On Christmas Eve (1914)
Morris the elder, trained in the old school of thrift and simple living, abominates the extravagance and pretensions of his daughter-in-law. While she is entertaining friends at an afternoon tea, Morris is with his two grandchildren in the library. The gaiety of his daughter-in-law's guests becomes boisterous, and the old man peers between the portieres to find its cause; the children's curiosity prompts them to do likewise. On seeing the guests depart, the youngsters enter the living room and proceed to a furtive dispatch of the goodies before a quick-eyed maid calls them to task and ousts them. Morris, Sr. stops his daughter-in-law as she returns from bidding her guests goodbye and cautions her against further extravagant uses of her money. She lets him understand that if she and her husband begin to reduce expenses, he must remember that they are giving him a home gratis and that his departure would be a good start. A conference on this subject between husband and wife leads to the old man being turned adrift. A week before Christmas, the grandfather, who is quartered in a municipal lodging house, sees an advertisement calling for a Santa Claus for street-corner charity work, makes application, and is assigned as a Santa to keep a coin-pot boiling for the Newsboys' Christmas dinner. While scanning a newspaper, he comes across an item, setting forth how his son has met with heavy financial losses, and that his business is ruined. While out marketing with the maid, Tommy Morris is attracted by the ringing of Santa Claus's Christmas bell and slips away from the maid to beg Santa to bring him a Christmas gift. The old grandfather recognizes his little grandson, and with a promise to call, sends the child across the street to join his little sister and the maid. Tommy tells his sister of his meeting with Santa, and of Santa's promise, and on Christmas night, the old grandfather enters his son's home, and is heard by him. He learns that his son is able to settle 100 cents to the dollar, and is shortly confronted by bis daughter-in-law, whom the frown of Fortune has considerably subdued. With the old man reinstated in the Morris home, the children are brought in and learn Santa's identity. The peace and goodwill of Christmas now permeates the Morris home, and while father and mother set up and trim the Christmas tree, the children, nestling with their grandfather, watch them lightheartedly.
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GenresDrama
Short
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