Thomas Bates, Jr., "a bird who brings his father a long bill at the first of every month," calls his father a grouch and criticizes his old-fashioned business methods. The father lets his son take over the management of his broom factory and the household for a year in an attempt to make a man of him. Geraldine Marsh, an old friend of the family whose father has just died, is taken into the family as a housekeeper. Tom falls in love with her and breaks his engagement with the mercenary Florence Levering, his father's ward. Convinced, however, that Geraldine loves his father, he sees to it that both Geraldine and his father leave the household. After a year, Tom admits his failure and asks his father's help. Geraldine also returns, and Tom happily discovers that she has not married his father.