The story
“George Bolton is the foolishly wild son of a country banker. 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. In the city Bolton seeks theatrical work in vain, and finally gets a job playing and singing ragtime 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 pedlar by a habitué of the place, finds its way into Bolton’s hand. With it comes rushing back memories of Nell. Smashing his banjo against the table, he rushes 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.”
Summary from Reel Life · 19 December 1914
