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- Sherlock Holmes is in make-up a lifelike presentment of Conan Doyle's famous character. A Count, who feels that his end is near, makes a will in favor of his wife, and it is deposited in a safe. The noted criminal, "Dr." Morse, is masquerading as the Count's medical attendant, and determines to get possession of the will. He therefore takes a wax impression of the keyhole of the safe, sending the skeleton key to a woman accomplice who is nursing the Count. When the Count's death occurs, the nurse quickly secures the will and hands it to "Dr." Morse when he arrives in response to an urgent message. The loss of the will is soon discovered, and Sherlock Holmes is consulted. He observes an emissary of "Dr." Morse's outside his chambers, so gets a friend to go out dressed as himself (Holmes), thus throwing the watcher off the scent. The Countess meanwhile drives away in her carriage; she is pursued in a motor car by Morse and his confederates, captured after a valiant defense by her coachman, and taken to a lonely cottage. Here she is bound and placed in charge of a horrible little hunchback, whom Morse tells to kill her on the stroke of midnight unless other instructions are received. Then Morse goes to Sherlock Holmes' chambers, and makes a forcible entry. Holmes is there and holds him up. Morse laughs, and says if he is not back at the cottage in half an hour, the Countess will be killed. So Holmes lets him go, and accompanies him. A trap to kill him fails, and the Countess is saved from death. Morse escapes by throwing pepper in two police constables' eyes, but is captured eventually, through going out of bravado to Holmes' rooms.
- After Dr. Friedrich's wife becomes mentally unstable and his research papers are rejected, he leaves the country to respite.
- After losing his parents, who died from grief over their son's unjust sentence to jail, John Redmond obtains his release and devotes his life to the uplift and betterment of mankind. After preaching to a crowd one day he is accused of having served a term in jail himself. The leader of a gang and his followers are planning an act of burglary in a saloon. John Redmond happens into the same place, but he is mocked and leaves. One of the gangsters decides to lead an honest life and appeals to John for moral aid. The lay-preacher tells him his story: How in a quarrel one evening his sweetheart was killed by the bullet of a rival suitor, which was meant for him, and for which he was sentenced to jail. Through the intervention of this prison chaplain, however, the case was retried, his innocence was proven and he was set free. His first way was to his ill mother who, shortly after his return, died in his arms. Nellie, the reformed gangster's sweetheart, rejoices over his reformation, and the lay-preacher continues his life's vocation.
- An upperclass war widow marries again. The new husband is also an officer, and soon he has to go to the next war. At the outbreak, she's the only one who does not cheer about it. And the terrors of war soon bring almost all of her friends and relatives, among them generals and high government officials to the same conclusion: War does not pay.
- The Flying Circus was the largest traveling artist band in the country, and among its favorite artists were the rope-dancer, Laurento and the snake tamer, Ula Kiri. The hot blooded gypsy snake tamer is passionately in love with the attractive young man, hut he does not quite return her feelings. She is hasty and ill-tempered, and not far from being cruel to those depending on her. For the first time the Flying Circus pitches its tents in a small country town. The daughter of the mayor attends. The rope dancer meets her and for him it is a case of love at first sight, and he decides to do all in his power to win her. That night a great fire breaks out in the town, and the flying embers ignite the home of the mayor. The townspeople strive to deflect the flames, but all in vain. The mansion is doomed to destruction and it seems that the mayor's daughter must perish. At this juncture Laurento beats his way through the flames and scales the wall, and, picking up the frantic maiden, jumps to the mesh of telegraph wires outside the window. Carrying his burden over the fragile wires, he saves her amid the frantic cheers of the populace. The grateful mayor makes him a welcome guest, and he soon wins the heart of the young girl, but he has yet to obtain the father's consent. He worries continually about this problem, and not even at home can he rest in peace, for Ula Kiri, who feels that her beloved friend is sliding away from her, keeps tormenting him with jealousy and mockery. At last he plucks up his courage and goes to the mayor. The latter is friendly to the young man, but he compels the rope dancer to leave with a vague promise for the future. If circumstances, should alter. A capital idea strikes the young man to obtain money. He arranges to do a rope dance to the church tower. The circus director is delighted with the idea. The great day arrives, and the people of the town gather around the church. The rope dancer cannot forget Erna's sorrowful eyes and pale face as he walks along the flaccid rope towards the dizzy height. A snake has escaped and its body bars the way to the entrance to the tower. The snake tamer has, in her mad jealousy, forgotten all about her duties, and this negligence now proves fatal. Erna implores her in vain to call back the reptile, as she is the only one that can do it, but Ula Kiri will not listen to her in her storm of jealousy and hatred. But Erna overcomes all difficulties. Her great love teaches her what to do, and thus she saves her sweetheart. The mayor can no longer withhold his consent to the marriage and the same evening the Flying Circus goes away to the other regions, leaving a happy couple in the country town.
- When the actress Asta Leonhard and two friends visit the princess Spinarosa to persuade her to sponsor a charity event for a sick artist, the prince himself opens his eyes to the beautiful Asta. He does not know that she is allied with the dangerous player Thomas Buckle.
