Katy Standish is a family drudge on a New England farm. Her elder sister "enjoys" poor health and her mother sees to it that Katy not only does her own work but that of the weak or lazy elder, Priscilla. Oliver Putnam, a husky young farmer lad, comes a-courting of Katy, but her parents interfere so much that he is discouraged. Oliver finally goes to Mexico with Ben Standish, uncle of Katy and Priscilla, who owns a valuable mine there. Priscilla marries Caleb Adams, a young man who has bought a farm adjoining that of Standish. Father and Mother Standish die and Katy goes to live with her sister. She soon is doing all the work in the house and as Priscilla rapidly becomes the mother of seven, each and every one of them is turned over to the care of Katy. Then Priscilla and her husband are killed by an express train while driving to the city. Then Katy has to teach school to help keep the wolf from the door.