The Browns and Smiths are neighbors in a suburban town. The Brown family receive a letter from their niece in South Africa saying that she has landed in New York and will arrive for an extended visit on the 4:30 train. As the Browns have never seen their niece she writes that she can be identified by a large black bow on her hat. The Smith family, who live next door, receive word from an employment agency that the new cook, which they have been asked to engage, will arrive on the 4:30 train. When the cook arrives at the station she has a big black bow on her hat. Brown's chauffeur, being guided entirely by the description given him, invites her into the limousine and motors her home under the impression that she is the expected niece. While this is all taking place, the Smiths' coachman arrives at the station somewhat belated and mistakes the Browns' niece for the Smiths' new cook sent by the employment agency. The cook, on arriving at the home of the Browns, is received and entertained royally, while on the other hand, the real niece is delivered into the kitchen of the Smiths and shown to an attic bedroom. The cook, a typical Biddy, is very fond of her "Grog," and brings much disgrace to the Browns and their guests who have been assembled to greet the niece. While entertaining the Browns' supposed niece, the Browns' maid-of-all-work throws up her job unexpectedly, and to meet this contingency the Browns send to their neighbors, the Smiths, to borrow their cook until the departure of the "niece." In this way the Browns discover their real niece who was being used as the Smiths' cook. Recognition and explanations quickly follow, the impostor is thrown out and the niece is installed in her rightful position with everybody happy.
—Moving Picture World synopsis