Shoemaker Silas Wadsworth, with the help of two faithful friends, sends his son Arthur to college, where the boy gains fame as a football star and falls in love with Marian Hancock, a young society girl. When they become engaged, Arthur sends an announcement to his parents but wires his father not to come to the reception. Silas and his friends arrive, however, and learn that Arthur is ashamed of them. Marian secretly goes to Arthur's hometown to meet his parents and comes to love Silas. When the latter becomes ill, Arthur is called home and is happily reunited with his sweetheart.