Set in rural Ontario, this film draws on the classic Cinderella story to dramatize a narrative of romance and farming. Jimmie Benson is an English immigrant who comes to Ontario to become a farmer. He chooses picturesque "Bonnie Briar" farm where Peter Galbraith, the owner, agrees to teach him how to be a farmer and give him an option to buy the land. Jimmie follows as Galbraith shows him some of the activities on the farm. At the end of the day, Galbraith introduces Jimmie to the other farm hands and they all sit down to dinner.~Next door to "Bonnie Briar" is the "Horse Shoe Farm", owned and mismanaged by Rufus Fleming. His daughter Ruth is the maid and cook, preparing meals for the Flemings and their farm hand Dick Whittle. During dinner, the chickens get into the garden and Ruth is sent to put them back in their pen. Dick washes the dishes but is distracted, staring after Ruth. Briar Brook separates the two farms. Ruth sews at the edge of the brook and Jimmie can be seen wading down its centre, fishing. After catching Ruth's attention and introducing himself, Jimmie asks Ruth about her life. She reveals that she was an orphan and was adopted by Fleming three years ago. She doesn't have a beau and isn't allowed to have any friends, except Dick who is "simple" but very kind to her. When Rufus comes upon Ruth and Jimmie talking, he orders Jimmie away. Jimmie pushes Rufus down and warns him to treat Ruth well.~Later, Ruth is doing laundry in the yard when John Wadell, the local merchant, comes to pay Rufus a visit. Rufus is heavily in debt to Wadell and John reveals to Ruth that he is going to foreclose on the farm. After that, he says, perhaps Ruth won't be treated like a slave. Ruth finds Rufus who complains that she should have sent Wadell away, and grudgingly goes to meet him. Left alone with Ruth, Dick looks up at the girl with love in his eyes. Ruth is upset and Dick tries to comfort her, but is pushed away. Inside, Wadell tells Rufus that he must come to terms with the fact that he has gone bankrupt. Wadell tells him that he will take control of the farm and pay Rufus a wage. But he must also take charge of Ruth. Rufus agrees.~Over the next weeks, Ruth and Jimmie's friendship blossoms into love. One day, Ruth suggests to Jimmie that he is just a playboy. To prove his intentions, Jimmie asks Ruth to marry him. She agrees, and they make plans to got to the church the next day.~As planned, the two go to get married the following day. Meanwhile, however, Wadell is presenting Rufus with the foreclosure papers for him to sign. Wadell says that Ruth should be present since the agreement concerns her as well. Dick is sent to find her and meets Ruth and Jimmie on their way back from the church. He is crushed to hear that they had just married. Staring into a pot of boiling stock bones, Dick sees Ruth's face until the pot boils over. When Ruth reveals her news to Rufus and Wadell, Rufus is angry, but Wadell says he will not come between any man and his wife, and leaves. Rufus, fearing he will be evicted takes the horseshoe hanging outside his door and throws it to the ground.~Ruth and Jimmie make their way to Bonnie Briar where Ruth plans on asking the owner for work. Peter Galbraith speaks to her but says he is no longer the owner of the farm. Jimmie appears and tells Ruth that he doesn't need any new help, before revealing that the farm is now his. Ruth is overjoyed, and Galbraith congratulates the newlyweds. Ruth and Jimmie then pay a visit to Rufus where Jimmie informs the farmer that he has bought Horse Shoe Farm as well. Much to Rufus' joy, Jimmie invites him to continue to work the farm. The film's final shots show Jimmy and Ruth gazing out at their new property. <52mn 42s>
