Blondie and Dagwood are about to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary but this happy occasion is marred when the bumbling Dagwood gets himself involved in a scheme that is promising financial ruin for the Bumstead family. Camping on the porch of the Poor House would become the most-used prevalent plot line in the 27 series-films that followed. It was also an issue in the comic-strip for about a year after its inception when it was basically a continuity strip but, aside from Dagwood's inability to coax a pay-raise from Mr. Dithers over the years, the financial status of the family was seldom an issue when the format switched to a gag-a-day strip.

In 1916, beautiful young mute Helen is a domestic worker for elderly, ailing Mrs. Warren. Mrs. Warren's two adult sons, Albert (a professor) and womanizing impudent Steven, also live in the Warren mansion. Mrs. Warren becomes concerned for Helen's safety when a rash of murders involving 'women with afflictions' hits the neighborhood. She implores her physician, Dr. Parry, to take Helen away for her own safety. When another murder occurs inside the Warren mansion, it becomes obvious that Helen is in danger.