Summary
In the grimy, bustling crucible of 'Pigtail Alley,' an Irish enclave seething with the raw struggle of existence, young Sally McGill emerges as a beacon of resilience, her slender shoulders bearing the weight of her indigent family. Her world, circumscribed by the clangor of industry, offers a nascent romance with Ben Blaney, a diligent foreman whose affections, though genuine, lack the aspirational fervor that stirs within Sally. A serendipitous encounter with the benevolent, if somewhat detached, Mrs. Rockwell, a wealthy philanthropist with a penchant for rescuing children from urban squalor, offers Sally a tantalizing glimpse beyond her impoverished confines. Invited to Mrs. Rockwell's bucolic country estate, initially as a caregiver, Sally's spirit soars, yet this ascent inadvertently severs her from Ben’s earnest proposal.
The pastoral interlude, however, is not without its thorns. Isabelle, Mrs. Rockwell’s envious niece, perceives Sally’s innate grace and burgeoning refinement as a threat, orchestrating her dismissal. Undeterred, Sally gravitates towards a millinery, a milieu offering both livelihood and a classroom for the refined manners she so ardently covets, supplementing her practical education with diligent study at the local library. Fate, or perhaps Mrs. Rockwell’s lingering appreciation, intervenes once more, drawing Sally back into the Rockwell household as a maid. It is here that her path again crosses with Paul Taylor, a scion of privilege whose romantic overtures ignite a profound internal conflict within Sally, compelling her to reject his proposal, acutely aware of the chasm of social standing separating them.
Choosing self-reliance over societal compromise, Sally embarks on a new chapter as an artist’s model, a decision shrouded in secrecy to protect Mrs. Rockwell from any perceived impropriety. Yet, Paul, tenacious in his affection, unearths her whereabouts through Sally's mother, who, blinded by the prospect of an advantageous union, betrays her daughter's confidence. A clandestine rendezvous culminates in a tender embrace, witnessed by a heartbroken Ben, whose protective rage erupts in a violent confrontation with Paul. In a poignant act of self-sacrificing love, Ben, recognizing Sally’s transcendence of 'Pigtail Alley' and the profound shift in her aspirations, releases her, acknowledging their disparate destinies. The narrative culminates in a poignant embrace, as Paul re-articulates his interrupted proposal, whisking Sally away to a future brimming with the promise of South America, a symbolic departure from the confines of her past and the strictures of class.
Synopsis
Sally McGill, a little Irish girl, brought up in a particularly sordid section, is compelled to work to support her entire family. Ben Blaney, the young foreman where she works, loves little Sally. Mrs. Rockwell, wealthy and childless, finds joy in taking a limited number of the poorest children to her country home each summer, and she selects those whom she will take. While visiting the lower East Side, which is distinguished by the name of "Pigtail Alley," she meets Sally and impulsively asks her to go along to earn her board and keep by caring for and helping with the children. Sally is overjoyed. Ben Blaney, however, proposes to Sally and is rejected. Mrs. Rockwell's niece, Isabelle, is jealous of Sally and takes a violent dislike to her. Sally's ambition is to become a refined lady like those about her, and she is attracted to Paul Taylor, but knows she is inferior to him. Isabelle succeeds in having Sally discharged. She then goes to work in a millinery store where she has opportunities to learn the refined ways she so admires, and joins a library to study on this subject. Mrs. Rockwell, in need of a maid, seeks little Sally out and offers her the position, and she again meets Paul, who proposes to her on her way home one evening, but she, realizing the great social gulf between them, does not consent and tells him he must never see her again. She leaves Mrs. Rockwell's employment to become an artist's model and because she pledged Mrs. Rockwell to secrecy about her new address, Paul goes to her mother, who, believing there is a possibility of a rich marriage, gives him Sally's address. Paul waits for Sally and escorts her home, standing in the doorway for a chat. Ben sees them just as Paul is embracing Sally and in a rage strikes Paul down. Later, when Ben learns that Paul has asked for Sally in marriage, he tells Sally that they are not made of the same clay, and that she has outgrown "Pigtail Alley," and he hopes that she will be happy with Paul. She goes to Paul and he holds her in his arms and finishes the sentence he started in the hallway, which Ben interrupted, "When do we start for South America?"
