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Love's Pilgrimage to America Synopsis

Lulu is the daughter of an English bishop and she loves and is loved by Tom, nephew of the Duke of Bilgewater. Lulu and Tom finally decide to tell their folks that they have become engaged. They expect a little opposition, for their respective fathers and uncle are enemies, but bravely hope to overcome it and make things right. Lulu leaves Tom at her door and goes in and gladly announces that she is to marry the duke's nephew. A scene ensues and in the duke's castle a like scene is going on. The bishop insists that Lulu marry his curate, whom she despises, while the duke insists that Tom marry his cousin, Lady Mary, who has more brains than beauty. Tom refuses to marry his cousin and is ordered to leave the house. He and Lulu plan to elope. So they leave England to seek their fortune in America, confidently hoping to marry as soon as this is accomplished. Arrived in New York, Tom finds that the only thing he can get to do is peddling books. Meanwhile Lulu attracts the attention of an old chap into whose office she goes, and he at once engages her to be his typewriter. Tom puts up $70 for his books and starts out to sell them. But it seems that "The Lives of the Saints" are not popular that year, and so he meets with nothing but failure. He happens into the office where Lulu is at work and there finds her struggling in the embrace of the old man. He fights with the old man and this interference causes Lulu to be "fired." They are unable to pay their hotel bill, and stealing away they seek refuge in the park. In the morning they see an advertisement for a maid and butler, so, pretending they are married, they apply for the jobs and luckily get them. To their consternation they find that the man of the house is the same old fellow in whose office Lulu worked for a few hours. Tom, in his utter surprise, drops a whole tureen full of soup over his master. Lulu warns the old man that if he fires Tom she will tell his wife all. So he agrees to keep his mouth shut. That night Tom and Lulu are shown to the same room. This will not do, so Tom takes his belongings and camps out in the hall. Feeling a bit cold, he steals into what he supposes to be an empty room, only to find it occupied by the cook. She chases him downstairs, where he has a bout with a burglar, who disappears leaving Tom with the bag of loot in his hands. The master and mistress come down. Tom and Lulu are taken for thieves and sent to the police station. Next morning, however, the old man is afraid to prosecute, so they are set free. This time in their search for work they are less fortunate. The only thing they can get is a very menial job called help's help in a large hotel. Here they wait upon the cooks and waiters and are treated with much disdain by their fellow servants. Tom is soon fired, but Lulu keeps the job. In the park Tom is accused of stealing a purse from a fiery old man to whom he was about to restore his property. The old man jails Tom. An old friend of Tom's comes to the hotel and visits the fiery old chap who jailed him. Lulu, who has been forced to don the attire of a bellboy to escape the attentions of a French cook, happens to be sent to their room with some drinks and hears them discussing Tom. Then she hears Tom's friend say that the Duke of Bilgewater is dead, and that his son has been killed in the trenches. She steps forward and discloses her identity. The old man, who proves to be a lawyer who is searching for Tom, asks where his lordship is. Lulu tells the old man that Tom is in jail where he put him. Tom is released and told of his good fortune. He and Lulu lose no time in getting home to England. There they are married at once and go to the castle.

The Primrose Path Synopsis

Joan, a country girl, elopes with Ned Templeton, a young artist. They are married and go to Paris. For a time they are happy, then poverty overtakes them and Ned falls ill. Joan cannot make any money and he is dying because he has no food and no medicine to build up his strength. An art dealer has seen Joan and fallen in love with her. He offers her money to come to his rooms. She refuses, but finally, driven by Ned's great necessity, she goes. Ned believes the money has come from her father. He recovers and to avoid the man, Joan persuades him to go to America. In this new land success comes to Ned through Cartwright, a millionaire, and his daughter, Helen, who has become attracted to the artist. Joan realizes that Ned is being led away from her. Cartwright buys a picture from Ned, called "The Primrose Path," for which Joan was the model. Ned is painting Helen's portrait. When it is finished Cartwright installs Ned in a fine studio. Realizing that Joan would be out of place, he suggests that she remain in their cheap flat for a time. This almost breaks her heart, but she bows to his decision. As time goes on Helen and Ned are thrown more together and spend all their hours in each other's company. Ned's visits to Joan are fewer and fewer. Finally he sends her a check and a curt note telling her he can't see her that week. She understands and returns the check saying she is his wife, not his mistress. Then she disappears. Refusing to accept Ned's support, she poses for a livelihood. In an art school which Ned has been made director she comes face to face with her husband. He upbraids her for being a model and she turns on him, saying it is the only thing she could do. Helen arrives on the scene to take Ned away to a dance. He slips out and the women face each other. "Why, you're the girl in The Primrose Path," says Helen. "Yes, and I am also Ned's wife," retorts Joan. Then, clutching the younger girl's shoulder, she forces her to listen to a story of the poverty of their Paris days when she sacrificed her body, her soul and her honor to keep Ned alive. "Oh, my father will recompense you," says Helen. Joan laughs, loud and shrill. "You're up for sale, Ned," she tells her husband who returns at that moment. She looks from one to the other and tells Helen she gives Ned to her. But her heart is broken. Ned begins to repent; things do not please him; he feels that he wants only his wife and the old days again. Helen tries to allure him in every way, but all is useless. Cartwright, seeing his spoiled daughter unhappy, decides to buy Joan over to give Ned his legal freedom. He sends for Joan, who comes. They tell Ned she has come to accept a large sum for him. He does not believe this, and so confident are they that this is what the woman, will do that they hide Ned behind a portiere to watch the scene between his wife and Cartwright. When Joan comes the millionaire offers $100,000. She cannot understand. Then she looks at Helen and knows that they are trying to buy Ned from her. She turns on the girl, "You knew what I had done for him," she says, "and yet you thought I would accept money for him." Sadly she turns to go away alone, but Ned had heard enough. Rushing out, he takes her into his arms, pleading for forgiveness, and Joan sees that his heart is hers again.