Georges Méliès

Getting his laundry from the Chinaman, "Honest Jim" spruces himself up in preparation to make a call on "Bess," with whom he is in love. Calling at Circle Ranch, her home, he finds Jack Rance making overtures to her father for "Bess' " hand. She greets Jim pleasantly, but she dislikes Jack; there is something about him which is distasteful to her and when her father intercedes for him she leaves the porch and hurries into the house. She does not have to wait very long to see "Jim" and "Jack" in their true colors and make a choice between the two. The clergyman of the ranch settlement and the .surrounding country comes to the post office where a crowd of cowboys are gathered to receive their mail.

After graduating from an Indian school where he has acquired an education and schooling in the ways of the white man. Ta-wa-wa, a young Indian, returns to his native territory and far western home. On the way to the tribe's encampment he stops at Vail's ranch, meets Kawista, his boyhood sweetheart, who greets him cordially and with a frank admiration for his gentlemanly appearance. While they are exchanging greetings the postman enters and hands a letter to Mr. Vail from Col. Leigh, an Englishman, stating that he will visit the ranch with Lord Wyndham, an English lord who expresses a desire to see a real Indian powwow.

Three friends are playing cards in a beer garden. One of them orders drinks. The waitress comes back with a bottle of wine and three glasses on a tray. The man serves his friends. They clink glasses and drink. Then the man asks for a newspaper. He reads a funny story in it and the three friends burst out laughing while the waitress merely smiles.

He has fought his last fight and the prize-ring will know the old pugilist no more. Knocked out by an organic disease, he is in a bad way not only physically but financially. He has an interesting daughter, a bright boy and a good wife who are well thought of by the people of the neighborhood in which they live, among whom is a young minister. The doctor who attends the old boxer sees that nothing but a complete change to some warmer climate will benefit the patient and also recognizes that under the circumstances the change would be impossible unless someone comes to his assistance with the necessary money to defray the expense. The physician writes a note to the young clergyman telling him of his diagnosis of the case and his conclusions. The young divine hastens to see the sick man.

It is a beautiful morning in Indian Summer, and White Doe is out in her birch bark canoe, engaged in a fishing expedition for food. She paddles home under the overhanging trees and vines, lights the small fire in front of her tepee and cooks her primitive breakfast. The air is bracing, the birds are singing, life is free and good. Also White Doe is happy for she had caught a gleam of admiration in the eyes of a stalwart cowboy, when she visited a ranch a few days before with her offering of plaited baskets and the famous blankets of her Navajo tribe. She begins her work of basket weaving, dreaming the love dreams of her people and her heart singing with coquetry and the happiness of conquest, for she is also loved by a brave of her tribe, a wealthy son of a chief with a hundred horses.

Cyclone Pete, the Terror of the Plains, is feared alike by red men, yellow men and white man, but in an evil moment he advertises for a wife, and gets one with an amiable exterior but an iron will. The Terror of the Plains tries to tame his bride, but the glaring eye which strikes terror into every male heart simply amuses the new wife, and the things she does to that poor, innocent, helpless 'terror of the plains' are really a shame. Eventually they part company, and Pete becomes a highwayman and holds up a stage coach. He strips all the male passengers of their valuables. The last passenger is a woman. She will not give up a cent, and when the 'terror' insists, the heroine suddenly knocks 'him where he lives,' tears off his mask, and husband and wife are face to face. Then she leads Pete home by the ear, and finally turns him into a decent citizen.

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.

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.

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.

"A senorita. With whom two young matadors, Jose and Pepe, are in love, tries in keep both on the string. She lends each to believe that he is the chosen one, creating a strong jealousy between them. Pepe calls to see the girl and she receives him with a show of great affection and preferment. While they are courting, a caballero, friendly to the other lover, Jose, tells him of the girl's duplicity. In a rage he goes to his inamorata and, demanding an explanation, accuses her of harboring his rival in the house. She cajoles him, and playfully stealing his dagger from him without his knowing it, endeavors to hold his attention by caresses as Pepe tries to make his escape. Unfortunately he is seen and pursued by the enraged Jose, who, coming up with him as he seeks the protection of a priest busy pruning trees in the grounds of the monastery, engages in a terrible struggle in which the priest Is powerless to interfere." - Moving Picture World synopsis excerpt

Padre Dominguis, the village priest of a quiet little spot in old Mexico, has been on a visit to the daughter of his dead sister and is about to return to his charges. He is much surprised and more than a little pleased to find that his niece is in love with John Brown, a progressive American, who has settled among them, for the Padre is a broad-minded man and knows that Mexico needs the influx of American energy to make her a great country.