- Frank Alberti is the guardian of Lydia, a sweet and unsuspecting young girl. By the terms of his brother's will in the event of her death he will come into possession of her property. An unnatural relative, he plots to remove her and adopts despicable methods. He is a man of some prominence and he enlists the services of one Bernard, a gambler, who is possessed of remarkable hypnotic power over weaker minds. Alberti lays his plans craftily. He takes Lydia to the seaside and invites her to go out rowing in company with himself and a friend. Bernard is disguised as a boatman and rows them to sea. The dory has been tampered with and sinks. As the boat fills with water Alberti and his friend swim for it and leave Lydia struggling in the water. The scene is an astonishing one. The girl is seen to sink down, far below the surface, and then rise again. Bernard conceives a cunning plan and dives and rescues the girl that he may extort money from Alberti. He swims with her to safety unknown to his accomplice. Lydia is reported drowned and Alberti makes a pretense of mourning her death while enjoying his sudden acquisition to wealth. He pays Bernard a sum of money agreed upon and breaks with him. Bernard takes Lydia to Vienna. She is subjected to his hypnotic influence and meekly obeys his every will. Bernard is accompanied on his flight by Fritz, his faithful tool, and the pair meet a young Englishman, Vernon, and invite him to their gaming table. They play for heavy stakes and the young man wins. Having lost his money, Bernard resolves to get Vernon in his power. Acting under his direction Lydia induces Vernon to drink of drugged wine and he is made unconscious, while Bernard, partially concealed, directs her movements. Bernard repairs to the gambling room and becomes involved in a quarrel. He receives a blow which stuns him and he is rendered unconscious, and his influence over Lydia vanishes. She recovers her faculties with a start and is bewildered. Recovering her composure she arouses Vernon, who makes his escape from the window by means of a rope, improvised by using curtains. Lydia is about to follow when Bernard regains consciousness. He returns to Lydia and his shadowy form is seen and, after a brief struggle, she once more succumbs to his influence. Vernon staggers along the street, gradually awakening to the horrors of the situation. He secures assistance and returns to raid the gambling house and rescue Lydia. Bernard and Fritz make good their escape by means of a secret underground passage, through which they intended to convey the body of the girl. Lydia can give no information to the officers as she is still in a dazed condition. Bernard telegraphs Alberti for money, making the demand peremptory and Alberti responds in person. Vernon sees the precious scoundrels at the railway station and follows them to an inn to call the police. In the inn a heated argument takes place between Alberti and Bernard, but Alberti is forced to give Bernard a large sum of money. Just as Bernard is counting the money the police break in upon them. There is a short but decisive duel with pistols and Bernard is killed and Lydia recovers her faculties. She comes to the room where Alberti is being questioned by the officers and appears to Alberti. He believes her to be a ghost of his ward and, in his terror, expires. Later we see Lydia and Vernon at the seaside, happy, and the inference is that they are betrothed, a happy culmination of a tragic story.
- A catchy film of the old Indian days, showing typical life in the wild west prairies. The film shows lassoing and taming of wild bucking bronchos. Tex has a sweetheart of typical Western beauty with whom one of the cowboys is madly in love, but she will have nothing to do with him. Full of hatred, William, the bad boy, enlists the services of a Sioux Indian and together they rob the stables of Tex, and are discovered by the young girl whom they capture and carry off into the woods, where William tries to kiss her and is repulsed. The Indian, filled with jealous rage, slays William and tries to secure the girl for himself. She also repulses him and is tied to a tree. Then Tex, who having discovered the loss of his sweetheart and horses and followed the trail, rushes in between and knocks down the Indian and rescues his beloved one.
- Dr. Henry Jekyll experiments with scientific means of revealing the hidden, dark side of man and releases a murderer from within himself.
- The caliph's favorite wife is coming, riding on a camel with one of her slaves. The procession passes a restaurant, where two Englishmen, Sir Hopkins and Mr. Jackson, are sitting between the Turkish guests. The two foreigners perceive the strange Eastern performance. The young Mr. Hopkins falls in love with the beautiful Sulejma. He imagines he receives a look from the black eyes, which promises him a great reward if he will exert himself and obtain it. He at once sets to work with all his energy. From a wandering chemist he buys an opiate, his friend takes it and succeeds in putting it into a bottle of wine intended for the caliph's harem guard. When the two eunuchs are sleeping soundly on their guard, the daring young man sneaks into the harem to see if he has understood the black eyes right. His appearance creates great consternation among the ladles of the harem. He has just made sure that he did understand the language of the black eyes as the caliph appears, and for this time puts an end to his impudence. The two sleeping eunuchs are imprisoned, and the new guard is cautioned to keep a sharp lookout. The lovesick young man keeps his aim in view. That which cannot be gained in one way, must be obtained in another. He buys a basket and some clothes from an old woman, and disguised as a basket woman he easily gains admittance to the harem. This time he is more successful. Sulejma sends the slaves away, gets into the basket and permits the courageous young man to carry her away. At the city gateway the fugitives are overtaken. The pursuers are close by, and Sulejma cannot run as quickly as necessary. A Turk is just passing by with two horses: quick as lightning Mr. Hopkins pounces upon him, throws him to the ground and jumps into his saddle. Jackson helps Sulejma on the other horse and off they go. Jackson stays back, prepared to sacrifice his own life, rather than let the caliph outside the city wall. He shoots the caliph and then sinks down, shot by one of his pursuers' bullets. His and the caliph's death have saved Mr. Hopkins' life and that of his sweetheart. The consternated guards lose their senses and forget the pursuing. The last picture shows us Mr. Hopkins and Sulejma on board the English vessel, which is to carry them to a more reliable harbor.
- A Mormon missionary seduces and kidnaps an attractive young woman, forcing her to accompany him to Utah to become one of his wives.
- Two white hunters accompanied by their servant go hunting in the African jungle. They see various animals and shoot a lion.
