ina ▁and ▁El iza ▁Ball ard , ▁the ▁wife ▁and ▁daughters ▁of ▁a ▁prominent ▁local ▁judge ; ▁and ▁the ▁Miss es ▁Gard iner , ▁two ▁re clus ive ▁sp inst ers ▁whose ▁nep hew , ▁Douglas , ▁att ends ▁Pr inc eton ▁and ▁becomes ▁a ▁local ▁att orney ▁and ▁judge . ▁ ▁The ▁club ' s ▁membership ▁grows ▁over ▁time ▁to ▁include ▁the ▁daughters , ▁grand d augh ters , ▁and ▁other ▁relatives ▁of ▁the ▁early ▁members , ▁and ▁other ▁society ▁women , ▁particularly ▁the ▁w ives ▁of ▁the ▁town ' s ▁numerous ▁and ▁often - ch anging ▁Protest ant ▁minister s . ▁Although ▁the ▁club ▁itself ▁is ▁fr amed ▁as ▁non - cont ro vers ial , ▁club ▁meet ings ▁and ▁social ▁events ▁spons ored ▁by ▁its ▁members ▁often ▁lead ▁to ▁discuss ions ▁and ▁conflicts ▁stem ming ▁from ▁the ▁widely ▁varying ▁social ▁and ▁political ▁views ▁of ▁the ▁members ▁and ▁their ▁families ▁on ▁subjects ▁such ▁as ▁race , ▁class , ▁eth nic ▁and ▁religious ▁bi ases , ▁women ' s ▁rights , ▁labor ▁reform , ▁and ▁the ▁mor ality ▁of ▁drink ing ▁alco hol , ▁att ending ▁the ▁the ater ▁and ▁celebr ating ▁Christmas . ▁ ▁Anne , ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁a ▁doctor , ▁is ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁Dr . ▁John ▁" D ock " ▁Gordon , ▁her ▁father ' s ▁prote ge ▁and ▁a ▁friend ▁of ▁her ▁late ▁brother ▁Rob ▁who ▁was ▁killed ▁in ▁the ▁Civil ▁War . ▁De pressed ▁by ▁his ▁war ▁experiences , ▁John ▁gave ▁up ▁his ▁medical ▁practice ▁for