Wanted; A Dog

Scene 1. ARRIVAL OF THE THREE CAVALIERS OF THE ROAD.

Along a lonely stretch of railroad tracks leading into town come three typical hoboes. They slouch down the ties in single file, joking and chaffing with each other as they come. A train comes whizzing into view, and the three tramps jump nimbly to one side and wave a humerous greeting to the passengers as the cars pass by. When the last car has passed the tramps again take to the ties and move on toward the town.

Scene 2. THEFT OF THE PIES.

This scene is laid in the back-yard of Mrs. B's residence. Mrs. B and her maid are busy with the week's baking when the first of the three tramps appears and knocks at the door. He asks for food and is given a sandwich and a cup of coffee, which he makes away with in short order. As he departs he makes a cabalistic mark upon the door-casing with a piece of chalk. The next tramp comes along, and seeing the first tramp's O.K., also applies for food, and has his tomato can filled with milk. He also makes a favorable mark on the door. The third tramp then follows along, but he is one too much and has the door slammed in his face. He is knocked headlong from the porch, and picks himself up with difficulty. Before he leaves, however, he writes "N.G." above the favorable signs of his companions.

The two women shortly open the window and look cautiously about. The tramps are nowhere in sight. Feeling secure, Mrs. B puts some pies on the window-sill to cool and goes back to her housework. Her back has hardly been turned when the three hoboes return and steal the pies. Mrs. B and her maid discover the loss, rush out of the house and, realizing their helplessness, sit down on the porch and weep.

Scene 3. THE ADVERTISING OFFICE.

Scene three is laid in the advertising office of a daily paper. Clerks are busy behind the counter attending to customers who come and go. Mrs. B enters and gives her advertisement to one of the clerks. The advertisement is then shown in enlarged form just as Mrs. B has written it; i. e. -- "Wanted a Dog, by a young widow residing in the suburbs. Apply to Mrs. B, 428 Spruce Ave." It is apparent that Mrs. B is about to get herself into trouble by not specifying the particular breed of dog required, and her troubles certainly start in with a rush on the following morning when the paper appears.

Scene 4. ARRIVAL OF THE ARMY OF INVASION.

Mrs. B. is seated on the verandah of her cottage, when the army of invasion arrives. They come singly at first, men, women and boys, all demanding attention to the merits of their various canines. Ms. B at first listens politely to the vehement claims of her callers, but as the confusion increases, she runs into the house. She is followed by eight or ten of the most persistent before the maid succeeds in shutting and locking the door. Several of the dog venders try to force their way in through the windows, and as new arrivals are constantly appearing, the verandah is soon a crush of people with dogs, all yelping and straining to get into a fight.

Scene 5. ANYTHING BUT A TEAPARTY.

In the meanwhile, Mrs. B is trying to straighten out the tangle in her parlor. She is beset on all sides. Toy dogs are thrust into her face, and big dogs snap at her heels. A tough young man in sweater and cap has a vicious bulldog which follows Mrs. B about, and is apparently determined to make a meal of her. The tumult becomes unbearable, and Mrs. B makes a dash for the door. She flies out, followed by the dogs and their owners.

Scene 6. SHE FLIES FROM THE HOUSE.

A transfer takes place immediately to the verandah as shown at end of scene four. The door opens with a bang. Mrs. B rushes out, forces her way through the mob, runs down the stairs, bowling over a buxom female with a pug in her arms, and is off with the pack at her heels.

Scene 7. THE START OF THE CHASE.

Mrs. B is half running, half walking along a path bordered by a high hedge. The dogs are all about her, and their owners are vociferously claiming her attention. She covers her ears with her hands to shut out the clamor and rapidly increases her speed in her effort to get away.

Scene 8. OVER THE BRIDGE.

Mrs. B is now running as hard as she can, but the crowd is close after her. They pass over a rustic bridge, amid picturesque surroundings.

Scene 9. THROUGH THE GLEN.

From the rustic bridge, the chase goes through a pretty glen, the crowd descending the grassy bank, leaping a small brook and ascending the opposite bank.

Scene 10. DOWN THE EMBANKMENT.

From the glen, the chase proceeds to a stiff embankment, down which Mrs. B scrambles in furious haste, followed by the clamoring crowd. Several funny falls take place, and one aged hound, winded by the unusual exertion, breaks from his master and refuses to proceed further.

Scene 11. THE ASYLUM FOR THE INSANE.

The final scene is laid at the massive iron-barred gates of an asylum for the insane. Several stone steps lead up to this gate, and behind it a keeper in uniform stands guard. A large sign over gates proclaims the character of the establishment within.

Mrs. B, out of breath and in great distress, her hair down her back and flying in the wind, dashes frantically up the steps. The gates open, the keeper receives her fainting in his arms, and the gates are closed and locked just as the mob comes pell-mell up the steps. Mrs. B, having found an asylum of refuge, defies her tormentors and they turn away baffled. Her faithful maid, who has followed in the chase, seeing her mistress behind the bars, sits down on the steps, buries her head in her apron and sobs convulsively.

[Source: Biograph advertising bulletin No. 44, April 17, 1905, Biograph Bulletins 1896-1908, Compiled by Kemp R. Niver, Edited by Bebe Bergsten (Artisan Press, 1971), pp. 156-158.]