- Eve S. takes lunch to her father, who is working at Mr. Young's factory. By chance the young and handsome manufacturer sees her; he falls in love with her, and after a short talk tries to kiss her. Her father happens to see this; he gets very angry, and catching hold of Mr. Young he flings him to the floor. As might be imagined, Mr. Young will not stand this treatment from one of his men and turn him out. Some months later we see S. in his plain but neat-looking home. He is working with an invention, which he believes will give him lots of money, but just now the family is very poor, and to procure the necessary money for food S. has to go to a pawnbroker with his best suit of clothes. Eve is working hard all day with the sewing machine in order to procure a little money for the household. She is interrupted at her work by a boy who brings a letter from Mr. Young asking her to meet him only for a few minutes. She cannot help granting him the request, as the handsome manufacturer has made a stronger impression on the young girl than she likes to confess. A few minutes later the two young people take a walk together, and all scruples are forgotten. He kisses her again and again, and Eve does not make any objections, till at last she finds herself alone with several banknotes in her hand which Mr. Young has given her. Later Mr. Young celebrates his betrothal with a rich and beautiful young lady. The festival is interrupted by S., who appears, using very strong language to Mr. Young, and flings his money right in his face. But the vulgar person is turned out, and the feast is continued. S. soon after gets his invention sold and becomes a rich man. One day the little family learns that Mr. Young's factory is burned down, and the manufacturer totally ruined, through not having had the insurance policy duly renewed. Eve had not been able to forget Mr. Young, and she now persuades her father to go to him and offer him partnership, but although the young man is ruined and left by everybody, even his intended bride, he is too proud to accept the noble offer, so that S. comes back without having accomplished his errand. But now Eve takes the matter in her own hands. She goes once more to the man she loves to propose partnership with her father, and this time Mr. Young has to submit, for Eve offers him not only her father's money, but her own honest heart and her hand as well.
- A young motor cyclist buys an Ellehammer motor bike and drives wildly out of the shop. During his crazy driving, he knocks over several people who give chase through the streets.
- A melodrama about the destitute Count lured into a circus environment and forced to show their daring high up in the circus dome.
- Raffles is serving his time. He manages to send a word to his friends and they help him to escape. Once free, Raffles' first thought is to revenge himself on Sherlock Holmes, and for this he enlists the services of a pretty but depraved girl, to decoy the great detective to an old house, where he is met by Raffles under the disguise of an old woman. Sherlock Holmes, taken by surprise, is thrown through a masked opening in the wall, into an old sewer. When Raffles and his associates discover that Sherlock Holmes has been rescued, they plan a second attempt on his life. Raffles takes lodgings opposite the detective's home and watches for a good chance to fire his gun at Sherlock Holmes. Young Billy, the alert office boy, discovers the strange new tenant and notifies his master. Sherlock Holmes, guessing the intentions of the criminal, pulls down the window blinds and arranges a dummy at the window. At a given moment, Billy pulls up the blinds and Raffles, who had been watching for a good opportunity, takes up his gun and shoots. He hits the dummy, but great is his surprise when leaving the window, to find himself face to face with Sherlock Holmes in flesh. As Raffles turns to run away, he is caught by two officers.
- Muriel Yorke has a fond husband, but he is so absorbed in his duties as head of the detective bureau that he has little time to devote to his wife. He is inattentive, not intentionally, but the fact remains that all of Muriel's pretty arts designed to distract him from his work are in vain. Time hangs heavily on her hands; she takes her meals alone, and gradually sinks into a state of melancholy. One evening while in search of recreation, Muriel visits a fashionable café unattended, and there meets Eric Le Blanc, a gentleman in manners, but in reality the chief of a band of international conspirators. He introduces himself as the Baron de Corril and Muriel keeps her identity a secret. Their friendship soon ripens into love, but Yorke is so deeply absorbed in his duties that he fails to notice the change that has come over his wife. In the interim, Le Blanc receives secret information from one of his spies that inspector Yorke has in his possession a description of every member of the gang and Le Blanc is urged to obtain possession of these at once. This he undertakes to accomplish and breaks into Yorke' s house on the same evening. During his search for the incriminating evidence, he comes face to face with Muriel, and for the first time learns her identity. He hides the real purpose of his visit to the house and explains that love had prompted him to follow her from the museum, at which they earlier had held a rendezvous. She aids him to escape, but in the meantime inspector Yorke has been attracted by strange noises in the house and makes an investigation. He enters his wife's bedroom and finding her apparently asleep, continues his search. He finds finger prints on the door and later identifies them as those of Le Blanc, the conspirator. When Muriel learns that her husband is preparing to raid on the apartment of the conspirator, she hesitates between love and duty and finally decides to warn her lover of his danger. She hastens to his apartments and implores him to escape while there is yet time. She points out that they may both leave the place without being seen, but Le Blanc refuses, and prates that her love has made him a better man, and that he proposes to accept punishment for his crimes and then lead a better life. In the meantime Yorke has obtained proof of his wife's perfidy, and with two detectives breaks into Le Blanc's apartments. Standing in the center of the drawing-room is the guilty pair awaiting the blow that is about to fall. Inspector Yorke glares scornfully at his wife for a few seconds; then challenges Le Blanc and orders his arrest. As the detectives are taking him from the room Muriel makes a move as if to rescue him, but Yorke grasps her by the wrists, and. after burning her soul with his reproaches, casts her aside as an object unworthy. She is left to her own conscience.
- After the united powers of Europe had been successful in defeating Napoleon's vast armies, the great Emperor himself was taken prisoner and sent into exile to the Island of Elba, on the coast of Corsica. His loyal friends in France, however, would not rest, and were untiring in their efforts to liberate the Emperor from his prison. The first part of this film depicts a meeting of a few of these friends and supporters, who formulate a plan. A letter is written to Napoleon, explaining that a messenger will bring him all particulars and plans of a plot to liberate him. A young officer is elected to make the dangerous journey to Elba, to carry to Napoleon the message from his friends. But these friends did not count on the enemies which every great man has, and did not observe that one of them attended their eventful meeting. The traitor informs the police, whose assistance he obtains, and together they go in pursuit of the messenger. Tired and exhausted, the messenger finds rest for a night at a small inn on the road, but not long after his arrival there his two pursuers arrive also, and over a glass of wine discuss how they can best capture the messenger. The daughter of the innkeeper, a great admirer of Napoleon, overhears the discussion of the two men, and immediately warns the messenger, who has just sufficient time to ride away, hotly pursued by the enemies. Fortunately, he soon reaches a farm house on his way, and induces the farmer to give him other clothes. Hastily changing his dress, and with the assistance of the farmer, who shows the pursuers the wrong way, he manages to get to the frontier. He arrives safely at the coast, from which he is to take the boat to Elba. Before he lands on the coast of the island, his small craft is demolished by the waves, and he is compelled to swim through the foaming sea to his destination. But even here, on this lonely island, he is discovered by a sentry, who uses his rifle effectively, and with a bullet-wound in his shoulder the poor messenger turns back into the water, pretending to be killed. Swimming to a more secluded spot along the coast, he sees the figure of his beloved Emperor standing by the water, looking sadly in the direction of his country. Trembling with excitement, the brave messenger approaches Napoleon and delivers to him the message. Napoleon, deeply moved by the loyalty of his friends, thanks the messenger in kind words, and embraces him, to show his deep and sincere gratitude.
