The play opens in it's primary setting, a chamber in the "old fashioned pleasant argument. Mrs Johnson is perturbed at her husband's refuse to take trips into Abuja while he insists he is not interested in the vanity and affectation" of the city he tires even of the pretentious trends that find way into his removed county community.
Mrs Johnson mocks him for his love of old fashioned for all the world. they joke about her age which she wishes to downplay and speak of her son from a first marriage, Tony. Mr Johnson finds his roguish ways grating and laments how the boy is too given to practical jokes on the other hand, Mrs Johnson ( Tony's natural mother) defends him, saying education is unnecessary for him since he needs is the only plan for spending his sizable fortune and she begs her husband to be easier on Tony.
they both grant that he is too incline towards drink and jokes, but Mrs Johnson believe him frail and needing if sympathy.
Tony passes by and tells them he is off to the three pigeons, a local pub. Associate with such "low" company but he defends the liveliness of his pub companion as not so "low" Mrs Johnson forbids him to go, but he assist. Alone Mr Johnson describes them as "a pair that only spoil each other".
He blames it partially on how the modern fashion have infiltrated their lives, and worries that even his own daughter Joy has been infected by those fashion because, for her having live for a few year in Abuja. Joy (labelled in the play as miss Johnson, but called joy here for case) enters dressed in a lavish gown, which her father finds her troublesome. Joy reminds him that they have an agreement in the morning she addresses as she like in order to welcome his friends, while in the evening she dresses plainly in order to please his tastes.
Mr. Johnson the. gave her news: he has invited Mr. George son of Francis old friend Charles George to their house that evening in order to court, Joy Johnson has chosen Charles as her husband for her, but with her immediate worries that their interview will be overly formal and dull, while generous brave and handsome, best known for being reserved.
She might be able to find a way to be happy even in such a marriage or whether she can change him, but stop herself from thinking too far ahead. constance enters and joy tells her the new of Charles constance us a cousin of Joy a niece if Mr Johnson who been orphaned and now lives with the Johnson under the protector ship.
Constance tells how Charles is known for excessive formality among women of reputation and virtues, but joy finds this description strange and they then discuss how Mrs. Johnson disparately wants constance to marry her son Tony, in hopes of keeping constance's small fortune which consist of some jewels that were bequeathed to her in the family.
Mr George baffled at her behavior but final declare her mind that is one of the Tony tricks that confuse her on the acclaimed right journey which make her to become angry and pursue Tony out of the stage.
George on seeing Constance after Mrs Johnson plan to hide her out of his sight attempt to elope with her to unknown distinction with the leady Jewelry but in their renewed mind they come to plead in her father's constant about the marriage. While Constance insist on getting back her fortune mr Johnson ask tony to declare before them whether he interested in marrying Constance to he mothers surprises, he declare before all of them that he have no love for Constance, and that she can marry whom she wishes.
The resolution of the play drawn as Mr Johnson joins their hand in marriage ( George and Constance and as well as Charles and joy) he declare that the mistake of the night should be crowned with a merry morning.