Papa's First Outing

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Contrary to the regular custom in the Smithkins family, Papa is persuaded by mother and the children to take a long-needed rest at the seashore instead of themselves. He demurs, pleading a rush of business, but the unselfish hearts will not bear of it, and the next day he is bundled off to the seaside summer resort. A week goes by and a daily letter from Father keeps them in touch with the little head of the family. He is having a good time, but longs to be back with them. It is unfortunate that a stray paragraph in the daily paper sets Mrs. Smithkins wondering what kind of a "good" time Papa is having. The paragraph reads: "Lured From Wife and Family by Beach Affinity," and goes to explain how a perfectly honorable family man falls a victim to the wiles of a seashore Circe. Mrs. Smithkins reads the horrifying news to the children and all are unanimous in their opinion that Father should either come straight home or should be watched. They decide on the latter scheme and a female detective is put on his trail. Another week passes and the despairing detective is unable to find any evidence against Father. Twice she has seen him absolutely refuse to make eyes, even when he was invited and sometimes his aloofness with the feminine contingent of the place has bordered onto incivility and discourtesy. Resolving to try the trick herself, she follows Father and after much difficulty she engages him in a conversation. Engaging her most subtle arts she makes him promise her a boat ride and then leaves him for a time to make up the rest of her plan. Her snapshot camera she turns over to a boy with instructions to snap them when she gets Father in a compromising position. The result of the day's work is a sheaf of photographs picturing Smithkins spooning with the female detective and which are forwarded to Mrs. Smithkins with a long letter, mostly imaginary, in which Father's perfidy is exaggeratedly described. When Father gets home the photographs are shown him, and what follows is best reserved for the time you see it in the film.