The Minister's Daughter

• Watchlist

A story of power and strength. A country minister, stern, earnest, righteous, filled with compassion for mankind, yet unforgiving when what he considers sin touches one of his own household; his daughter, tender and sweet, lured by a life she does not understand and of which she has seen only the glitter and fascination, and a village ne'er-do-well, whose kindness of heart may have its limitations, but which works where the minister's fails, are the leading characters in this touching and absorbing drama of life in a locality where the currents usually are sluggish and peaceful. The very quiet of its environment gives a greater strength to the story; a story that is rich in contrasting types and powerful in its theme and situations. Mary, the minister's daughter, believes she has a great voice and. lured by dreams of a successful career, she runs away to appear on the stage. Her illusions are quickly dispelled on her visit to the theatrical employment agency and she returns home, but her father has no forgiveness for her. To him the theater is a place of evil so pronounced that his child has sinned beyond redemption by her action. He turns her away. She has no home; she is too proud to turn to others for succor. Blindly she wanders about and. almost unconscious of her surroundings, falls fainting on the steps of her father's church while service is going on. Within, the village ne'er-do-well has just embraced the church and is being made much over, no leaves, filled with a holy peace, and on the steps finds the weeping, stricken girl. To him there is but one thing to do, and he does it. He helps her in and up to the altar where he has just been received with forgiveness and kindness. The minister turns and his face sets like granite. He will not receive his child, and the drunkard casts from him the religion that be gladly embraced but a few short moments before. It is a magnificent scene; one that terminates with the minister clasping his daughter in his arms and the drunkard resuming his faith.