Two Smiths and a Haff

Betta Haff, daughter of a wealthy couple, Mr. and Mrs. Haffen Haff, has permitted her parents to select a husband for her. This is John Smith, son of a prominent but rather poor people, and Betta has consented to an engagement on account of his social position. The wedding cards are sent out, and Haffan Haff, Jr., comes from the west to attend the wedding, bringing with him Jack Smith, his business partner and chum, and as soon as Betta meets him she begins to regret her engagement to John. Nevertheless, she resolves to carry out the agreement she has made, and preparations for the wedding are completed. Three or four evenings before the event Betta receives a call from Eva True, a young woman of good family, and learns from her that John has been engaged to her, but jilted her because of the opportunity to form an alliance with the wealthy Haff family. Enraged, Betta tries to break off her engagement, but is dissuaded from her purposes by the elders of both families, because of the scandal. The night before the wedding, however, a farewell bachelor dinner is given to John by his companions, where the proceedings are so hilarious that the police are called in, arrests are made, and the newspapers publish glaring accounts of the affair. Now Betta determines that the wedding shall not take place. Haff Junior, with characteristic humor, suggests that everything aimed at by Betta's marriage could be attained if Jack were to take the place of the other bridegroom at the ceremony. Betta enthusiastically endorses the proposition and is locked in her room there to remain until the hour fixed for the ceremony. In the meantime brother Haff has communicated with Eva True. He goes with her to John and tells him that he will make him superintendent of one of his mines if he will not appear at the wedding, and if he will marry Eva later. When the time arrives for the wedding John does not put in an appearance much to the consternation of the parents of both families. Brother Haff insists upon the ceremony proceeding nevertheless. Jack appears as bridegroom, is married to Betta, and explanations are made to the satisfaction of everybody.