Tells of Caleb Plummer, his son Edward and blind daughter Bertha, and rivalry over neighbor May Fielding. May's friend Dot weds John Peerybingle; they find a lucky cricket in their cottage. A mortgage and house on fire figure in the story.
Caleb Plummer the toymaker, his son Edward and his blind daughter Bertha live happily together. Edward becomes betrothed to his neighbor, May Fielding, but old Tackleton the toy merchant is also in love with May, and in an altercation he is roughly handled by Edward. On account of old Tackleton's importance in the community and well-known vindictiveness, Edward takes the advice of his friends and goes away to America for a while to make his fortune.May's friend Dot and John Peerybingle the mail carrier are married soon after, and as no word is received from Edward, Tackleton induces Mrs. Fielding to agree to his marriage with May in exchange for cancellation of a mortgage he holds on their home. May consents only because she believes that Edward is either lost or has forgotten her. But Edward comes back, and when nearing home he learns of May's engagement to Tackleton and disguises himself as an old man who is picked up by John Peerybingle beside the road, taken to his home and sojourns there for a while. He discloses his identity to Dot, who agrees to secrete him temporarily. Tackleton, seeing Dot and the supposed old man together in affectionate discourse, tells John, who is consumed with jealousy, and decides to leave his wife.While contemplating this act he sees the blazing house of Caleb Plummer, and through great effort rescues Caleb and blind Bertha and takes them temporarily to live with him. Edward turns up at the wedding in time to become himself the bridegroom, and the merrymaking is crowned by old Tackleton's servant bringing in a huge cake with his Master's compliments.