John Stuart, a young business man of the east, comes to San Antonio to locate for the good of his health. While walking about the city he sees an old padre, or priest, fall from sunstroke. Young Stuart runs to his assistance. At the same time, Marion, a young heiress, is passing in her automobile and stops to lend aid to the stricken man. They lift him into the auto and young Stuart is invited to ride with them to the Mission, where the priest lives. Thus an acquaintance is formed which ripens into an engagement between Marion and John Stuart.

The West Texas Borax Company is practically insolvent. John Graham, the president, has been unable to find the white mineral in sufficient quantities to satisfy the eastern stockholders, and a letter from his partner arrives which brings the disagreeable news that their backers are about to back out, unless, in the language of Missouri, they "are shown" something. Graham is in a quandary, and appeals to his stenographer for advice. That young woman has had so little to do in, the office that she is overcome with surprise and confusion. The postman enters and hands Graham a letter and a package. Listlessly the president opens them, but his manner changes and he leaps to his feet with a whoop of joy. There is a chance of saving the company.

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.

This is a sentimental little story of Mr. J. Booth Walker, a stranded thespian of the "legitimate drama." who has been touring the west with a company presenting "Othello." The company has yielded to the stress of bad business and has closed, while Mr. Walker, finding no easier way to return to Chicago, is counting the ties along the railroad. He comes to a small station, where several half intoxicated cowboys are assembled, and the idea comes to one of them that Mr. Walker be made to do a "stunt." They fire at his feet until he dances, but he is so adept at the graceful art of Terpsichore, that they soon watch him in admiration, and reward him with liberal applause.

"Business is on the Fritz," nothing to do but complain and everything seems to be going to the "demnition bow-wows." "If things get much worse I'll close up," says the restaurateur to his waiter. "And I'll give up me job," says the waiter, "if I can't get any money out of the place." What's that? It's a "joy wagon" with a crowd of tourists: they're headed for the restaurant. Immediately the proprietor and the waiter hurriedly get a move on and hustle our to receive the guests who are soon conducted into the dining-room, served, dined and wined with alacrity that is almost magical. The host and his waiter are all smiles and are astonished as well as pleased at the liberal way in which their customers order everything and anything.

In happy mood, a rollicking, good-natured party of "Jack Tars" on shore leave are out for a good time, and get themselves well under way in song and general good cheer by visiting the only place of merchandise and refreshment which the little seacoast town affords. Under full sail they are steering their way through the streets of the village, running foul of trees and posts, bowing in humble apology for their seeming rudeness and disturbance. They have apparently lost their "sea legs" and are a little bit unsteady in the joints, but merrily they roll along until they come to a swinging bridge crossing the river. Here is where they strike rough weather.

"Swift Arrow, a lithe and willowy Indian, leaving the encampment of his fellow braves, is well on his journey when he is thrown from his horse and receives a broken leg and injuries from which he is disabled and lies helpless and alone." -Moving Picture World Synopsis excerpt

The saying, "If you want to catch a bird put salt on its tail," is a pleasantry of such long standing it is familiar to every man, woman and child in existence. It furnishes a theme for this well-drawn and lively drama of home life, a tramp's gratitude and the cordiality of the little child who loses through an accident the canary bird which was given her by her father. A tramp calls at the child's home for a "hand out." The mother gives him something to eat, the child provides him with a loaf of bread and sends him on his way rejoicing. Shortly after the tramp has taken his departure the little girl tries to hang the cage with the bird in it on a nail on the porch. The cage falls to the ground and the bird escapes. Her mother is provoked and reprimands her for her carelessness.

Braggs, the young western settler, comes into view leading his broncho while he leads his little child on the horse's back. Placing the child on the ground and watering the pony, he takes his knife from his pocket to make an extra hole in the saddle strap. The knife slips and penetrates his wrist, severing an artery. His wife comes to his assistance, makes a tourniquet with strips of her apron, jumps on the broncho's back, bids her husband to care for the child and keep up courage while she rides to town for the doctor.