When Polly Minton visits Fanny Shaw and her wealthy family in the city for the first time, she's overwhelmed by the modern and fashionable world around her. She doesn't wear fancy clothes, go to popular shows, or even talk the way the girls in town do. Though her new friends consider her quaint and "countrified," Polly clings to her simple clothes and plain manners, and in time wins the hearts of the entire Shaw family. But even a country girl can be tempted by the flirtations, excitement, and intrigues of the city. Can an old-fashioned girl remain true to her principles and still find work, happiness, and love in a thoroughly modern city?