Maitland White has worked in the soap business to support his wife Nancy and son Ricky despite his desire to be an artist. The Whites plan to send Ricky to Paris to study architecture, but he announces that Veronica Daune has agreed to marry him, and so he plans to join his father at the soap factory. Although they wish that he would continued his studies, his parents cannot argue with him since they made the same decision in their youth. Ricky's decision convinces Nancy that Maitland should take up painting again. She suggests that he use Etta, the maid, as a model. Depending on his copper stock for an income, Maitland takes a leave from his soap job. After six months, however, his boss hires a replacement and the price of copper falls. To help his friend, Geoffrey Nichols takes Maitland's portrait of the maid to an art gathering, hoping to sell it. He brings it back unsold during the masquerade party the Whites give to announce Ricky and Veronica's engagement. Maitland's former boss announces, however, that he has seen the painting and wants to use it as an ad for his soap. He begs Maitland to come back as manager of the advertising campaign. Although Maitland is disappointed that his work is not fine art, he cannot turn down the money. He accepts the job and tells Ricky that an inheritance from his grandfather has made it possible for him to go to Paris with Veronica. She had just refused to marry Ricky because she believed he cared more for art than he did for her. Now, however, he can study architecture and marry at the same time.