The War Waif (1917)

movie

Country: USA
Genres: Drama, Short, War
Release: 1917-02-01
Director: Allen Holubar
Writers: Grace Helen Bailey , Maie B. Havey
Language: None | English
Stars: Allen Holubar , Zoe Rae , Irene Hunt , Eugene Walsh , Nellie Allen , Nanine Wright , George C. Pearce
Runtime: min
Awards: N/A
AKA: The War Waif (United States of America) , The War Waif
Plot: Colonel Daw, a hero of the Boer war, regrets his uselessness in his country's present need. Crippled and living a lonely life in the country, while his young wife seeks the pleasures of the city, he becomes cynical. Through the request of one Red Cross service, he turns his home into a hospital for the wounded soldiers. Among them are two Frenchmen, Francas and a boy, who appear to be great friends. Francas tells Colonel Daw how his wife died when their babe was tiny and how the aged grandmother had since cared for the child. Then he recited the story told by the boy, who had tried to escape with the baby when the grandmother was killed, but while going in search of food, had lost the little one. Breaking down, Francas begs Colonel Daw to find his child and protect her. As he sits by the fire, gazing at the baby face of the picture given him, Colonel Daw falls asleep and dreams of the coming of Zoe, the lost infant. Suddenly awaking, he sees his wife leading a small girl by the hand. He immediately recognizes the little waif as the child of Francas. She had been brought from France by the nurses and was found by his wife at the station amid a lot of luggage. It is Christmas Eve. Francas has recuperated since seeing his baby. The Christmas tree is gaily decorated and Zoe distributes the presents to the soldiers and nurses, while Colonel Daw sits with his arm about his wife. Wistfully she is telling him that the child has awakened her love and that she is going to stay with him to try to make up for her past neglect.
IMDB:tt0326386