Author Archive: Retro

The prospector had taught the Indian boy the doctrine of peace. When his tribe resisted the attack of another tribe the boy did not take part. The din of the battle, as the horsemen circled them again and again, the moans of men caught under falling horses struck terror in the boy’s heart The incensed warriors cast him from the tribe with the brand of a coward. It was then that his opportunity came to follow the white man’s wonderful doctrine. “Big love man lay down life for friend,”

Princess Angela’s father, the King, had been so indiscreet as to select for her a husband in the person of a Prince of the neighboring domain, which alliance the King ardently wished, as it meant relief in his present impecuniosity. Well, it was the old story, the arrangement was, of course, repugnant, inasmuch as she desires to make her own choice, hence she will not even deign to look at the Prince, and no amount of persuasion or threats will induce her to change her mien. The condition is most discouraging to the King, whose affairs would have been immeasurably improved by the match. The Cardinal, however, understanding the whims and foibles of womankind, hits upon a scheme to bring about a successful issue in spite of the Princess’ stubbornness. He induces the Prince, with the aid of his barber, to change his facial appearance, although it was hardly necessary, as the Princess had not [...]

Boss Tim Crogan starts out to perforate the person of one cartoonist “Peters.” who had grossly insulted him by drawing and publishing what he considered scurrilous cartoons of him during the campaign. These caricatures have been growing more and more odious to him until his suppressed rage bursts forth and he seizes a pistol and makes his way to the newspaper office to transform the aforesaid cartoonist into a human sieve, with the gentle hut decisive percolation of bullets, but, as Hamlet says, “enterprises of great pith and moment their currents turn awry, and lose the name of action.” So it was with Crogan, who rushes, gun in hand, into the editorial sanctum of the “Daily Bugle.” throwing the editor and reporters into a tumultuous panic, in his search for the offending “Peters.” Reaching the art department, he espies a screen with a placard reading “Peters’ Corner.” With an invective he hurls the screen aside, [...]

The young father starts with his company of Union soldiers for the front, bidding his wife and two children a tearful adieu. A few days later a foraging party of Confederates are surprised and scattered by the Union forces. One of their number is driven in the direction of the home of the young father. Reaching the well, he finds the child of the Union soldier in the act of drawing a bucket of water. The Confederate begs her to shield him, and despite her prejudice she hides him in the well, stands guard and throws his pursuers off the trail when they arrive. The Confederate is truly grateful and would kiss the child, but this she will not allow, pointing to his uniform. She feels she has done her humane duty, and so orders him to go, and thus he is enabled to rejoin his comrades. At the Union headquarters the young father is [...]

A wealthy, callous moneylender finds a terrifying way to learn about money’s limitations.

Two girls and their brother live at the little homestead left them by their late father. The brother, having disposed of a portion of the small estate, comes home with the money to show it to his sisters, telling them that they may now enjoy a few of the luxuries of life. As it would be after banking hours before he could get to the village, he places the money in the safe and returns to his office, some distance away. He has hardly departed when the maid, a slattern individual, who has seen him put the money in the safe, attempts to get it. Failing to work the combination, she calls up an erstwhile friend requesting him to come and help her. While these two work, the sisters are locked in the sitting-room, terrorized in a most unique way. The brother, however, arrives after a series of tantalizing delays and apprehends the criminals just [...]

Antonine, a worthless, good-for-nothing scoundrel, demands money of his cousin Galora, an energetic, provident husband and father. His demands are met with a positive rebuff, and when he becomes insistent be is forcibly ejected by Galora. As he leaves the tenement he vows to get even, and lies in wait until Galora has gone out on business. Climbing to the fifth floor, on which the Galoras live, he watches his chance, which comes when Mrs. Galora goes for an instant to visit a neighbor on the same floor. Darting into the apartment and raising the window he perceives the awful result of a drop to the ground, five stories below, and so evolves a plan that is dastardly in the extreme. Taking the infant child from the cradle, and placing it in a basket he lets it out with a short rope, the end of which he secures by letting the sash down on it, [...]