Enoch Arden, a humble fisherman, marries Annie Lee. He signs on as a sailor to make more money to support their growing family. A storm wrecks his ship, but Enoch swims to a deserted island. Annie waits vainly for his return.

A wealthy moneylender instructs his collectors to foreclose on the property of every debtor who is behind on his or her payments. Many families are affected by this decision, in some cases with tragic results. But the moneylender is unconcerned, and he ignores their pleas while he enjoys showing off his wealth. But when he is accidentally locked inside his office's valuables vault one evening, he realizes to his horror that suddenly all his wealth is useless to save him.

Peggy is a high-spirited young woman from a poor family. One day she catches the eye of a wealthy lord, who proposes marriage and wants to introduce her into his social circle. But complications arise when the lord's nephew also becomes attracted to Peggy.

A father, anxious for his son's financial well being, develops a special soda pop called Dopokoke which is laced with cocaine. Dopokoke is advertised as relief "for that tired feeling." The drink is a success, but the son becomes addicted to it, much to his father's regret. Loosely based on the allegations that the Coca-Cola company and other soft drink manufacturers laced their soda with dope.

Fatty steals a ride on a train, discovered, and put off in the middle of nowhere. He stumbles along over the hot desert and finally passes out. A very plump Indian woman finds him and takes him to her tepee, woos him and finally, in desperation, Fatty agrees to marry her. While the tribe is preparing for the marriage ceremony, Fatty attempts to escape but is caught.

A young couple struggle to get ahead, the wife always assuaging the troubles of her melancholy husband. As he climbs the ladder of success, he abandons the homely values and takes up with another woman. His wife leaves him, returning to her mother's home where she bears a child. When the husband is abandoned by his concubine, remorse drives him to find his wife...

Kathy, a young child, has befriended the elderly miser who lives on an upper floor of the building where she lives. Today, while playing outside, she also makes friends with Jules, a homeless petty thief. Later, when she is in the miser's apartment, two violent criminals break in. They tie a rope around Kathy and dangle her out of a window, threatening to let her fall to the ground if the miser does not give them the combination to his safe. Outside, Jules sees her in danger, but to help her he must risk dealing with the police.

Arthur and Martha are out walking when they see an aviator and his biplane. When the aviator offers to take them up, Martha excitedly accepts, but Arthur refuses to go along. Martha thoroughly enjoys her ride, but it makes Arthur angry and jealous. But Arthur soon has bigger problems to worry about.

A greedy tycoon decides, on a whim, to corner the world market in wheat. This doubles the price of bread, forcing the grain's producers into charity lines and further into poverty. The film continues to contrast the ironic differences between the lives of those who work to grow the wheat and the life of the man who dabbles in its sale for profit.