The story of Midwest industrialist who lets wife obsessed with youth bully him into retirement and a grand European tour, eventually seeing through her, her promiscuity, and the pretensions of European society and leaving for a civilized widow.

The story is set shortly before Civil War and centers around Evalina, sixth daughter of a hoop skirt manufacturer who sides with her Aunt Dolly Bloomer, an avid suffragette, and falls in love with a handsome slave owner, Jefferson Calhoun.

The story of modest and inhibited Newark librarian who secretly loves handsome young bank clerk, schemes to meet him in a bar and gets drunk herself but successfully pursues a campaign to woo him, aided by the bar patrons.