The Golden Heart

Embittered against the world by the death of his wife and his own child, Harry Fenstein had devoted his entire energy to a pawnshop. The only bright spot in his life was Mary, the little daughter of the widow Forarty. Mary's mother died suddenly, and when a wealthy lawyer and his wife had offered to adopt her, he very zealously concealed little Mary in his shop. Mary helps Fenstein tend the shop, and while she is alone one day a crook dashes in and hides under the counter. Mary starts to give an alarm, but the crook silences her and finally in pity she shields him from the cop. After the danger is over Mary says to the crook, "It's all safe now. Don't you want to buy a new suit of clothes? Yours looks pretty old." John Gleeton laughs from relief, and for two dollars buys himself a new suit of clothes. The lawyer and his wife return. "Have you seen anything of the little girl who used to live next door?" "No, I never saw her," said Fenstein, but at that moment little Mary comes out from the rear room. The lawyer and his wife have letters of adoption, and his one ray of sunshine goes out of his life. But little Mary cannot forget her old home, though every effort is made for her happiness. One day she jumps into the back of a wagon and when she comes to Fenstein's store she jumps out, and the old man nearly passes away for very joy. A day it lasted. Then came Mary's new parents, and though it was like giving up his life, Fenstein realized that the education and home that they could provide would be so much superior to his that, with sorrow in his heart, but a smile on his lips, he says good-bye to little Mary.Moving Picture World, August 25,1917