Her First Appearance

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Van Bibber, a thoroughly delightful man of the world who has not been spoiled by society conventionality, and the child whom he rescues will appeal to every lover of the best in life. Some of the story of the "littlest" girl's parentage, which is only hinted at in Davis' book, is fully given in the film; and we understand pretty clearly why the wronged father has wanted to cast the mother and her child out of his heart, why he has remained in ignorance of the death of the mother and the fate of the little one, and also why, when Van Bibber finds her making "Her First Appearance" before the footlights, he resolves to take her from the life of the stage and restore her to her father, whether the father will or no. The scenes show the young society man, who has been lounging behind the scenes, carrying the "littlest" girl to her dressing room where he learns from her foster mother that she is really the child of his old friend and of that friend's unhappy marriage, which he will be shown in the opening series to have done everything in his power to prevent. Being a man of decision as well as of good heart, Van Bibber takes her in the taxicab to the home of her father and urges him to receive the child into his house and affections. Remembering his wrongs, the father refuses to welcome her, but when Van Bibber announces that he will adopt the child and she shall become his and fill the place in his life which she should fill in the empty heart of her father, the father hesitates and by that hesitation loses his firmness and gains a daughter, a pleasing climax to a sad story.