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table of contents
Contents
- The eve before the bridal—Ruth’s little room—A retrospective reverie
- The wedding—A glimpse of the character of Ruth’s Brother Hyacinth
- The new home-Soliloquy of the mother-in-law
- The first interview with the mother-in-law
- Ruth’s reflections on the interview
- A bit of family history
- The first-born
- The nurse
- Further developments of the mother-in-law’s character
- Ruth’s country home
- Ruth and Daisy
- The old folks follow the young couple—An entertaining dialogue
- The old lady’s surreptitious visit to Ruth’s, and her encounter with Dinah
- The old lady searches the house—What she finds
- The old doctor meddles with Harry’s farming arrangements
- Little Daisy’s reverie—Her strange playfellow
- “Pat” Mutinies
- A growl from the old lady
- Daisy’s glee at the first sleigh-ride
- Daisy’s illness—The old doctor refuses to come
- Dinah’s warning—Harry goes again for the doctor
- The old doctor arrives too late
- “The Glen” deserted—the old doctor’s and his wife’s version of the cause of Daisy’ death—Mrs. Jones gives her opinion
- Anniversary of Daisy’s death—Ruth’s reverie—Litte Katy’s request
- Hotel life—A new friend
- The fall of the leaf—Harry’s illness—The lonely watcher
- Arrival of the old doctor and his wife
- The old doctor’s announcement—Harry’s death
- Hyacinth’s sensibilities shocked
- Miss Skinlin
- Harry’s funeral
- A servant’s devotion
- Bickerings of the father and father-in-law—Dispute about the support of the children
- Ruth received a visit from her father—He insists her giving up her children to the old doctor—Ruth’s refusal
- The old lady, enraged, proposes a compromise—Mr. Ellet is forced to accede
- Ruth’s new lodgings—Speculations of the boarders
- Mr. Develin’s counting-house—The old doctor’s letter
- Little katy mourns for her papa
- Mr. Develin demands Harry’s clothes of Ruth—The wedding vest
- Ruth’s applications for needle-work
- Disgust of Ruth’s fashionable friends
- Conversation in Mrs. Millet’s kitchen
- The bouquet
- Mrs. Millet and the wooden man
- Little Katy visits her grandpa and meets with a characteristic reception—The strange gentleman”
- A peep from Ruth’s chamber window—Katy’s return.
- Boarding-house revolution—Mrs. Skiddy’s flight—Mr. Skiddy in the capacity of dry nurse
- A new idea—The Millets exhibit their friendship and delicacy
- Ruth resolves to become a teacher
- Ruth applies for a primary school
- The examination by the school committee
- Mrs. Skiddy’s unexpected return
- Skiddy’s intercepted hegira—His incarceration—His final escape
- The lunatic asylum
- Ruth’s new landlady
- The strange lodger—Ruth resolves to resort to her pen to obtain subsistence—She applies to her brother Hyacinth for advice and assistance—His characteristic reply
- The old lady resorts to stratagem, and carries her point
- Mr. Ellet exhibits his usual fatherly interest in Ruth’s affairs
- Ruth applies for employment at newspaper offices
- The bread of life
- A chapter which may be instructive
- Ruth obtains employment—Illness of Nettie—The strange lodger proves useful
- A peep into the old doctor’s cottage
- A glimpse of coming success
- Little Nettie’s sorrows—Cheering letters
- Katy’s first day at school—The town-pump controversy—Cruelty of Katy’s grandparents
- Mr. John Walter
- A letter from Mr. Walter, and it’s effect
- Ruth engages to write solely for the household messenger
- What Mr. Lescom said
- A sharp correspondence
- Offers of marriage and offers to publish
- What Mr. Tibbetts said about Ruth’s writing for The Household Messenger
- Soliloquy of a sub-editor
- Mr. Walter’s visit
- The Phrenological examination
- Publication day comes at last
- Hyacinth cornered
- Mr. Lewis enlightened
- More letters
- Freshet in the doctor’s cellar—“Ham’s” in danger of a total wreck—sudden appearance of Ruth—rescue of little Katy
- Arrival of Katy with her mother, Mr. Walter, and Mr. Grey, at new lodgings; Dinner and letters—conversations between the children
- The little family alone at their new quarters—Nettie in the confession box—Katy’s mirth
- Katy and Nettie compare notes—Ruth dreams—Midnight conflagration—Rescue of the little family by Johnny Galt
- Tea-table talk between “the wooden man” and his spouse—Letter from “Our John”
- The old lady extinguished in a conversation with her neighbors, who announce the astonishing fact that ‘Floy’ is Ruth
- Conversation between Ruth’s father and Mr. Jones regarding Ruth’s literary debut
- Interview between the literary bookseller and Mr. Walter
- Arrival of Mr. Walter—Bank stock and bank certificate
- The last visit to Harry’s grave