The Overworked Oversea Overseer - Production & Contact Info (original) (raw)

The caretaker of an estate well out in the country liked his job because he had practically nothing to do. He spent most of his time at the village tavern and was extremely popular with the loafers who hung out there. But every happiness ...See moreThe caretaker of an estate well out in the country liked his job because he had practically nothing to do. He spent most of his time at the village tavern and was extremely popular with the loafers who hung out there. But every happiness is short lived, and one day the caretaker learned that he had been superseded. His successor was introduced as "Cecil Skidding-Hansom, late valet to the Duke of Bilgewater," and he was to all appearances an extremely unsophisticated Englishman. He had brought a gun along, expecting to have a wild time in America, and this gave the other caretaker an idea which he thought might redound to his own benefit. He told Cecil that the country was extremely lawless, and kindly pointed out to him where danger existed. For example, in the North there were "bad Indians, who would kill you for a shilling." In the East there were "mad dogs, hundreds of them." In the South "is a camp where they are trying to reform murderers," while indicating the West he said mysteriously: "And that way is the most dangerous of all." Naturally, Cecil Skidding-Hansom was badly scared, and later developments proved he had reason to be. He saw the "mad dogs" and was much alarmed for he did not know that the dogs were the property of the ex-caretaker and his tavern companions. He met a "reformed murderer" who was out on a rampage and escaped from him after an exciting battle, and then by accident he learned that the old caretaker and his friends had been "spoofing" him. Cecil Skidding-Hansom was a bad man when he was aroused. The next day the "Indians" came, and he was ready for them. They chased him into the reception room of the mansion, and then to their surprise fell through to the floor beneath where they landed in a large tank of water, from which escape was practically impossible, and Cecil Skidding-Hansom added to their sufferings by dropping a note attached as a sail to a small toy boat, the same note reading: "Dear old chaps: you spoofed me, but I'm a sport. Sail my boat around until I come back with the bobbies (I think you bounders call them police.) Yours cheerily, Cecil Skidding-Hansom." Cecil remained a caretaker of the house, for nobody ever tried to play any more jokes on him. They found that despite his unsophisticated cockney ways the Oversea Overseer had a hidden punch waiting for people who made fun of him. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less