Joseph Smith

The Ranchman's Rival is a silent Western

Have you ever heard of Dr. Wright's Wonderful Electric Insoles? "Guaranteed to cure anything the matter with the feet, rheumatism, corns, bunions, also a powerful vitality stimulant, makes you feel young and giddy and alarmingly lively," etc. etc.

Jack Tyler, a handsome young Boston youth, receives a letter from his attorneys, Post & Post, that his uncle, a Western ranchman, has died and that he is one of the heirs of the $1,000,000, left by his uncle. This part of it is very good but the condition prescribed in the will is not so agreeable, because the whimsical old uncle has stipulated that he is to receive his portion of the inheritance, providing he marry his uncle's niece.

A doddering old gentleman, out for his morning's constitutional, suffers an attack of epilepsy in front of a saloon in the country town. Pedestrians run to his rescue and the barkeeper of the saloon brings out a good jolt of whiskey to revive the stricken one. A tramp who has noted the accident, has also mentally noted the glass of whiskey, and being thirsty for a drink himself, he turns away, a brilliant scheme revolving in his mind. A few minutes later the tramp in passing another saloon is seen to fall and go into violent contortions. A crowd gathers and the saloonkeeper comes out with the dose of whiskey. "Weary" is delighted, and meeting an old tramp friend of his, puts him wise to the little game.

Jed Perkins, an old ranchman, has four handsome daughters, of whom he is very proud, but whom he guards with jealous care.

Will Talbot, a miner, is severely injured in an explosion of dynamite on his claim and his life is saved through the aid of his faithful Indian servant. The Indian carries him to their shack and rides to town for the doctor. When the latter arrives he finds that Talbot has not only suffered severe face burns, but seems to have also lost all knowledge of his identity, a species of insanity occasionally the result of a violent shock.

The story concerns Bill Dunham, a droll cow-puncher, who finds that home without a wife may have its advantages, "but durned few," and a good woman who can sew on buttons and make flapjacks is worth more than much silver and gold and the liberties of single blessedness.

Jim Thaw runs an isolated general store in California. He occupies a position as agent for the Great Eastern Express Company, which in the west is a day job. One day the stage drives up and deposits a money box with Thaw with instructions from the general manager of the Great Eastern that it is to be held with him over night, adding that he must keep a careful watch as it is reported that Buck Brady, an outlaw, has been seen skulking in the vicinity of Thaw's store.

"Snake" Williams, typical bad man, and a little group of cowboys are found loitering lazily about the Snakeville, Ariz. barroom, when the noon-day stage coach out of Phoenix rumbles around pike and deposits one lone passenger. Interest is immediately aroused and as the stage coach pulls out, Snake, the constant bully, sidles up to the newly arrived stranger to inquire the latter's business, explaining at the same time that although the town has no mayor or reception committee, he will be pleased to do the honors.

A humorous picture, depicting the experience of a pretty little woman doctor who goes to Arizona to practice her profession and whose presence so works upon the cowboys that they all require her aid almost instantly.

Herbert Mills, a young chap from the east, with his partner, Walter Daniels, an experienced miner, are about to set out on a prospecting trip through the mountains.

Arizona Pete, typical bad man, is the hero of the story.

The girl gives herself to one of the men to escape a worse fate, though she separates from another lover to do it. Later she discovers in a dramatic way that her lover was a poltroon and turns to her husband for protection.

The scene is laid in the West and presents a French count, in immaculate attire, suddenly dropped among the cowboys. Following an altercation he offers to fight a duel, but when the results of a scheme arranged by the cowboys to show his opponent killing duelists by wholesale are seen, he breaks away and barely succeeds in catching the stage on his way back to the effete East, while the cowboys make merry over their successful joke.

Tony Perez, a Mexican cowpuncher, is driven from the ranch where he is employed for some misdemeanor or other, and after vainly endeavoring to find work, tries the gate of Dan Farman's ranch, "The Mosquito," and applies for a job. His hard luck story rings true and old Dan, who is of a charitable turn, puts the Mexican to work.

Dan Warrington, an outlaw, is captured by the sheriff, after the former had held up a stagecoach, and is sent to jail. After the sheriff has placed his captive under guard he goes home and is welcomed by his little daughter, a child of five. Not long after the sheriff is notified of the escape of Warrington