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Break the News to Mother Synopsis

Dave Bray, who is devoted to his mother, and Ruth Godwin, the daughter of Howard Godwin, his employer, fall in love, thus incurring the chagrin of Dave's jealous superintendent, Warren Flint. Flint's rejected lover, Edna Holmes, on overhearing Flint tell Dave that he intends to marry Ruth, shoots Flint during his struggle with Dave, at the same moment that Flint's own revolver fires. Thinking that he shot Flint, Dave leaves home and has friends break the news to his heartbroken mother. Flint lives, but he accuses Dave even though he knows that Edna shot him. A year later Ruth is about to marry Flint on the condition that he not press charges if Dave returns. Meanwhile, Dave, a war hero in Europe, and sick with pneumonia, is told by his doctor, a friend from home, that Flint did not die. Edna finally tells Ruth the truth and the wedding is canceled. After the armistice, Dave returns to his mother, Ruth's love, and the honor of his village.

Just a Woman Synopsis

Anna Ward struggles to help her husband Jim, a laborer in a Pittsburgh steel mill, to improve his lot in life. When Jim's friend invents an improved rail-making device, Anna convinces her husband to invest his savings in the machine's promotion and marketing. This proves so successful that Jim is made a director of the steel company, but because of his strong stand on workingmen's rights, the company officials conspire to ruin him. Under the influence of a co-director, Jim resumes his old drinking habit and becomes involved in an affair with a beautiful woman, who induces him to sue Anna for divorce on a false charge of infidelity. Anna refuses to defend herself until the court threatens to take away her son, whereupon she claims that Jim is not the boy's father. Deeply ashamed, Jim confesses everything to the court and is sentenced to prison. After his release, he returns to Anna, just as their son departs to fight in World War I.