G. Méliès

Mary is only the assistant housekeeper of the ranch, but she has a heart as big and faithful as a queen's. Bob, who has been turned from home by his uncle because he has his own notions of marriage, comes to the ranch and Mary falls in love with him. Bill Rank, the foreman, contrives to ruin Bob's good name and make him "do time." Mary is faithful to Bob and makes a big sacrifice to help him in his trouble. Times are dark for a while, but Fate works things out at last. Bill Rank is hurt in a runaway, and, looking death to the face, he confesses the truth. Bob's good name is restored, he marries Mary, and, to cap the climax, he falls heir to a fortune.

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

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.

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.

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.

Nellie and her father are from Boston, but every winter they visit San Antonio for the old man's rheumatism. Nellie is very fond of ranch life and it is her custom to spend part of the time at the Bar X, which is close by, while her father is undergoing all the delights of being "Boiled out" in the sulfur baths. Nellie meets all "the boys" and is particularly impressed with Jim Edwards, who constitutes himself her guide at the ranch. One day a horse runs away with her, and Jim neatly ropes it and thereby saves her life and wins her love.

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.

The cowboys and gamblers of Curzon are very much interested in a placard which appears one day in the saloon, giving the information that the Rev. A.B. Cole is due to arrive from Glue Gulch, and that services will be held in the schoolhouse. The cowboys plan to give the preacher a warm reception, but are surprised and chagrined when the new minister turns out to be a pretty woman. The immediately apologize and agree that religion must be a good thing if taught by such a charming woman. The attendance at the schoolhouse is large, and the barroom is almost deserted. The bartender is in despair and is on the point of closing out his business. He is urged against this, however, by one steady patron, Joe Lane, who tries his best to bring the deserters back into camp.

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.

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.

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.

"I do hate learnin', but oh! you schoolmarm!" is what the boys at the gulch said when Mary came to town; and, from "Big Bill" down to Hop Lee, the Chink, they all took to study, and to courtship. The rivalry is friendly until the new foreman blows in and takes the inside track, then "Big Bill" gets jealous. At the swell (?) reception the foreman cuts Bill out and Bill decides to "lay for him." The foreman soon discharged a greaser who later robs the paymaster and contrives to fix the blame on the foreman.

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

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.

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.

John Burton, a railroad clerk from the east, was spending his vacation hunting in the wild lands about John Walsh's shack. One morning, as he was eagerly following a large hawk, which he had already wounded, he lost his balance on the edge of a cliff and plunged down to the stony ground below. His cries for help attracted Walsh's attention and he was taken to the latter's cabin, where he was tenderly cared for by Walsh and his wife, until he was able to return to his duties in the east. Walsh's wife was the apple of his eye, but, like most things that we love, she did not last, and twenty years later we find him a broken old man, living in the days that are gone.

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.

Bob Ford, a young college graduate and a man-about-town, self-willed and wild, who tries his father's patience and generosity by going the limit, is called to a sudden halt by the old gentleman and sent out west with his valet to work on Jones' ranch in Texas and prove to his father that he is not a hopeless renegade. Bob arrives in Texas with his valet, whom he tells to take his place and pretend that he is Bob while he, Bob, will pretend to be the valet. Mr. Jones has a very pretty daughter, Flora, for whom her father feels some anxiety about coming in contact with a young city fellow, college bred like Bob, fearing that she will fall in love with him.

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

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.