Bianca, the daughter of a poor cobbler, Giovanni Sarte, is in love with a worthless scoundrel. Her father refuses to allow him to marry her, but, in spite of his objections, her affection cannot be decreased. She determines to elope with her lover. One evening, while Giovanni is not at home, she packs up her belongings and leaves the old life behind, after writing a note to her father, stating her determination. The old man returns, and, after searching for his daughter, finds her note. He is heartbroken. Life has no longer its charms. He goes from bad to worse, and, when the next scene opens, two years later, poor old Giovanni is a habitual drunkard. One evening, Bianca, whose husband has deserted her, abandons her baby, leaving it in a park, and leaving a necklace around its neck. Giovanni, returning from one of his carousals, after having absorbed about as much liquor as possible, finds the child by chance and adopts it, not knowing whom its parents might be. Six years later, Giovanni tells the boy how he had found him, and promises to be a father to him forever. Twenty years later, Bianca, now reduced to beggary, goes into a beautiful house, which, unknown to her, is the residence of her father, who has grown rich. She enters the room where he is seated, and the recognition is mutual. Giovanni refuses to forgive her, and she is about to leave, when the young man enters, wearing the necklace she had put on him years ago. She recognizes it in an instant and clasps her son in her arms. Their combined pleadings soften the old man’s heart and she is again a happy member of the family.