But all her motherly tenderness for little sister is aroused at his cruelty and with trembling lips and gleaming eyes she orders him away. Scene III: The Man Determines to Quit the Mine. Scene IV: The Man Leaves Buena Vista. Scene V: Death of the Father. On Monday morning of the next week Nance is busy with her week's washing in front of the little cabin. Millie is trying to help sister all she can. Nance's face is sad and worn. She is still thinking of Morgan's departure. At the sound of approaching voices she stops work. Around the corner of the house come four miners carrying the mangled form of her father. There has been an accident at the new shaft and he has been mortally hurt. At his request they lay him on the ground. Gasping for breath, he slowly dictates a short letter to his sister in a distant camp, asking her to care for his two daughters. He bids them a last farewell. Now he attempts to kiss little Millie. But the effort is too much for his fast-ebbing strength and he falls back lifeless. Weeping convulsively, Nance and Millie threw themselves across the lifeless body, while the miners stand with bowed heads. Scene VI: The Last Farewell to Father's Grave. Scene VII: The Girl's Face Follows the Wandering Man. Meanwhile Morgan's restless wanderings have taken him back into the mountains far away from Buena Vista Camp. He has found a small streak of ore dirt and setting up his rude tent by the side of a solitary little mountain stream is busy washing out the gold, an occasional nugget of fair size rewarding him for his restless industry. As he is working here, slowly there appears seated on the bank above him a vision of Nance just as he saw her the day he surprised her at that other little stream hack behind Buena Vista Camp. Scene VIII: On the Road to Luck Strike Camp. Down a long stretch of barren, lonely road come Nance and Millie. Millie is lagging behind, tired and worn out from the long walk. Nance tries to cheer her: then, seeing how near asleep she is, stops, lifts her up and staggering under the increased weight, trudges on. Now they have reached a little clump of wood. Nance, seeing Millie is asleep, sets down her bundles and carries Millie into the shade. Scene IX: Love's Transformation. In the shelter of a small clump of bushes Nance has left little Millie asleep while she has taken their pail and set out to find some water. Morgan, pushing back the bushes, finds Millie asleep. A wave of newly discovered tenderness creeps over him. Dropping to his knees beside her he lifts her gently into his strong arms and cradles her against his bosom. Through the bushes at the back appears Nance's tear-stained face. She approaches and touches Morgan timidly. At sight of her the love leaps into his eyes, but he cautions her to be quiet or they will wake Millie. Nance drops down beside him, her happy face hidden in his shoulder, and Morgan with his arm about her looks out, with a face out of which triumphant love has driven all the brutality and sullenness and substituted in their place a strange new strength and gentleness.
- Jim Hall tries to discourage his daughter Natalie's love of dancing, but the girl finds a warm friend in old Carlo, a musician. Natalie's beauty attracts Brace's attention. At the latter's orders, Spud Howell kidnaps the girl. Hall, attempting to interfere, is slain. Marston, assistant district attorney, is ignorant of the fact that his uncle, Fisk, is the head of the vice ring. Marston discovers Natalie's predicament and rescues her. Falling in love with the girl, he obtains a position for her in a friend's office. Natalie resigns when her employer later makes love to her. The girl lands a position in the chorus of a musical comedy company. Her dancing attracts the manager's attention and when the principal falls ill, Natalie takes her place. The girl's wonderful dancing makes her famous. Marston, who had lost track of Natalie, finds her again when he visits the theater. Fisk, madly in love with the girl, invites her to a dinner he is giving. Carlo, employed at the restaurant where this function is held, recognizes in Fisk the man who had blasted his life. When Natalie and Fisk's friends accompany the man to his apartment, Carlo follows. Marston trails the party in an auto. Later, Fisk contrives to get Natalie alone. Marston, hearing the girl's cries for help, batters down the door. He comes in time to see Carlo, who had climbed through a window, shoot the girl's assailant. Brace, in coming to his master's assistance, shoots at Marston but misses and kills Carlo. While the murderer is placed under arrest, Marston takes Natalie in his arms.
