- A woman overcomes her fear of childbirth and embraces motherhood.
- Ellen Franklin marries John Locke, but refuses to bear him children because three generations of the women in her family have died in childbirth. Because of his wife's attitude, Locke finds himself drawn to his old love, Constance, now a widow with a child who bears her name. After her sister Marion dies in childbirth, Ellen becomes more obsessed. One day, little Constance seeks Locke at his home but instead finds Ellen, who begins to drive her home. En route, they have a car accident and are hospitalized. When a fire breaks out in the hospital, at the risk of her own life, Ellen rescues Constance and restores her to her mother. With her fear of death vanquished, Ellen no longer dreads having a child, and Locke returns to her.—Pamela Short
- For three generations the women from whom Ellen Franklin was lineally descended had brought their children into the world at the sacrifice of their own lives. At the birth of her second daughter, the mother dies, leaving Marion, the elder daughter and Ellen, the newborn babe, her own namesake. Eighteen years later when Marion tells of her engagement to Dan Miller, Ellen and the old family physician are present. Noticing his grave look, Ellen asks the cause of it, and he tells of her mother's death and of the deaths of her female forebears. So into Ellen's mind was instilled a fear of the dangers of motherhood. David Gordon, a portrait painter and Ellen's sweetheart, gains her consent to pose for a picture, "Mother Love." When David asks Ellen to marry him, she, prompted by fear of motherhood, tells him she will never marry. Going abroad to complete his studies, David has fellow passengers in James Randolph, an importer, and Louise, his daughter. Six months later Louise is married to Neil Rogers. On a visit to David's studio in Rome, they see the unfinished portrait of Ellen in "Mother Love," and David tells them he has never finished the picture because the model, whom he loved, rejected his proposal of marriage. John Locke, a young physician, was rejected by Louise Randall before her departure abroad, and, disappointed in his hope of paternal joys, had become superintendent of an orphanage. Bringing toys to the children one Christmas, Ellen meets Dr. Locke, and attracted to each other they become friends. In time he asks her to marry him. Though at first she is almost mastered by fear, she finally consents to marry him. On their second wedding anniversary, their gardener and his wife present Ellen with an old-fashioned wooden cradle, which in by-gone days had held their children. When Ellen communicates her fears to John, he comforts her, and gives her a book to read, written by himself, and treating on the subject of Motherhood. Louise Rogers, now a widow, returns to America with her six-year-old daughter, Constance. Constance has a sprained wrist, and Louise takes her to Dr. Locke. This is a renewal of their acquaintance, and John realizes all he is missing when he romps and plays with Constance. The thought of the happiness that Marion is expecting with the arrival of her first born, almost makes Ellen envious, but when both Marion and her baby die, it only serves to increase Ellen's fear, and she decides never to be a mother. John, growing more lonely each day, drifts away from Ellen, and becomes a frequent visitor at Louise's home. Ellen realizes that her husband has found interests outside of his home, but she cannot combat the fear which she knows is destroying her hope of happiness. When "Mother Love" is completed. David brings it to Ellen, and cannot refrain from telling her that he still loves her. John enters and hears David's declaration of love. When he confronts David, the latter pleads with John to make it possible for Ellen to gain her happiness with him (David). John agrees to leave Ellen. Constance steals out of the house, and picking up the card of John Locke, who is calling on her mother, is directed to the Locke home. Here Ellen entertains her, and while rocking the tired child to sleep, she herself dozes off. She has a dream, which comes to her as a revelation, and on awakening, she is filled with the love of little children. While taking Constance home, both are injured in an auto collision. Taken to a hospital, Ellen is soon revived, but Constance is being operated on. At her home. Constance is missed by her mother. The hospital attendant phones Louise, saying that Constance is in the hospital. John and Louise set out for the institution. Exhausted from long hours, the hospital engineer falls asleep, and the low water and the high pressure of steam cause an explosion. In a few seconds the building is a mass of falling walls and floors. Ellen, rushing to Constance's side, reaches her only to feel the floor drop out from under them, but she manages to drag the child to safety. John, arriving at the hospital, rushes into the fast-crumbling building and brings Ellen and the child out, where they are taken into an ambulance. Later, John and Ellen are seen rocking the cradle in which is their baby.
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