We see an old, crippled man seated at his stand, where he receives articles from the public to be delivered by his messenger boys. A young woman, who has had a disagreement with her better half, comes along with her baby in her arms and turns the youngster over to the man, with a note to be delivered to her husband. In which she tells him of her intentions to desert him on the grounds of his extreme cruelty; also stating that he must care for the offspring. She hastily departs, and the stranger is caring for the babe, waiting for one of his boys to come and do the errand, when a tradesman comes up with a large dead rabbit to be delivered to a customer, with a note telling how to keep it fresh until the following day. Soon the messenger is on the scene and ready for business, and the old man gives him the baby and rabbit, with instructions to leave them at their respective addresses. The lad starts off, and arriving at the first house, leaves the youngster with the cook, and mixing up the notes, he hands him the one with instructions about the rabbit. When the chef realizes the mistake, he pursues the boy, but falls to catch him. In the meantime the messenger reaches the other place, delivers the note to the heart-broken husband, and leaves the rabbit instead of the baby. The man, unable to understand the situation, decides to go after the lad: so be follows him back to the stand, where he meets the cook with his baby. They exchange bundles and are soon happily on their way again, while the careless lad is highly amused at the result of his mistake.