▁Due ▁to ▁her ▁gender , ▁she ▁is ▁unable ▁to ▁obtain ▁a ▁position ▁in ▁academ ia ▁elsewhere . ▁Later ▁she ▁becomes ▁a ▁public ▁school ▁teacher . ▁She ▁is ▁considered ▁unusual ▁by ▁others ▁because ▁she ▁pre fers ▁a ▁scholar ly ▁and ▁mostly ▁solit ary ▁life , ▁and ▁has ▁no ▁desire ▁to ▁marry ▁or ▁have ▁children . ▁▁ ▁Mrs . ▁Rh oda ▁McK in ney ▁– ▁W ife ▁of ▁the ▁Pres by ter ian ▁minister ▁and ▁a ▁friend ▁of ▁Mrs . ▁Ball ard , ▁she ▁is ▁an ▁out sp oken ▁reform er ▁and ▁activ ist . ▁After ▁joining ▁the ▁Club , ▁she ▁leads ▁a ▁controvers ial ▁temper ance ▁cr us ade . ▁▁ ▁Miss ▁Ag ath a ▁Pin ney ▁– ▁An ▁elder ly , ▁un mar ried ▁teacher ▁of ▁elementary ▁school ▁pup ils ▁and ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Club . ▁She ▁develop s ▁a ▁la ud an um ▁add iction ▁after ▁being ▁pres cribed ▁the ▁drug ▁for ▁pain , ▁and ▁her ▁add iction ▁w ors ens ▁to ▁the ▁point ▁where ▁she ▁is ▁unable ▁to ▁control ▁her ▁class ▁or ▁teach , ▁and ▁often ▁falls ▁as leep ▁during ▁school ▁hours . ▁When ▁the ▁town spe ople ▁find ▁out ▁about ▁this , ▁she ▁is ▁forced ▁to ▁ret ire , ▁given ▁a ▁p ension ▁too ▁small ▁to ▁purchase ▁her ▁necessary ▁la ud an um , ▁and ▁the ▁local ▁dru gg ist ▁is ▁war ned ▁not ▁to ▁give ▁her ▁any ▁more . ▁In ▁the ▁thro es ▁of ▁withdraw al , ▁she ▁tries ▁to ▁burn ▁herself ▁to ▁death ▁and ▁dies