- Engrossed in experimental work, Dr. Walker neglects his wife and child. Elena comes to the conclusion that he no longer cares for her. Jack Tremond, an artist once a suitor for Elena's hand, learns the state of affairs. He urges the woman to elope with him, but Elena turns a deaf ear to his pleas. Her husband's neglect becomes unbearable. A sudden impulse rashly causes Elena to decide to leave him. After putting her child to sleep one evening, Elena places a note, giving the reasons for her step, on the nursery table. Meeting her husband while leaving the house, Elena informs him she intends to visit a friend. The woman hastens to Jack's studio, but finds he has just left. Deciding to wait, she makes herself comfortable in an easy chair. A painting, depicting a primitive man attracts Elena's attention. The woman falls asleep while gazing at the picture. Elena dreams she sees the cave man win a mate in combat with a rival savage. Later, the primitive woman, believing herself neglected, becomes angry with her mate's interest in the fashioning of new weapons, and prepares to run away with his rival. Realization of his love comes when she sees him in fierce combat with a ferocious lion that menaces the safety of their child and herself. Elena awakes with a start. The moral of her dream strikes home. The woman hastens from the studio just before Jack's return. In the meantime, a lamp accidentally upsets, sets fire to the nursery. His baby's screams bring Dr. Walker to the scene. After rescuing the child, Robert subdues the flames with his naked hands. Elena's letter is consumed in the fire. The wife returns home and learns what has transpired. Realizing the depths of his father-love, Elena kisses her husband's blistered hands.
- Episode 1: "The Jackaroo" Maud Norman, the owner of the G Block Station, an Australian sheep run, points out to her manager, Glover, that her flocks have been seriously ravaged by the continued droughts of the past year. But her financial difficulties are somewhat lessened by the arrival of Jack Tabourdin, whose father sends Maud a check for one hundred pounds in payment for taking his son on as a "jackaroo" or apprentice on the sheep run. The following April when a payment of 500 pounds is due on the purchase of the sheep station, and Maud, foreseeing that, she will be unable to meet the payment, advertises for sale her favorite horse, Polly. Stingaree, the gentleman bushranger, and his partner, Howie, read this advertisement, and Stingaree decides that he must have Polly. Tabourdin, the jackaroo, overhears Maud and Glover discussing the sale of Polly. He remembers a handbill advertising 500 pounds reward for the capture of the bushranger, Stingaree. He wonders if he could spare Maud the loss of her favorite horse by capturing the outlaw. He receives an opportunity to do so, when, during the absence of Maud and Glover, Stingaree and Howie arrive at the station to get the horse. He fires at them as they are entering the stable. They run away, but by a subterfuge they make the jackaroo a prisoner. They take him to their camp, and are overjoyed to find that the jackaroo pursued them on the horse they had sought. In camp the jackaroo tells Stingaree the reason for his attempt to capture the bushranger. Stingaree, always too chivalrous to see a woman in trouble, proposes a plan to Howie and sends him away to the Kangaroo Hotel at Topanga. Then, feigning carelessness, he allows the jackaroo to make him a prisoner and take him to the troopers' quarters at Topanga, where Stingaree is locked up, and the jackaroo departs with his 500 pounds reward. Howie bursts into the Kangaroo Hotel at Topanga and holds up the bar. There is a trooper present, and Howie allows him to sneak away to give the alarm to the other troopers. The troopers rush away from the barracks, leaving only one man to guard Stingaree. Arriving at the hotel, they see what is apparently Howie riding away. They give pursuit and overtake the horse, only to find it is carrying only a dummy of straw, which Howie has rigged up for the occasion. Howie hurries to the barracks, where he overpowers the one trooper left in charge of Stingaree, and helps his partner to escape. Stingaree and Howie ride back to their old haunts, while the jackaroo returns to the G Block Station and persuades Maud to accept the 500 pounds as a loan to pay off the note on the sheep run.
