A Little Country Girl

I will first give a caveat that the Little Country Girl is not a grade-school age child, but an adolescent of 16. For a good chunk of the book I kept imaging a young girl, and had a bit of a shock when her age was mentioned, so I want to spare you that confusion. 

Candace Arden took her first long trip when she rode the steamer to Newport to spend part of the summer with her mother’s cousin, Mrs. Courtenay Gray (a/k/a Cousin Kate). Fellow passengers were two “rather pretty girls of that hard modern type which carries the air of knowing everything worth the knowing, having a right to everything worth the having, and being fully determined to claim that right to its full extent.” They took one glance at the country girl with her plain clothing and hair that “fell in curls to her waist” and knew she was not worth paying the least bit of attention to.

The ladies talked of Mrs. Courtenay Gray, and how proper and fussy she was about not letting her daughters associate with many of the new summer visitors. When the steamer arrived at the dock the Grays’ carriage was waiting to take Candace to a summer home filled with servants and expensive furnishings. She learned that cousin Kate’s two oldest daughters, Georgie and Gertrude, were friends of the two unpleasant young ladies on the boat, especially Berry Joy, who would be become one of the prime troublemakers of the story. The Joy family did not bring much joy to Mrs. Gray, who did not have a high opinion of the widowed Mrs. Joy and her snooty daughter.

Cousin Kate recalled how Candace’s mother had been one of her dearest relatives, though she’d seen little of her after the cousin had fallen in love with a handsome divinity student, Henry Arden, who’d been born into a farming family. The couple married but, alas, Reverend Arden soon became ill, and only worked for a couple of years before he and his wife and daughter had to go and live on the farm with Arden’s widower father, and his old maid Aunt Myra. 

The Courtenay Gray family moved to China (Mr. Gray was a partner in a tea importing firm) and when Mrs. Arden died her daughter stayed on with the old folks. When her grandfather died Candace was raised by her elderly aunt, who taught her to be quiet and hardworking, and to be uncomplaining about her unfashionable clothing and severe restrictions on attending social gatherings with other young people.  

The Grays finally returned to the U.S., and Cousin Kate made arrangements for Candace to come for a long visit – and possibly be adopted – if the child didn’t take too much after her father’s family, and be obstinate or un-improvable. 

Candace’s troubles began at dinnertime, when confronted with numerous courses, to be eaten with an endless amount of silverware and cutlery. Candace made several blunders, and fled the table in tears. When her Cousin Kate came to her room a little later they had a long talk about manners, and Candace asked to be told when she made mistakes, so that she could learn the proper way to do things. This was good news for Cousin Kate, who was sure her dear friend’s child was improvable. 

New clothes were purchased for the house guest, and Cousin Kate and her daughters worked on finding the most attractive way to pin up the long golden curls. 

Candace loved to read, and was pleased by all the books in her summer home. She and Marian, the youngest daughter, began reading together, and Marian found her cousin a good companion. Unfortunately the two older sisters still found Candace too countrified to be worthwhile company. When Mrs. Joy invited the Gray sisters, and their cousin, to a boating party, no one talked to Candace except the captain, who answered her questions and told her the history of the area. 

That evening the country relative told Cousin Kate how much she’d enjoyed boating, but Georgie and Gertrude felt guilty about neglecting shy Candace. They decided that, when in the company of more entertaining people, their cousin was easy to forget about. 

Cousin Kate thought about how to help Candace get over her shyness, and told her that it was a form of selfishness, for a shy person is self-occupied in thinking of their own feelings, instead of trying to be good company to others. Because Candace was “improvable” she soon learned to work past her shyness, and became better company to the guests that came to the Grays’ home. And she learned how to confront people she knew to be in the wrong, even when she was uncomfortable doing so. 

There were lots of picnics and various social engagements that got explained a bit more than I felt was necessary, and there was an opportunity for readers to learn just how unpleasant Mrs. Joy can be towards anyone who doesn’t fit into her social standards. 

And then there was the beginning of a mystery. One day Candace saw her cousin Georgie in the company of Berry Joy and a handsome man who didn’t appear to be quite a gentleman. When Georgie found out she’d been seen she asked Candace to not tell anyone about it, and her cousin agreed. Later on Candace saw the trio again, and it was obvious that the ladies were in distress. Then in a moment of crisis Georgie confessed to a foolish, and rather harmless, indiscretion, and how she and Berry were now being blackmailed. Candace told Georgie she had to tell her parents, but her cousin insisted that couldn’t happen. Was it possible for a shy unimportant girl from the country to convince a high-society young lady that it was better to tell her parents of a mistake, if the only other option was to allow a cad to keep threatening her? 

And if that dreadful problem gets sorted out, and the summer comes to an end, would Kate and Courtenay Gray decide that Candace should have a permanent place in their family?

This Susan Coolidge novel was published in 1895. I liked the character of Candace Arden, but it took me awhile to warm up to Cousin Kate, who seemed judgmental towards Candace’s rural family, who had taken on the responsibility of raising an orphan girl when the Courtenay Gray family was off in a foreign country. But in comparison to the other wealthy families summering in Newport she was paragon of virtue, and a good example of how to raise privileged children. 

At times I felt there were a few too many details of how wealthy families entertain themselves, but the book kept my interest, and I appreciated the character development of Candace and her young cousins.

If you’d like to read A Little Country Girl it can be downloaded, free of charge, at: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/27162

A Kidnapped Santa Claus

Back in 1904 Santa Clause lived in Laughing Valley, where toys were made by ryls, knooks, pixies and fairies. (Since I’ve only heard of elves helping Santa, I’m guessing his former workers retired and moved to a warmer climate.) You would think that everyone would love dear old Santa but, unfortunately, he had a few nasty neighbors. Near Laughing Valley was a mountain that contains the Caves of the Daemons. There are five caves and a “broad pathway leads up to the first cave, which is a finely arched cavern at the foot of the mountain, the entrance being beautifully carved and decorated.”

If that seems like a pleasant cave to enter remember that looks can be deceiving. That first cave is the home of the Daemon of Selfishness, and behind that is the cave of the Daemon of Envy. Then comes the caves of the Daemon of Hatred, and the Daemon of Malice. Behind all those caves is the one where the Daemon of Repentance resides, and he is said to be a pleasant fellow, who is always willing to open a door that allows visitors to escape from the mountain.

