Jim, a cowboy, comes to town with the boys of the Lazy B, and stops at the Last Chance Saloon. One of the girls of the dance hall is Madge. Hardy, owner of a distant cattle ranch, comes to her and offers her a position as housekeeper, which proposition she spurns. Jim has a flirtation with Madge, and she interests him. Late that night, Jim, well under the influence of liquor, chances to meet her again. On the impulse of the moment he asks her to marry him. Madge thinks back to Hardy's statement that "No one would ever marry a dance hall girl" and accepts his proposal. The foreman of the Lazy B is short of help for the spring round-up, and sends one of the boys to ask Jim if he is willing to join them. The cowboy eyes Madge laughingly - and this brings Jim to his senses. He angrily tells the cowboy that Madge is his wife - and that, as such, she must be respected. The cowboy apologizes. Jim consents to join the round-up, and leaving sufficient money for Madge, sets off. The weeks pass, and Hardy arrives in town again. He inquires at the dance hall and learns of Madge's marriage to Jim, and is furious. The round-up over, the boys start home. Hardy has heard of Jim's absence from town and goes to see Madge. Madge refuses to admit him, and finally breaking the door down, he enters. Jim returns, and sees Hardy with Madge. But when Madge fights Hardy as he tries to embrace her, Jim sees the real nature of the affair - more so when he notices the shattered door and, entering, he forces Hardy to leave. Madge fears that Jim has gained a false impression of the incident, but he quickly reassures her, and in place of the old silver ring that had been used at the marriage, he slips on her finger a new and real one.- Moving Picture World, April 29, 1916*
This was the second use of the title "The Awakening." See January 16 1913 Dwan film for the first - an entirely different story. Santa Barbara's Palace Theatre ran Frank Borzage's The Awakening on April 30th, 1916.
The title had been used earlier for an unrelated one-reeler.