Scene summary from the 1903 Edison Catalogue:
A large room in a tavern by the river side. Phineas Fletcher, a plantation owner, enters, and looking out of the window, discovers that the river is full of floating ice, and laments that he cannot cross to see a Quaker maiden on the Ohio side, with whom he is in love, and who refuses to marry him unless he becomes a Quaker. At this moment Eliza and her child, enter almost exhausted. Phineas addresses her, asking what is the matter. Eliza inquires of him if there are any ferries running across the river that night. Phineas informs her that they have stopped running. Eliza tells him that her child is very sick and that she is very anxious to get on the other side of the river. He tells her that a man down the river a piece, is going to try to cross it that night, and asks her to step into a side room and sit down and wait, telling her to order what she wants, and he will stand the damage. . . .