Mr. White and Mrs. Black were originally married to each other and divorced. Mr. Black and Mrs. White were also formerly man and wife and divorced each other. The two ladies assumed their maiden names, and each meeting the other one's husband, fall in love and marry. Mrs. Black thus becoming Mrs. White, and Mrs. White becoming Mrs. Black. Neither of the men or ladies tell their newly married partners that they have gone through the divorce court, the two men believing they have married spinsters and the two ladies thinking they have married bachelors. None of them have heard of the re-marriage of their former husband or wife, and each one is fearful of meeting the other. The Whites have rented a house which is too large for their needs, so they advertise for a congenial couple to share it with them. The Blacks answer the advertisement and each former man and wife confront each other separately and as neither one is in a position to give the other one away, they swear each other to secrecy and for mutual protection they agree to occupy the same house, though each individual is in constant dread lest his wife or her husband should discover their former relations to one another. The mother-in-law of both men makes an unexpected visit on her daughter, thereby precipitating the disclosure that they all have dreaded. Explanations are refused by all; Mr. and Mrs. Black (the 2nd) with the mother-in-law, beat a hasty retreat sadder but wiser, while Mr. and Mrs. White (the 2nd) decide that no one will ever share their home again.
Where to Watch A Happy Family
