The Gold of Chickaree

In Short

A direct continuation of Wych Hazel, this 1876 novel follows the newly wedded Wych Hazel and her high-minded husband, Dane Rollo, as they navigate the responsibilities of immense wealth. Set against the backdrop of industrial mill villages and high-society drawing rooms, the narrative explores their personal dynamic and shared Christian philanthropy. While managing factory strikes, quarantines, and the social entanglements of their self-absorbed peers, the couple transforms their estate, Chickaree, into a sanctuary of purposeful hospitality. The book endures for its sparkling, combative dialogue and its uncompromising portrait of Gilded Age morality.

The Story

The narrative opens shortly after the events of Wych Hazel, bringing the long-simmering courtship of Wych Hazel and Dane Rollo to an abrupt culmination. Married in secret—announcing the union to their dinner guests only after the ceremony—the newlyweds immediately confront the realities of their combined fortunes and differing temperaments. Hazel, young, wealthy, and fiercely independent, finds herself adjusting to the "masterful" nature of her husband, while Dane remains deeply committed to managing his estate and addressing the social ills of the surrounding industrial communities.

Dane focuses much of his energy on Morton Hollow, a mill town rife with labor tension, poverty, and suspicion. To bridge the divide between the wealthy ownership class and the struggling laborers, Dane establishes evening news readings and educational gatherings at the local mills, winning over many of the skeptical workers while drawing fire from critics who suspect his motives. When a severe crisis and quarantine hit the Hollow, Dane plunges directly into the infected district to organize relief efforts, supported from a distance by Hazel, who manages supply lines and wrestles with her own fears for his survival.

Alongside these industrial tensions, the couple is continually drawn into the shallow, chaotic lives of their wealthy social circle. Hazel's acquaintance, Josephine, trapped in a loveless marriage of convenience to the wealthy John Charteris, laments the empty routine of fashionable society and the loss of her personal freedom. Meanwhile, family scandals loom as Hazel and Dane intervene to avert social ruin for their peers, ultimately using a staggering sum of money to buy off a rogue suitor and preserve a friend's reputation.

Throughout these trials, Hazel and Dane negotiate the terms of their marriage. Hazel actively guards her intellectual autonomy, questioning traditional notions of marital submission, while Dane balances his authoritative disposition with a deep, affectionate devotion. Ultimately, the couple settles at Chickaree, turning their grand estate into a center for radical, non-traditional hospitality where literary figures, working-class neighbors, and society elites cross paths, cementing their shared life's work.

How It Unfolds

A sudden union Hazel and Dane complete their long courtship with an unannounced wedding, surprising their dinner guests and establishing a shared household defined by affection and lingering headstrong friction.

Trouble in the Hollow Dane travels to the industrial settlement of Morton Hollow, where he hosts educational readings for factory workers to alleviate labor hostility and counter rumors regarding his business motives.

Voices of discontent Hazel's wealthy friend Josephine complains of the emptiness of Gilded Age social life and her shallow marriage, serving as a foil to Hazel’s own evolving ideals regarding love and duty.

Crisis and isolation When disease strikes the mill district, Dane enters quarantine to manage relief operations directly, leaving Hazel at home to organize daily supply shipments and confront the terrifying possibility of his death.

A test of faith Faced with Dane's absence and physical danger, Hazel struggles against her own pride and anxiety, ultimately finding personal surrender and spiritual peace through quiet reflection.

Intervening for others Reunited with Dane, Hazel assists in averting a public scandal involving their social acquaintances, culminating in Dane paying thirty thousand dollars to buy off a predatory suitor.

A new kind of home The couple establishes their residence at Chickaree, rejecting standard high-society parties in favor of open, benevolent hospitality that brings together the impoverished, the intellectual, and the elite.

The People

• Wych Hazel (Hazel Rollo): A wealthy, spirited young woman whose playful wit masks a deep commitment to her personal independence. Over the course of the novel, she transitions from a guarded heiress into a deeply reflective woman who learns to balance her fierce autonomy with her devotion to her husband and their shared faith.
• Dane Rollo (Duke / Olaf): Hazel's energetic, deeply principled, and inherently "masterful" husband. Driven by a intense sense of Christian stewardship, he devotes his wealth and energy to uplifting factory workers and managing his estates, refusing to let social convention dictate his duties.
• Josephine Charteris: A discontented young woman who married for money and position, only to find herself trapped in a cold, restrictive union. She highlights the grim alternative to Hazel’s loving marriage.
• Dr. Arthur Maryland: A sharp, observant physician and close friend of Dane, who aids the couple during times of illness and medical crisis in the mill villages.
• Gyda: An elderly Norwegian woman living in a modest cottage, serving as a wise, grounding presence and confidante for Hazel during moments of personal doubt.
• Prudentia Coles & Primrose: Acquaintances and relatives who navigate the periphery of Hazel and Dane's domestic life, reflecting the varying social expectations of the era.

In Its Own Voice

"I think you'll soon know," she said. "Suppose you don't think any more about it, till he comes."

Gyda gently reassures a restless Hazel as she waits in the Norwegian cottage, trying to make sense of her changing feelings toward Dane before his unexpected arrival.

"What's the good of living, anyhow, Hazel, when the fun's over?"

Josephine vents her boredom and cynicism to Hazel, unable to comprehend a life lived outside the endless cycle of summer garden parties and city balls.

"It remains true, no doubt, that 'the man is the head of the woman;' else the lesson-type would not answer to the lesson... But in a right marriage it is also true that 'the woman is the glory of the man.'"

Dane discusses the nature of marriage and biblical authority with Hazel during a quiet evening, attempting to reconcile his commanding nature with his profound respect for her.

What It's Really About

Beneath its domestic scenes and romantic banter, The Gold of Chickaree is a sustained inquiry into the ethical responsibilities of immense wealth and the true nature of Christian submission. The novel contrasts the hollow, consumerist marriage of convenience—where women are traded for diamonds and position—with a ideal union grounded in mutual spiritual growth and active charity. It asks how individuals blessed with material fortune can live meaningfully without being corrupted by luxury or social vanity. By pitting Dane's paternalistic industrial reforms against the self-absorbed cynicism of high society, the authors argue that true privilege exists solely to serve the vulnerable, transforming domestic life into an instrument of community service.

Why Read It Today

Modern readers interested in 19th-century domestic fiction, Gilded Age social dynamics, or historic Christian literature will find much to admire in The Gold of Chickaree. The novel offers a fascinating window into late-nineteenth-century debates over industrial labor, female autonomy, and class boundaries.

The narrative's greatest charm lies in the dynamic between Hazel and Dane; their quick, intellectually charged dialogue gives the book a rhythmic energy rare for its period. Reading it feels like stepping into an ornate, wood-warmed drawing room where intense moral debates are conducted with grace, sharp humor, and crisp intellect.

However, prospective readers should be prepared for its deliberate pace and era-specific quirks. The novel relies heavily on lengthy, multi-page conversations, unhurried domestic detail, and dense theological discussions. Furthermore, the plot reflects typical 19th-century Christian paternalism, particularly in how Dane manages his factory workers. Yet for those who enjoy slow-burning character studies, rich period atmosphere, and complex marital banter, the Warner sisters deliver a deeply felt, memorable story of devotion and purpose.