The Regenerating Love

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Years of family quarrels finally culminate in Henry Davison leaving his wife Julia and baby daughter Ethel well provided for while he goes West with his baby son Bob. As Bob comes into manhood, Henry's ill-temper becomes unbearable. Unable to learn anything of his mother, Bob leaves his father and tries to make his way in the world alone. Davison, broken in health, fails in his search for Bob and returns East, ultimately effecting a reconciliation with his wife. He dies, content in all but his son's absence, his last request being to find him and see that he is made heir to his large estate. Reverses have led Bob's feet into unwonted paths and he falls in with Belle and Hayden, a vaudeville song-and-dance team playing in cheap music-halls. Through a newspaper article Hayden learns of the search for Bob and in a drunken revel gets all the facts of the boy's life. He sees an opportunity to escape the drudgery of his present existence and compels Belle to unwillingly assist him. While she keeps Bob drunk, he goes back East and with papers and facts establishes himself as the son and heir. A regenerating love springs up among the four young people and the philosophy of their lives and characters undergo a wonderful change. Hayden, unable to bear living his false character of brother to Ethel, whom he loves, goes West to fetch Bob and bring him into his own. Ethel learns the truth from the letter he leaves behind, but awakens to the fact that the love she bears this man is not a brotherly one and her heart cries out for his return. Belle and Bob have married and the fear of Hayden's return grows daily. When he does return, not for her but Bob, she uses all her influence to mislead him, but eventually the truth is made manifest to all three, and Bob refuses unless they go with him. He finally wins them over and they go back east. Bob is accepted without question and his wife received with open arms. Their happiness makes it easy for Ethel. Hayden is forgiven and wins the reward his regeneration merits.