The Daemons were getting lonesome because Santa Claus was causing children to be so happy, and so willing to be generous, that they weren’t becoming selfish, or bothered by envy, hatred or malice. Even the Daemon of Repentance was sad because children with no need to repent had no reason to visit him.

One by one the first four Daemons visited Santa and tried to win him over to taking on their favorite vice, and stop the giving-away-toys nonsense. That didn’t work, so they decided to use force. But they couldn’t harm him in Laughing Valley, for there were all those loyal workers to protect him. They had to wait until he left home, which only happened on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas Eve Santa loaded his roomy sleigh with toys and, fortunately, took along four helpers – Nuter the Ryl, Peter the Knook, Kilter the Pixie and Wisk the fairy – who all sat under the seat to keep out of the wind. The reindeer were harnessed to the sleigh, flew through the air, and the journey began. But alas someone threw a rope, lassoed Santa, pulled him out of the sleigh and tumbled him into a snowbank. The Daemons quickly tied him up and carried him off to the mountain were he was chained to the wall of yet another cave.

It didn’t take Santa’s helpers long to figure out something was amiss, and when it was discovered Santa was gone they wanted to go look for him, but decided he’d be worried about toys being delivered, so they continued the journey, traveled around the world, and only made two errors. A girl who wanted a doll got a drum, and a boy who wanted rubber boots got a sewing kit. (Since those were the only mistakes, and they hadn’t gotten the gifts the other one wanted, I’m guessing Santa takes along extra items, just in case he gets the urge to be especially generous along the way.)

The helpers took a little longer to deliver all the gifts, and didn’t return to Laughing Valley until it was daylight. Then Wisk the fairy went off to see the Fairy Queen, and she figured out who the bad guys were.

But what about poor Santa? Even though he had faith in his helpers, he was one of those hands-on employers, and liked to be on the scene to make sure there were no mix-ups. He was worried about disappointed children, plus the Daemons were taking turns guarding him, and four of them were a bunch of meanies, who taunted him with predictions of hordes of angry children rushing to the Caves of the Daemons. The last of the guards was the Daemon of Repentance and, since he wasn’t such a bad fellow, he repented.

Santa Claus left the mountain and was met by an army of helpers who had set out to find him. But what happened next? Would he tell the ryls, knooks, pixies and fairies to be mean to the Daemons? Was there hope of a happy Christmas for the girl with the drum and the boy with the sewing kit?

A Kidnapped Santa Claus was by L. Frank Baum, who not only wrote the Land of Oz children’s book series, but also wrote The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, so he apparently knew a thing or two about the man who delighted in giving presents to children on Christmas Eve. The story first appeared in the December 1904 issue of the women’s magazine The Delineator.

If you’d like to read the entire story it can be downloaded, free of charge, at: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/519.

The Fairy Latchkey

Philomene was an English girl who felt she lived in a commonplace house with a commonplace back garden where, for the longest time, nothing interesting ever happened. Her mother had died when Philomene was just a baby, and her father was a busy doctor who worked long hours. The nurse that cared for her, and the teacher who came and taught in the home’s schoolroom, were dull practical ladies who didn’t know a thing about fairy tales. Philomene loved to read about fairies, mermen and leprechauns, but it seemed that none of the wonderful storybook adventures ever took place when you lived in a plain old everyday house.

The girl had a beautiful godmother named Isolde, who’d been her mother’s dearest friend, and Isolde was sympathetic towards girls with strong imaginations who liked to ask lots of questions. Godmother was responsible for putting green ribbons on Philomene’s christianizing gown, which turned out to be an important fashion choice. Philomene had a canary, who’d flown into the bedroom window soon after her first canary had flown away and never returned. She also had a white cat that had shown up on the doorstep one bitterly cold Christmas morning. But Godmother was a busy lady who couldn’t always be with her godchild, and a girl couldn’t have a true conversation with pets, so Philomene often felt lonely.

One day Philomene noticed that a brick garden wall had a keyhole where there appeared to be no door, and the girl often watched the wall to see if anyone ever came by with a key to fit the lock. One day when Philomene was working in her garden a fairy named Sweet William came along, pulled out a key, unlocked a stone door, and invited her to come inside his home. The girl was told that only lonely children who wore green ribbons when they were christened are able to see fairies. (It is a fairy’s business to look after lonely children, but I never learned what the significance of green ribbons are. Perhaps magical little people need to keep some rules secret, so they can’t be told in books.)

Sweet William was a garden fairy, tasked with looking out for all the plants, animals and insects that dwell within his assigned garden. He was a kind and polite fairy, but he did mention the fault of children complaining about living in perfectly good houses that they consider to be commonplace. Philomene was told a story, and then was asked if she could come back the next day and take an examination about fairies and fairyland. If she achieved a score of 75 percent or greater she would receive a prize of a latchkey, so that she could enter Sweet William’s home even when he was away.

The next morning Philomene had a hard time concentrating on her regular schoolroom lessons, for she kept thinking of her very special examination she’d be taking in the afternoon. At last she was free to go to Sweet William’s home, where she sat on a toadstool and used a mushroom for a table. (It was never explained whether or not the girl shrank to get inside of the room inside of the garden wall.) She had to write down the answers to a great many questions, which required knowledge gained from reading lots of old and new fairytale books, as well as Shakespeare’s Tempest. Fortunately Philomene had read the right books, so she did well enough to win her latchkey, plus she earned the privilege of hearing fairytales from an actual fairy, who was much more knowledgeable than mere mortals who attempt to write such stories.

Philomene was told many fairytales, and reading what she was told taught me a great deal of fairy lore. For example, fairies hate the sound of church bells, for it “reminds them of a power that is stronger than their strongest magic.” Fairies don’t have souls and, though they have special powers, and can live for hundreds of years, they can’t ever go to heaven. If you were christened while wearing green ribbons, and are lonely enough to see fairies, it is polite to not mention Bible stories or church services around them.

I also learned that every hundred years fairies have to spend a year and a day as an animal. If you ever had a very special pet who one day ran off and was never seen again, it could have been because your pet went back to being a fairy.

Philomene learned that both of her canaries were fairies spending their year and a day with her, and her current canary, Master Mustardseed, could tell stories – but only if the nurse or schoolteacher aren’t around to cause the magic to not work. The girl spent much of her summer at Godmother’s country home, and Sweet William gave her a letter of introduction to give to the garden fairy who lived there. (He didn’t know that garden fairy, but knew there had to be one.) Because she spent so much time with her godmother she didn’t have a great deal of time to spend with fairies, there happened to be twin sisters in charge of that garden, but she did get to hear a few more stories. And I got to learn a bit more fairy lore.

