Making People Happy

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

27888

Title

Making People Happy

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

In this 1911 novel, Cicily Hamilton, a spirited young bride, forms the Civitas Society to uplift women and aid striking workers. When her husband, Charles, threatens to abandon his business to save the workers, Cicily uses her intuition and moral conviction to persuade him to sell out and join her cause. Together, they redefine their marriage, balancing philanthropy with personal happiness.

Summary up to 500 words

Set in New York society, the story follows Cicily Hamilton, a twenty-year-old bride with golden eyes and a fiery temper, who finds her drawing room in chaos as she attempts to run a meeting of the Civitas Club. The club, initially a gathering of twelve women ranging from militant suffragettes to society matrons, aims to uplift women and encourage social equality. Cicily struggles to maintain order against the clamor of members like the English suffragette Mrs. Flynn and the coquettish Helen Johnson, but her aunt, Mrs. Delancy, helps steer the group toward practical action. The narrative shifts to Cicily's home life, where she faces a crisis with her husband, Charles Hamilton. A strike at his factory threatens the livelihood of workers and their families. Cicily, driven by a strong conscience and a belief in the suffering of the poor, refuses to let her husband ignore the plight of the strikers. Charles, initially furious and viewing her actions as a betrayal of his business responsibilities, demands she stop. However, Cicily stands firm, arguing that a wife's primary duty is to humanity first. She uses her 'intuition'—a gift she claims men lack—to navigate the complex social and business landscape. Cicily organizes a meeting with the women she intends to help, including Mrs. McMahon, a brawny Irishwoman who doubles as a nurse and undertaker, and Sadie Ferguson, a girl influenced by fiction. Cicily must manage the awkward social dynamics between these working-class women and the high-society members of her club, including the haughty Mrs. Carrington. Through diplomacy and genuine care, she bridges the gap between the two groups, proving that women can effect change in both the home and the public sphere. The climax arrives when Charles, realizing the depth of Cicily's conviction and the futility of his previous neglect, decides to sell his business to Morton. He plans to retire with Cicily to Europe for a honeymoon, effectively quitting the business world. Cicily, however, refuses to let him quit entirely, arguing that duty to the workers remains. Instead, she convinces him that they can move forward together, integrating his business acumen with her humanitarian ideals. Charles admits his past mistakes in prioritizing business over love and family. The novel concludes with the couple reconciling. Charles sells the business, and Cicily's efforts to help the workers are vindicated. They discuss their shared future, planning philanthropic schemes and a life of mutual respect. Charles puts the wedding ring back on Cicily's finger, acknowledging her worth. The story ends on a high note of domestic harmony and social progress, celebrating the power of a woman's intuition and moral courage to transform both a marriage and society.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Fiction
• New York (N.Y.)
• Married women
• Rich people
• Women's societies