George Bolton is the foolishly wild son of a country baker. He quarrels with his father, and neglects his sweetheart, Nell Morrison, posing before the cheaper element in the place as the town sport. At last he decides that Elmwood is too slow for him, and taking what money he has and his banjo, he goes to New York. Nell meets him on his way to the depot and gives him a white rose she is wearing. As he climbs the train steps he laughingly tosses it from him. In the city Bolton seeks theatrical work in vain, and finally gets a job playing and singing rag-time in a rathskellar. Here he sinks from bad to worse, with little pay and much drinking. One night, a white rose, bought from a flower peddler by an habitue of the place, finds its way into Bolton's hand. With it come rushing back memories of Nell. Smashing his banjo against the table, he bursts out of the café and sets his face toward his home village. He makes the journey on foot, arriving at his father's office, dirty, footsore and haggard-eyed. To complete his humiliation, Nell enters and sees him. But with the boy's earnest entreaties for another chance at honest work, his father receives him back. And when he pulls from his pocket the faded counterpart of Nell's last gift, she throws her arms about him. kissing her forgiveness.
