The story
“Jennie Gear is one of the fortunate individuals who has an oversupply of sweethearts. Her father believes that it is too early for her to wed, and frowns on all her suitors. When he finds four of them surrounding her on the hotel piazza, he orders them away and sternly reproves his daughter. One of the quartette, John, is seized with a bright idea. He decides to pose as a hero, and save old Gear’s life. So he hires a tramp to push the old man overboard. John, who is a daring swimmer, plans to rescue him. Unfortunately for John, the deal is heard by George, who decides to hire a rowboat, upset John, and save the old man himself. Henry, in turn, spies on George, and hires a launch. Each of the trio succeeds beyond his fondest expectations, until the next man on the list ‘butts in.’ The palm of victory seems to rest with Henry, the man with the launch, and Gear is willing that he should marry his daughter. But Jennie spoils everything by announcing that while her father was busy having her life saved, she had spent the time by getting married to Bill, the only man who did not lose time trying to put up a job on the old man.”
Summary from The Moving Picture World · 14 January 1911
