Summary
In a poignant tableau of domestic disquiet, the narrative unfurls around Danny, a stalwart brewery wagoner, and his wife, Mamie, whose burgeoning affections are ensnared by the bohemian allure of artist Gaston Bouvais. The arrival of Daisy May, Mamie's child, precipitates a profound estrangement, as a cruel hospital miscommunication convinces Danny of his cuckoldry. This perceived betrayal plunges him into an abyss of self-destructive revelry and despair, even as an undeniable paternal bond blossoms with the innocent Daisy May. Their shared existence on the brewery wagon, a rolling stage of their intertwined fate, culminates in a tragic accident born of Danny's inebriation, leaving the child gravely injured. Concurrently, Bouvais's persistent entreaties nearly succeed in luring Mamie away, yet the spectacle of Danny's suffering acts as a crucible, forging a rediscovered devotion within her. His rejection by Mamie propels Bouvais into an expedient marriage, while the crucible of crisis ultimately reforges the familial unit. With Daisy May's recovery and the couple's reconciliation, Danny symbolically exchanges the intoxicating cargo of the brewery for the wholesome promise of a milk wagon, signifying a hard-won, if imperfect, domestic felicity.
Synopsis
Danny, the driver of a brewery wagon, marries Mamie; soon after, she becomes infatuated with artist Gaston Bouvais. When Marie gives birth to Daisy May, Danny is led to believe at the hospital that the baby is not his. Shattered, he embarks upon a life of drinking and carousing. Nevertheless, he loves the little girl, and as she grows up, Daisy May joins him on the brewery wagon. On one of these trips, Danny drinks too much and loses control of his horses, and Daisy May is injured in the melee. Meanwhile, Bouvais has finally convinced Mamie to run away with him, but Danny's accident finally awakens in her the love she feels for him, and she refuses to go. Rejected, Bouvais marries another woman and happiness is restored to Danny and Mamie. When they reconcile, Daisy May recovers and Danny embarks upon the new career of driving a milk wagon.