- Tom, the young captain of robbers, and his sweetheart, Clara, are living in a small cottage in the wood. She is his good spirit. When his wild companions are coming for him, she always tries to dissuade him from joining them in their lawless doings, and she never lets him go till he has promised her neither to kill any human being nor any animal. One member of the band, the spiteful Jim, is in love with Clara and bores her with his tiresome declarations of love, in fact one day be sneaks away from his comrades, who are just going out plundering, and returns to Tom's cottage in order to make love to Clara, but as she again refuses his brutal caresses energetically, he leaves her, threatening both her and Tom's lives. His threat soon becomes serious, as he walks straight to the nearest prefect of police, to whom he betrays all his companions and offers to guide the soldiers, who are sent in pursuit of the robbers. In a hollow way in the wood the soldiers hide themselves while Jim steals away, and when the robbers unsuspectingly come strolling uphill, they plunge straight into the lion's mouth. It now comes to a close fight between the soldiers and the robbers, during which two of the latter are killed by the soldiers bullets while Tom, after a desperate combat, is fettered and carried away along with two of his companions. Clara, who in a mortal fright has followed the wicked Jim, unfortunately is too late to warn her friend, but she now catches sight of the fleeing Jim. She lies down behind a tree root in wait for him, and by the time he is quite near to her, she jumps forward and stops him with her revolver. When the rascal realizes that he is lost, he tries once more to kiss her, who by her faithfulness towards her friend, has turned himself into a miserable traitor, but he again fails, for Clara is a good marksman, and her bullet kills him. Clara now has avenged herself and Tom, who however is lying in the jail upon a bundle of straw with his hands tied behind his back, while the soldiers are keeping watch in the adjoining room. Yet this hindrance is of no consequence to Clara, who has but the one purpose of releasing her friend. With a basket full of bottles containing narcotics she is admitted into the guard room. The soldiers get drunk, Clara steals the keys and sets her lover free. They both succeed in escaping through the guard room but in the street they are discovered by an officer and a soldier, and although Clara attacks the enemy with the courage and wildness of a tigress, she at last must save herself by taking to her heels. At dusk Tom, in close custody, is carried out into a carriage with his bands still tied behind his back, in order to be taken to the prison in town, but he does not get as far as that. Clara lying on the highroad behind a heap of stones in wait for the carriage, and when same approaches, she springs forward, mounts the carriage steps, seizes the soldier by the throat, till he has lost consciousness, then she throws him into the carriage and releases Tom, with whom she flees into the wood. At a lake she washes the wounds of the half-unconscious Tom who by her help drags himself along to a farm, where Clara threatens the farmer into giving her two horses and after a wild ride, during which Tom is hardly able to keep himself in the saddle, the two fugitives reach their cottage. Shaking with excitement and exhaustion they enter their home, where Tom sinks into a chair, while Clara kneeling before her wounded friend tries to console and encourage him. The pretty picture of a faithful wife's devoted love is, however, abruptly disturbed by a strong noise outside the house. The poor lovers full of despair start to their feet, and at the same moment the shutters are burst open by the soldiers' guns. Once more Clara makes an attempt to save her friend, and the fist soldier who enters the room is killed by her bullet, yet the superiority is too overwhelming and a few bullets make an end of the faithful lovers' struggle. Even at the moment of death the brave Clara uses her last strength to drag herself on toward the dead body of her friend and press a kiss on his pale lips. -- The Moving Picture World, April 4, 1908
- Marguerite, a beautiful woman of affairs, falls for the young and promising Armand, but sacrifices her love for him for the sake of his future and reputation.
- In this Great Northern film is shown the tapering spires of a beautiful castle reflected in the quiet water, while the park's trimmed hedges are stretching themselves across the landscape, hiding and shading what is inside from the curious gaze. The old nobleman wants to give a banquet in order to celebrate his daughter's betrothal to a rich old man of noble family. But his young and pretty daughter wants to have a younger and handsomer bridegroom, and therefore one can easily understand that she refuses the old suitor when the father introduces him to her. In the moonlight the young people meet and talk over their future prospects. He seems to feel inclined to give up the struggle and go away, but she is made of a sterner stuff and tries to prevent him in his intentions. As good luck would have it, the betrothal feast is to be held in the park by the seashore, and here Providence provides the accident which unites the two. The two rivals quarrel about a rose and the old gentleman settles the quarrel by saying that his daughter is to throw the rose into the water, and the one who fetches it up again shall have not only the rose but also the hand of his beautiful daughter and shall become the future owner of her magnificent castle home. In a second the young man is in the water, and while the spectators are shouting with joy he reaches the rose, which he at once offers to the fair judge. The old suitor has to acknowledge his adversary's strength and courage, and congratulates the two young people and withdraws his suit in favor of his successful rival.
- An exhausted bicyclist stops by the pathway and falls asleep. He dreams about an encounter with a witch who magically transforms his clothes and rides off with his bicycle. But when he awakes, the mysterious transformations continue.
