Author Archive: Retro

Don Gomez writes a letter to the parents of Zelda, a young Spanish girl, regretting his inability to pay them a visit, but sends his son, Jose, instead. Jose arrives and is immediately smitten by the charms of Zelda. Zelda indulges in a little flirtation. Her mother inaugurates a system of espionage that is very inconvenient for the lovers. They are surprised by the duenna-like mother and are driven to desperation. Zelda has a girlfriend about her age who resembles her and is attired to represent a clever counterpart of Zelda. The mother walks in the garden accompanied by Zelda. Seating herself on a bench, she commands the girl to repose beside her. Finding the vigil rather tiresome, the elder woman lapses into a state of drowsiness, and the companions of Zelda beckon her to join them. So clever is the disguise of Rosa that Jose is deceived and he kisses her. The father of [...]

A gang of thieves lure a man out of his home so that they can rob it and threaten his wife and children. The family barricade themselves in an interior room, but the criminals are well-equipped for breaking in. When the father finds out what is happening, he must race against time to get back home.

Dreary indeed is the aspect of the little mining camp, deserted by all but four survivors of the terrors of this desert land. The graves in the background vividly tell a story of privation and suffering. The little party comprises a miner, his wife and her sister, and a young woman, who is the sole survivor of another family nearby. Death is inevitable should they stay longer, and so the four start their race with death to the desert’s rim. At their first resting place, the wife and her sister go in search of water to replenish their supply. Left alone with the girl, the husband, in a vagary of weakness, makes advances to her. This is seen by the wife from a distance, and in the struggle which ensues, the man, who is a physical wreck, pays the penalty with his life. As the wife and sister stand over the lonely grave, they, wrongly [...]

The young village minister was not quite as discreet as he might have been in fulfilling the strange trust left by the dying mother, but it certainly worked for the common good. By the bequest the mother desired that her daughter possess some of the finery previously denied her. As a result the minister and Mary were linked in a scandal, with the church board in judgment. Gossip received the laugh, however, as it generally does, while the minister assumed a trust quite unexpected.

Ramona is a little orphan of the great Spanish household of Moreno. Alessandro, the Indian, arrives at the Camulos ranch with his sheep-shearers, showing his first meeting with Ramona. There is at once a feeling of interest noticeable between them which ripens into love. This Senora Moreno, her foster mother, endeavors to crush, with poor success, until she forces a separation by exiling Alessandro from the ranch. He goes back to his native village to find the white men devastating the place and scattering his people. The Senora, meanwhile, has told Ramona that she herself has Indian blood, which induces her to renounce her present world and go to Alessandro. They are married and he finds still a little shelter left from the wreckage. Here they live until the whites again appear and drive them off, claiming the land. From place to place they journey, only to be driven further until finally death comes to [...]

In the little Italian city of Cremona there dwelt Taddeo Ferrari, a violin maker and student of Andrea Amati, the most famous of the craft. Ferrari’s pretty daughter, Giannina, was beloved by one of his apprentices, Sandro. Filippo, a crippled youth and the best violin maker in Cremona, also loved the girl with a pure, holy affection that is more spiritual than material, but realizing his unattractiveness through his deformity, suffers his hopelessness with resignation. Yearly there is a prize of a precious chain of gold awarded to the maker of the best violin, and all the apprentices strive to win it. On this occasion, however, the hand of Giannina is to be bestowed upon the most proficient craftsman, and this induces the young men to make extra efforts to win. Sandro fully appreciates the rare talent of Filippo and feels sure his wonderful skill will win his sweetheart from him. Crushed and despairing he [...]

Edward Jackson brings Polly Riblett to his mother for her blessing, who takes the girl in her arms. The lovers walk away to plan for the future and the venerable woman is lost in thought; her mind reverts to her youth, which is very interesting, and constitutes the greater part of this drama. Mrs. Jackson awakens from her reverie, saddened by the memories. Her face is tear-stained and her body convulsed with sobs. Edward and Polly approach and she turns to them joyfully. She again takes the young girl in her arms and clings to her, admonishing Edward to cherish and protect her. Edward is embraced and extolled as a dutiful son. The young people receive the blessings of the parent.

Mrs. Jones with effusive enthusiasm felt that Eddie dear would appreciate her endeavors to prepare for him a batch of biscuits. That she followed the rules and directions set down in her text books is not questioned, but one bite from the lead-like disks was enough, and getting the dear little creature from the table by subterfuge he throws a full dozen of them through the window, pretending to have eaten them upon her return. Of course she is delighted at his apparent appreciation and when he has departed for the office she puts up a package of them and takes them there, placing them on his desk. Jones is not present at the time, he being in the adjoining room in the throes of indigestion. Visitors to his office, he being a theatrical agent and they hungry actors, espy the inviting looking dough boulders and partake greedily. In a short time the assemblage is [...]