1912 Annie Crawls Upstairs

Annie, the daughter of the janitor, who wears a brace and is three years old, is neglected by her parents. They quarrel. She finds the door ajar and crawls out and up the stairs. A young girl on the first floor is tempted to go out for a wild night; her mother has been unable to dissuade her. As she opens the door to go, Annie crawls in. In a few minutes the girl goes back to the mirror and takes off her finery. Annie, neglected again, crawls out and upstairs again. On the second floor an ex-convict is contemplating a burglary. He is making ready when Annie knocks at the door. When she comes in the man takes her up and kisses her. He puts away his burglar's kit and Annie crawls out and up again. On the third floor there is trouble between a pair of lovers. The girl does not want to marry, she wants a career, so the young man says goodbye but as he opens the door, Annie crawls up. He picks her up, shows the lame leg to the girl. The girl hugs Annie and Annie hugs them both together. Naturally the young man puts her down and turns his whole attention to the young lady. Annie crawls out. On the fourth floor, a seamstress is sewing at the machine and her little girl, a child of about Annie's age, is trying to attract her attention. The woman gives the child a slap and the child cries. Annie crawls in and the two begin to play together. The woman notices this, picks up her own child, hugs her and feels her little limbs which, unlike Annie's are sound and whole, and so neglected, Annie has to go out and climb on. By now she is so tired that she can hardly crawl up the remaining stairs. On the top floor a young man, a stranger in the city, is contemplating suicide. He is alone, without friends and in despair. Annie comes sleepily in. He picks her up and she falls asleep in his arms. Very gently he carries her downstairs again. The janitor and his wife are still quarreling but when the young man appears with Annie fast asleep, they are silent, look at the sleeping child and draw each other close.