Chivalry Days (1913)

movie

Country: USA
Genres: Comedy, Short
Release: 1913-10-08
Director: N/A
Writers: N/A
Language: None | English
Stars: Antrim Short , Gertrude Short , Edna Mae Wilson , Betty Ashton , Charles Whitting , Doris Baker , Albert Amos , Eileen Goodin
Runtime: 9 min
Awards: N/A
AKA: Chivalry Days , Chivalry Days (United States of America)
Plot: Laura Fontaine, a poor but beautiful southern girl, who lives with her invalid mother and her darky slave, Mandy, is loved by Horace Lee, a wealthy planter, and also by Elmer Grandin, another wealthy, but dissipated young man. Laura returns the love of Horace, that incurring the jealousy and enmity of Elmer. Horace and Laura become engaged before he departs for New York to take his degree in law. As months pass the large expense occasioned by the illness of Laura's mother causes Laura financial embarrassment. She confides her trouble to her friend, Mary Grandin, Elmer's sister. Mary, thinking only of her brother's desire to make Laura his wife, tells Laura she will loan her money, and Laura, ignorant of business methods, and trusting her friend, Mary, signs, without reading the papers, an agreement to repay the money within three months or give over her home and all her personal property, including her maid, Mandy, to Elmer Grandin. The day for the money to be paid arrives and Elmer once more urges Laura to marry him. Laura, loving only Horace, refuses, and Elmer, infuriated, tells her that she must marry him or lose everything she owns. Mandy, coming in the doorway, overhears Elmer's threat and rushes to the home of Mable, Horace's sister, where she tells her mistress's troubles to Jim, her sweetheart, who is Horace's servant. Jim at once takes Mandy to his mistress. Mable is horrified to learn of Elmer and Mary's treachery. She telegraphs at once to her brother, Horace. In the meantime, Elmer has given Laura three days in which to choose absolute poverty or marriage with him. Mable arriving, learns the trouble from Laura, and knowing one of Laura's sensitive nature would not accept assistance from her fiancé's sister. Mable resolves to say nothing of her intentions, but to comfort Laura as best she can, and when the time arrives to repay the money herself. Upon the third day she makes it a point to be at Laura's home when the meeting takes place between Laura and Elmer. Hiding behind the portieres, she hears Elmer's vicious threats. Mable steps forth and confronts Elmer and pays him the money. Elmer, chagrined, takes his departure and is only gone from the room a moment when Horace enters. Upon hearing Laura's troubles, Horace seeks satisfaction from Elmer and a duel is arranged. Jim hearing of his master's intention to fight Elmer, runs and informs Mable. Mable and Laura rush frantically to the field, and arrive in time to prevent the duel. Mary, regretting her duplicity, also comes upon the scene. Explanations and apologies bring about a reconciliation.
IMDB:tt0346749