A wealthy Boston woman named Claribel Sudds consults Dr. Daws, a wise old chemist who dabbles in magic, about her desire for a stage career. For a fee, Daws prepares some magic candies in five flavors that will endow the eater with the talents of dancing, singing, elocution, piano playing and high kicking.

However, Claribel forgets the box of goodies on a store counter where it is inadvertently taken by the 12-year-old Bessie Bostwick. At home, Bessie eats the chocolate candy and places the others in a serving dish in the hall. Then she puts in a stunning performance of Beethoven's seventh piano sonata, followed by the overture to "The Flying Dutchman".

Meanwhile, her father, mother and two dinner guests each take one of the remaining candies. At the table, Mr. Bostwick breaks out in song in a tremolo soprano voice, his wife recites poetry, and the Yale professor kicks his soup dish to the ceiling. The senator, who had slipped his candy into his pocket, flees this scene of madness. The next day, just before a speech, he eats his ballet-inducing candy....