Summary
Genevieve Rutherford Hale, the indulgent youngest scion of an affluent New England family, answers a wartime call for women to labor on agricultural estates, intent on bolstering the nation's food supply during the Great War. She commissions a modiste to fashion silk overalls, which she parades in a Russian ballet-inspired tableau before embarking for the Hubbard ranch in upstate New York, escorted by her chauffeur, maid, and beloved spaniel. Upon arrival, Genevieve confronts the stark contrast between genteel comforts and the grueling realities of farm work; the other "farmerettes" regard her with suspicion, and the chores quickly erode her naïve confidence. Simultaneously, Bobbie Hubbard, the ranch owner's adolescent son, endures the drudgery of an officer‑training camp, his spirit waning under militaristic discipline. Disillusioned, he slips away for a solitary night to revisit his childhood home, where he discovers Genevieve weeping amid a potato patch. Their shared vulnerability kindles a pact to fulfill their patriotic obligations despite personal misgivings. A nosy neighbor misinterprets their liaison as an illicit tryst with a soldier, prompting the Hubbards to exile Genevieve. When Bobbie returns on furlough, he clarifies the misunderstanding, the family retracts its censure, and he proposes marriage, vowing to reunite after his deployment overseas.
Synopsis
Genevieve Rutherford Hale, a pampered youngest child, reads an advertisement for women to work on farms to increase food production during World War I. After having her modiste make silk overalls which Genevieve models on Russian ballet attire, she arrives at the Hubbard ranch in New York State with her chauffeur, maid, and pet dog, to be a "farmerette." While Genevieve finds the chores difficult and the other girls unfriendly, Bobbie, the youngest Hubbard, discovers officer training camp to be equally discouraging. Although he is tempted to desert, Bobbie only leaves for one night to see his home again. He finds Genevieve crying in a potato patch, and together they resolve to do their patriotic duty. When a prying neighbor, seeing them together, tells the Hubbards that Genevieve was with a soldier, Genevieve remains silent about Bobbie's identity, and is banished from the ranch. After Bobbie gets a furlough and explains matters, the Hubbards apologize to Genevieve. Bobby proposes, and they plan to marry when he returns from "over there."
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