bor o . ▁When ▁the ▁Club ▁is ▁formed , ▁he ▁is ▁the ▁rich est ▁and ▁most ▁prominent ▁man ▁in ▁town . ▁He ▁is ▁active ▁in ▁local ▁Republican ▁Party ▁politics , ▁but ▁conflicts ▁with ▁other ▁local ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁party ▁over ▁his ▁support ▁for ▁Hor ace ▁Gree ley ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 2 ▁president ial ▁election . ▁▁ ▁Mrs . ▁Mary ▁Gr imes ▁Ball ard ▁– ▁The ▁activ ist ▁wife ▁of ▁Judge ▁Ball ard , ▁she ▁supports ▁various ▁causes ▁that ▁are ▁considered ▁radical , ▁including ▁women ' s ▁suff rage ▁and ▁the ▁temper ance ▁movement . ▁She ▁becomes ▁the ▁first ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Club . ▁▁ ▁El iza ▁Ball ard ▁– ▁The ▁older ▁daughter ▁of ▁Judge ▁Ball ard , ▁she ▁never ▁mar ries ▁and ▁supports ▁herself ▁first ▁by ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁secretary ▁in ▁her ▁father ' s ▁law ▁firm . ▁After ▁her ▁father ' s ▁death , ▁due ▁to ▁her ▁conflict ▁with ▁Douglas ▁Gard iner , ▁a ▁principal ▁of ▁the ▁firm , ▁she ▁is ▁h ired ▁as ▁secretary ▁by ▁Ludwig ▁R aus ch ▁and ▁compet ently ▁works ▁for ▁him ▁for ▁many ▁years , ▁until ▁her ▁death . ▁She ▁is ▁bl unt ▁and ▁also ▁a ▁busy body ▁and ▁g oss ip , ▁which ▁sometimes ▁st irs ▁up ▁trouble ▁in ▁the ▁town ; ▁she ▁ups ets ▁Doug ▁by ▁g oss ip ing ▁about ▁his ▁rom antic ▁interest ▁in ▁Barbara ▁Bod ien , ▁and ▁is ▁wrong ly ▁sus pected ▁of ▁being ▁the ▁person ▁who ▁revealed ▁Johnny ▁Gordon ' s ▁affair ▁to ▁his ▁wife ▁Julia ,