The Spirit of Romance (1917)

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Synopsis by Janiss Garza

Ragged little Abby Lou (Vivian Martin) is a drudge at the antique shop owned by Richard Cobb (Percy Challenger). Cobb's son, Tom (Colin Chase), is as cheerful as his father is crabby, and he has invented a kettle that "won't boil over." All he needs is a financial backer so he goes to the wealthy but cynical Joseph Snow (Herbert Standing). Snow turns him down flat. One day while in Cobb's shop, Snow offers Abby some money, but she refuses it. Intrigued by this, the old man decides to stick it to his mercenary relatives by willing his fortune to Abby and then pretending to die. He then keeps an eye on everyone from a secret room in his house. The same relatives that Snow scorned are the people that Abby takes under her wing, and they become better people under her influence. Then she helps Tom fund his invention, which is successful. Snow "comes back to life" and sees things in a different light. He adopts Abby and welcomes Tom as his son-in-law.