The Adventure of the Wrong Santa Claus

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• 1914
• 0 hr 14 mins
• Comedy, Drama

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Time hung heavily on Octavius' hands; no new problems were presenting themselves for his massive intellect to unravel, and he felt discouraged with things generally. Then the morning mail brought a piece of news destined to lead him into the most extraordinary adventure of his entire career. It was an invitation from his friends, Mr. and Mrs. Randall, to pay them a holiday visit and to play Santa Claus at the children's Christmas party. Octavius accepted the invitation with enthusiasm, and repaired to a toy shop where he invested in a complete Santa Claus outfit. He arrived at the Randalls' just in time for dinner. Christmas greetings were exchanged and all was merriment, nobody suspecting that a burglar, was slipping into the house as they ate. The arrival of Grace Randall added to the merriment, and it was very evident that her personality made an immediate impression upon Octavius. Meanwhile, the burglar made his way to the floor above. Listening to the happy voices in the hall, he overheard Mrs. Randall telling Octavius that a complete Santa Claus outfit was hanging in the spare-room closet. The burglar immediately decided to use the costume as a disguise. Octavius decided to wear his own outfit and just as he was admiring its general effect in the mirror, the burglar entered his room and knocked him senseless. Safe in his disguise, the miscreant passed quickly to the lower floor and escaped from the house with all of the Christmas presents. Octavius regained his senses to find himself securely locked in, but at last he attracted the attention of his friends and was quickly released. Meanwhile, Mrs. Randall discovered that the presents had been stolen. Octavius started at once upon the trail and succeeded in overtaking his quarry just as he was boarding the train for the city. Climbing into the moving train, Octavius proceeded to attack the burglar, but was restrained by the train crew. He waited, however, until the train should arrive in the city, and after many failures, succeeded in capturing the basket with which he returned to the Randall home, triumphant. His welcome was an enthusiastic one and the understanding between him and Grace was so apparent that Mr. and Mrs. Randall crept out of the room, leaving them a free field. The children, however, were more curious and were the happy witnesses of the final capitulation of Octavius, detective.