Shadows (1922 film)
"Shadows"
Produced by
Preferred Pictures Inc.
Distributed by
Al Lichtman Corporation
Directed by
Tom Forman
Adapted by
Eve Unsell & Hope Loring
Photographed by
Harry Perry
Title Illustrations by
Renaud.
To every people, in every age, there comes a measure of God to man——through man.
Even today, Wisdom may dwell among us, in humble guise, unknown, despised, until, its mission fulfilled, it slips back into the mystery from whence it came.
Urkey——a little fishing village whose sturdy folk had always followed the same simple faith of their fathers.
DANIEL GIBBS
"Admiral" of Urkey's fishing-fleet, was not popular——save with a few of his own kind——
Walter Long.
All the village agreed that a better woman never lived than Sympathy Gibbs.
Marguerite De La Motte.
"How Sympathy's pore pa would turn in his grave if he could see what's come o' his makin' her marry Dan Gibbs!"
Then storm swept sudden terror through the little village——its fleet caught in the tempest out at the fishing-beds.
Sympathy Gibbs came also——to watch and pray for Daniel.
Among those who held that Sympathy would be better off without Daniel——was Nate Snow, who owned the Bank, the Drug Store——and most of the village.
John Sainpolis.
At dawn came calm——and fragments of wreckage.
YEN SIN
Lon Chaney.
"We picked up the Chink early in the night——prob'ly been cook on one of the coast boats that went down."
"Daniel was one of the first to go, Ma'am——a broken spar caught him——before we went to pieces."
"Let us pray for the souls of the lost——"
"Pray——or get out! We're all believers in Urkey——we want no heathens!"
But Yen Sin, the heathen, elected to stay in Urkey.
Early and late, his steam-blurred silhouette swayed over his tubs and irons, in the shanty of the old scow by Pickets' Wharf.
"Ly-chee nuts from China-way. Allee samee good for boys——even Mista Bad Boy!"
"MISTA BAD BOY"
Buddy Messenger.
Then came Minister Malden to Urkey, heartsore because he had not been called to the "Field" of the Far East——
John Malden——Harrison Ford.
"I don't like it——he's too young t'be much of a minister."
"For shame! He is our brother! Christ died for such as he!"
And so, after a time, Minister Malden found, besides his church, two other consuming interests——
"Have all my words meant nothing? You are good to us——but you do not believe in God!"
"You never think of being saved!—And I would give my life if I could make you believe!"
"Mista Yen Sin velly humble dog, but washee colla fine!"
"I made you another cushion, Yen——I almost forgot."
立春大吉
"Lat mean—'Welcome——always to my home.'"
小童怕水
"What does that mean?"
"Lat's Mista You——Chinaman never know people's name, so he give people name they mean to him. Lat's Mista You."
"——Means——'Boy who not aflaid of all water in ocean, but who much aflaid of it in wash-pan!' Lat means you."
The Social.
"Isn't the minister just wonderful!"
"Folks——listen! I want to tell you that Sympathy and I——are going to be married!"
But Nate Snow was best man at the wedding——and, in the white flame of Malden's love, Sympathy forgot the dark shadow that had been Daniel Gibbs.
"I s'pose Sympathy'll take Daniel down now!"
| See no evil | Hear no evil | Speak no evil |
After a year——came their first parting. Malden was called to an important church conference at Infield——Nate Snow went along as lay-delegate.
"I can't leave you now, Sympathy——I can't!"
"It's only for a week, dear——and Aunt Emsy will take good care of me."
"Mista Minista go to Sam Low Laundry——Infield. He my flen'——washee velly fine, too."
It was the "Big Day" of the Infield Conference, and Malden had been commended for his masterly speech on Foreign Missions——
Dining Room
Telegram
Sept 15 22
Mr. John Walden
Barton House
Infield Maine
Your little daughter born last night
Sympathy and child both doing well
They send love
Emsy Dickerson
Infield Central Church
Infield
When my boat sank last year, I was picked up bad hurt by a tramp steamer and didn't come to my right sense till a month ago. I was on my way home when I heard about Sympathy marrying you. Now I don't want to make trouble but I got to live. Suppose
put it under the sidewalk at the end of Norton Street to-night at ten oclock and things will be O.K.
Respectfully
Daniel Gibbs
Telegram
Sept 15 22
Mr. John Walden
Barton House
Infield Maine
Your little daughter born last night
Sympathy and child both doing well
They send love
Emsy Dickerson
"Sam Low come for Mista Minista laundry——he 'leady now?"
"——Daniel Gibbs is alive!"
"Where's the letter? I know Daniel Gibbs' handwriting."
"Give me your check——I'll cash it for you downstairs."
"It may be some impostor! After you've left the money, I'll be on hand to see if it really is Gibbs."
