Old Shoes

An Orphan’s Cry

A Russian peasant girl becomes a member of the Imperial Ballet.

Consists of two parts: Part One: The Life of John Bunyon (2 reels); Part Two: The Pilgrim's Progress (3 reels).

A usurer cancels a woman's debt in return for wresting a financial secret from a minister's wife.

Mr. Carlson of Arizona comes to New York where he is summarily swindled out of his funds and deserted by all his new “friends.” An anonymous friend out West learning of his plight offers him a position as engineer in a construction camp. After a few more travails he discovers his patron is Agnes, the girl he has come to love, and they are united in wedlock.

Miles Machree (J. Warren Kerrigan) meets Irish-American Sheila Lynch (Fritzi Brunette) when she travels through Ireland with her father (James O. Barrows). Soon after the Lynch's return to the States, Miles follows, and through his uncle's connections, gets a job on the New York City police force.

After Jeanette becomes the mistress of the ambitious Jean du Barry, he marries her off to one of his cousins so that she has an entre to the royal court. She soon becomes the favorite of the King and Jean du Barry becomes a regular around the court too. But all this is disturbed when Madame du Barry falls for Conte Brissac of the King's Guard. Jean du Barry's attempts to expose her affair only get him banished from the court.

Upon striking oil on his farm, Silas T. Pettingill (Charles Eldridge) moves to Park Avenue at the behest of his social-climbing wife Maria (Kate Blancke) and daughter Helen (Emmy Wehlen). But like Jiggs in the comic strip, Pettingill never loses his common touch, and one evening he goes out on a toot with his new chauffeur Hubert Stanwood (Paul Gordon).

A shell-shocked black soldier is cared for by a miner and his daughter when he wanders into their camp, and makes a fresh start in life with the aid of the American Legion.

A doctor who believes that only the immoral catch syphilis reconsiders his stance.

A painter with syphilis infects his brother's wife and the child born of their affair.

Richard loves Helen, but her snobby mother looks down on him because his father made his money as a soap manufacturer. She arranges a trip abroad for Helen, but Helen arranges to meet Richard and have him drive her to the station. Richard’s aunt gives him his mother's wedding ring as a talisman and en route to the train a traffic backup occurs resulting in Helen missing the train and Richard winning her hand. Auntie claims that the ring is responsible; father only smiles knowing he paid one of his men to bribe streetcar motormen, truckmen, and taxicab drivers to bring about the traffic tie-up.

Rene, condemned to execution for murder in the first degree tells his mother the story of the crime. His sister had been lured from home and abandoned by the villain. Desolate at first after some time she married a man who became governor but when the villain shows up again and threatens her happiness Rene kills him.

When the infant Betty Emerson’s father is killed in an accident it drives her mother mad leading to her commitment to an asylum. Betty is sent to an orphanage where after a year’s time wealthy widow, Mrs. Blake, chooses to adopt her. A decade later when a fully recovered Mrs. Emerson is discharged, she begins a search for Betty, leading her to Mrs. Blake’s door. While the two women argue over her Betty enters. Both women plead with her, one to return and the other to stay. Betty offers the solution by staying with both.

Helen Embert, the lodge keeper’s daughter on the estate of wealthy widow Mrs. Melvina Jenkins is in love Bert Harrison. When by happenstance Bert saves Mrs. Jenkins and her daughter Mary from an accident he is instantly smitten with Mary. Feeling rejected, Helen pines away, expiring soon after. Helen’s mother, consumed with revenge, sets her sights on extracting it upon Mary but is prevented from harming her in the nick of time.

Upon his death Jerry Livingstone, a wealthy convict, leaves his son Henry the sole heir of a considerable fortune with the provision of a larger additional sum if he marries Jerry's ward, Winifred Gale. Upon hearing this, Winifred writes to the young Livingstone that she will not participate in a marriage of convenience.

Young millionaire Turner Brooks is engaged to marry the poor but sweet Dora Carton however the maliciously rapacious Emma DeWolf wants to snag him for his money. Both before and after their marriage Emma tries every means to poison his mind against Dora but ultimately fails.

Draw back your skirts, oh maiden pure and fair, lest they perchance may touch her garments as she passes. Shun her as you would a vile reptile or a fell disease that pollutes the air. Give her no word or look that would bespeak the sympathy of humanity. Put forth a willing hand to clasp His, the hand that led her to destruction and disgrace. Shower upon him the smiles, the same tender graces and the same love that she saw fit to honor him with. Pass her, oh maiden, with a pure proud face, if she puts out a poor polluted palm. Ignore in silent contempt the piteous specimen of womanhood as she passes, beseeching one little token of womanly recognition. But, lay your hand in his on bridal day, the man who brought her there, and swear to cling to him. Stone the woman; let the man go free?

Prosperous architect David Hunter, lives with his wife Evelyn, who loves gambling and admiration, as well as his small daughter Dora, and his sister-in-law Ruth. When Evelyn tells her husband she owes $10,000 in bridge losses, she promises not to gamble or see her lover, Stephen Dabney, again if he will pay the debt. Stephen's friend, Moira Lamson, however, entices her to the country club for one last game. David and Ruth, worried by her prolonged absence, go to the club where they find her in Stephen's arms. Evelyn accuses her sister of spying on her and demands a divorce from her husband. Ruth, weary of her sister's frailties, moves out of the household and takes up nursing. Evelyn's health suffers from the strain, and now with David and Ruth gone, she is ill and alone. David and Ruth take pity on her and return. A smarter Evelyn is reunited with David.

James Montgomery Flagg first draws his sketch of the girl, and then tearing it from its frame reveals the real girl lounging in bed with the pouting expression which is her wont. Then we are treated to an exposé of her various moods and selfish acts. For instance, she allows mother to bring breakfast to her in bed, and doesn't even greet her with a smile nor trouble to thank her. And it is nothing for father and mother to sit up until daylight to open the door for her as she returns from a dance. Finally she demands an automobile so that she will not have to bother with taxis, and in order to grant her wish, some of the household furniture has to be sold. In a tantrum she takes her car and goes to her lover, and the closing scene shows her in a home of her own, making life miserable for a husband.