Mrs. String, sitting under the rose bushes with her baby, Helen, on her knee, is approached lovingly by her husband, who lovingly speaks to his family and then shakes the rose bushes over their heads, causing the white leaves to fall upon their heads in a shower of rarest sun tints. Again we see Helen a grown-up girl, fresh from the graduation exercises, happy in possessing her cherished diploma. Just as she is passing with some of her schoolmates under the rose bushes, her father, with the remembrance of his daughter's babyhood in his mind, shakes the bushes, while the white petals of the roses drop down upon Helen and her friends. Four years later, Helen's father having died, she sees a magazine article on the country girl's opportunities in the city. She decides to venture forth on her own responsibility to test her own independence and ability by securing employment in the metropolis. Located in the city in a cheap, poorly furnished room, Helen is trying to keep up her courage and content herself with her meager fare and depleted purse. Hearing a knock at the door, Helen opens it, and one of her newly formed acquaintances, a chorus girl, enters. She induces Helen to go to dinner with her. The poor child, conscious of her inferior wardrobe, enters the gilded halls of revelry like a timid fawn. Surrounded by the revelers, who are fast becoming intoxicated. Helen wishes for a chance to escape from the trap which has been set for her. One of the party, a young man names Howard, makes advances to Helen. One of the women takes a bouquet of roses from the vase on the table and shakes the rose leaves over the young man and Helen. Like magic they remind Helen of home and mother, and she casts off the spell which has been thrown about her, denounces Howard and his companions, and seizes her wraps and leaves the place. Howard is nonplussed and offers to bet he will follow Helen and bring her back. He goes, but she will not listen to his invitation to re-visit the restaurant, and tells him to leave her presence. He feels ashamed and avows that he loves her and will prove worthy of her love. Howard returns to the dinner and declares himself a changes man with a fixed purpose to lead a better life, and bids them all good-bye. Howard goes to see Helen, and finally they become engaged to marry, and when the goes home he goes with her. She finds her mother seated in the garden under the roses. Helen introduces her fiancé to her mother. In the last scene Helen and Howard are passing through the rose garden just after their marriage ceremony, clothed in their wedding garments.