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The Old Homestead Synopsis

Wertheimer, a New York radio talent scout, shows up at Uncle Jed's barn dance having received numerous letters from Nancy Shackelford, the adopted daughter of Uncle Jed Shackelford, telling him about the musical talents of Bob and the other four farm-hand musicians. He hires the boys for a new radio program to be known as "The Old Homestead" broadcast from New York. Nancy and Uncle Jed accompany them, the latter as their manager. The show is a hit and Nancy is thrilled, especially when she meets famous crooner Rudy Nash. Elsie Wilson, Rudy's partner, resents the attention Rudy shows Nancy, and Bob takes an immediate dislike to Rudy. The band goes to a night club and get high on champagne which they think is cider. Peggy joins the boys in their clowning after the regular entertainers quit in indignation. Nancy and Rudy enter the café, and when the proprietor realizes that Nancy and (primarily) Rudy knows the boys, he offers them $1,250 a week to perform at the club. The jealous Elsie decides to make a play for Bob at the hotel where she too is staying. Slightly inebriated, she invites Bob up her suite. Nancy and Bob have a bitter quarrel when she returns and sees the imprint of Elsie's lips on Bob's cheek. The next morning, press agent Pratt and Wertheimer show up with two suitcases of fan mail for the "Farm Boys" and Bob's head begins to swell, as he thinks he is the attraction of the group and really believes he is "the golden voice of the air." Bob gets a show of his own, and Uncle Jed meets Peggy and is attracted to her. Three weeks later, Nancy and Bob are no longer speaking, Uncle Jed is spending money on Peggy, and Rudy is overwhelming Nancy with his attentions. Twice Bob has been late for a broadcast and Wertheimer tells him if he is late again, the sponsors will cancel him. Uncle Jed, who has no intentions of proposing, buys a diamond ring for Peggy and unthinkingly slips it on her engagement finger. She allows as how she'll be right proud to be Mrs. Jed Shackelford. Peggy is actually happy at the chance of marrying Jed and quitting New York for Uncle Jed's farm, but Nancy doesn't believe her. Bob gets a visit from Elsie's husband who threatens an alienation suit. Nancy tells him that she and Bob are engaged and that Elise is her best friend. he husband departs, and Nancy tells Bob of Rudy's proposal to her. He wishes her good luck and leaves for the farm without telling anyone.

The Kiss of Hate Synopsis

When Count Peter Turgeneff, his daughter Nadia, and his generous-hearted son Paul came to live in the Governor's palace in the Russian province of Valogda, there was rejoicing among the oppressed race whose home was in the Ghetto. Turgeneff was known as a just and merciful man who had done much to make the hard lot of the Jews bearable in the districts under his charge. Hence his coming was hailed with joy by Isaac, prophet of Israel, and his people. Quite other feelings did his arrival create in the breast of Michael Orzoff, the grim Prefect of Police of Valogda, who sat in his office in the fortress and received the reports of the secret agents of the Czar. It was known that Orzoff was the secret power behind the dreaded "Yellow Jackets," the dire organization whose avowed object was the extermination of the people of Israel. There seemed no help. The Prefect's influence reached far, even into the high places in far-off Petrograd. Even women, provided they were fair to look upon, found their sex no protection from his infamy. For all these reasons the coming of Count Turgeneff to Valogda was not at all to Orzoff's liking. Soon after his coming Orzoff learned two things: one was that the new governor had pledged his help to the Jews, and the other that his daughter Nadia was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen and quite as ardent as her father in her support of the oppressed race. To think was to act with Orzoff. The governor was strong, but not more strong than he. In the high places in Petrograd, whence both received authority, the Prefect held the more power. In Russia the police are all powerful. The Count menaced Orzoff, for already word had been brought to the Governor, as Orzoff well knew, that the Prefect was the secret driving force behind the evil "Yellow Jackets." So Orzoff laid his plan. With his countless agents provocateurs and secret minions in the "Yellow Jackets," daring as that plan was, he felt it could not fail. On the night of the grand ball at the Governor's palace, the plan was consummated. Thither had come, at Nadia's urging. Isaac, chief of the Jews of the Ghetto, and Leah, the lovely daughter of old Samuels the cobbler, whose honor had been stained by the rude lust of Orzoff, with many others, there to accuse the Prefect face to face of the wrongs with which he had burdened them. But they did not reckon with the Prefect's plan. Suddenly there had been a cry without a rush of many feet and a frenzied mob had burst in among the guests of the Governor. "Death to the Jews," was their rallying cry. Then came Orzoff's own uniformed men and dispersed the rioters, but not before an assassin's bullet had found a resting place in the heart of Count Turgeneff. Nor did Orzoff stop there. Secure in his influence at Petrograd, he directed his men to seize the weeping Nadia, her brother Paul, and Isaac the Jew, and imprison them in the fortress under a charge of treason. And there on the day following he found a way to wreak his evil will upon the girl. The Prefect came to her in the cell, where she passed the night. He bent over her menacingly as she sat on the stone seat that had formed her couch. "You will give yourself to me," he said abruptly, "or your brother shall suffer the torture by fire ere he goes to Siberia." The as Nadia, in contempt and loathing, struck at him in the half-darkness he added, "Listen, and you shall hear for yourself; only your promised work can stop this pain."