The story
“A wealthy young physician, a widower, lives in a beautiful mansion with his only child, a boy of seven. The doctor’s practice is exacting, despite his great love for the boy, he is necessarily forced to entrust him to servants, who, while not cruel, are naturally neglectful and indifferent. Like all children of his age little Paul has dreams of the future. He did not want to be a milkman or a pirate, but his ambition is to run a peanut stand, and twirl the jolly little roaster. While walking in the park one day, his nurse permits him to wander away while she flirts with a policeman. Then Paul’s dreams are realized, for he finds a peanut wagon, presided over by a delightfully dirty little boy, who from Paul’s standpoint should be the happiest child in the world, but, strange to say, he isn’t.
“Paul admires the roaster, and the other boy admires Paul’s fine clothes. Childlike, they agree to swap. The boy dons fine linen for the first time in his life, while the rich boy is thoroughly happy and gives the peanuts the twirl of their lives. Trouble quickly follows. The neglectful nurse, missing her charge, suddenly appears, grabs the well dressed child, and hauls him off. It is a good joke for Paul, but when the drunken owner of the stand appears and whacks his ‘little boy’ laughter gives way to tears. The two youngsters look much alike, and for the time neither guardian notices a substitution. The poor boy in the rich home is scared to death and very uncomfortable, his only joy being the fact that there is an astonishing amount of food. The rich boy finds that peanut vendors have brutal ways, and decides to run away. He fails at first, but finally gets out of the house with the padrone close behind him. The boy, through terror, and the padrone, because he is half stupefied with liquor, failed to notice that they had run directly into part of the road where a blast is being set off. The man is killed, and no one mourns him. The child is injured and taken to the hospital, where he is cared for by a sweet-faced nurse. There his visiting physician calls and recognizes his own child, who he thought was safe at home.
“The nursemaid, in the meantime, has discovered the substitution, but is afraid to tell, hoping that she can recover her lost charge before the matter is found out. But her efforts are unavailing and she is turned out by the indignant father. The rich little boy and the hospital nurse intercede for the poor little chap, and the doctor finds a place in his home for him, while the nurse, who has won the hearts of both children, agrees to act as housekeeper for the home that needs a guiding hand of a loving, self-sacrificing woman. So perhaps Cupid entered the house at the same time as the poor little friendless boy; who knows?”
Summary from The Moving Picture World · 15 April 1911