- Swiftly passing through seas of floating ice, a vessel with masts, spars and decks entirely covered with ice is seen pushing its way northward. Seagulls make the air black, and the crew, clothed in heavy furs, move lively, on the lookout for walrus, seal and Polar bear. Within full view are seen in rapid succession seals disporting themselves on the icy brink of bergs. Walrus, with their immense tusks, are shown cavorting through the water, plunging after fish. The comical penguins in great numbers get in front of the camera at close range. The wonderful and mysterious musk-ox in his native haunts is shown life-size, and stamping his disapproval of being brought into such close proximity to man, his natural enemy. Then the critical dramatic moment arrives when the hunters leave their ship and start across the icy fields after his majesty of the Arctic regions. Soon is seen an enormous white Polar bear, slowly meandering in his search for provender. He discovers the hunters, rears on his hind feet, ready to give battle. A masterful shot striking a vital point fells him and he is seen rolling in his own life's blood. The hunters cautiously approach, and when fully convinced of the death of old Bruin, load him on their sleds and start for the ship. Finding the return trip too laborious, they unload their spoils and proceed to strip off the valuable, shaggy coat, remove a choice saddle of bear meat, and leaving the bare carcass freezing in the solitudes of the Arctic, trudge once more to their ship.
- We see here how Homodu is proposing to the future Mrs. Angelo. The rude way in which he behaves results in a box on the ear, whereafter the lady disappears, leaving Homodu to her father's mockery. She meets her lover, Rudolph, in the garden, and they walk up and down for a while, and then they part, promising fidelity to one another. An old street singer runs up to the young lady and asks for protection against some drunken citizens, who are pursuing her. The young lady hides the old woman between the bushes, throws the pursuers off the scent and thus rescues the old singer, who gratefully accepts, without suspecting, that this very cross is once to rescue her own life. Further into the park the singer meets her daughter, Thisbe, to whom she relates her adventure. On her way to the castle the beautiful young lady passes Angelo, tyrant of Padua, accompanied by Homodu. Angelo falls at once in love with her, and swears that he will possess her. Nevertheless his love does not prevent him from being much taken in with Thisbe, when she and her mother one day are dancing for him at the castle. He persuades Thisbe to stay with him as his sweetheart. His gold tempts her and she stays. But as her master after a while returns with his wife, whom he has only been able to win because he was the master, then Thisbe understands that her best days are over, and with all her heart and mind, and with all the heat of her temper, she bates the rival and she swears to wreak a cruel vengeance upon her. She communicates with Homodu, who is just as bent upon revenge as she is herself. One evening, when Angelo and his wife have retired, each to their own bedroom, Homodu persuades Mrs. Angelo's lover Rudolph to go and visit her in her room. Right after Thisbe comes in: she makes Mrs. Angelo understands that she knows Rudolph is in the room, and that she is going to inform Angelo of his wife's infidelity. In the middle of her triumphs Thisbe perceives the cross which her mother once gave to Mrs. Angelo, and at the same moment her hatred changes into gratefulness and pity. Quickly she informs Mrs. Angelo about the danger which threatens her and her lover, and Rudolph hurries away. Just then Angelo rushes in, informed by Angelo about Rudolph's visit. He is in a rage and examines the room closely, yet without finding the lover. Homodu has more luck; he finds Rudolph's hat, which he in the hurry has forgotten, and now Mrs. Angelo's fate is sealed. She is sentenced by her husband to be executed on the next day. "Why wait till to-morrow?" says Thisbe, "let me mix up a poison and make her drink it at once." Thisbe saves in this way the lady's life by exchanging the poison for a harmless opiate, which Mrs. Angelo drinks. She now goes into a death-like sleep, and the supposed dead body is taken to the chapel, accompanied by Thisbe. Now Homodu means to have the first part of his revenge fulfilled. The second part is to inform Rudolph of the death of his sweetheart. The young man is disconsolate. He pulls out his sword, darts into the chapel where Thisbe is keeping watch, and without a word he runs his sword right through her body. Then he draws aside the curtains from Mrs. Angelo's sarcophagus, and kneels down in speechless despair, when suddenly she opens her eyes and sits up. The lovers now rejoice in a heartfelt embrace, but the joy dies away, and their lips get white at the sight of Thisbe's dead body. Trembling with horror, Mrs. Angelo now learns that Rudolph has killed Thisbe, while Rudolph now sees what a terrible deed he has committed. -- The Moving Picture World, April 11, 1908
- Opening in the lodgings of the Lieut. Buonaparte, then an impecunious young officer, the subject soon introduces us to Madame Sans Gene, Who brings Napoleon his washing and submits to a kiss. Later, in the laundry itself, her rescue of Count Neupport, whom she assists in a wounded state to her own bedroom, is shown. The girl's lover, Sergeant Le Fevre, forces an entrance, but lets the prisoner go to shield his sweetheart. These scenes all contain much effective acting, as does a later one in which the sergeant is instrumental in saving Napoleon's life. The latter has taken the place of a sentry who has fallen asleep at his post and resting on the latter's ride is waiting for him to wake, when a number of Royalist soldiers attack him. Le Fevre, on his rounds, comes to the rescue and secures a pardon for the sentry and promotion for himself. Le Fevre's rise is rapid. Made a field-marshal, he, after the battle of Danzig, is made a duke for his gallantry in saving the colors. At this stage we are given another glimpse of the heroine, who follows her husband's fortunes in the camp. This period introduces some good scenes of camp life, the council of officers, etc. Back at Paris, we find Napoleon in his private cabinet, unaware of an intrigue in progress in which the Empress is concerned, having for its object the escape of Count Neupport, who is entrusted with a letter to the Emperor of Austria. The Count, however, is discovered in the Court disguised, by Napoleon, and captured and condemned to death. Meanwhile, the Duchess of Danzig has visited Napoleon and laughingly shown him the unpaid laundry bill, and the Little Corporal has shown that he is not insensible to her charms. The Duke and Duchess hear of the capture of the Count and bring about his escape, the nobleman being conveyed through the lines in a military cloak and hat. Then they repair together to Napoleon and confess what they have done, to be magnanimously forgiven by the Emperor, after a natural outburst of anger, when he remembers that he owes his life to the man.