One thing I learned is that if a child were to be told of happy plans that meant the child would no longer be lonely much of the day, that would be the end of talking with fairies. That’s a fairy rule, whether you like it or not.

The Fairy Latchkey was first published in 1909, and I found it an enjoyable read. There were a few sections that had a bit too much explaining and not enough action, and not all of the fairytales had what I would call a happy ending, for fairies and other magical creatures have long lives, but not always happy ones. But, for the most part, the novel kept my interest, and provided me with pleasant hours of waiting to see what happens next. And since I read it in these modern days, when I learned that fairies don’t like the sound of church bells I thought that this must be a good time for fairies, since most new churches don’t have a large outside bell!

If you would like to read The Fairy Latchkey it can be downloaded, free of charge at: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63535

Spook

October is the perfect time for not-very-scary Halloween stories. Spook is a little black dog owned by a nasty witch named Grimalda. All nasty broom-traveling witches need an animal familiar, and since Grimalda is allergic to cats she’s stuck with poor little Spook, who is fed dried bats’ wings and is never allowed outside the miserable one-room home, with the exception of when he’s flying on the back of her broom. Spook does not like traveling by means of a broom, for he slips and slides around, and is always afraid of falling off.

On Halloween Grimalda needed to travel to a distant cave and, along with all her sister witches, receive a bag of tricks that had to be used up before midnight. The head witch didn’t approve of Grimalda having a dog for a familiar, or sneezing when in a cave full of black cats owned by other witches, so she gave her a severe warning to not mess up when it came to using up all her bag of tricks.

After mounting her broom and setting off at top speed Grimalda had a fresh bout of sneezing, which caused the broom to sway, and Spook to fall off. Down he fell, right into a tub of water, where a family of human children were bobbing for apples. He fell on the smallest human, a boy named Jamie, who’d been trying to get an apple. Jamie and Spook were both pulled to safety, and Spook wasn’t happy to see what looked to be a witch, skeleton, pirate and devil. He didn’t understand about Halloween costumes.

Jamie, dressed as a devil, was told he had to go inside to get dry, but he wouldn’t go in without Spook. His mother dried him off and put him in pajamas, robe and slippers. He told her the dog now belonged to him, but she just said they can keep him overnight, before taking him to the pound, where his real owners can find him. His older siblings got to go Trick or Treating, but Jamie was told he was too small, and needed to stay home and care for the little dog.

Jamie didn’t want to do as he was told, so when the telephone rang, and Mother went to another room to answer it, he put on his devil mask, told Spook he knew which way the others were going, and left the house, with Spook following him. Jamie did meet up with his siblings, and his disobedience wouldn’t have caused too much trouble if Grimalda hadn’t been bound and determined to get her familiar back.

Treat or Treat night is the best time for nasty witches to go amongst humans, for everyone just thinks they’re a trouble-making older child wearing a costume. Grimalda was able to snatch up Spook but Jamie ran after her, for he considered Spook his dog. He jumped on the back of Grimalda’s broom and, though the witch grabbed a shrinking cap out of her bag of tricks and tried to shrink the boy, she dropped the cap when two sentential crows flew on each side of her.

The crows had been sent by the head witch to watch over the other witches, and they decided Grimalda wasn’t behaving as she should. Grimalda had to return to the cave, and the head witch demanded she explain why she had a human with her, and why her tricks weren’t all used up. If that wasn’t enough to anger Grimalda her stubborn familiar refused to come to her, and stayed by the side of Jamie. As punishment she turned Spook into a caterpillar, but when Jamie picked him up for safekeeping he became a little dog once more.

This interested the head witch. Grimalda has a witch’s power, but Jamie seemed to possess the “magical” power of love. She proposed a contest – Grimalda would turn Spook into three different objects, and if Jamie could turn him back into a dog at least two out of three times, Jamie could keep the dog, and transportation home would be provided. But if Jamie lost, well, witches don’t tend to play nice.

Don’t worry, this not-very-scary book has a happy ending, and Spook gets to stay with the boy his loves. Boy and dog are returned to the family’s kitchen, and Jamie declares the dog’s name is Spook, and he officially belongs to him. And Spook, for the first time in his life, discovers that when a dog is happy his tail wags as if it would never stop.

Spook, written by Jane Little, was first published by Scholastic Book Services in 1965 and, according to what’s written inside of my book, I received a copy in 1967. I’ve kept this short novel for more than half-a-century because I like the characters of Spook and Jamie, and find the story an enjoyable read. The book stayed in print for at least ten years so used copies are plentiful, but tend to be pricey through online sellers. Since most readers won’t bother getting a copy of the book I provided the ending so you’ll know love is more powerful than a witch’s power – even on Halloween.

The Railway Children

In 1905 three English siblings named Roberta (a/k/a Bobbie), Peter and Phyllis lived in a well-to-do city house staffed by servants. Their father had an important government job, and often traveled for his work. Their mother spent much of her time with her children, and often wrote them poems and stories. 

One day, right after Father had returned from a trip, two men came to speak with him, and they stayed a long time. A servant told Mother she was needed by Father, so she left her children, but then came back appearing pale and unwell. The next day she said everything was fine, but Father had left on a long trip, and no one was to ask any questions. A few days later Mother told her children they would be leaving their house, and would be going to the country and live in a “ducky dear little white house.” 

A week was spent in packing and the children noticed they were taking all the ugly and useful furniture and crockery, and leaving behind their best belongings.

They moved to an old house in the country near a railway station. Mother now spent most of her time writing stories and poems, which were sent out to magazines, for she had to earn money.

The children often walked to the railway station, where they visited with a porter named Perks, who seemed to never grow tired of answering questions that began with “why”. He became a good friend to the children, and taught them much about the workings of a railway.

Soon the children learned the scheduled trains, and especially liked the one that came each day at 9:15. They would stand by the track waiting for it, and waved as it passed them. An old gentleman took notice of them, and always waved back. They were sure that he was a kind man.

