Matilda Jones, a widow, is resolved never to marry a man who does not measure up to the standard of her late husband. She goes away to spend a month at the beach and while there meets Clarence Kipp, who is on his vacation. Clarence falls in love with her at first sight, but is much discouraged at hearing so much about the prowess of the late Mr. Jones. Temple, Mrs. Jones' young hopeful, keeps him constantly informed on this subject and makes life miserable for him. Convinced that he cannot win the widow, Clarence determines to go away and finish his vacation elsewhere. Having written the widow a letter, telling her of his intention and saying that he will reappear when he has done something worthy of her late husband, he takes it to her room and places it on her bureau. Temple sees him enter the room and locks the door on him. Clarence is aghast and does not know what to do. He absolutely dares not risk discovery there. Getting out of the room, he attempts to get down the water chute to the ground, but Temple gets there first. He places a rain barrel, full of water, at the bottom of the chute, with the result that Clarence lands in it and gets soaked to the skin as well as covered with slime. Seeing Temple, Clarence offers him a quarter to get him a suit from his suitcase and bring it to the woodshed. Instead of getting him his own suit, however, he brings Clarence a suit that had been worn by his father. Clarence cuts a sorry figure, and still in this attire, he meets the widow, who, instead of laughing at him, is filled with compassion. She offers no objections when Clarence gives Temple a good thrashing and forces a confession from the boy that he ran spank as well as father, anyway. Mrs. Jones allows Clarence to take her in his arms and confesses, that, although not quite such a giant as her late husband, she loves him just as much.
—Moving Picture World synopsis