Susanna and Sue

In Short

First published in 1909, Susanna and Sue tells the quiet, moving story of Susanna Hathaway, a distraught wife who escapes her husband's careless self-indulgence by taking her young daughter Sue to live within a peaceful Maine Shaker community. Surrounded by the serene order, communal devotions, and simple labor of the Believers, Susanna contemplates abandoning her worldly life forever. However, as her husband undergoes his own profound repentance at home and young love tests the vows of the village, Susanna realizes her true calling lies in restoration rather than retreat.

The Story

Deeply wounded by her husband John’s reckless spending and drinking, Susanna Hathaway takes her little daughter Sue and flees her home in Farnham. Leaving behind her older son, Jack, and a blunt farewell letter detailing her heartbreak, Susanna seeks sanctuary at the Shaker village in Albion, a place she visited years before with her mother. She compares her fractured life to a bowl of spilled, stained strawberries, pleading for shelter under the guidance of Eldress Abby and Elder Daniel Gray. The Shakers warmly welcome the pair into their Office Building, setting Susanna to work in the herb-gardens and integrating young Sue into their quiet routines.

While Susanna absorbs the community's spiritual doctrines, her departure shatters John Hathaway's thoughtless complacency. Left alone with the student lamp burning over Susanna's empty work-table, John experiences a painful awakening. He sends Jack to stay with his stern, unforgiving sister, Louisa Banks, while he remains at home to endure a self-imposed penance. Refusing his former vices and former companions, John pours his anguish into semi-weekly letters that he tucks away in his wife's desk, hoping desperately for a second chance.

At the settlement, Susanna wrestles with her convictions. The Shaker path preaches celibacy and the renunciation of worldly ties, a sacrifice celebrated in their sacred marches and rhythmic dances. Yet human affection continuously stirs the calm waters of the community. Two young members, Nathan and Hetty, fall deeply in love, unable to resist their natural feelings despite their upbringing. Their eventual escape into the outside world highlights the struggle between monastic idealism and human nature. Meanwhile, little Sue’s innocent chatter about missing her "Fardie" and brother Jack constantly pierces Susanna's resolve, while Elder Gray himself must quietly master the brief, painful tug of paternal affection stirred by the little girl.

Susanna's internal turning point arrives through a vivid dream inspired by a local bird legend. She visualizes a pair of quails separated from their nest, restlessly searching for their lost mate and offspring. Recognizing that John and Jack are lost in the open country without her, Susanna realizes that remaining hidden in the woods is a form of spiritual avoidance rather than righteousness. Encouraged by Eldress Abby, who recognizes her renewed strength, Susanna gathers her daughter and prepares to leave the quiet Shaker hills. She returns to Farnham not out of defeat, but with a restored spirit ready to forgive, arriving home to find a reformed husband who has eagerly prepared for her return.

How It Unfolds

Flight to the Believers Escaping her husband’s destructive habits, Susanna arrives at the Albion Shaker settlement with young Sue, confessing her broken life to Eldress Abby and receiving a warm welcome.

The Awakening at Home John Hathaway reads his wife's stinging farewell letter and falls into a state of deep remorse, abandoning his foolish lifestyle and beginning a quiet, solitary penance.

Life in the Herb-Garden As Susanna works among the herbs and attends solemn Shaker services, she debates whether the higher duty is to replenish heaven through celibacy or repair her earthly home.

A Forbidden Spark Nathan and Hetty, two young raised Believers, exchange a romantic glance during meeting that blossoms into a quiet love affair, putting them at odds with their vows.

Flight of the Backsliders Yielding to their mutual affection, Nathan and Hetty secretly flee the settlement together under cover of night, leaving the elders to mourn their departure.

The Vision of the Quail A symbolic dream about a scattered quail family helps Susanna see that her grieving husband and son need her guidance to cast out their personal demons.

The Hills of Home Susanna bids a fond farewell to the Shakers and returns with Sue to Farnham, where a transformed John awaits her with a renewed heart.

The People

• Susanna Hathaway wants peace, moral clarity, and a safe refuge after years of marital neglect. She enters the Shaker community broken and bitter, but through honest reflection and quiet labor, she gains the spiritual strength needed to forgive her husband.
• John Hathaway wants to enjoy life without restraint, but his careless indulgences cost him his wife's trust. Confronted by her sudden departure, he experiences genuine repentance, abandons his vices, and longs for his family's return.
• Sue Hathaway wants affection, playful warmth, and her family brought back together. Her cheerful chatter and irrepressible innocence challenge the strict spiritual boundaries of the Shaker elders.
• Eldress Abby wants to gather earnest souls into the Shaker fold and maintain the purity of Mother Ann's teachings. Though firm in her doctrine, her compassionate wisdom helps Susanna discover her true duty.
• Hetty Arnold wants the natural joy of human love despite her Shaker upbringing. Her desire for a life with Nathan leads her to abandon the safety of the village.
• Elder Daniel Gray wants to lead his flock in absolute spiritual holiness, yet he quietly struggles against the sudden, poignant awakening of his own suppressed paternal instincts.

In Its Own Voice

"I've tried hard to be good, but somehow I've made just such a mess of my life as I made of hulling the berries. The bowl is broken, I haven't much fruit to show, and I am all stained and draggled."

Susanna explains her spiritual weariness and marital heartbreak to Eldress Abby upon her arrival at the settlement.

"A character that is irresistible in her quaint, humorous originality."

A contemporary review excerpted in the publisher's notices highlighting the characteristic charm of the author's characterizations.

"The children of this world marry; but the children of the resurrection do not marry, for they are as the angels."

Eldress Abby's traditional Shaker admonition haunts young Hetty as she flees the village to build a life with Nathan.

What It's Really About

Underneath its gentle narrative surface, the novel examines the delicate tension between personal withdrawal and worldly obligation. It asks whether true spirituality is found by isolating oneself from life's messes or by actively stepping into them to heal fractured relationships. The Shaker doctrine of celibacy and separation serves as a dramatic foil to the sacred responsibilities of parenthood and marriage. Rather than presenting the Shakers as fanatical, the narrative treats their peaceful order with deep respect, yet ultimately argues that family bonds, forgiveness, and active love represent a higher human calling than solitary escape.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate quiet, character-driven domestic drama will find much to admire in this novel. It offers an affectionate, highly detailed window into early twentieth-century New England Shaker culture, capturing their rhythmic worship, communal agriculture, and distinct theological phrasing with gentle clarity. The writing possesses a warm, unhurried rhythm that balances emotional sincerity with subtle humor, particularly through the lively interactions of the children and the dry observations of the village elders.

The story does carry the clear moral tone and idealized sentiment typical of its publication era, and modern readers may find the quick resolution of John’s reformation somewhat sudden. However, its depiction of grief, self-examination, and marital reconciliation remains remarkably grounded. It is a comforting, thoughtful read that leaves an impression of quiet hope, reminding readers that home is not merely a place one inhabits, but a sanctuary built through patience, shared forgiveness, and enduring courage.