One day Mother became ill, and a doctor was sent for. He wrote down a list of nutritious foods for her to eat, but she refused to spend the money, saying less expensive food was just as good. The children wished they had money for the recommended food, and Bobbie wrote a letter to the old gentleman, whom they felt would help them. They told of the special food Mother needed, and promised Father would pay him back just as soon as he returned from his long trip.

The next morning Peter was the only one waiting for the train, but instead of waving he pointed to large tacked-up sign made from a bed sheet, with a message written with stove blacking: LOOK OUT AT THE STATION. When the station was reached the old gentleman stepped off the train, and Phyliss was there to hand him the letter.

On the following day Perks came to their house to deliver a large hamper left at the station. It was filled with the requested items, along with a letter requiring them to tell their Mother the truth about the gift as soon as she recovered. They did as the letter instructed, and when Mother learned of her children’s well-meaning plea for help she told them they were to never again tell anyone of their financial problems.

Sometime later Mother needed to travel to another city. The children walked to the station to greet her when she returned, and they discovered a shabbily dressed man had gotten off an earlier train. He looked unwell, and was speaking in some foreign language. Peter knew enough French to ask if the man understood that language, but when the stranger began speaking French Peter had to admit he couldn’t understand most of the words.

Mother spoke excellent French, and when she arrived she was able to tell everyone that the man was Russian, and that he’d lost his ticket and all of his money. Since the man was quite ill she said she would take him home and see that he received proper care.

Once away from the station Mother had a long conversation with the Russian man, and began to sob over his story. He had written beautiful books, and had angered the Czar by saying that poor people should be helped. He’d been sent to prison, though he’d committed no crime. The children were aghast that an innocent man could be imprisoned, and Mother said that such injustices sometimes happen, even in England. She told them that when war broke out Russian prisoners were released to become soldiers, and their guest had deserted the army. He was able to learn that his wife and children had been able to escape to England, and he was searching for them. The man stayed with them for many weeks as he regained his strength.

One day the children discovered a landslide had covered a portion of the railway tracks. The 11:29 train would soon be coming and they had to warn the engineer to prevent an accident. The day was chilly and Mother had made the girls wear red flannel petticoats. Off came the petticoats, and they were ripped apart. Peter used his pocket knife to cut tree branches, the red cloth was fastened to the branches and the children stood on the tracks waving distress flags. They were able to stop the train, and were hailed as heroes.

A letter was sent, telling the children they would be honored at a special ceremony at the station. Special dignitaries came to the ceremony, including the old gentleman, who was the secretary of the railroad. He presented each child a gold watch. They’d learned their lesson about telling people their problems and asking for assistance, but Bobbie felt it would be a different matter to ask for help for someone else. They told the old gentleman about the Russian writer searching for his family, and the gentleman said he would make inquiries. The man’s family was found, and their guest left to be with them.

Sometime later Peter injured his foot, and had to stay inside, off his feet. He grew restless, and wished for something new to read. Bobbie remembered Perks collected reading material left on the trains, and she went to ask if he had any magazines they could have. He gave her a stack of illustrated papers, and wrapped them up in pages from a regular newspaper. On her way home Bobbie saw an article on the wrapping paper, and learned why Father was away – and why Mother had become so upset about innocent men being wronged.

Could the old gentleman be able to help them once more?

Bobbie, Peter had Phyllis had many other adventures besides the ones I’ve told about. I enjoyed reading about the siblings, who were usually good, but would occasionally bicker or make mistakes. And I wondered about the mysterious reason for Father being gone so long, and if it might have been better for Mother to have told her children about the miscarriage of justice, instead of causing them to guess about the unknown tragedy they couldn’t ask about. But if fictional characters always made the most logical decisions many mysteries would be resolved in a few pages.

Edith Nesbit’s story was first serialized in The London Magazine in 1905, and published as a book in 1906. Since then The Railway Children has been made into movies, as well as a few radio and television series. If you’d like to read the entire novel it can be downloaded, free of charge, at: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1874

Cupid of Campion

Back in April of 2018 I wrote about Bobby in Movieland, a novel written by the man some have called the “Catholic Horatio Alger,” and now I’m reviewing a second adventure from the pen of Francis J. Finn, S.J.

Sixteen-year-old Abe Thompson, newly fired from his job as a butcher’s boy, was sitting on a boat landing considering stealing a small skiff when along came fourteen-year-old Clarence Esmond, dressed in a white sailor suit. Clarence was in search of “the bright-eyed goddess of adventure” and told Abe he’d pay him to take him a mile up the river to see Pictured Rocks.

The boys were soon in the stolen boat, rowing to their destination. Clarence told of the expensive boarding school he’d been attending, and Abe made up stories about how dangerous the river was, except for a few places safe enough to swim in, and that many boys had drowned. When they got to shore Abe pulled the boat to safety, then hid the oars and paddle. They climbed to the top of the multi-colored Pictured Rocks, and when they descended and returned to the shore Abe said it was a safe place to go swimming. But after Clarence removed his sailor suit (he had a swimming suit on underneath it) Abe declared there was an even better swimming place a short distance away. He had Clarence get into the boat – which was without oars or a paddle – then he pushed the boat into the river’s current, said his companion would be drowned if he tried to swim to shore, then he stole all the money from the pocket of the sailor suit, and ran off.

Clarence drifted downriver, thinking of how upset his parents would be if he didn’t return by noon, as promised, to the hotel where they’d been staying. He made an attempt at prayer but his parents had never given him much religious instruction, saying he could choose whether or not to be a believer when he was older. The day was hot, so he crawled under one of the boat seats to protect himself from sunburn. He remembered the “Now I lay me down to sleep” prayer and, after reciting that, he fell asleep.

While Clarence slept, wealthy Mr. Esmond went down to the boat landing in search of his son. He learned that a boy in a sailor suit had been seen going off with no-account Abe Thompson. A man with a motorboat took Esmond to Pictured Rocks, where they found the sailor suit. Mr. Esmond sent the motorboat owner off to bring a search party to drag the river. He would spare no expense to find his only child, but he feared his son had drowned.

Some time later Clarence awoke and realized the boat was no longer drifting, but was being pulled, so he got out from beneath the seat, startling a gypsy named Ben, who’d seen the boat and thought it was unoccupied. The boat was pulled to the shore, and Clarence saw a small band of gypsies watching him. While Ben went to get some old clothes for Clarence the nasty gypsy leader, Pete, asked the boy about his family, and if they were rich. Clarence soon learned Pete would beat him whenever the boy disobeyed orders, plus there were times when he was beaten for no reason at all.

