G. Méliès

Nell, an independent and somewhat obstinate girl, receives an invitation to attend a dance. She asks her mother for money to buy a new dress. Her mother, a hard working woman, who has to toil from morn to night, feels that her request involves an unnecessary extravagance and she denies it. Nell answers her sharply and leaves in a sullen mood. While working in the hot, broiling sun, the mother is overcome with the heat.

Nora, who is the president of the Bachelor's Club, receives a letter announcing the death of her uncle in the west and that he has made her heir to his immense fortune. Including a ranch at Grey Oaks. Nora decides to go west and take charge of the ranch and run it herself a la suffragette fashion. She invites all the girls to go with her and they start for their new home. Arriving at Grey Oaks they pay no attention to the cowboys who greet them at the station but go at once in the old stage-coach to the ranch. The cowboys follow, approach the ranch, offer their services and are rewarded by being driven from the premises. The boys make up their minds to "get next" to the girls and devise a scheme.

Desdemona was not the only woman to have trouble over a handkerchief. It occurred to Mary also. Mary was in love with Bill, who worked on her father's ranch, and was greatly admired by all the boys. Shorty returned from town one day with a fine checkered handkerchief, which he proudly placed about his neck, strutting in front of Bill to attract his notice. The handkerchief was almost loud enough to speak for itself, so Bill noticed it all right. One of the boys sneaked it from about Shorty's neck and hung it on a nail, where Mary found it. Seeing that it was new, she placed it about her own comely neck, but alas, Othello Bill became jealous and accused her of accepting it from Shorty.

If John was half the man that Molly is, she and her father would have been a great deal better off. Molly by her industry and ambition has saved up five hundred dollars to go to college and complete her education; she is very proud of her achievement. John is a young fellow with extravagant idle notions, who refuses to hold his jobs as a skilled mechanic and insist upon spending his time in rambling and dissipation. Molly loves her brother and tries to induce him to mend his ways and make a man of himself.

Look before you leap, at hasty conclusions. Nell is a sweet girl and Bob is a good fellow; Nell is a typical Texas girl and Bob is a comparative newcomer to the west.

Mary Jane had nursed Black Bill's wife through a spell of fever and Bill was grateful with all the fullness of his rough nature. He sent Mary Jane a necklace and a note in which he promised on his honor to someday discharge his debt. It happened later, that one of Bill's horses was stolen. Bill and his friends found the thief, and were bringing him into town to a handy tree, when they passed Mary Jane, drawing water from the old well. Bill had a drink and Mary, in pity, raised the cup to the lips of Bob Ford, the horse thief, whom she had never seen before.

He's a regular "fan" and studies the baseball news as carefully as some people do their Bibles. He comes to breakfast with his dear little wife and finds his morning paper as usual at his plate. "By Jove!" he shouts, as he glances at the news, "a game this afternoon." Then he begins to wax eloquent about the strikes, flies, home runs and base hits, putting his hand in the hominy, knocking the coffee pot from the table and winding up his exposition by pulling the table-cloth off and everything else with it. He has gone the limit and wifey can humor his craze no longer. She swoops down upon him with an umbrella and gets in some "swats" that nearly knock the cover from his dome. He makes a run for the office with a deep laid plan to go to the ball game by pretending he has a toothache.

John Burton met Bessie Fields on her way home one day, and was for making love to her right then and there, but for the interruption of Crazy Joe, a half-witted boy, who always seemed to get in wrong. Burton was incensed, and, although Bessie protested, applied his whip to the demented boy, when Steve Ross, Bessie's sweetheart, happened along and rushed to the boy's rescue. Steve saw that Burton's attentions were not welcomed and ordered him off the scene. Next day, both went to Mr. Fields, and proposed for Bessie's hand. When Burton learned that Steve had been accepted, he rushed from the house, fired back upon it, and fled. Of two shots spent, one hit and killed Mr. Fields.

In the mountain wilds of Tennessee there is no end to the manufacture of moonshine whiskey. Whole families live on this nefarious trade and many of them die by it. The men who work at this business are constantly hunted by United States revenue officers as violators of the law for manufacturing of liquor without a special license. The "Mountain wife" loves her husband and stands by and shields him from his enemies, the officers; when they are on his track she hides him, then throws them off his trail, giving him time to escape in the mountain fastnesses, as we are shown in this interesting and thrilling picture.

