The film follows Ezra Greer , a middle @-@ aged man who has worked hard since his youth . He cares deeply for his motherless daughter , Mary , but was unable to attend the annual commencement at her co @-@ educational college . He awaits for her to return from college , but Mary leaves with her romantic interest , Jack Denbeigh . On promise of marriage and wealth , Mary is romanced and gives birth to a fatherless child . Without word from his daughter , Ezra resigns from his job and attempts to seek her out and finds a poor motherless child , Marie . With Ezra 's money exhausted he seeks employment and finds it as the valet of Jack .