The Village Choir (1913)

• 71%
• 1913
• Comedy
• Louise Glaum
• Stella Adams
• Eddie Lyons

The choir practices and the quartette, driven to desperation by the frequent false notes played by the near-sighted organist, complain. He leaves in a huff. The minister tells them that his daughter will be on hand next Sunday and will play for them. Mary arrives. She is introduced to the quartette who, during the week days, sow seeds and plow. The minister is writing a sermon when the deacon enters and demands the payment of the mortgage on the church. He is insistent, but promises to wait upon meeting Mary, when his heart melts at the sight of her loveliness. On Sunday the music is faultless. It is the male portion of the quartette now at fault. Forgetfulness is the fault, caused by too close an interest in Mary. At the close of the sermon the minister announces that a basket picnic will be given to raise the mortgage on the church. The day of the picnic arrives and the deacon soon finds that Bob is a strong favorite with Mary. He is very angry. He sees Mary tie a ribbon on her basket so that Bob shall buy it. He determines to frustrate their scheme and tells the minister that he will buy Mary's basket for he knows which one it is. Mandy, an elderly person with her eye on the deacon, changes the ribbon on Mary's basket to her own. The baskets are auctioned and Mandy's basket is put up first. The deacon buys it, much to his disgust and Bob's and Mary's enjoyment. Mary decides that her basket is not safe, so she and Bob borrow it when nobody is looking and depart for a more serene scene. The deacon is not to be denied, and having more money he outbids the boys and buys all the baskets, only to discover that Mary's is not among them. The deacon departs in anger. He seeks out the minister and demands immediate payment of the mortgage. The auctioneer comes up with the necessary amount from the sale of the baskets, all supplied by the deacon himself. The church is free and the only two unhappy members are Mandy and the deacon. The rest rescue the baskets which the deacon has Jeff and have a good time.