Plot

Mrs. Sanders returns from a shopping tour and secretly shows a beautiful locket that she has purchased as a birthday gift for her daughter. Surprised by the presence of the young lady, she drops the locket into a vase, as a convenient and secret receptacle. Mother and daughter leave the room, and the new maid, Ruth, comes in to tidy up the apartment, and with a long-feathered dust-brush she unfortunately sweeps the vase from the mantel and it lands on the floor with its superstructure smashed. The poor girl is much alarmed over the accident, but carefully gathering the lower bowl and shattered upper pieces in her apron she rushes out of the room. She goes to her little attic room, draws from her scant savings, rushes down to the ceramic shop, and feels fortunate that she is able to replace the vase, although the loss of her savings weighs heavily upon her. On her way back home she throws the original in an ash-heap. When Mrs. Sanders later looks into the vase after the locket and cannot find it, she immediately accuses the second maid of having stolen it, and, despite the tears of denial, rushes her off to a station-house, preferring a criminal charge. A poor beggar passed the ash-heap soon after Ruth dropped her vase, and, picking it up, found the locket still in the bowl. Thereupon he went to the pawnbroker's and endeavored to secure money upon it. That crafty individual, thinking he has stolen it, summons a policeman, and he arrives in the station-house coincident with the unfortunate servant maid. Mrs. Sanders immediately identifies the locket, gives willing ear to the explanation of Ruth, and the latter is restored to her good graces, while the beggar is adequately rewarded.—Moving Picture World synopsis