Heeding the pleas of Bobbie Brown, Jimmie Jones packs his trunk full of liquor to present to his desperate friend and hops on a train. Upon his arrival, Jones discovers that his cargo has been purloined in transit, and while attempting to replenish his supplies by bargaining with the local bootlegger, is detected by the local sheriff.
Minnie, the homeliest girl in town, is devoted to her father, a discouraged inventor who has been working on a wireless device. Subject to the sneers of her neighbors, Minnie "invents" a lover and sends herself letters and flowers. Her stepsister suspects the truth and threatens to expose her. Desperate, she claims an unidentified body at the morgue and tells a reporter that this is her lover, unaware that the body is that of a Chinese man. The absent-minded reporter sees her heart and forgets about the big story. After further disappointments in the invention, Minnie's stepmother decides to leave her father. Her father then has a success and becomes rich. At a celebration, the stepsister and townspeople are surprised when a new couple appear, which turn out to be the former reporter and his lovely wife Minnie.
“This hilarious bit of foolishness has for its theme the gradual rise of a hard-working plumber and his wife, who, after years of struggle, find themselves with a lovely home. The wife who has social aspirations and a desire to entertain people of wealth and note, invites a millionaire couple to dinner. She hires a caterer to help her with the serving and they send a butler who turns out to be a truck driver with whom her husband has had a collision, a short time before, which resulted in a street fight. What these two do when they recognize each other and what happened to the millionaire couple has to be seen to be appreciated.”
Hector, who was reared by a maiden aunt, decides to leave his sheltered life and become a reporter. At the newspaper where he has works, Hector becomes friendly with a young female reporter, who uses the byline "Firefly" for a series of articles intended to expose a notorious café. At the same time, Hector's aunt, head of the local Purity League, gives a stirring speech to the membership about ridding their community of the café. The young woman enlists Hector's aid and together they gain enough evidence to close the café.
Katie Abbott, despairing of being a wallflower, is about to attempt suicide in the village pond when she is rescued by a young stranger.
A man tries to burgle his own safe on the same night that a professional criminal attempts it.
Young and wealthy Molly Allison can't be "presented" into society until her older sister Julia is married, but that doesn't stop Molly from pursuing her usual wild ways. She finds herself in turn pursued by Count Renaud, unaware that he is a criminal interested in swindling her out of her money. To discourage the Renaud's attentions--and because she already has a boyfriend, Billy Wilcox--she tells Renaud that she is actually an Indian squaw who is just living in the Allison household. That doesn't stop the Count, however, and he turns his attentions to Molly's sister Julia.
Charles, Joseph and Sir Benjamin are in love with Maria and Lady Sneerwell is in love with Charles.
The story centers on Flapjack Ike (played by John Bunny), a dominant local figure or "autocrat" in the titular town. Ike faces off against Edith, the Widow (played by Flora Finch), who challenges his authority.
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.
Bill Grimm, a taxicab driver, falls in love with Barbara Baxter, from Lyons, New York, the minute she steps off the train, and has him take her to Mrs. Whipple's boarding house, in spite of the interference by Jack Fairfax, Bill's rival. Boarders at Mrs. Whipple's include a prizefighter named "Butch,", his manager O'Brien, and Pansy the maid. This first entry in the series introduces the leading characters in the future films, and a few comical interludes.
An escaped lunatic threatens the romance of his wife and her new suitor.
A lost film. Teddy Drake is a pleasure-seeking aristocrat who ends up expelled from his exclusive Fifth Avenue club for playing practical jokes and other rambunctious antics. He decides to reform his selfish ways and boards a train heading heading for the Southwest.
Disowned son of a millionaire, Paul Bunyon and his pal, Philo Brown, get jobs (under assumed names) in a lumber yard owned by Paul’s father. Paul falls in love with Patricia Jennings, the manager's daughter. Philo, boasting that Paul is fighter "Mile a Minute Morgan," get him a match with a professional. Paul intends to skip out, but Patricia persuades him to stay. When Kenneth Winster steals the purse money and abducts Patricia, Paul knocks out his opponent, chases Winster, recovers the money, saves Patricia, and wins his father's respect.
Purity League father can't restrain his adventurous daughter from parading around in scanty bathing suits. Willy must learn how to fight in order to win her heart.
A chaotic, night-long comedy ensues when a newlywed couple's celebration is interrupted by rowdy in-laws, a pet parrot that gets stuck inside the cooked turkey, and a series of slapstick mishaps. The turmoil is resolved when a perceived, romantic misunderstanding is revealed to be a secret surprise celebration for the husband's new contract and salary increase.
Hezekiah Dill is a meek clerk in a store in a small town. One day a pair of criminals robs the store safe, but Hezekiah manages to lock them in the safe, and begins to pick up their intended loot. He suddenly realizes that all this money would enable him to become the "Broadway Sport" he's always wanted to be, so he goes for it. Complications ensue.
At his father’s insistence Billy Drake heads to the family’s South American ammunition company as an emissary. Before leaving, however, the movie-struck Billy spots a beautiful woman standing in front of a theater and imagines that she is a film star. To his delight, he finds the woman on board his ship, as well as political agitator Count Von Nuttenburg who has stolen a movie camera, thinking that it is a new brand of machine gun. Von Nuttenburg shows the camera to Billy. Thinking the Count is a director, and the ship a set for a movie melodrama when the boat lands at a port torn by revolution, Billy insists that the guns and soldiers are part of the show. Not until he and the girl are seized by the rebels and threatened with death, does he admit his error. By a clever ruse, he escapes from his captors and with the help of Federal troops defeats the Count and wins the heart of his pretty shipmate.
When he loses both his father’s canning factory and his girl “Tiny” to Stephen Douglas modest Simpson Hightower goes to work in a New York provisions office along with stenographer Hope and office boy Jimmy. To impress the Danish consul who is proposing a large contract Hope and Jimmy persuade Simpson to return to his hometown posing as a successful businessman accompanied by his secretary "Pep" and valet Jimmy. It works! Simpson manages to get the Danish contract, buy his factory back and realize Tiny’s worthlessness while recognizing his love for "Pep."