A Serenade by Proxy

Colonel Jackson, a well-to-do farmer, forbids young Thomas, a neighbor's son, to have any further communication with his daughter, Muriel. Considering her own romance shattered, Muriel lends herself to helping Zeb Hawkins, the chore boy. In winning the affections of Molly, the housemaid, whose head has been completely turned by constantly reading sensational novels. She refuses to consider Zeb as a suitor because he is not romantic enough. Muriel advises Zeb to emulate Molly's idea of a lover by serenading her. Zeb is anything but musical, so he gets a phonograph, points the horn towards Molly's window that night and grinds out "Love Me and the World is Mine," to such purpose that her heart is melted. Unfortunately, Molly does not possess a singing voice, but she induces Muriel to do the singing for her while she, Molly, stands at the open window and makes appropriate gestures. Soon after Molly accepts Zeb as her future husband, but not until he agrees to elope with her. The night of t