Clarence was not the only captive in the gypsy camp. There was a girl named Dora, who was a devote Catholic, and who never stopped praying to be returned to her family. During Clarence’s captivity he and Dora spent most of their time together. The gypsies were always watching them, but the children were often able to speak to each other. Dora told how she’d gone alone to an early-morning Mass, and when she was walking home a dam burst, flooding the town. She’d run for safety, then tripped and fell, and would have drowned if Ben – who’d ridden to town to pay a fine to release his father, Pete, from jail – hadn’t come by and rescued her from the floodwaters. Ben, his wife Dorcas, and their three children were all kind and good, and they loved being taught about Jesus. All of the other Gypsies hated Christianity, and were angered by Dora’s constant praying, but they seemed to be afraid to hurt her.

After a few days Clarence realized it would be easier for him to escape without Dora, and that it would up to him to find help for the girl. They were traveling beside the water and there was a small island about halfway across the river. One of Ben’s younger brothers said he could beat Clarence in a swimming race to the island and back and, with Ben’s permission, the race began. Clarence was the faster swimmer, but then he seemed to begin drifting downstream to the end of the isle, and when he was near land he began flailing about and went underwater. The gypsies and Dora thought he’d drowned, but the boy was hiding within willow tree branches at the island’s edge. After the gypsies left he began floating on his back downriver, while praying as Dora had taught him.

The next morning at Campion College (a Catholic boarding school for high school boys) John Rieler gave into temptation and asked to be excused early from his morning class, for he desired to sneak out of the building, go down to the river and take a short swim, for it was a hot September day. After he left class he rushed down to the dock, stripped off most of his clothes, dove into the water, and discovered a boy drowning. He rescued the boy, who was blue from the chill of being in the river all night, helped him up to the college, then told him to ring the bell and ask to see the Rector. He couldn’t go in with him because he’d get into trouble for swimming without permission. Would you be surprised to learn the boy was Clarence Esmond?

Clarence was let into the school by the Brother-porter, who went to tell the Rector that a blue boy in a swimming suit wanted to see him. The Rector, Father Keenan, fed and clothed the boy and, when he learned his name, said they were dragging the river for him. Clarence replied: “They might as well stop; it’s no use.” After Clarence was sent to the infirmary to get some sleep the Rector went to his room to read the morning paper and learned of a dreadful railroad wreck. Among the list of missing persons were Mr. and Mrs. Esmond. Father Keenan got busy making phone calls, writing letters and sending telegrams. He had the river dragging project discontinued, asked the hotel owner to come and identify Clarence as being a former guest, and learned Clarence’s parents were still missing.

After Clarence awoke from his nap he told Father Keenan of his adventures with the gypsies, and when he was asked Dora’s last name he had to admit that he hadn’t thought to ask what it was. The rescued boy refused to tell how he got from the river to the door of the school, and that would have remained a mystery if John Rieler’s conscience hadn’t caused him to fess up to breaking school rules to go swimming. When Father Keenan learned of the boy’s misdeeds he punished him by telling him he would not be allowed to swim in the river from December through April. (If you’re going to break school rules it pays to save someone’s life while you’re at it.)

Later in the day Clarence was told that his parents were missing and that, until they were found, he would be a guest at Campion College. For the first few days of his stay he would be the roommate of a senior named Will Benton. Readers soon learn that Will had a sister named Dora, who’d drowned during a recent flood. Could it be that his sister hadn’t really died?

Father Keenan contacts people far and near, asking to be informed of any gypsies passing through the area. When he learns of a nearby gypsy encampment he obtains the use of a motor (a/k/a automobile) and sets out with a driver, plus Clarence, John Rieler and Will Benton in an attempt to save Dora. I won’t give details about the events leading up to the final chapter, but will say that there is a happy ending.

I enjoyed this 1916 novel. Clarence was both good and likable, as was almost everyone in the story, with the exception of nasty gypsy leader Pete, and his equally nasty wife. The story was not overly pious, and there was a lot of humor, which softened the one genuinely sad part. At the very end I learned Clarence was the Cupid of Campion College, apparently because there was a time when cupid had a second meaning that wasn’t connected to chubby cherubs shooting arrows that caused people to fall in love.

If you’d like to read Cupid of Campion it can be downloaded, free of charge, at:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/52583

Molly the Drummer Boy

In this short novel, subtitled A Story of the Revolution, Molly’s real name is Debby Mason, a fourteen-year-old daughter of the town drunk. Her father had been ordered to leave the town of Plymouth, and he planned to travel to Boston with other men who wanted to fight for independence from Great Britain. Debby was placed in the care of a harsh woman named Mrs. Lane, who was loyal to King George III. At meeting (I’m assuming that meant a church service) it had been brought up that Debby’s deceased mother had been a lady, so Mrs. Lane felt she should try to redeem the wild girl who felt fierce loyalty to her disgraced father.

At Mrs. Lane’s home Debby was never trusted, and often whipped for misdeeds. She missed both her father and the drum he’d given her, for he had known she resented the restrictions society placed on females. To save her drum from destruction Debby had hidden it in a wooded area behind her old home, and she’d sometimes sneak out of the Lane house and, with muffled sticks, beat upon her beloved drum.

In the year Debby spent with Mrs. Lane she often thought of her mother, who’d said she’d someday tell her about the home she’d lived in before her marriage. Debby remembered promising her dying mother that she’d always take care of her father.

One day Mrs. Lane told Debby to pray and ask forgiveness for the sin of spending time with Jack Martin, a boy who was considered bad company. Debby refused, for Jack was the only child who’d remained her friend after her father began drinking too much. When Debby declared she wouldn’t stop seeing Jack she was ordered to her room. Mrs. Lane would come to see her after evening prayer, and if Debby didn’t repent she’d be beaten.

Often, when Debby visited with Jack, he’d have news of her father and his friends in the Continental army. She had been giving Jack drum lessons, for he wanted to go off as a drummer boy and join the fight for freedom.

Debby went to a hiding place in her room and took out a suit of boy’s clothes “made of rough fustian.” She had taken all the money she’d earned working for Mrs. Lane and had Jack buy the clothes for her, for at night she liked to put them on and pretend she could have the adventures granted only to boys. She removed her gown, dressed in boy’s clothes, tucked her hair under a three-cornered hat, climbed out her window, and rushed off to where Jack was waiting.