At the appointed hour——
The night of the Minister's homecoming——
"We could hardly wait, Parson, to tell ye what a fine baby she is——an' how Sympathy's eyes is a-shinin'——"
"He must have had some dreadful news——he looks like death."
"——I've some important work to finish up from the Conference——"
"——it's best that I stay in Nate's rooms over the drug-store for awhile——you must be quiet and rest——"
"He must be in some awful trouble——let's sing a hymn——it might be some kind o' comfort to him."
"In my selfish happiness, I forgot Thee, Oh, Father! But I love her so——I love her so!——"
Christian Hymn——and Heathen Charm.
On Malden's next visit to Yen Sin, the Chinaman's keen eyes seemed to search the Minister's soul.
"I——am unable to conduct Divine Service. I fear——I must resign the pulpit."
"Our Pastor's zeal has eaten up his strength. Until it returns, Brother Snow can conduct temporary services of song and prayer——if it be your wish——?"
"What have I done, John? Why don't you come home to us?"
Then Malden knew it was best to tell her——the truth.
"Now you see——why I can never enter that door——and that no one must know why——for the sake of our baby."
It seemed that all the purpose of Malden's life was now directed into the one channel left him——the conversion of Yen Sin.
"Yen Sin, isn't there anything I can say, or do, that will make you want to be saved from your sins?——We are all of us so wicked——"
"Mista Minista wickee——?"
"Nate——no man ever had a friend like you! How can I repay you for going to Infield for me——for keeping Gibbs away from Urkey?"
"It was easier for me to have business in Infield, than for you, but this trip he insisted on seeing you——"
"It's a thousand dollar loan he wants this time——to buy an interest in a boat."
"Of course, I can help you raise a little of it, but not all. Times are hard——"
Perhaps the cat, with its ancient wisdom, sensed the nearness of the End.
"Yen Sin go back China-way pletty quick now——get Mista Minista——please!"
"The Chinaman——he's goin' to die——he wants the Minister!"
"But he wanted the Minister!"
"The Chinaman's dyin'——an' he wants the Minister——an' Nate Snow got there first!"
"Repent of your sins——and be saved!"
"Get me allee collas on shelf——in big box."
"Try to think of what I am saying, Yen Sin. You are dying——confess your sins——"
"I confessee——if Mista Nate Snow confessee."
"Yes——all flesh is weak. I admit the sins of pride——of impatience——"
"Confessee——Mista Nate Snow!"
"Once——two years ago——I did Joe Jarvis out of seventy dollars on a deal. I'd pay him tonight if he were here——"
"And——I have coveted my neighbor's wife."
"That is nothing, Yen Sin——nothing——to what I have done!"
"For over a year, I have known that Daniel Gibbs, Sympathy's husband——wasn't drowned——he's still alive——"
"Gibbs wrote me the day the baby was born. Since that time, I've sent him money——where he told me to send it——"
"I've gone hungry and ragged to satisfy Gibbs. I've begged my living of my friend——I've drained the life of the woman who loved me——"
"I did it rather than give him back the woman I loved——rather than that a stain should mar my child's life!"
"And I have broken my vow——never to see her again——or my child. I have sinned——but I confess——I confess!"
"And I've kept you here——in this righteous community——while you've been deceiving——even me!"
"Nate Snow likee play with mousie?"
"Cat say—'Mousie stay with nicee cat——likee see mousie jump'!"
"When Mista Minista go Infield——I write on his colla to Sam Low there——'Take care Minista——flen' of mine'."
"Sam Low follow Minista, see him in trouble, see lots of things——write me on colla, too——"
"Sam Low write me on this——lat Minista cry——shiver——go put letter under sidewalk——and go 'way like sick man. Then Sam Low wait and see——"
"The man lies! He'll tell you I took the letter from under the sidewalk——I didn't!——I didn't——"
"Yes——it's true——I did it! I loved her——and I hated him——"
"Then Gibbs isn't alive—? And Sympathy—and little Ruth—? Then all my fears have been just—shadows?"
"I have suffered——but you, Nate——you must have suffered a thousand times more——to do the thing you did."
"Mista Minista——you forgive Mista Nate Snow—?"
"He has confessed——he must be forgiven."
"If you forgive——then Yen Sin believe."
"Yen Sin want to be alone with Mista God little while——"
"Please takee Mista Cat——Yen Sin no wantee——now."
The old scow had become a thing of life——like an eager bird——shaking off its bonds——calling to the wind and the wide open spaces.
"Mista Yen Sin go back China-way pletty quick."
"The storm brought him, and the storm is taking him away, but the peace he found for us is awaiting him——in the Harbour."
The End
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1930.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1985, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 39 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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