Gaston Méliès

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'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.

The punchers of the XL outfit are wild with joy, 'cause Mary, the idol of the ranch, is comin' home from college. Billy James is Mary's special friend, and goes to bring her from the station, but, suffering snakes! Look what's traveling with her, his nobs, "Sir Percy Granville," who owns the nearby ranch. This gets Bill's goat for a time, but Mary rides and "ropes" with the punchers, and soon shows them she is the same genuine, good-hearted Mary, and doesn't care a whoop for Sir Percy. Sir Percy insists on sticking around, however, and shows his true nature by striking Mary's younger brother, Bobby, when he defends his sister from insult.

From force of habit, some might call him a "Greaser," true, he is a Mexicano; he is no more, a man of noble instinct and chivalrous nature. He falls in love with the American ranchman's daughter, and while she appreciates his sincerity, she does not return his affection for her. Tony not only loves, he respects her, and will not inflict his attentions upon her, and will not inflict his attentions upon her, neither seeking recognition nor reward.

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.

Margie, of the "Flying B" ranch, knew it was to run across a snake in the tall Texas grass, but she did not realize that there are people who, like snakes, conceal themselves until they are ready to sting. Consequently, when a sleek looking tenderfoot asked to become a boarder at the "Flying B" Margie favored him, though her father was suspicious. Margie is soon smitten with the stranger, much to the chagrin of Jack, the foreman, with whom Margie had previously been very friendly. Jack does not get ugly over the matter, but keeps his eyes open.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

It was April weather on Lloyd's ranch, but all was not sunshine. The mortgage was due, and while there were enough cattle to sell to pay it, they were woefully short of men to handle them. Finally Lloyd decided to entrust the job to his son, Hal, and detailed El Paso Pete, one of his trusted men, to accompany the boy to Waco. The cattle were rounded up and shipped. Hal sold them to advantage and collected the money and was on his way to settle the mortgage, when he ran into an adventure. Jim Dempsey, a rough gambler, was having an altercation with his daughter, Rose. A Texan will ever respond to the call of beauty in distress and, regardless of the relationship, Hal interfered and followed them to see it safely through. He was led to a dance hall and was surprised and somewhat disappointed to see that Rose was a dancer there, but discovered that her father forced her to thus earn her living.

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.

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

Robert Burton was an only son and his indulgent mother had spoiled him. Bob was not all bad, but he was woefully weak and could not stick long at any one task. Also he paid more attention to rolling cigarettes than he did to his work. One day he was discharged by the foreman of the crockery store where he worked and appeared at home disgusted and sullen. His mother tried to comfort him, but the boy was anxious to have his way and announced his intention of going west, where he thought there would be better opportunities for him.

The stage appeals very strongly to the child of temperamental nature and often it dreams of the glory and fame attending success. Little Alice is a child of this kind and although she is surrounded by the most meager, even poor circumstances she has a great desire to be an actress. Her mother, who takes in washing, sends the little girl to deliver a large basket of clothes. Struggling along the street she stops at the theater to look at a display of photographs of actors and actresses who are appearing there. She loses herself in reverie; while thus engaged the leading lady, whose picture particularly attracts the child's attention, arrives for rehearsal. She speaks to Alice, becomes interested in her and gives her two tickets for the afternoon performance. Pleased and delighted with the gifts she rushes home to her mother who takes the tickets from her, scolds and whips her for not attending to her errand.

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.

When our picture opens, Joe Flynn, a rider in the service of the government, has been shot from ambush by a masked man and is dying. Grouped at his bedside are his son Jack, a sturdy young man, the local doctor and the county sheriff. The old man dies and a week later we see Jack delivering the mail. The sheriff has inserted the description of the murderer in the Yuma Gulch Herald, and the country is being scoured to find him. Jack has a long and perilous ride between the two points of his route and is frequently beset with danger. Steve Benson, a desperado, who has killed old man Flynn, is living unhappily with his wife in hourly fear of having his crime discovered.

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.