Patty's Fortune

In Short

Patty’s Fortune (1916) by Carolyn Wells is a lighthearted juvenile domestic novel following the charismatic and wealthy young Patty Fairfield through a eventful autumn and winter. The story traces a group outing to the Maine woods, a humorous imposter performance at a resort concert, a mysterious abandoned baby in New York, a near-fatal illness, and the sudden inheritance of a massive estate. Celebrated for its cheerful period dialogue and breezy romantic tension, the book endures as a vivid slice of early twentieth-century American youth culture.

The Story

The narrative begins on Labor Day at "The Pebbles," the Fairfield family's seaside summer home. Patty Fairfield, enjoying the lingering warmth of early September with her parents, joins an impromptu party organized by her close friends, including the wealthily robust William "Bill" Farnsworth and the cheerful Chick Channing. They plan a getaway to Maine, gathering a group of twelve young adults for a camping trip near Fern Falls and Blue Rock Lake. Tensions quietly brew regarding Philip Van Reypen, a handsome suitor whom Patty deliberately chooses not to invite to the Maine woods to avoid friction with Farnsworth.

While in Maine, the group indulges in outdoor adventures, playful banter, and visits to a local hermit fortune teller who predicts dramatic inheritances and future romantic pairings. At a nearby resort, Patty impulsively agrees to step in for an absent singer, performing under the alias "M’lle Farini." Her secret performance creates a flurry of lighthearted drama, sparking rumors back in New York that she intends to enter light opera—a rumor that Philip Van Reypen takes far too seriously when he confronts Patty's stepmother, Nan.

Upon returning to New York for the season, Patty finds an abandoned toddler named "Middy" left mysteriously inside her motorcar. With typical charm and humor, Patty brings the child home, hires a stern nurse named Miss Swift, and tries to locate a suitable family or institution for the waif. Her elderly friend, Mrs. Van Reypen (Philip's wealthy aunt), expresses interest in funding a non-institutional Children's Home, inspiring Patty to pledge her support.

Disaster strikes when Patty contracts a severe case of pneumonia. As her family and friends despair, she battles through delirium—muttering incoherently about forced marriages and fortunes—before finally breaking her fever. During her recovery, she learns that Mrs. Van Reypen has passed away, leaving Patty a massive bequest of money: half for her personal use and half to establish the promised Children's Home.

Weakened but triumphant, Patty is pressured by Philip, who insists she honor a half-hearted promise made to his late aunt to "learn to love him." Patty finds herself torn between the attentive, urban Philip and the steady, chivalrous Farnsworth. Realizing she does not want to be bound by obligation, she postpones any formal engagement, ultimately calling Farnsworth on the telephone to confess that, for the moment, she likes him better than anyone else in the world.

How It Unfolds

The summer excursion Patty Fairfield enjoys the late summer sun on her family's veranda before joining her friends on an hastily organized house party trip to the woods of Maine.

Secrets and song While staying near Blue Rock Lake, Patty secretly substitutes for an absent vocalist under the pseudonym M’lle Farini, delighting the resort audience but inadvertently starting theatrical rumors back home.

The hermit’s prophecy The party visits a quirky local hermit living in a dilapidated shack, who reads their palms and predicts extravagant futures of romance and inheritance.

The stranger in the car Back in New York, Patty discovers a well-dressed baby named Middy left unattended in her automobile, setting off a search for the child's proper home.

A desperate struggle Patty collapses with severe pneumonia, fighting through days of high fever and flighty delirium while her distraught family and friends keep vigil outside her room.

The unexpected bequest Following her recovery, Patty learns of Mrs. Van Reypen's death and her own inheritance of a fortune earmarked partly for a new orphan sanctuary.

Choosing her path Resisting Philip Van Reypen's pressure to commit to an engagement, Patty asserts her independence and playfully hints to Big Bill Farnsworth where her true feelings lie.

The People

• Patty Fairfield: A sweet-natured, spirited, and independently minded young woman with golden curls and a love of light practical jokes. She wants to enjoy her youth without being rushed into marriage, though her sudden inheritance and multiple suitors force her to confront her true feelings.
• William "Bill" Farnsworth ("Little Billee"): A tall, strong, and earnest man from San Francisco whose integrity and protective nature earn Patty's deep admiration. He quietly adores Patty, preferring to support her choices rather than force her hand.
• Philip Van Reypen: An attentive, conventional, and persistent New York gentleman of high social standing. He desperately wants Patty to marry him, using his late aunt's wishes to press his suit, though his overly anxious nature often stifles her.
• Nan Fairfield: Patty’s kind and tactful stepmother. She acts as a grounded confidante, balancing her desire to protect Patty from gossip with a warm understanding of the girl's romantic confusion.
• Chick Channing: A jovial, easygoing mining engineer from Arizona who brings good humor to the Maine trip and eagerly helps Patty with her charitable and social escapades.

In Its Own Voice

“I just don’t want him on this picnic. Besides, he’s probably out of town. And likely he wouldn’t care to go.”

Patty explains to her friends why she prefers not to invite Philip Van Reypen to their Maine gathering, revealing the quiet romantic boundaries she tries to maintain.

“Indeed it won’t,” Bill assured them. “We’ve got the nucleus of our party here, and if we can’t get any more, we can go it alone.”

Bill Farnsworth demonstrates his practical, take-charge attitude as he organizes the group's sudden excursion north.

“Only—that at this present moment,—just for one little minute, you know, I like—you—better—than—anybody else in all the world!”

Patty teasingly confesses her growing affection over the telephone, balancing her desire for independence with her burgeoning romance.

What It's Really About

Beneath its polished exterior of tea parties, motor rides, and resort outings, Patty’s Fortune examines the boundary between youthful independence and adult responsibility for early twentieth-century women. The narrative explores how financial self-sufficiency and sudden wealth alter social dynamics, challenging the expectation that a young woman must immediately surrender her freedom to marriage. Through Patty's reluctance to honor a forced promise of affection, Carolyn Wells defends a woman's right to emotional autonomy and self-determination, suggesting that genuine affection cannot be bartered, inherited, or engineered through social obligation.

Why Read It Today

Patty’s Fortune offers modern readers an entertaining, lighthearted window into the leisure class of the 1910s. Wells writes with a crisp, humorous cadence that keeps the narrative moving briskly through romantic misunderstandings, cozy domestic scenes, and sudden plot twists.

Readers who enjoy period domestic fiction, such as the works of Maud Hart Lovelace or L.M. Montgomery, will appreciate Patty’s bright personality and the charming ensemble cast of loyal friends. The book's period slang, wholesome humor, and depiction of early automotive travel add rich historical flavor to the light romance.

While modern audiences may find the story's elite privilege and conventional gender expectations dated—and the resolution of the abandoned baby storyline somewhat simplistic—the core arc of a young woman refusing to be pressured into an unwanted engagement remains surprisingly fresh and satisfying. It is an engaging, comfortable read that captures the sunny optimism of early American young adult literature.