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October 8 - October 27, 2019
Money was no fix
Alva let herself imagine a life of comfort in which she was never anxious, never cold, never fearful that no one would want her.
As a Vanderbilt she could at least be a very comfortable Mrs. Someone.
Gratitude. How perilously close to resentment it could be.
Status gave a woman more control over her existence, more protection from being battered about by others’ whims or life’s caprices.
precision is the hallmark of success.”
“Success is the hallmark of success.” “Indeed it is,” Consuelo said. “Correct again.”
As helpless as so many of her sex preferred to be, she was determined to be the opposite. All these ladies of privilege, pale feathers drifting on the breeze. No. She would aid herself.
This is what we’re fashioned for, this bizarre, painful, embarrassing task? God designed it all so? He really didn’t care much for Eve, did he?
Procreation ensures salvation. And apparently decoration.
“Great-grandfather has gone to be with God and Jesus in heaven.” Neily frowned. “No he hasn’t. I can still see him.”
If God had not wanted a woman to be able to experience some pleasure this way, he would have made her arms shorter.
“When has a man ever bothered to pay attention to what a lady is interested in?”
No matter how right you are in your thinking, you could die waiting for some people to change their minds.”
She didn’t need Caroline Astor on her side, she needed her at her side,
One does not follow the example, one sets it.
‘Relax the standard once, and before long we will have no standards at all.’
“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom”
Alva would not have guessed the effect exceptional wealth could have on an already very rich man. *
“Every occupation requires training—and society is an occupation, let there be no mistake about that.”
He did make money doing it, but it was a rich man’s hobby, existing entirely for the benefit of other rich men.
George, who was going to show everyone what it was to be a Vanderbilt.
we all thought that since the North wanted slaves free, we would all be equal here. I guess they do want us free, just free to keep to ourselves.”
These men must believe themselves completely beyond reproach! And, well, why wouldn’t they? Wives permit all of it. Because of course if we’re to believe what we read in the Lady’s Book, the True Woman is completely fulfilled by her domestic duties—her home, her children, her charity functions. The True Woman understands that men have needs of a different kind.
“Confession aids only the sinner.”
a judge felt she ought to have done what every other good, God-fearing wife did—that being to stop complaining and just let the poor husband have his fun.
“If you elope with that man, I will personally get a gun and hunt him down and shoot him dead. I mean it, Consuelo. If you cannot see your way clear of him, I will solve the problem once and for all!”
Possibly in this moment both of them had the same thought: What in heaven’s name did I just do?
Men only respect power. So we must be powerful.”
every woman she’d known would do a better job running things than the men who adjudicated their lives, they certainly wouldn’t do worse.
Money’s no fix, she had once been told, a truth she had learned repeatedly. Fortunately, she had more than money. She had
