The Man Next Door

• 1913
• Other, Comedy

Myers lives next door to the Smiths. He sits in the window reading a book and glances over at Mrs. Smith with admiration. She resents this and calls her husband's attention to the man next door. Smith is greatly angered and threatens to shoot Myers. Mrs. Smith sends Myers a note telling him to stop flirting as her husband is a sharpshooter. Myers becomes indignant and goes to Mrs. Smith for an explanation. Smith comes in and chases Myers through the house, accelerating Myers' movements with a fusillade of shots. Myers finally makes his escape, and goes back to his window. A tramp comes sneaking around the Smith home just as the wind blows Myers' book from his hands through the open window into the Smith house. Myers goes after the book, entering by the window. Mrs. Smith sees the tramp and is frightened. Smith sees Myers and attempts to lay a trap for his wife by hiding in a large cedar chest. Mrs. Smith sees her husband as he pulls down the cover, and thinks it is the tramp. She rushes to the room where Myers is about to depart with his book and begs for help. The two jump on the lid of the chest and try to hold it down while Smith struggles frantically to get out. Mrs. Smith runs for the police, who have many ludicrous accidents before they finally reach the Smith home. In the meantime Myers has had the job of his life holding in the furious Smith, who manages to get his hand out of the box, but Myers bites it till he is glad to pull it in again. Finally the police surround the chest and Smith is pulled out, and is with difficulty restrained by the cops from attacking Myers, who loses no time in making his exit.