Jack told her news of the battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill, and that George Washington had been made general of the army. But the most important news was that her father had stopped drinking, and had fought in battles. Debby felt she needed to keep her promise to look after her father, so she took her drum and headed off to join the patriots.

After several days of walking Debby came upon a Continental army camp, gave her name as Robert Shirtliffe, said she wanted to enlist, and was accepted into the military. No need for background checks or medical exams when there was a war to fight. Soldiers started calling the new drummer boy Molly, for those who were too young to shave were given a girl’s name as a form of teasing.

Winter came and Molly (who was Debby Mason, pretending to be Robert) heard soldiers talking about the bravery of “old Mason” who had been protecting a bridge, along with a small number of other soldiers. Mason had been shot, but was not among those killed, or those who escaped. Molly decided to go looking for her hero-father, and one day was able to sneak past the sentry and set out to find him.

After walking awhile Molly came upon a drunken sentry with an English greatcoat over his ragged Continental uniform. It was her father, who mistook her for a British soldier named Captain Morley, and asked about the change of uniform. Then along came Morley, who looked exactly like Molly (who, you may recall, is really Debby, pretending to be Robert). Morley had captured Mason, and plied him with liquor to get him to tell what he knew about the Continental army. Morley tried to take Molly prisoner, but the two look-alike soldiers began to fight.

Morley shot Molly through the hand, then the bullet found a resting place in old Mason’s breast. Molly knelt at Mason’s side and asked Morley for a chance to be alone with the dying man, saying they were from the same town, and there was something that had to be said in private. Captain Morley said he would leave for a time if Molly could be trusted to remember he (who was actually a she) was a prisoner, and not try to escape.

With his dying breath Mason begged the young soldier to go to Plymouth, find his daughter Debby, and tell her that her mother had a twin sister. Mason died before finishing his story.

Molly planned to keep her word and wait for Morley’s return, but she was afraid other soldiers might come along,and decided to wait while in hiding. After moving into the underbrush she fainted from the pain of her wounded hand. She awoke when two British soldiers, riding weary horses, stopped at the sight of Mason’s body, and talked of the need to spread the news that General Washington and fourteen thousand men would soon be upon them.

When Molly made her presence known she was mistaken for that look-alike Captain Morley, and said the Continental uniform helped her get behind enemy lines. Her hand was bandaged and, since she was smaller and lighter than the other soldiers, she was given one of the worn-out horses and told to tell British General Howe about Washington’s advancing troops. She mounted the best of the two horses and took off just as Captain Morley returned.

Molly made it back to her own camp and told of the coming of reinforcements, then fainted a second time. A brand new volunteer had arrived – her friend Jack Martin – who asked to tend to the wounded soldier to insure no one discovered her secret. Molly told Jack of her father’s death, and of her need to find the British soldier who looked just like her.

On Christmas Eve General Washington asked Molly to deliver a message to the Marblehead fishermen, telling them “we are ready.” Thus Molly helped to get the soldiers across the Delaware River on Christmas evening, for a surprise attack on the British the next day.

Soon after, Washington wanted to move five thousand troops during the night without the enemy knowing they had left their camp, and he asked for fifty volunteers to stay behind to keep the campfires burning, and to beat upon drums to deceive the British into thinking no one had left. It was a dangerous assignment, but Molly readily accepted the challenge, marching and drumming all night long, and being the last to leave at the break of dawn.

While trying to rejoin the Continental army Molly once again met up with look-alike Captain Morley, who tried to take her prisoner. Both soldiers shot, and both were wounded, Morley fatally. But before the British soldier died Molly learned they were cousins, for Morley’s mother was the sister of Molly’s late mother.

When wounded Molly made it back to the soldiers she served with a young surgeon saved her life, and discovered her secret. That left the dreadful question of how General Washington would react when he learned of the deceit of a female joining the army. That may not seem as though it would be the worst of her problems, but this story emphasizes the high regard every Continental soldier had for Washington, and how no one wanted to disappoint the great man.

I found this 68-page novel, first published in 1900, of interest because I know very little about the day-to-day life of a soldier during the American Revolution. Though I doubt every bit of this story is historically accurate, I did some research and learned of Deborah Sampson, who took the name of Robert Shurtliff, fought as a Continental soldier, was wounded, and treated by a surgeon who kept her secret. So the story of Debby Mason, who enlisted as Robert Shirtliffe, was no doubt inspired by history.

And I was impressed that author Harriet T. Comstock wrote as though she found no fault with a girl who wanted to behave as a boy, though in the end she reassured her readers that after Debby goes to stay with a kind and understanding lady she does learn to become a respectable young woman.

If you’d like to read Molly, the Drummer Boy the story can be downloaded free of charge at: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/62589

The Missing Tin Box

Sixteen-year-old Hal Carson was on a ferry traveling from Jersey City to New York when he overheard two well-dressed men discussing nearly 80 thousand dollars in bonds in a private safe, which was kept open during business hours. He thought the conversation seemed suspicious and, when the men left the cabin to keep from being overheard, Hal considered following the men outside to the deck, but it was winter, and he had no coat.

Hal had been raised in a poor-house, and was on his way to New York City to seek employment. His worldly goods consisted of a small bundle of clothes, less than a dollar in coins, and a gold locket that had been around his neck when he’d been brought to the poor-house as a baby.

It was about eight o’clock in the evening when Hal arrived in New York. While walking down a sidewalk he saw an elderly man start to cross the street, slip on ice, and fall on his back, just as a fire engine, pulled by three “fiery horses” came racing towards the man. Hal rushed out into the street, grabbed the man by the arm, and pulled him to safety.

The man’s name was Horace Sumner, a broker on Wall Street. Upon hearing the gist of Hal’s life story, he gave the lad his business card, and asked him to come see him at ten the next morning. Hal then found a dingy establishment where he paid 25 cents for a night’s lodging.

The next morning he tramped through a foot of snow to reach the office of Sumner, Allen & Co., Brokers. He walked in the door, and saw the bookkeeper, Mr. Hardwick, one of the two men who’d been talking about bonds on the ferry. Hardwick didn’t recognize Hal, but since the lad wore shabby clothes he told him to wait outside. Just as Hal left the office Mr. Sumner showed up, and was annoyed that the office boy hadn’t cleared the sidewalk. Hal offered to clean it, and was just getting started when Ferris, the well-dressed office boy, showed up, an hour late for work. It wasn’t the first time he’d arrived late, so Ferris lost his job, and Hal was hired and given a month’s salary in advance in order to buy a coat and boots, and to pay for a place to live.