- About an Acadian girl named Evangeline and her search for her lost love Gabriel, set during the time of the Expulsion of the Acadians, the forced removal by the British of the Acadian people from the present day Canadian Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island - parts of an area also known as Acadia.
- Word that his son Jerry has been injured so upsets Torney that he delivers the wrong train orders to the engineer of the freight. Helen, having missed the Limited, accepts the invitation issued by the conductor of the freight and climbs aboard the caboose. Airbrake trouble develops while the train is speeding westward. In their effort to get at the seat of the trouble, both engineer and fireman are hurled to the ground. In the meantime, Torney has discovered his error. 'Phoning ahead, he frantically orders the operator at the Arling station to flag the freight. The runaway dashes past Arling, however, and Helen, seeing the operator vainly signaling, senses something amiss. Unable to operate the brake, the girl climbs to the roof of the train and fights her way forward atop the lurching cars. The Melius drawbridge is raised as the runaway approaches, but the tender, taking in the situation, lowers the structure barely in time to save the freight from plunging into the stream. Crossing the bridge, the runaway bears down upon a freight standing on the track ahead. As Helen climbs out on the pilot, a trackwalker throws open a siding switch, and thus averts a wreck. By this time, Helen has reached the emergency. Applying the air, the girl brings the runaway to a halt.
- Outside an old Colonial cottage, seated in the midst of a rose garden, is an old lady, knitting. The warm atmosphere sends her off to sleep, and in her dreams she goes back to the stirring times of '61, when she is chosen as sweetheart to one of the brightest of boys at a husking bee, making her the happiest of the maidens. Her happiness is soon blanched, for there comes a call to arms, when every citizen who has his country's interests at heart shoulders musket and goes to fight for "Old Glory." The parting of the lovers, the bidding good-bye of friends, the marching to war, the giving of a rose, are all stern duties that try the heart and nerve of a soldier. Then we see the fighting line in grim array, the ambush, the powder mine, the storming of the hill, the fight, capture of the gun, and final victory. Then follows the soldier's return, wounded, bearing the scars of a hundred fights, yet proud to wear the medal given by a grateful country. The affectionate greeting, and wedding. Then a step on the gravel wakens the old lady, and she rises to receive the kiss of her husband, who proves to be still the lover as of old, and the dream is over.
- Shipwreck scene from 'His Majesty's Theatre' production.
- Wounded in a spectacular battle of the Boer War, the soldier tells the poet the thrilling story of his life.
- Our story opens in the office of the Mexican junta in a Texas town, not many miles from the border, presided over by M. Oliverez, supposedly the agent for the Mexican-American Fruit Co. Pedro, a young Mexican attached to the Junta, is in love with Blance, the agent's daughter. Arrangements have been made to run a quantity of fire arms and ammunition across the line to the Mexican insurgents. In loading a freight care with the contraband every patriot thereabouts takes off his coat and works with a will, all except Monte. Oliverez coming on the scene and finding everyone working but Monte, upbraids the lazy fellow and threatens to strike him. This arouses the revengeful spirit of Monte; he sneaks away and advises the American authorities that the Mexican filibusterers are attempting to rush fire arms across the border. Although compelled to act on the information furnished by him the Secret Service man are disgusted with the traitor and look upon him with contempt. In the meantime Blanca, who suspected Monte's contemplated treachery, watches and sees him as he enters the office of the United States Secret Service. Quickly returning to the place where the ammunition is being loaded, she warns the Mexicans and the train is ordered to pull out immediately. The Secret Service men arrive on the scene just as the train is leaving the station. Blanca's daring feat of uncoupling the car containing the ammunition and the transport of the contraband across the border make a thrilling ending.
