Mrs. Carter, the snobbish social dowager of a small Mississippi town, objects when her son Jeff announces that he is going to marry Mary Tibbett, the daughter of the town's poor but proud country doctor. In turn, Dr. Henry Tibbett, who believes in equality for all, has little patience for the snobbish and hypochondriacal Mrs. Carter. Complications arise when Dr. Tibbett comes to the aid of Zenobia, the sick elephant owned by carnival barker Professor McCrackle, and out of gratitude, the elephant falls in love with him and begins to follow him everywhere. Mrs. Carter seizes upon the opportunity to embarrass Tibbett, and convinces McCrackle to sue the doctor for alienating the affections of the animal. Her scheme backfires, however, when, at the trial, Jeff tells his mother off, thus forcing her to realize her selfishness. She finally consents to her son's marriage to the woman he loves. Thus, the loving couples are reunited, as Mary and Jeff are wed and Zenobia returns to McCrackle and gives birth to a baby elephant.