Testing Their Love

• 1909
• Other, Comedy

Two chaps are in love with the same woman, the Countess Charming, and both happen to call on her at the same identical hour, each armed with a huge bouquet. She receives both swains very graciously, but gives neither very much encouragement, as she puts little faith in their avowals of love. They sit one on each side of tier, glaring at each other over her head, for each feels if the other were not present he would be successful in winning the lady. After a most uncomfortable half hour for all parties concerned the discouraged lovers decide to take their leave. Just as they reach the gate, however, the butler stops them, handing each a note from the countess, who has decided to test their love in rather an unusual way, so bids them go with her the next day on their wheels to her summer estate, where she will give them a chance to prove their devotion to her. The bicycle party starts off the following morning, and when they reach her chateau she tells them that she has decided to marry the one who will ride through the stone wall enclosing the place head first. The boldest appearing of the two bravely mounts his wheel and makes a dash for the trail, but when he reaches it he gets cold feet and stops stock still. The other lover then tries and goes crashing through the stone enclosure without injuring a hair of his head, as the countess had an opening in the wall covered up with paper made to represent stone, in order to test the love of her admirers. The brave fellow gets his reward and is taken to the heart of his adored one, on whom his bravery has made a great impression.