- The Nature Fakirs were first introduced at the Ananias House, the headquarters of the Ananias Club, from which are proceeding a number of the gentry of the club, followed by an old professor and his assistant. Upon their entry into the group they are greeted cordially. The secretary of the club is called forth to read a series of resolutions which have been drawn up in favor of the professor, and then the professor is presented with a camera. The professor and his assistant then start for the wilderness. They have not proceeded far before they come to a barn and are interestingly examining the fauna growing on the outside of the barn. While they are in conversation as to the qualities of it, there appears upon the scene an enormous chicken-like creature termed a "Dingbat." After attracting the attention of the professor and his assistant, he goes through a series of hornpipe dances, in which the onlookers join. It is too important a matter to let such an interesting occasion pass, therefore the assistant prepares his camera, and is proceeding to focus, to get a photograph of the "Dingbat," when he attacks the assistant and the professor, and they are soon on their knees begging for mercy; the "Dingbat" then vanishes into the barn again. Proceeding on their way, they come to a place which they have selected for their camp, and with fire burning they make preparations for their meal. They sit down by the fire and are busy examining specimens of insects and butterflies, which they have taken in their rambles. Then Mr. Bear comes up and introduces himself to the assistant and the assistant in turn introduces Mr. Bear to the professor, and after the proverbial bear hug he joins them at their meal. At the conclusion of which they proceed to leave his Bearship in possession of the camp. His Bearship hastens their departure by taking up a rifle and firing it. Following their journeys through the wonderland of nature, they come upon an Elkorina, and two Dandy Lions: The Dandy Lions proceed to milk the Elkorina and to drink the lacteal fluid, in which interesting position, they are discovered by the professor and his assistant. This interesting fact the assistant proceeds to photograph for his records. After such a day's adventures they prepare their report and hasten away to the president, at Lobster Bay, whom they find hard at work in the hay field. The president, after reading such nature faking as described, is intensely amused and ridicules their report, which he ultimately tears up. Then, with his pitchfork, he chases such candidates for the Ananias Club out of the hay field!
- Eleanor Warren is loved by Harold Rives, a struggling artist. Although fond of the young man, Eleanor longs for the comforts of wealth. Walter Hastings, a wealthy Southern planter, meets Eleanor and falls in love with her. Rives sees the two together. Filled with jealous rage, the artist creates a scene and is ordered from the house. Shortly afterwards Rives hears that Eleanor has married Hastings. Immediately after the wedding, Hastings and his bride leave for their southern home. Later, a daughter is born. Eleanor, however, is not happy. Her longing for the gay times of her girlhood are intensified by the messages she receives from her chum in the north. Eleanor also learns that Rives, favored by fortune, is now one of the foremost artists of the day. She receives news that her aunt has died, together with a letter informing her that she has inherited her relative's estate. Now in a position to take an active part in the affairs of society, Eleanor, knowing that her husband would never consent to join in the social whirl, determines to leave him. When Hastings returns home that evening, he finds a note in which his wife informs him of her purpose. Back in her old home, Eleanor plunges into the social vortex. She meets Rives once more. The woman falls madly in love with him. Rives, however, learning what Eleanor has done, sees her for just what she is. Hastings, embittered by his wife's faithlessness, is filled with a hatred towards all women. Turning his back upon civilization, the man takes his daughter, Frances, into the wilderness, where he leads a primitive life. So great is his distrust of all women, that the father rears Frances up as a boy. Fifteen years later Frances as wild as any boy. Clad in trousers and rough shirt, she contributes toward the family larder with her rifle and rod. A surveying party headed by John Weir enters the forest. Frances becomes a favorite with the men, who are ignorant of her real sex. Rives, on a sketching trip, meets Frances. He induces her to pose for a painting. As "The Barefoot Boy," his painting creates a sensation. A falling tree crushes Hastings to death. Frances' cries bring Weir and his men to the scene. Later, Weir learns that the "boy" is in reality a girl. The man takes Frances home to his wife. The couple adopt the orphan. Fate causes Rives to stroll towards the Weir home. Frances sees her friend of the forest and rushes to greet him. The artist, amazed, draws back, but his amazement increases when he discovers that the beautiful girl before him and "The Barefoot Boy" are one and the same. Rives has tired of the friendship of Eleanor. Frances' youth and freshness win the man's heart. The artist wins the Weirs' consent to paint Frances in her feminine attire. Eleanor sees Rives take the girl in his arms. Frantic at the thought of losing Rives. Eleanor resolves to bare her friendship with the artist. Unable to believe the story. Frances shrinks from her in horror. The girl learns the truth, however. The artist declares that his heart belongs to Frances. Rushing from the room, she meets Weir and tells him all that has transpired. The surveyor confronts Eleanor and Rives and informs the woman of Frances' identity. The following day Eleanor appears at the Weir home and begs to see her daughter. Weir informs her that Frances has gone to visit her father's grave. Frances is sobbing over the rude mound when a touch on her arm causes her to turn. She confronts Eleanor, who informs her of their relationship. The girl stares at the heart-broken woman. A sudden impulse causes Frances to take her mother in her arms. Throwing herself at her daughter's feet, Eleanor begs for her forgiveness. Just at this moment, a shot emanating from Rives' studio brings his servants to the scene. They find the artist on the floor, a revolver clutched in his hand.
