Harry, The Odd Fellow, is a tenement worker who lives alone in a shack alongside a warehouse and longs for the companionship of a wife and children like other men. One day he spies a pretty girl in his telescope and sends her by carrier pigeon a note that, alas, is received by the wrong party. The Girl marries and, poverty-striken, leaves her husband during a snowstorm. Harry takes her in, and minutes later her child is born. He works like a slave for the mother and child, pretending they are his own. Meanwhile, the husband finds her and comes to the shack on Christmas Eve as Harry is preparing to play Santa Claus. Not realizing the unhappiness she is causing him, The Girl thanks him profusely and leaves with her husband. Overcome, Harry sits overnight on the doorstep and the next morning is found frozen stiff except for his eyes--with amusing results.

Joe Cobb is suffering through a toothache as well as having to babysit his little brother Rupert who won't stop crying. Every effort to calm Rupert is undone by an immediate commotion to wake him up. Joe rocks him to sleep, but then the neighbor starts playing his bass fiddle. Joe then rocks the cradle so hard it falls apart, and he trips and stumbles moving Rupert to the baby carriage, which subsequently rolls down hill through traffic with Rupert and a neighbor's monkey enjoying the ride.

A baby girl is left at the door of Brady, an Irish-policeman in New York City. He and his friends bid for her, and she is won by Uncle Ben Shapiro, a pawnbroker, who raises her to young womanhood, and is known as Sweet Rosie O'Grady. One day she goes to the rescue of Victor MacQuade, a young man from the high society set, who has been attacked by some east-side gang kids. The next day Victor, dressed as the family chauffeur, calls for her to go on on a ride. He goes home to change clothes while she peeks through the door at a charity costume-bazaar, and is swept inside by some late-arriving guests. She wins first prize for best costume, although she is dressed in the best she has. She flees angry and mortified. Since he has a larger house, she moves to Brady's home, one of her other foster-parents. Victor, who has fallen in love with Rosie, goes to Uncle Ben's shop and asks his permission to marry Rosie.

Sylvia Summers, a wealthy young woman attempts to reform slum conditions through speeches but faces resistance from Paddy Flynn refusing to make fire traps safe, leading to action involving heroic fireman David Walker.