A rich woman refuses to bear her husband a child, but adopts a son by his mistress after his death.
Japanese poet Akira living in Tokyo, loves American Ruth Vale, who was placed in the care of Akira's father when her missionary parents died. Ruth returns Akira's affections until she meets Edward, but the American proves an unfaithful husband. Three years later, Ruth is gravely ill while Edward amuses himself with his new lover, Adrienne Chester, but Akira comforts the dying woman with the promise that he will protect her little daughter Blossom.
A divorced knight nearly becomes the lover of his married daughter.
Margot Brising spends the summer in the countryside with her aunt, Mrs. Börje. There she reunites with her childhood friend Gustav, Mrs. Börje's son, who is a naval officer. They fall in love with each other.
Frivolous Jasmine Grenfel is torn between the bold Rudyard Byng and the reserved Ian Stafford. Impulsively she marries Byng with the rejected Stafford leaving for South Africa. He proves to be a poor husband, and much heartache follows but when war breaks out Rudyard distinguishes himself in the field, recovering from his former dissipation and the couple are reunited.
Miss Blossom passes through middle age caring for her widowed brother and his only child, a daughter. A handsome explorer returns from an expedition and meets the family, whereupon he falls in love with the daughter. He departs for another long expedition, leaving behind a message regarding his intent to marry the daughter upon his return. But the message is misdirected to the elder Miss Blossom, who secretly loves the explorer and now awaits his return from far-off lands in joyous expectation of their marriage.
Song of Triumphant Love
"Matches Mary" has sold matches on the streets of New York for many years and nobody knows her real identity. The truth is that Mary's young son had been kidnapped many years ago and she donned ragged attire while searching for the man, whom she knew, who did it. Years later day she meets him on the street and demands to know about her son, now grown to manhood. The man, now calling himself Foster, escapes but Mary track him to his home. Foster's nephew comes in and announces that he has gotten married while in college. Foster is furious and threatens violence. That night he is found murdered and Peter is accused of the crime, and is put on trial. Mary testifies she was the one who murdered Foster. She is about to be sentenced when a detective brings in a confession from two burglars who admit killing Foster. Peter asks Mary who she is and she replies she is just "somebody's mother." Later, an old friend and a lawyer bring evidence that reunites Mary with her lost son, Peter.
In accordance with an Iroquois custom, two women unknown to each other decide to make their babies "hidden children" by giving them to Native American foster-parents until they reach maturity. A boy and a girl are thus raised within the Iroquois community. Upon learning of their true heritage and the custom's purpose, they return to their original people. They are then expected to marry each other to bring a fresh spirit into the tribe.
A peasant girl goes to great lengths to protect her child in 19th century Vienna. The film is considered lost, and only four minutes of footage are known to remain.
Returning from France after the war, John Tabor informs Palma May of her brother's death and offers the penniless girl his help, but she refuses it, preferring to work as a cabaret dancer. Later, John and Palma meet again, marry, and go west to manage a lumber camp, as instructed by John's wealthy father, Jarvis Tabor. Displeased by John's choice of wife, the elder Tabor tests the couple with difficult living conditions, which eventually discourage Palma, and she accepts the party invitation of Keith Merwyn, manager of the cabaret where she starred. Meanwhile, Merwyn effects a disturbance among the lumbermen, endangering John.
Will the orphan girl win her hero in spite of scheming relatives who seek to keep her in the background?
In nineteenth century Mesopotamia a series of romantic enganglements ensue.
In the Old West Charles Garvin and Clarice Winslow are happily engaged. One day artist, Ed Gardner arrives seeking lodging and is welcomed into Clarice's home, where he meets the young cowboy. However, when Charles must depart for a round-up, Ed begins to charm Clarice, who seems amused by his company and a triangle develops.
A waiter in love with a countess assumes the identity of an aristocrat.
Clarence Brooks is a shy, timid man working for Mr. Flavell. He is love with Flavell's daughter, Nancy. Nancy is shallow and fickle, always chasing after other, less-upstanding men. Clarence enlists when World War I erupts. While Clarence is off defending his country, Nancy's mother arranges for her daughter to marry the wealthy Mr. Braille. When Braille is drafted, Nancy's mother starts arranging a rush wedding, against Nancy's wishes. Nancy claims that she and Clarence are already secretly married. When the war is over and Clarence returns home, he refuses to be a part of her charade. When Clarence declines the offer to marry Nancy for real, she must mature to win his affections back. A lost film.
Patricia Parker, on the advice of her father, leaves her life as a chorus girl for the bucolic surroundings of Silas Wainwright, an old friend of her father's.
Mazie, a shop-girl of New York City's Little Ireland, goes to the aid of a young man in formal attire involved in a street fight. Though badly beaten, he bears a strong resemblance to Lord Lytton, the hero of a magazine story Mazie is reading in installments. Although he is, in reality, a soda clerk, Mazie permits his attentions, and together they read the "Sloppy Stories" yarn about English nobility.
Rosie Cooper is a cashier in a cheap restaurant and among those she favors is ... Smith, the bakery boy. Rose is a 'wise kid' all right, but it takes her some time to see through a shiny young thin model gent... The girl entertains his advances because he means romance to her. But he proves his shallow character and Rosie is glad to turn to Jimmy, the bakery youth.
Bertha Sloan loses her job as a sewing-machine girl and subsequently is employed as telephone girl with a lingerie manufacturing company. She soon falls in love with the assistant shipping clerk, Roy Davis, and is promoted to chief model for the firm, owing to the patronage of Morton, the wealthy and wicked manager. Bertha is about to take a position in Paris as designer when Morton lures her to his home.