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Mr. and Mrs. Gray have been married for many years and have arrived at that comfortable age when they should both be beyond the jealousy stage. Their daughter, Ruby, is secretly in love and engaged to Jack Newton, but father does not approve of him, and orders him away from the house. But love always finds a way, and the lovers manage to arrange a meeting at the house unbeknown to father. Mr. Gray buys his wife a new hat, a peach of a creation, and ma tries it on and leaves it on the table. Jack calls while Ruby is seeing how nice she looks in her mother's hat and the rascal kisses her. Pa appears in the doorway and as the fashions demand exaggerated hats, their faces are not discernible and pa breaks out into a cold sweat, says "My Lord. It's Ma!" and collapses. He sees Jack's hat on the table and as the young couple hide and ma enters with her usual smile, pa accuses her of flirting and jams his fist through Jack's perfectly good tile. Ma is properly devastated and retires to weep more comfortably, while pa does a Marathon up and down the carpet and says impolite words. Jack and Ruby come from their hiding places and look ruefully at each other as they recognize their success in breaking up of the happy home life. Jack resolves to tell pa, while Ruby undertakes the task of enlightening ma. Ruby finds her mother and confesses, but Jack does not get the right opportunity. Mrs. Gray tells her daughter to go and get her father and she will give him a good lesson. The maid tries on the fatal hat and the butler takes the chance to kiss her. Ruby sees this and takes the butler for Jack and forthwith discharges the maid. Jack is seen hiding by the butler and is taken for a burglar. The butler hastens to tell Mr. Gray. Meanwhile Ruby gives Jack fits and telling him she hates him, will never speak to him again, and to leave the house forever. The police are 'phoned for and arrive, and Jack is about to be taken to durance vile when explanations are made and all the mystery is cleared up.
—Moving Picture World synopsis