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- Documentary short subject depicting the life of the American writer and poet John Greenleaf Whittier. The film is the first in the "Great American Authors" series from Kineto.
- This documentary short film from the Great American Authors series depicts events in the life of Samuel L. Clemens, the famed American author best known as Mark Twain. The film also contains a dramatization of Twain's story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County."
- We see Hawthorne's birthplace, in Salem, and then the Salem Customs House where the discovery of some old records inspired Hawthorne to write "The Scarlet Letter." Among other landmarks of Salem is its pride, the House of Seven Gables - the original of Hawthorne's best known work. And here, in a most skillfully managed transition, with the words, "Even in this day it is not difficult to imagine Phoebe Pyncheon . . .," we see re-created the characters of the story, moving among familiar surroundings. There are Aunt Hepzibah who opened her little shop in the House of Seven Gables, and the half-demented Clifford, and Jaffrey Pyncheon, the wicked judge. Quite as naturally as though it were the outcome to be expected from the judge's morning call at the shop, there follows the "big scene" of the story- after which poor Clifford, standing over the limp body of the judge, exclaims: "Let him be quiet What can he do better? As for us, Hepzibah, we can dance now. We can sing, laugh, play, do what we will - the weight is gone, Hepzibah!"
- The young man, Roberts, loses his father to a watery death following business failure owing to the treachery of a banker animated by a stated but unexplained grudge. Roberts drops out of sight entirely for the whole of the second part, as the ship on which he is sailing to South Africa is lost, and as reported with all on board, it is fair to assume he has met death until we recognize him in the group at the Cape. The wife back home reads of the disaster and the shock kills her; the baby is adopted by a neighbor. The beginning of the second reel marks the introduction of new characters by reason of a lapse of twenty years. The Roberts infant is now a grown girl, and employed as a dancer. The son of the unscrupulous banker falls in love with the dancer, but owing to the objection by the older Martin the girl decides to refuse a bribe to leave town; she goes anyway. Singularly enough, she sails for the very part of the world where her father is. On the same steamer is a woman, a sort of adventuress, commissioned by Martin to report on the situation at the new gold fields. There are many adventures before Roberts, who for some reason has changed his name to Treberson, now rehabilitated in fortune, goes back to Europe to get his revenge on the man who ruined him. .As a matter of fact, he does no such thing, as the requited love of his daughter for the son of the banker intervenes and all ends happily.
- A documentary on the effects of raging weather.
- A woman persuades a workman to kill her rich uncle.
- A stupid, good-natured and wealthy young man on a weekend visit to the family of his fiancée. He is popular in spite of his absent-mindedness and mishaps, but he gets into a predicament by retiring early in the wrong bedroom, that of a young society vamp.
- An exhibition of babies from around the world.
- Sir Francis Drake's first meeting with the beautiful Elizabeth Syderham takes place outside the gates of the city, on his triumphant return from a foreign expedition. Determined to win her, he forces an entrance to the grounds of the rambling old home of his heart's desire and follows her to a quiet, secluded spot. She does not favor Drake's impetuosity at first, but, relenting, gives him a full red rose as a token of her regard. Another aspirant for Elizabeth's hand is Sir John Doughty. He, a friend of long standing to Elizabeth's father, says he will brook no interference from a "common sailor." Doughty comes to woo Elizabeth, but meets with scant encouragement. Thus embittered, he plans to rid himself of his rival by foul means. Obtaining assistance .from roughnecks, he instructs them to lie in wait and assassinate Drake. Meanwhile the latter is summoned upon a special mission by Queen Elizabeth, and he persuades his beloved to secretly wed him before he sails. Everything is arranged. Elizabeth, faithful to her tryst, steals away from her home under the protection of her bold lover. Their footsteps are dogged by Doughty, however, who, at a quiet spot near the quay, signals to his band of assassins and with drawn swords they attack the "common sailor." A sharp, exciting fight ensues. Drake clashes steel with his would-be murderers, one of whom soon falls before his trusty sword. A cowardly and one-sided battle ensues, but eventually Drake wounds another one of his assailants. Mad with rage at this unexpected reverse, Doughty lunges furiously at his hated rival and succeeds in disarming him. Quick as a flash, Drake bodily picks up the wounded and helpless assassin and wards off the onslaught of the other two. Seizing his only opportunity, with mighty strength, he hurls the limp form at Doughty, who, panic-stricken at meeting such brave and stout resistance, flees for his life. Drake's ship is reached at last and a picturesque scene is shown of the wedding on board. The ceremony over, Elizabeth returns to her home, unknown to her father, a bride. On the day of departure. Queen Elizabeth inspects Captain Drake's ship and, to wish him God speed, presents him with a sword, saying. "Take the sword, Master Drake, and we do account that he that striketh at thee, striketh at us." He departs. Time passes. Sir John Doughty is insistent in his advances. Elizabeth's father favors his suit, intercepting a letter from Drake to his bride, he descends to further depths of villainy by forging a letter conveying false news, that the venturesome seaman has been killed in a hard encounter on the high seas. Heartbroken by the news, Elizabeth cares not what becomes of her and under pressure from her father at last consents to marry Doughty. The wedding eve approaches, but Drake unexpectedly returns victorious and triumphant and is greeted by the populace with unbounded enthusiasm. Calls of love and loyalty force him to realize that his first duty is to his queen, at whose command he proceeds, with yearning heart, to the Royal Palace. Soon, with pomp and splendor, the magic words are spoken, "Arise, Sir Francis Drake." His honors thick upon him, he can think only of his loved one, and he rushes off to seek her, who, unknown to him, is, with ever deepening despair, preparing for the wedding with Sir John Doughty. Breathless, but happy, he arrives just on time to find the fair Elizabeth about to sacrifice her youth and beauty at her father's behest. Thwarted and humiliated. Sir John is forced to see the all-conquering Drake claim his well-won bride and placate her father before beating a hasty departure.
- An escaped convict's dying confession clears a clerk convicted for stabbing a banker.
- "The Courtin' " from the Bigelow Papers is acted out. Scenes descriptive of another of his poems, "The First Snowfall," are more successful in interpreting the lines. But here the young poet himself is brought into the story himself.