Romance and Brass Tacks

Small brothers are the bane of love affairs. The inimitable Cutey, reporter on a country paper, is courting Ethel Clark, the editor's daughter, and having a lively time with her small brother Tommy. The editor declares that unless Cutey brings in some live news he will be fired--and forbidden to call on Ethel anymore. So Cutey takes matters into his own hands and creates a sensation!

Housemaid Belinda finds a pin on the doorstep, taking it as a sign of good luck, just before a young man arrives looking for a room. The landlady, Ophelia, falls for the boarder at first sight. A policeman finds a fortune-teller's card, which Belinda takes to Ophelia. The two women visit Madam Miriam, who tells Ophelia a young blond man will fall in love with her. Both Ophelia and Belinda assume this refers to their new boarder, Sidney. Sidney, short on cash, tries to stay in Ophelia's good graces by taking her out for ice cream. While they are out, Belinda searches his room and finds a photograph of Sidney's wife, who is none other than the fortune-teller, Madam Miriam. Belinda is shocked by the discovery, revealing that the "omens and oracles" that fueled Ophelia's romantic hopes were part of a deception orchestrated by the boarder and his wife.

A wealthy but weary Charles Morris visits a friend in the country where he meets two young women: the mercenary Hilda and the sweet Dorothy. Betty subtly steers Charles towards Dorothy. When Hilda attempts to capture Charles's affection, Betty orchestrates a situation where Charles sees Hilda with her other suitor, Mr. Bennett, effectively eliminating Hilda's chances. Charles and Dorothy eventually fall in love and become engaged.

Alice takes her little siblings Billy and Kitty to a matinee. They immediately become imbued with the wonderful idea that they are actors. They set up a miniature stage of their own in the summer house on the grounds. They spy upon their sister and her sweetheart Bob, and reproduce their affairs. A quarrel furnishes material for an interesting production, which is a revelation and a lesson to Bob. He goes and makes amends, acting upon the suggestions of the performance.

We all remember the boy who cried wolf so often that when the wolf really did come the people did not believe it. Little Billy must never have heard this, or had forgotten it. His sisters Martha and Jane are very fearful of burglars entering their room, and their little brother decides to play a joke on them.