The Solax Years
1910
A CHILD'S SACRIFICE
A very naturally told story of an eight-year-old daughter of a workman who is on strike. The mother falls sick and has no money in the house to buy medicine prescribed by the visiting doctor. The little girl, discovering this, starts out to sell her doll, and by a strange coincidence meets the owner of the factory where her father is on strike. She finally sells the doll to a storekeeper, but the employer, seeing her sad face and winsome way, immediately purchases the doll and returns it to her. The closing scenes of the strike and the intervention of the little girl preventing bloodshed bring about a happy sequel to a pathetic story.
THE SERGEANT'S DAUGHTER
A strong picture dealing with the Philippines, the army and the Navy. A romance of two continents, beautifully told with the aid of the famous Solax photography. The opening scene of thousands of troops on a man-of-war makes for the success of this wonderful film. The romance begins between an officer of the Army and a Philippine girl. The scene changes quickly to the United States. The return of the officer to the Philippines affects this result: that the Philippine sweetheart of the officer and his American sweetheart are brought face to face in a wonderful climax.
A FATEFUL GIFT
Tom Harding, after a long siege of enforced idleness and with his family in want, meets Jack Willing, a wealthy Westerner, who, very lavish with his money, hands over to Tom a crisp one hundred dollar bill for a small favor received. What can a poor man, a man on the brink of starvation, do with so much money? Tom is completely flabbergasted for the moment, but he soon recovers his scattered wits and starts to get the bill changed. He tries various places in vain and is finally driven to a saloon, where he is given change for five dollars instead of the hundred. Tom loudly demands the other ninety-five dollars; but to no avail. To cap the climax, he is handed over to the police and a charge of robbery made against him. As appearances are against him, Tom is tried, found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment. Sometime later, Tom's little girl is accidentally struck by Jack Willing's automobile and is seriously hurt. As the child's life is despaired of, friends obtain a permit for the father to visit his home accompanied by two sheriffs. On meeting Jack Willing, the distracted man accuses him of being the cause of all his troubles. Jack explains the situation, gains Tom's freedom and more than makes up for the sufferings he has unwittingly brought upon Tom and his family.
A WIDOW AND HER CHILD
When a man dies and leaves behind a handsome and charming widow, trouble is sure to come, and when there happens to be a child in the case, there is a completion of troubles. Mrs. Belle the widow is being ardently wooed by two men and each swears to win her at any cost. They both go about it in different ways. Arthur Willis seeing the widow favors his rival's suit, and firmly convinced of the old adage (all's fair in love and war) kidnaps the child and secretes it in an old farmhouse. Mrs. Bell is in despair, and all her pleadings are in vain. She finally consents to marry the abductor, so that she may obtain her little darling. John Winn, his love dream shattered, almost goes mad, and unable to fight against fate, he wanders in the country. Dame Fortune, however, comes to his rescue, for in his aimless roamings he comes across the old farmhouse and the kidnapped child. He acts quickly, takes the child and restores it to its mother just in time to prevent her wedding to Arthur Willis. John Winn is indeed a winner, for he wins the widow's hand and the happiness he has craved for.
HER FATHER'S SIN
Harold Crosby, a man about town, awakes one morning from a drunken stupor to find his little girl calling and tugging at his arm. Unable to arouse him, the child in alarm, runs into the street. Gradually coming to his senses, Harold is vaguely alarmed and puzzled to find a revolver by his hand on the table. Looking across the room, he sees his wife, as he supposes, asleep on a couch. Going over to her, he endeavors to awaken her and discovers that she is dead. The horrible truth dawns upon him-he has killed her-probably in a drunken quarrel of which he has no recollection. Realizing his danger, he starts to flee, but is met by two officers whom Helen, his little girl, has brought back with her.