After his first day of work Hal bought winter clothes, then found a nice boarding house room. Would it surprise you to learn his new landlady was the aunt of ex-office boy Ferris? On Hal’s second day of work he met Mr. Sumner’s partner, Mr. Allen, who had been the other suspicious ferry passenger discussing bonds.

On Hal’s third day of work Mr. Sumner opened his safe and discovered 79 thousand dollars worth of railroad bonds, kept in a tin box, were missing. Such a loss would mean ruin to him. Hardwick and Allen blamed the poor-house boy, and Hal told Mr. Sumner about the conversation he overheard while on the ferry. He promised to help his employer find the stolen bonds.

If Hal didn’t have enough trouble Ferris held a grudge against him for “stealing” his former job. He complained to his aunt for allowing a poor-house boy to stay at her house, but she sided with Hal. The lady had promised her deceased sister she’d look after her nephew, but did not approve of the way he’d been behaving.

One day after work Hal followed Hardwick, and saw him meet Ferris. The next day Hal saw Hardwick steal pens and inkwells, and told Mr. Sumner about it. He believed the bookkeeper planned to make it appear as if Hal stole the items, and asked his employer not to speak to Hardwick about it, for he wanted to see what would happen. Mr. Sumner was growing fond of Hal, and he thought of his own son, who had been kidnapped as a baby, and was now presumed to be dead.

When Hal returned to the boarding house for supper he was told one of the boarders, a Mr. Saunders, had been robbed, and Ferris accused Hal of the crime. They all went up to Hal’s room and Mr. Saunders’ property, plus the brokerage office’s pens and inkwells, were found there. Things looked bad for Hal but, fortunately, the true criminals weren’t too smart, and the stolen items were wrapped in the day’s afternoon newspaper – a paper not available until after Hal had left for work. Everyone, including Ferris’ aunt, figured out who the villain was.

Mr. Sumner gave Hal permission to act as a private investigator and search for the stolen railroad bonds. The broker cautioned the lad to stay out of harm’s way, but that didn’t happen, and I can’t recall just how many times Hal came close to being killed as he strove to find the bonds that would keep his employer out of financial ruin. Bricks were dropped on his head, he was threatened with a pistol, whacked on the head with a chunk of firewood, then tossed into the vat of an abandoned pickling plant.

Finally Hal was shot, and Mr. Sumner kept vigil by the lad’s bedside. He saw the golden locket that had been around Hal’s neck when he’d been taken to the poor-house as a baby. Recall that, years before, Mr. Sumner’s infant son had been kidnapped. I won’t tell the significance of the locket, but will say that the bad guys got their just punishment, and all of the good characters lived happily ever after.

Anyone who’s read some of Horatio Alger’s novels about poor boys who work hard and experience wonderful coincidences might think this 1897 novel is an Alger story. In fact, it was written by Edward Stratemeyer, under the pen name of Arthur M. Winfield – the same name he used when writing The Rover Boys’ series of books. Stratemeyer had been an admirer of Horatio Alger, and when the older novelist had become too ill to continue writing Stratemeyer was hired to finish several of Alger’s books. He went on to create dozens of book series, including the Bobbsey Twins, Tom Swift, The Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew.

I found this novel to be a delight. I didn’t think too hard on whether it was completely logical, but just enjoyed the adventures of a likable young man. If you’d like to read The Missing Tin Box the story can be downloaded free of charge at: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/30864

A Girl of the Plains Country

Hilda Van Brunt was five years old when her New York family set out for Texas. Her mother had spent the last of her inherited fortune to purchase a ranch, after her husband had used most of her money on “dissipation” – a polite way of saying he drank and gambled away any money he could get his hands on. Mrs. Van Brunt had been sure she could make the far-off land into a proper home, but she’d died during the railroad part of the journey, and when Hank Pearsall, manager of the Three Sorrows Ranch, traveled sixty miles to the stage station of Mesquite he was not impressed with the adults who got off the stagecoach.

Charles Van Brunt was a weak but elegantly dressed man, who seemed unused to holding his infant son, Burchie. Aunt Valeria Van Brunt wore expensive clothes and didn’t seem to be familiar with any type of work. But the little girl with dark eyes and curly hair looked around with interest, and seemed pleased with what she saw.

Mr. Pearsall settled the adults and baby into the back of a horse-drawn ambulance (readers are told that was a common vehicle for traveling in those parts) then he swung young Hilda up onto the drivers seat, and told her the two of them wouldn’t mind a bit of jouncing. Hilda immediately began confiding in the fifty-year-old manager.

She said they’d come West with a nurse who couldn’t stand such flat country, and had gone back to New York, so Papa sent for Aunt Val, who’d come to help out, even though she didn’t like children. Hilda asked Mr. Pearsall if he liked children, and was told he didn’t have any, so she said she could be his little girl as well as Papa’s. Mr. Pearsal said he’d be her Uncle Hank.

Hilda loved telling everything to Uncle Hank, and he heard all about her hero, The Boy On The Train. When Mother got sick on the train the Boy and his family helped care for her, and delayed their own travel plans to stay with the Van Brunts until after the funeral, and the coming of Aunt Val. Hilda had quite an imagination, and most of her imagined adventures had The Boy On The Train in them.

After arriving at Three Sorrows Ranch (the original owner had three daughters who met with tragedies) Hank Pearsall told Mr. Van Brunt he would soon be leaving for a new job, and tried to teach the new owner about the financial side of ranching. Hilda’s Papa made no effort to learn about profits and expenses, and asked the manager to stay on. Pearsall had no interest in working for Mr. Van Brunt, but when Hilda told Uncle Hank he was her only friend the ranch manager couldn’t bring himself to leave the girl who’d adopted him as a relative.

Uncle Hank took on the nearly impossible task of finding a way to pay the ranch hands and the Chinese cook, and to support the Van Brunts, while Charles Van Brunt took much of the cattle-selling profits for weeks-long “business trips” that involved plenty of poker games. Van Brunt sold off land, and mortgaged what remained, but Hank did the work of two men to help make ends meet. His only pleasure was his nightly talks with Hilda, who told him about her day.

