Characters:
Barbara Devon, alias Miss Smith, a rich girl.
Lawrence Devon, alias Jones, rich brother.
Sonia Orleneff, file-clerk in publishing office.
Warren, a sympathetic, helpful young msn.
Rodney Bangs, a struggling playwright.
The Novel:
Sister Barbara and brother Lawrence are the last of the Devon clan. Rich, they want to succeed in jobs instead of just getting bored with their money. Both go to New York to get themselves employed for a year disguised as Barbara Smith and Lawrence Jones.
Right on her first day in New York, Barbara loses her purse. Warren, a young man, takes pity on her and brings her to his aunt’s apartment; but next morning Barbara is gone. He locates where she has pawned her watch for $30, and when the money is gone, she disappears again. She meets Sonia Orleneff, head-file clerk for a publishing firm and Barbara gets a job addressing envelopes for $8 week.
Barbara also plays piano for opera singers Madame Marini, but she dies of pneumonia later. Barbara even has to borrow money from Warren to bury the opera singer. When Barbara is laid off by the publishing house, she finds work as companion of rich, restless Mrs. Ordway.
Meanwhile Lawrence meets at his boarding house struggling playwright Rodney Bangs. Together they work out a “crook” play with Lawrence furnishing the details. They play becomes successful on Broadway. Sister an brother meet after the play, and they decide to go home after a happy year of work in New York.
They give a party to their friends at the expensive Colony Club. Warren announces his and Barbara’s engagement. But when Lawrence identifies they’re rich people, Warren wants to break away. But Barbara insists, and Warren relents on promise that they live six months in Devondale, Ohio and six months in New York to stage his plays.
Comment:
This is a nice, humorous, entertaining story about a rich brother and sister who prefer to work rather than be bored with just spending money from their limitless inheritance. The book has a moral: that there is dignity, pride and joy in working and earning. It is not enough to be rich; one must make him self useful and helpful to everyone.