The Nichols on a Vacation (1910)

• 78%
• 1910
• Comedy
• Harry Solter

No matter how happy a married man claims to be, every other married man smiles if he boasts of personal freedom. Old man Nichols is a mere married man, that's all; but he's the whole family in himself, and this by virtue of his wife's fine disposition. When she discharges the maid poor Nichols is forced to substitute, and his life would probably be miserable to the grave, if he did not at one time make a sudden resolve to get some fun out of his existence. Well, he gets it good and plenty. Using the old reliable excuse about being called away on business, he makes a date with a lady at a restaurant, but the dear girl, like all women, is late. He waits and waits, but it is like waiting for either head or tail of Halley's Comet, and he goes to the handy 'phone. While there his wife and daughter enter for a little gastronomic pleasure, and brother, Nichols does a stunt much unto the proverbial streak of greased lightning. To complicate matters still more, his lady friend arrives after he has made his hasty exit, and very sweetly and unconsciously, not being acquainted with Nichols' family, sits down at a table to wait. Enter now, very swagger and gallant, the man who is engaged to Nichols' daughter. He does not know that both his amorita and his mother-in-law-to-be are within eyeshot, so he takes a seat near Nick's affinity. To be sure, she is a peach, and what can mere unmarried mortal do but endeavor to work himself into her good graces. Flirt? Yes, that's the word. And flirt he does, under the critical third-rail gaze of the two ladies at the other table.