Two years later, we find Helen an inmate of an orphanage. One day Mrs. Magrue, wife of a wealthy banker, whose union has been childless, comes to the asylum with a view to adopting a child to take into her home. She finds Helen crying. The other children will not play with her. They have learned of her father's sin and will have nothing to do with the child of a man who murdered his own wife. Ignorant as to why the children have hurt the little girl's feelings, attracted by her beauty and charm, Mrs. Magrue selects Helen. Six years later, we find her happy with her friends and adopted parents when one fatal day, Mr. Magrue brings to his house a friend of his - Inspector of Police Berg. Inspector Berg immediately recognizes Helen as the child whom he took from the murdered woman's apartments so long ago. Surprised to find her as a member of the Magrue household, and attracted by her beauty, the Inspector feels that he is safe in taking an unfair advantage of his knowledge to insult Helen. She, however, resents his advances and smacks him in the face, and in a rage he retaliates by telling her foster parents of her parentage. They feel obliged to let her go, and Helen finds herself once more friendless and adrift, - "the sins of the father" visited upon her.
She meets John Noble, pastor of the church she has occasionally attended, and upon his urgent request tells him her story. He immediately offers her a home with his sister and himself, and Helen, grateful and happy, feels that she is once again at home. Grace Noble, the pastor's sister, takes Nellie (sic) to the sewing society of the church, where she is introduced to the sisters.
Going one day to the church where the sisters are preparing to decorate the pastor's study, they are seen by Inspector Berg, who still smarting under his repulse by Helen and desiring to get even, follows them into the pastor's study where he denounces Helen, telling again the "sins of her father." His insulting manner is so personal that Pastor Noble knocks him down. Helen interferes knowing that her beloved pastor will probably get into trouble on her account, admits the truth of Berg's story and leaves the church, never to return.
John Noble will not have it so, however. He follows Helen and insists that she return to his home with him. Later, they are visited by a delegation of the church "sisters" who demand that the pastor turn Helen out. He refuses and resigns his pastorate. Helen realizing that her presence is a source of trouble to her benefactor determines to go without his knowledge. He detects her, however, as she is leaving, compels her to stay, declares his love for her, and finally, Helen finds a safe and sure haven of refuge in his arms-"The world forgotten and by the world forgot."
WHAT IS TO BE WILL BE
The fisher-folk of Douglastown, a small Massachusetts village, have a fête in honor of the departure of Jack Martin, who is going on a long cruise. Conspicuous among the dancers is Molly Newell, the village beauty, and as the dance progresses it requires no seer to discover that Jack is madly in love with Molly and that his attentions are by no means unwelcome. Stanley, a rough, big-hearted fellow, tries to escort Molly home, but she has already promised Jack and the two gaily leave while the boys and girls laugh at Stanley. On their way home, Jack gives Molly a photograph of himself and they plight their troth. At the quay the next day, Molly takes leave of her lover and sobbingly waves him a fond goodbye. For several months no news of the "Marion H." upon which Jack has sailed, is heard; but at last sad tidings of the complete loss of the good old ship comes to the village. Stanley tries to keep the truth from Molly, but she suspects the worst, reads the notice of the disaster and is struck dumb with sorrow.
Things go badly at Molly's home, and finally she, her father and mother are reduced to the point of starvation. Stanley, becoming aware of their poverty, offers to marry Molly and gladly take care of her folks. She gently refuses, saying that her heart is buried beneath the sea with her sailor lover. Despite this Stanley is willing to take her; and urged by her mother, Molly finally accepts.
After a lapse of two years, we find Molly, the doting mother of a handsome boy whom she loves devotedly. She however, cannot forget her old sweetheart; and she sits by the cradle of her little one, and a vision opens to her: she sees herself and Jack as they wandered through the shady lanes some years ago. Her happy smile suddenly changes to horror as the vision is replaced by the dead figure of her old lover, washed ashore on the rocks. This gradually fades until the cry of "Molly!" causes her to turn around and she beholds Jack standing in the doorway with outstretched arms. Thinking it a part of the vision, Molly draws away, but as Jack advances she touches him and finds that he is real flesh and blood. Unconsciously, she falls into his arms but on remembering that she is the wife of another, she struggles to free herself.
Jack's gaze falls on the baby and he realizes the situation. He upbraids her, but she quickly explains the circumstances and he forgives her. Though tempted to fly with each other,...
