The Village Hero
There is a call for volunteers for the village militia while the young folks are assembled on the village green. Eugene, the village masher, is first to respond, much to the admiration of all the village belles, including Max's sweetheart, who would like to see Max imbued with the same spirit. The hero gag is not very much in Max's line, and it is only through his sweetheart's tears that he consents to become a soldier. He is tried out as a bugler, with laughable results, and when the battle starts he "beats it" and hides. The next morning, tired and hungry, he enters a house which has just previously been attacked by a gang of revolutionists, who, seeing him enter, and thinking a regiment behind him, flee in terror. The people of the house look upon him as their deliverer and he is made a hero in spite of himself. Decorated and promoted, he returns to the village, just in time to call down Eugene, who proved himself an awful coward, as he is bragging to the girl about his deeds of valor.
