Plot

Tom Walton is a poor boy attending the public schools. His mother, Mrs. Walton, earns a living for herself and Tom by doing washing and ironing for the wealthy people. Helen and Dick Kent, children of about the same age as Tom, are the pampered children, of a wealthy mother, and have a private tutor. One day while Helen is riding her pony she is roughly treated by a crowd of the poor children and her pony is taken away from her. Tom comes along, rescues Helen from her tormentors and puts her on the pony and sends her home. About ten years later Tom and Dick are attending the same college. Tom is working his way through college by working in a freight house nights. One night as Tom is coming back from work he meets Dick and a crowd of his wealthy friends. They surround Tom and a fight ensues, in which Tom is victorious. Tom graduates from college with highest honors. After finishing college Tom and Dick are both nominated for governor of their state. Helen overhears a plan of Dick and his campaign managers to ruin Tom's reputation. Helen begs Dick to forego the plan. Dick refuses, and Helen, in order to repay the debt of gratitude to Tom, informs him of the plan, thus enabling him to win the election.—Moving Picture World synopsis