Denton, a young easterner, arrives in the gold-fields, looks about for a "find" and a partner. Entering a saloon, he partakes of some refreshment, watches the patrons of the place and studies their characters, while thus engaged a young miner, named Harper, somewhat prejudiced against easterners, engages in a quarrel with a Mexican who is about to plunge a knife into the miner when Denton seizes his wrist and wrenches the weapon from his grasp. Harper thanks Denton, and after learning the eastern man's desire to find a prospecting partner, Denton loins forces with him and they start in to work a lead and strike paying dirt.

An early silent short comedy directed by William Haddock.

Cynthia Moore, daughter of Colonel Moore, who is the commander of a cavalry post near the Mexican frontier, is much beloved by two junior officers in her father's command. They are Lieutenant Robert Bright and Lieutenant Arthur Hartley, both graduates of West Point, where they had been rivals during their Academy Days. This rivalry, which had been friendly at West Point, became very bitter when they were both assigned to Col. Moore's post and met his attractive daughter, and the true nature of the two men began to assert itself.

Tony Valero, a lusty young vaquero, is enamored of Clarita Montes, whose father is fairly well off, as the middle class Mexicans figure. Clarita prefers Tony to her numerous admirers, but the father has selected, for his future son-in-law, a young dandy called Jose Rodreguis, who has a certain amount of money which allows him more ease than his neighbors. Jose trades upon this fact and presses his attentions upon Clarita. He bitterly resents her preference for Tony and does all in his power to belittle his rival.

Mary lived with her mother at the XX ranch, which was on the Rio Grande, just across from Mexico, and, as there was a ford there, it was easy for persons to cross from either side. One day, while riding on the Mexican side, she heard screams of distress and came upon Juanita, a beautiful Mexican girl, who had been insulted by Jose, a bad man of that vicinity, who commanded a band of guerrillas, who plundered and stole under the guise of insurrectos.

Just plain Mary Ann, that's all, but there is something about this little country girl which stamps her as the right sort, with grit, grip and gumption to distinguish her among the famous men and women of the twentieth century, or any other century for that matter. Her father is a faithful old servant in the employ of the D.&C.R.R. as a signal man in a tower on the lonely stretch of the track at very important junction. After his day's work, Mary Ann, who has studied telegraphy and likes to practice, comes to the tower to go home with her father, after the night signal man comes to relieve him. The night man is somewhat delayed and her father leaves Mary Ann at the signal station while be goes home to get his supper and rest.

A lost silent film depicting the battle of the Alamo. Filmed in San Antonio.

A Navajo Indian has crossed the great desert, and his water bottle has been emptied. He is in a frenzy from thirst and sees mirages of water everywhere. He comes upon Nat Perry, a young settler, who is conveying his household goods across the burning sands. Perry has just taken a drink from his precious canteen when the Indian falls at his feet and implores a little water. The young pioneer heartlessly turns him over with his foot and leaves him to die.

Bill Sanders, sheriff of Alkali County, gets a warrant for Red Rube, the tough. He gives it to his deputies to serve, but Rube gets busy with the strong arm and makes them look like monkeys. When several installments of deputies have failed, Bill Sanders gets on the job himself. Bill not only knows how to juggle the 44 Colts, but he keeps gray matter in his skull. In going after Red Rube, he decides to rely on his brains instead of his hardware. He disguises himself as a tenderfoot, arms himself with a camera, and gets on Rube's trail. Things are warm and lively thereafter, but Sanders gets his man, and the honor of Alkali County is preserved.

Edith Gates, whose father runs the X.Y. Ranch, has a burning desire to become a newspaper woman, but it is not so easy to accomplish as she imagines. She is turned down by one editor after another, and finally is insulted in the office of the "Blade" by Jim Ford, who is one of the star assignment men. Jack Burton, a cub reporter, comes to Edith's assistance, and is discharged for his gallantry. Edith returns to her home, and Jack secures employment on the "Express," the deadly enemy of the "Blade," where he "makes good." A month later the "Limited" is held up and the bandits escape.

A short silent western produced by Gaston Mèliès in San Antonio.