- Count Zarka is an unscrupulous nobleman, who entertains a strange hatred toward Prince Roel. Owing to the latter's activity in state affairs, Count Von Bernstein, a foreign ambassador, is anxious to put him out of the way, and Zarka is promised a large sum of money to accomplish this. Zarka intercepts a message the prince sends to Phillipa, in which he tells her that if she loves him she is to wear the red roses sent, and if not she is to wear the spray of white roses. Phillipa is much disturbed after she has worn the white roses and finds that she is overlooked by the prince. Zarka takes into his confidence three thugs and agrees with them to capture the prince, when he is least suspecting. This is accomplished when the prince goes out into the grounds to brood over his disappointment. Zarka, with the aid of his minions, overpowers and imprisons the prince in the former's castle. Zarka collects the money from Bernstein for the capture of the prince. Zarka's actions arouse suspicion, and it is revealed that the prince has been the victim of a plot. Galabin, Phillipa's brother, rents a house, which overlooks Zarka's castle. One day with a spy glass he recognizes the prince peering through a grated window. With a friend Galabin investigates. Seen by Zarka he escorts them into the castle, where Zarka seeks to poison him by dropping the contents of his hollow ring into the wine which is brought to them. He traps them later in the armory, from which they are subsequently released by a servant vindictive because of Zarka's harsh treatment. Phillipa. seeking her brother, accidentally meets Royda. The latter suspects Phillipa of being her rival and inveigles her into Zarka's castle. Going into the armory she snatches a rapier. A duel ensues in which Royda is slightly wounded. Royda is then in a more reasonable frame of mind and Phillipa tells her that she hates, not loves Zarka. Royda recognizing the count's perfidy, agrees to help Phillipa. They succeed in releasing the prince. At that moment Zarka comes upon them with his hirelings. Zarka pulls a lever and the center walk of the passage caves in leaving only a narrow ledge on either side. Royda and Galabin are precipitated into a dungeon into which a deluge of water pours. The prince struggles with Zarka on the narrow ledge, the count falling into the pit for which he had destined the others. Another battle ensues here between Galabin and the count. The prince and his party, having vanquished their foes above, soon release Royda and Galabin from their jeopardy, leaving the count to his fate.
- The peace of the anarchist and his wife's house is disturbed by the mother-in-law. He sees no other advice than to blow her up.
- Hamlet suspects his uncle has murdered his father to claim the throne of Denmark and the hand of Hamlet's mother, but the prince cannot decide whether or not he should take vengeance.
- The princess is presiding at a reception being given in the old castle during the absence of her venerable father. The prime minister announces that the old soldier has again overcome his warring neighbors. The princess does not appear to be over elated, because she recalls that a young captain, whom she had once met in times of peace, might be among the dead or the wounded. Sure enough he is brought to a hospital, a wounded prisoner, and Elena volunteers to act as his nurse despite the protests of the prime minister. As he regains some of his normal strength he chafes under the restraint imposed upon him, and in her efforts to ease his lot, the princess issues orders that he may have use of the castle grounds. In his walks he frequently comes in contact with the princess, and while their intimacy ripens, the prime minister arrows more jealous. At length he clearly indicates his aversion to her companionship with an avowed enemy of her country, and in the name of the king seeks to restrict the captain from exercising in the grounds of the castle. The princess dismisses him and continues to secure an occasional tete-a-tete with the captain. He persistently pleads to her to help him escape from the confinement that is so galling to him and at length she accedes. She forwards to his apartments a rope ladder and a revolver hidden beneath a consignment of books. In the silence of the night he lowers his rope and makes his perilous descent to the foot of the walls. A sentry spies him, fires a warning shot, and engages the captain in a stern struggle. The captain manages, however, to break away; but soon he has a troop of cavalry on his track. He swims a river and rushes pell-mell through woodland country, but his mounted pursuers gradually gain upon him and, still weak from his wounds, he falls panting to the ground as they reach him. A court-martial quickly follows his recapture, and the dread verdict is summarily issued. Princess Elena sends for the prime minister, who has already signed the death warrant, and pleads to him to revoke it. He says he is ready to do so, but imposes, as a condition, that she should become his (the prime minister's) wife. She returns abruptly to her apartments and determines on a course which seems to her to offer the only possible way out for her and the man she loves. Under the cover of the night and closely veiled she steals to the prison and then gains admission to the cell in which the condemned man is crouched in an attitude of hopelessness. At first he thinks she is but a vision of his disordered mind, but when he folds her in his arms he understands the depth of love which has prompted her to come to him. She tells him that the chances of escape are too forlorn to attempt, and knowing that she cannot save him, she has decreed there is only one thing to do, to die together. She takes a paper knife, from her dress and hands it to him, but he recoils, and in an outburst declares that he will not die, but must go back to his country. His country comes first, and recognizing the inevitable, and the futility of their love, the princess rushes from the cell and secures a uniform of a prison warder. The captain kisses her and makes his escape. Later she is found on the floor of the cell, a victim of her own stiletto.
- In a mansion full of secret rooms and passageways, people are dying shortly after seeing the ghost of a woman in gray, as an old legend dictates. Called in to solve the mystery, Sherlock Holmes has doubts about the supernatural aspect of the crimes and focuses on a more earthly culprit.
- Chancellor von Rallenstein forces Princess Irene to marry Prince Deima instead of her true love, Pawlow. The secret lovers seek to get married anyway, sending the Chancellor into a rage.
