“John is a young society man, ruthlessly pursuing happiness. He is in love with Mary, a beautiful, gentle girl, whom he pains and shocks by his carelessness and cruelty to weak and helpless persons who happen to get in his way. She refuses the bouquet of flowers which he brings her—telling him that when he has learned the magic of kindness to fill life with joy, he may come back to her. Half bitter, half rueful, John sits long that night in his room before the roses Mary has rejected—and they yield him a vision. He sees himself, as he is—gay, self-seeking, heartless—faring forth on quest of happiness. He comes to a sign at the foot of a steep hill; the Road to Happiness. Ad he stands, wondering—a Fairy appears to him who is strangely like Mary. She smiles, nodding—then vanishes—and he begins to climb. At length, he comes to a gate into a beautiful garden. On the gate are the words: the Garden of Happiness. Just then somebody whispers to him to enter—and, turning, he sees a stranger in a scarlet cloak at his side. They go in together, and the stranger shows him a rose growing in the heart of the garden—‘the Rose of Happiness.’ John rushes greedily forward and snatches the blossom from its stem. Instantly, he finds himself and the stranger in a barren desert—the flower withered in his hand. Turning upon his evil companion, he seizes him by the throat—but, as he does so, the Fairy appears, and the stranger fades into the air. Again they find themselves at the foot of the hill—and they fairy gives him a fresh rose. John begins the ascent. One after another, he overtakes the people to whom he has been ruthless and cruel—and in each case he flings them aside, only to find himself at tne bottom of the hill again, and the rose withered, After each failure, the Fairy starts him anew—till there is but one rose left. One chance only, now, to find happiness! Toiling upward, he meets on the hillside an old man and a cripple child—a gentler impulse comes over him, and despairing of his own fitness, he gives the child the rose. Immediately, he is standing in the heart of the Garden of Happiness—the beautiful Fairy, radiantly smiling, at his side. John rouses from his day dream. He remembers the old man and the little lame girl he has rebuffed that very evening in the park—and seizing the bouquet of roses, he goes to find them. As he lays the flowers in the arms of the sleeping child, and tucks a roll of money in the old man’s hand, Mary is an unseen witness. The next morning her arms are warm around his neck—her face, brigth as the Fairy’s in his dream, is raised to his—he has found happiness.” - Reel Life, January 10, 1914, p. 14
This was the first offering under the Beauty brand for American. The entire film was set in a border framework of flowers.
“Under the title of Beauty Film, the Mutual program adds another brand of subject to its output. It is announced that on Wednesday of each week a one-reel subject will be put on the market. The first subject under the title of ‘Withering Roses,” will be released on January 14th. The first subject is a drama that well bears out the name of the brand, and is a fair testimonial of the quality of the subjects to follow” - The Moving Picture World, January 24, 1914, p. 419 “’WITHERING ROSES’ (Beauty Films). January 14. —An allegorical picture, teaching that ‘With deeds of kindness is the road to happiness; paved.’ It has many pleasing scenes, although its double exposures are not: always perfect. It fails to convince as a picture of life, but as a fairy tale-it will get by and perhaps please many. People certainly like these unobtrusive sermons—it does none of us any harm to see such pictures- occasionally and know it so we are willing to pay for them; that’s why-it is a good offering.” - The Moving Picture World, February 14, 1914, p. 809 “The new American brand, ‘Beauty,’ makes its debut on January 14th, in ‘Withering Roses.’ This first release is significant of ‘Beauty’ films— aiming at a high order of kinetic art—exceptionally fine subject matter and perfect dramatization— and appealing strongly to lovers of the best in motion pictures.” - Reel Life, January 10, 1914, p. 14 “The first production is a strong allegorical play which forcefully bring out its arguments in striking situations. In many of its parts double and treble exposure is used to splendid advantage. The scenes are all beautiful and the photography excellent.” - The Motion Picture News, January 31, 1914, p. 25 “With the first release, ‘WITHERING ROSES,’ scarcely having been shown on the screen, the clamor for further Beauty releases is assuming gratifying proportions.” - Reel Life, January 24, 1914, p. 3 “’Withering Roses,’ the First Edition of the New ‘American Beauty’ Series, an Allegorical Play, Delightfully Novel in Character and Unusual in its Settings—Margaret Fisher featured.” - The Motion Picture News, January 31, 1914, p. 25 "The Acme of Perfection in Modern Cinematography" - Bioscope, Jan 29, 1914, p.405