His Weakness Conquered
Directed by Edwin AugustIn childhood, Jack Hamilton is afraid of snakes. His mother humors his weakness until he arrives at the point where anything resembling a serpent throws him into a frenzy. 20 years later he is a prosperous businessman, but his fear has grown with him until it has almost assumed the proportions of insanity. A friend calls at Jack's office, wearing a snake scarf pin; Jack becomes frantic until the friend removes the pin. Jack is in love with Mary Charleson, a charming young widow who has a little daughter. She loves him, but she fears for his health and tells him she cannot marry him until he has conquered his weakness. Mrs. Hamilton entertains some guests at a weekend house party at her hunting lodge; while there, Mary purchases a snake ring for Jack as a birthday gift, and its effect on him when she presents it alarms her. Mary's little daughter is given a Chinese paper snake and thinks it will be a great joke to frighten Jack with it while he is reading a book, so she sneaks up on him and drops the snake over the book. In a frenzy at the sight of it, Jack strikes at it with a heavy paper cutter and hits the child on the head, and she falls to the floor. Crazed by his act he rushes from the house and flees into the woods. The child is attended to and the guests start in search of Jack. They find him, late at night, on the verge of insanity, and bring him back to the lodge. Later a friend suggests a cure by autosuggestion. He makes Jack place his hand over his, telling him he holds a snake. Jack cowers and trembles, but the friend suggests that Jack let his mind be guided by his. When the friend opens his hand, he holds a watch, and Jack is brought to a realization of the folly of superstition and imagination. The child is brought into the room, carrying a snake. Jack looks at the snake and then takes it from the child.
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