- The Countess X. receives during a party a young man, who brings her a message from a friend, whom she believed to be in exile, asking her to come and see him the same evening in order to arrange with him how they can revenge themselves on their mutual enemy, the prince. The conversations is heard by a young diplomat, Baron Lerche, who has been concealed behind a curtain. He hurries away from the company and soon after returns in a different dress. He watches the countess, follows her in the night to a remote house, makes his way in, and overhears a plan to kill the prince. Soon after the prince gives a masked ball. The Countess, in Spanish costume, and the baron, in red domino, are among the guests. As the countess sees that the red domino keeps watching her, she boldly addresses him, takes his arm and leads him towards a group of guests, who are her friends and accomplices. There she writes, with the hands at her back, on her ball-card: "Get the red domino out of the way." The card is at once picked up, read and understood, and the next moment a lady takes, with irresistible amiability, the baron's arm and leads him to a remote smoking room. The baron is very much afraid to leave the dangerous countess out of sight, and is about to leave the room again, but two masked gentlemen throw him to the ground, gag and tie him and leave him alone. The baron, however, does not want to give up the exciting play. Straining every nerve, he succeeds in rolling himself on to a cigar-lighter, by aid of which be destroys his bonds. When he is free, he jumps out of the window and down in the garden summons two policemen, whom he had told to keep near the place, and then be goes back to the ballroom. In the meantime, the countess succeeds in getting the prince away from the party. He is very much captivated with her, and takes her to a cabinet, where he can speak to her alone. They get a bottle of champagne, and now the prince cannot keep back his feelings any longer, but falls down on his knees, declaring to her his love. The countess watches the opportunity; she smiles encouragingly, puts her left arm around his neck, and with the right hand she throws a poisonous powder in his glass. But at this very moment her arm is seized by the baron, who comes out from behind the curtain. The countess jumps to her feet, but when she sees that everything is out she falls back in a swoon. In a few words the baron explains what has happened. He calls the servants, who carry the countess out, and then he enters the ballroom again. With revolver in hand he makes the guests take off their masks, and now he points out the conspirators one by one. The policemen take them away, and the guests gather round the prince and baron with eager questions, but the prince answers smilingly: "My dear guests, don't let this little incident disturb our pleasure; it was only an attempt on my life."
- Showing two clowns in many amusing positions. One of them gets into a bag to hide and as the other endeavors to belabor the bag with a club he finds he is striking air and the bag and its occupant is elsewhere. Finally both are seen in the bag together fighting with each other at close range, after which they make peace again and march off arm in arm.
- A husband discovers his wife is unfaithful, and casts her off. One of the children is taken ill, and the wife tries to see the sick child, but her husband refuses to let her enter. Broken-hearted, she goes to America, where she gets into bad company. She shoots a man who wants to blackmail her son, now a rising man. She is tried for murder, and refuses to give any information regarding herself to the judge, as she is afraid it might get to her son's ears. Great is her horror when she finds that the man who is to defend her at the trial is her own son. She also recognizes her husband, who has come to the court to see his son conduct the case. The young barrister, without knowing that it is his own mother he is defending, pleads for her so well that she is acquitted. The husband relents, as his wife is dying, and tells his son that he has been defending his own mother, who dies in the arms of her long-lost son.
- Prince Walter, whilst out hunting with his adjutant, the Duke of Wolmer, becomes separated from the rest of the field, and the pair encounter Agnes, a prepossessing country maiden who resides with her grandmother, and of her inquire their whereabouts. The adjutant, who is an ardent amateur photographer, observes that the prince is struck by the girl's beauty and secures a snapshot of her. It is a case of love at first sight with the Prince and his fair charmer, and the latter, refusing to be momentarily recompensed for the services she has rendered to His Royal Highness, allows him to present her with a ring. In return, he takes a lock of her hair. The pair part, but the gay cavalier has become a lovesick swain. His thoughts are ever of Agnes, and a game of chess with the adjutant proves tedious. Showing the lock of hair to the adjutant, the latter understands what is troubling his royal master, and consoles him somewhat by presenting him with a present of the snapshot he secured of the girl. To further the plans of the lovers, the adjutant secures a tenancy of the house adjoining that of Agnes, and the love-making proceeds apace. Soon we see the happy pair in fond embrace and the compact is sealed with a kiss. But the prince's august parent has other plans for his son's matrimonial prospects. For political reasons, it is necessary that he shall be betrothed to the Princess of Illyria, and at a council meeting the engagement is decided upon. Prince Walter, whilst enjoying a tete-a-tete with Agnes, is apprised by the adjutant of what has occurred, a copy of a newspaper containing the official announcement being handed to him. In a rage he tramples the paper under foot and goes off with his informer. Agnes chances to discover the journal, and reads the news which for her is fraught with such importance. The prince decides to return home, and writes a letter acquainting Agnes with the fact that circumstances over which he has had no control forces him to break his engagement with her. Arrived at the royal palace, the prince bows to the will of his father and the council. Both His Royal Highness and Agnes are, however, disconsolate. The former has no thoughts except for her to whom his heart is given, whilst the latter declines to be tempted even with the daintiest luxuries. She sends back the emblem of her troth, and the prince writes a letter imploring her to see him once more and let him spend a last happy hour in her company. The adjutant, seeing how matters are, takes affairs into his own hands, and visiting Agnes, prevails upon her to gratify the prince's desire, conveying her to the palace in his own motor car. A touching scene between the lovers in the royal garden ensues, and before parting the prince gives Agnes a white rose as the emblem of his undying love for her. Tender farewells are said, and Agnes returns to her humble abode. Life's dream for her is o'er, but the prince, bowing to destiny, returns to the palace and is wedded to the lady of his father's choice, bestowing upon her his name, but not his love, for that is the sole property of the girl of humble mien, and the picture closes with the newly wedded pair bowing their acknowledgments upon the balcony to the assembled populace below, who little realize that he who will someday rule over them has sacrificed his happiness in the fulfillment of his duty to his king and country.