Hilda loved the ranch. She loved horse riding, and learning how to grow up to be a knowledgable ranch woman. Money was found to send for a school teacher for Hilda and the few other children in the area. And there was time for playing, and making up stories that usually involved the wonderful Boy On The Train.

One spring, after years of wasting money, Charles Van Brunt attempted to mend his ways, and insisted on helping with the roundup of unbranded calves. Hilda’s inexperienced Papa had an encounter with a rogue steer, and received fatal wounds. His dying moments were spent lamenting that he was leaving his children nothing but debts. Uncle Hank promised he would care for the children and pay off the ranch mortgages.

Money was tight, ranch work was done by fewer hands than were needed, and everyone did without. Well, everyone except Aunt Val, who decided Hilda’s little brother was in poor health, and had to go to Dallas for medical treatment. And of course she had to stay in the big city to care for him. Aunt Val had always hated the ranch, so no one believed there was anything wrong with young Burchie, but Uncle Hank found the money to pay for them to stay in Dallas. Hilda was the only Van Brunt to remain on Three Sorrows.

When the girl wasn’t at school she had no one to talk to until the ranch hands came home at night. There was the Chinese cook, but he wasn’t too talkative, even when he saw things Uncle Hank wouldn’t approve of. Hilda kept herself busy, exploring the ranch and using her imagination. One day she was down in the basement, moved some empty boxes away from a wall, and found a door leading to an abandoned storm cellar no one else knew about. She crawled through a tunnel and found a room, complete with a little window hidden by some woodbine in front of the house.

She didn’t tell Uncle Hank about her find, but brought down castoff furniture and favorite belongings to make herself a private room for reading and daydreaming. Years went by, and one day, when she was fifteen, she opened the covering to her hidden room’s window and discovered a young man hiding between the house and the woodbine. It was her hero, The Boy On The Train, who was wanted for a murder he didn’t commit, and had come looking for Hilda, for he remembered where the Van Brunts’ ranch was located. Hilda hid him in the secret room. That required going through the kitchen, but the Chinese cook didn’t do much talking, especially if Hilda asked him for a favor.

Other wanted men had been hidden at the ranch, if one of the workers knew the fugitive and believed in his innocence. Hilda told The Boy On The Train, who’s name was Pearse, that she could tell Uncle Hank Pearsall about him, for he would better know how to help the young man. But her long-time hero said he knew the man, did not like him, and wouldn’t have come if he’d known who the ranch manager was.

How could there be anyone who didn’t like kind and honest Uncle Hank? And how could she keep such an important secret from the man who’d been more of a father to her than her own Papa had ever been?

Hilda did keep the fugitive’s whereabouts a secret. She brought him food, had long talks with him, and learned his adopted parents had died, and his step siblings were keeping his inheritance from him. Hilda helped Pearse escape, but felt guilt over not telling Uncle Hank about the matter. The sheriff later learned someone else had committed the murder.

After many a hard year Uncle Hank was able to pay off the Three Sorrows Ranch debt. That brought on the new problem of Hilda becoming a beautiful young woman who was half-owner of a valuable ranch. Young men were interested in her, but Hilda was still infatuated with her Boy On The Train – the man who was perfect except for not liking her beloved Uncle Hank.

The novel was published in 1924 and may not have been marketed as a children’s book, but I chose it because of Hilda’s age during the beginning chapters. I won’t give away the ending, but will say the main characters live happily ever after, once a major misunderstanding is cleared up. I enjoyed learning about Hilda, Uncle Hank, and The Boy On The Train. And though I never learned much about him, the few scenes with the Chinese cook were fun. The tension and challenges came across as believable, and I found the ending a bit melodramatic, but satisfying.

If you’d like to read A Girl of the Plains Country it can be downloaded free of charge at: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63044.

Miss Elliot’s Girls

This is the first book I’ve ever chosen because of the publisher. When I saw that the 1886 novel Miss Elliot’s Girls, Stories of Beasts, Birds, and Butterflies was printed by the Congregational Sunday-School and Publishing Society I decided to read it to see how preachy it might be. It’s not too preachy, but the author made sure her readers learned a lot.

In the first chapter Miss Ruth Elliot, a lady who lives with her minister brother and his family, asks a boy to bring her a tobacco worm. Miss Ruth, who is crippled, enjoys obtaining caterpillars so that she can watch them turn into butterflies, and it was interesting to read about the transformation.

In chapter two Mrs. Elliot (Ruth’s sister-in-law) is disappointed over the small turnout at the sewing society. The church had promised a barrel of clothing and bed linens to the poor missionary out West, and she had hoped to include a bed quilt. Miss Ruth offered to host a Patchwork Quilt Society, consisting of her two nieces and four other girls, to make the needed quilt. They would meet in her room once a week. She would cut the fabric squares, and tell stories while the girls worked.

Most of the remaining chapters told a little about the girls and their minor disagreements (resolved with a reminder of a Bible lesson), but focused on Miss Ruth’s stories about cats, dogs and horses from her youth, as well more stories about butterflies, plus birds, and the industrious ants who live in a “model city”, with everyone working hard and helping each other.

In the tales from Miss Ruth’s childhood she told of being a healthy and active girl, and I was waiting to learn how she came to rely on a crutch, and to have days when she can barely walk at all. A couple of her stories mentioned her becoming ill, and towards the end of the book her nieces tell friends that their Papa said Aunt Ruth has an incurable disease, and that she is often in pain. The friends remark how cheerful and kind Miss Ruth is, so I suppose that part is “sneaking” preachy, giving a good example of how to behave when faced with troubles.

I was able to find out that the author, Mrs. Mary Spring Corning, had been the daughter of a Congregational minister and later married another Congregational minister, so I’m assuming  faith was important to her. During the last chapter of the novel the Patchwork Quilt Society girls finish their quilt, and wished that they could send along the stories they were told as they sewed. It was decided that Miss Ruth would write down her stories so that others could learn the lessons connected to the tales.

I can’t claim that Miss Elliot’s Girls will now become a favorite book, but I enjoyed my time with the fictional Miss Ruth, and admired her for making the most of her limitations. I don’t plan to search out more books  from the Congregational Sunday-School and Publishing Society, but I’m glad that I expanded my horizons a bit and sampled an offering from an obscure organization.

If you’d like to read Miss Elliot’s Girls it can be downloaded free of charge at: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14610