A Cup of Cold Water - Production & Contact Info (original) (raw)

Many years ago, just after California became a part of the Union, and before the American influence had exerted much power over the old and splendid Mexican families, the Senora Inez de Miguel lost her beautiful little daughter Juana at ...See moreMany years ago, just after California became a part of the Union, and before the American influence had exerted much power over the old and splendid Mexican families, the Senora Inez de Miguel lost her beautiful little daughter Juana at the hands of the notorious bandit, Jose, who stealing the child as it played away from the side of a careless duenna, carried it to the mountain fastnesses, in order to obtain a heavy ransom. He was pursued by the rurales of that time, a sort of Mexican vigilantes, and was compelled to flee so far away that finally he took refuge in the ravines of the Sierra Madres, above the little Indian and Mexican mission of Pala, where the good and self-abnegating Padre, Antonio ministered to the wants, spiritual and temporal of his little flock, and was waited on by the gruff but kindly old Nita, his housekeeper. Hard pressed and nearly starved, Jose begged the padre for food, and was given both food and shoes from his slender store, escaping to the brush just in time to avoid the rurales who rode up and asked the Padre if he had seen the bandit. He gave a non-committal reply, but Nita, not so charitable, pointed out the way he had taken, and the riders were soon on the track of the hunted wretch. Dashing through the sage they overran the wife of Jose, who gave her life for that of the stolen child, and Jose was captured as he tried to take shelter with the Priest who had shown him such kindness. The leader of the band told how they had run down the woman, and Antonio and Nita hastened to find her. Beneath her torn and crushed body lay the little Juana, and the Padre supposing her to be Jose's daughter, took her to his home and heart. The years passed by and Juana had given her love to a young American, who was looked upon most favorably, too, by the now-aged and weak Padre. Her beauty had won for her another and less favored suitor, a passionate young Mexican, Garcia by name. At this time, the Senorita Inez was traveling to the north, and stopped at San Luis Rey, where she heard that her old friend and father confessor, Antonio, was nearby at Pala. She wrote him that she would visit him and Varney, the American, volunteered to guide her. In his absence, Garcia attacked Juana, but the old Priest came to her rescue by threatening him with the anathema of his church, and soon after, the party arrived from San Luis, and Senora Inez recognized in Juana the lost child of her youth by a cross she had worn. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less