The action takes place in a Russian village, in the house of Isaac the brickmaker.

Isaac is expecting his nephew, Sasha, from Caucasia (the Orient) and propose to engage him to his daughter, Anuta, before Sasha's departure to his rich father in Mexico. Russian peasants, workers of the nearby brick factory, gather to celebrate the engagement of Sasha to Anuta.

Sasha's father has sent his secretary, Marino, from Mexico to accompany his son. Martino, while waiting for Sasha, finds Isaac's house a nest of love, conspiring to unite his heart with Anuta, whom he inspires by his Mexican melodies played on his guitar.

Hershel, who is in love with Chaske, the daughter of an unsuccessful marriage broker, reveals to his sweetheart some confidential things about Sasha's love affairs in Romania, unknown to his uncle Isaac. Hershel's dialogue is manifested into a vision scene, unfolding the secret.

The vision scene takes place in a Roumanian inn where Roumanian soldiers and gay-looking native girls with wealthy peasants indulge in song, dance and wine.

A beautiful flower girl, Mania, with soft eye of azure, enters the inn. She is in sweet suspense, expecting her lover Sasha, from Caucasia, to come to her. Sasha, a gallant romantic young man, appears. All greet him, and Sasha is very pleased to see his heart's desire, Mania.

Mania's eyes begin to play with tears when Sasha is about to leave for Russia. Sasha consoles his sweetheart by assuring her that here, soon, they will  again meet in Russia, before his journey for Mexico. The parting is bittersweet, but part they must, and thus the end of the vision scene.

The comic elements of the play are in the characters of Kalmen and Zalmen, marriage-brokers, both rivals in love. Aunt Tzipe, who has succeeded in burying three husbands, is desirous of remarrying, but knows not which one of her admirers to marry -- Kalmen or Zalmen -- one surely to become a candidate for the grave.

Sasha appears on the scene from Caucasia, unaware of the fact that his Uncle Isaac plans to have him engaged that day to his daughter Anuta. When informed, he meets the unpleasant news with great surprise and discontent. He questions Martino about his father in Mexico, whom he does not know, for he was left in Isaac's care when an infant.

Mania, who ran away from home to see Sasha before he leaves for Mexico, enters. She appears at the very moment when the engagement is to take place. Sasha, unafraid, proclaims Mania as the only girl for whom his heart beats with love and affection. He then asks Martino to take Mania along, but Martino declines to do so.

Sasha promises Mania to bring her to Mexico immediately after his arrival there. mania, in song, recalls to Sasha many pleasant memories, and conjures him not to forget his vow. He answers in song that he will forever be her tender, true and ardent lover.

ACT II.

The action takes place in Bernard's fashionable summer villa in Mexico. Preparations are being made for Bernard's wedding to a beautiful young lady, a total stranger to his family.

Sasha, who constantly craves for his flower girl, Mania, is sent to the United States by his father, that he may forget her. He returns after a year's absence, only to learn that his father is about to marry. He scolds Bernard, warning him not to remarry in his old age, and also reminds him of his unfairness to his mother whom he had left in dire circumstances, with a child, and who had perished in her blooming youth.

Bernard declines to give ear to Sasha's appeal. Sasha in revenge goes to the hotel where his father's bride is stopping. With determination to disillusion her by revealing to the unknown girl his father's character.

The scene: A room in the most aristocratic hotel in Mexico. Mania appears gorgeously dressed. A salesman of fashionable dresses and women's wear was sent to her by Bernard for style selection.

Sasha, being refused admittance by the servant, forces a way through and is amazed to see Mania before his eyes.

Mania explains that while in Cuba, on her way to Mexico to find Sasha, she was financially embarrassed and engaged herself as a singer in a restaurant, the Cafe Shantan, and it was there that she met a man, an old millionaire, who promised to bring her to Mexico and to help her find her lover.

Sasha informs her that she is to be married to this old millionaire, who is no other than his own father. He then contrives a plan how to win his sweetheart from his father.

In the last scene, at the wedding, and before the ceremony, Sasha surprises his father and also the guests, by the statement that Mania is his legal wife and therefore cannot become the wife of his father. The news brings great satisfaction to all and great disappointment to the father. He gives the son his blessings, and love unites the two lovers -- Sasha and Mania.