- Dick, who thinks Elsie is a farmer's daughter, and Elsie, who believes Dick to be a hired man, fall in love with each other. While returning from a trip to the city shortly afterwards, Dick accidentally exchanges traveling bags with Spike, a burglar, on his way to rob the Dunbars' summer home. Pinkarter, a detective, witnesses the incident and trails Dick. Late that night, the young man sees Elsie apparently breaking into a cottage. The girl had accidentally been locked out of the farmhouse where she had been stopping, and therefore decided to return to her father's country home nearby. Ignorant of this, Dick believes Elsie a thief and follows her into the house, Spike also gets inside, and the three are presently bagged by Pinkarter and lugged to the village lockup. In his effort to establish his identity, Dick requests the detective to examine his travelling bag. When this is done, a fine collection of burglar's tools is brought to view. Thus Elsie is led to think her lover a thief. Although Dick eventually clears himself, this comes too late; Elsie's identity has been established by her father, who then took her home. Still in ignorance of each other's identity, the heartbroken lovers return to the city. Some time later Dick accompanies a friend to a dinner given at the Dunbar's home. To his intense surprise, the boy finds himself confronting Elsie. Still believing him to be a burglar, Elsie shouts for help. Dunbar is about to hand the luckless youth over to the police when the snarl is untangled, and the course of true love allowed to run smoothly.
- Henry Fitch, a young American, arrives in Spanish California in the year 1820, but hardly arrived when it was his good fortune to rescue two young ladies from a band of ruffians. Refusing to pose as a hero he goes on his way and presents a letter of introduction to Joaquin Carrillo, and much to his surprise again meets the young ladies he had so recently protected. He is much impressed with the younger one, Donna Josefa, and as time goes on presses his suit, which is encouraged by the Spanish Don. That the young American is not to have a free field in his love adventure is soon demonstrated. Junipperro Serra, a Spaniard of means, is also enamored of the fair Josefa. Serra learning that Donna Josefa is about to marry the American, attempts to prevent the ceremony by underhand methods. His schemes are frustrated and the sweethearts elope and are married. A year later Fitch and Josefa return to Josefa's home, where upon Serra's instigation, Fitch is arrested and tried for violation of the laws of the church and territory, and condemned to imprisonment and banishment, unless he will produce penance and reparation that can be noticed through the whole of the Pueblo. Good father Vincente suggests to Josefa that Fitch secure a bell to place in the empty tower of the church as the original one had been stolen many years before. A month later Fitch stands before the three judges. A sudden commotion goes through the whole court; everyone is listening to an unexpected sound. The bell that was silent now rings again. Young Fitch, addressing the court, says: "This is my penance and reparation, which I offer to the church. Its voice can be heard and noticed throughout the Pueblo, and will, in time to come, proclaim the wisdom and clemency of this court.
- Robert Ffolliott is a young Irish lad who is done out of his land and sent off to a penal colony in Australia following false accusations by the greedy Kinchella. Conn the Shaughraun comes to his rescue, helps him to escape from the prison ship and return to Ireland where he is united with his sweetheart.