Volume II: Filmography

VENGEANCE IS MINE

July 16, 1912 (Tuesday)

Length: 1 reel

Character: Drama

Cast: E.J. Hayes (bank president), Ethel Wright, William Garwood

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, July 20, 1912:

"A bank president, who has been indulging in high finance, suddenly receives word that the examiners are preparing to visit his institution. Realizing that inspection at this time means ruin to himself, the banker by altering the books makes it appear that the shortage in the funds is due to crooked work on the part of the paying teller. The unfortunate teller is arrested and sent to prison for a period of years. The teller has a wife and child, and, after he is arrested, poverty and suffering come upon them. The child grows weaker and finally dies. The wife, blaming the bank president, whom she intuitively suspects of crooked work, vows to be revenged, but a priest, who is called to comfort her, appeals to her religious faith, reminding her that vengeance is the Lord's. After the baby's death, the wife becomes a trained nurse and, through a strange chance, is assigned to a private case of a man who is near death in a hotel. To her amazement she recognized in her patient the banker who had changed her life from joy to sorrow. Left alone with the invalid, she watched him closely and rejoiced to note that his case was approaching a crisis and, unless carefully attended, he was certain to die. The medicine that should be administered to him was close at hand, but she refused to give it, gloating over her enemy as he lay helpless before her. But she was saved from a crime she would have been certain to have regretted all her life. At the critical moment the emblem of her faith was recalled to her mind, and she remembered the word of her good pastor, 'Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord.' With a powerful forgiveness she again became the devoted nurse and gave all her energy in saving the life of the man she hated. The crisis was passed successfully, and the doctor greatly rejoiced. He told his patient that he greatly owed his life to his nurse and the banker feebly called her over so he could thank her. Then for the first time came recognition. He realized that the woman he had wronged had saved his miserable life. And full of remorse he made what amends he could. The banker's confession resulted in the teller's pardon. The wife took the precious paper to the prison, received her husband with joy and thankfulness, and, hand in hand, they left the gloomy penitentiary to take up a new and happier life."

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