- A dramatic story showing how an unfaithful guardian steals the will and property of his dead friend and tries to marry his ward, but who is discovered and meets his just reward in a tragic manner.
- Robert Fielding has in his time seen better days, but his carelessness and bad company made him run through the fortune which was left him by his father. Now he walks the streets in rags, being so reduced to poverty. But no one has any sympathy for him, because he is young, and a strong-looking man, and ought to be able to get his living by working. Fielding comes across a newsboy, and cannot help but admire the little chap, who is busy selling papers and taking in the pennies, and notes how he understands to sell to everyone who comes along. He envies the boy being able to take in money in such an apparently easy way. When the boy is through tor the day, Fielding follows him up. The boy makes his way to an old shed outside the town, where Fielding sees him lie down to rest. For a moment Fielding is tempted to rob the boy of his earnings, but his good nature gets the upper hand, and he walks away in despair. Rather would he end his own life than do any harm to the innocent boy. The boy, having noticed him, gets up, runs after him, and asks him if he is hungry. Fielding has to admit it, of course, and accepts from the boy a few pennies to buy food. But the temptation is too great, and he spends this money for drink. The boy, who has been watching him all the time, enters the public house, and takes away the glass from Fielding, saying: "Now let's go and have something to eat; I didn't give you money for drink." The strong will of the boy seems to influence Fielding, and he realizes suddenly that he must do some work, in order to make a living. He succeeds in finding a situation as porter and he and the boy from now on become very great friends. Fielding works very hard, and they can soon afford to take very nice rooms together and also to go on nice outings on Saturday afternoons. One day Fielding is sweeping in front of his employer's house, when be bears a cry, and looking up he is astonished to see the child of his employer just falling from one of the windows of the house. Fortunately he catches her in his arms, and although the child is unhurt by the fall, the weight coming down on him from such a height causes some slight injuries to Fielding's head and arm. He has to be carried home, and his grateful employer accompanies him to his room, where he hears the whole story of Fielding's and his boy friend's struggles. In appreciation to Fielding for saving his little child from an almost certain death, his employer provides him with ample money to nurse himself quickly back to health, and also obtains such a good position from his employer that he is able to marry a nice girl, and the newsboy lives with them, in a very comfortable home, often receiving thanks from Fielding for saving him from ruin.
- The old executioner, nevertheless, feels a professional pride in his occupation, and designs that his son shall succeed him. Accordingly on the crown of his head is branded a cross such as his father wears. The young man, however, has a strong antipathy to this grim occupation, and he runs away to seek his fortune. However, no one will have anything to do with the man who bears the hated brand on his head, and the young man is at his wit's end to know what to do until a witch, to whom he renders some service, gives him a magic sword, with which he performs many deeds of valor and rescues a princess who is beset by highwaymen. He is received at the palace and made much of. A devastating fire occurs there, accompanied by many thrilling scenes. The queen, deserted by her craven maids, is in danger of losing her life in the flames. The executioner's son goes to the rescue, but as he emerges bearing his unconscious burden, his hat comes off and the hideous cross is revealed. There are immediately cries of execration at the thought that this "unclean" person has been in the confidence of the king, and the young man's life is in danger until the queen and princess plead for him. The king gets over the difficulty of his ignoble origin by making him a knight and he weds the princess.
- During the French Revolution, the Lady of Trionville, Alaine, was left sole mistress of the castle; she marries Marquis Erneste de Tressailles, who has taken leave from the Royalist army for a few days. When the latter arrives at the castle with some of his brother officers, the republican servant Prosper, in a fit of temper, pulls the royalistic cockade from the hat of the new master. A few moments after, the soldiers of the revolutionary army having advanced, take possession of the castle, and the young Marquis has to flee. The servant is so touched by this untimely interruption, that out of pity for the Marquis, he takes the royalistic cockade and tries to hide it, but it is found and he is considered a royalist and sentenced to die. The Marquis' flight is very short, as he is overtaken and made a prisoner. He is not even allowed to see his wife, who had been married to him only a few hours previously. Alaine, his young wife, is greatly distressed that her husband should have to die, and she sends for the Colonel Marc-Arron, who was a great admirer of hers. She asks him to let her husband escape, but Marc-Arron sees only his duty, and her pleadings are of no avail. As she sees that money will not induce the colonel to help her she takes his hands and reminds him of their old friendship, when he was still an officer in the royal army. Marc-Arron, who still admires her, cannot resist her and promises her he will do his best. He quickly exchanges his coat for that of the Marquis, and the latter escapes without taking any notice of his wife, leaving her in the hands of the revolutionists. Marc-Arron is now condemned to die, and when Alaine sees that he has really sacrificed his life for her, she sees how deep his love was for her, and she cannot but admire the man. Next morning when the time arrives for carrying out the sentence, Marc-Arron is very restless and afraid to face death, but when the sergeant reminds him that he must bear it like a man, he soon recovers, and proudly faces the soldiers. Alaine, who has now found out that she really loves him, begs him to escape, but he refuses to do so. In the meantime the Marquis has been taken prisoner again, at the moment when he tried to cross the frontier, and he is brought back to Trionville. Monteloup demands now that the Marquis should be shot instead of Marc-Arron, as the hitter's life is of more value to the Republic, but Marc-Arron, thinking of his honor, does not wait for any decision, and calling out to the soldiers to fire, he dies, a hero and brave soldier.
- The audience is given a series of episodes in the life of a young man, son of rich parents, who is sent to the city to earn a livelihood, well equipped with funds. He gets into bad company, falls in love with a prostitute and is finally reduced to rags. The woman casts him off when she has wrung his purse dry and he returns home, where he receives the parental forgiveness.