Chapter I: Preface: To the Reader

I present you with my first continuous story. I do not dignify it by the name of "A novel." I am aware that it is entirely at variance with all set rules for novel-writing. There is no intricate plot; there are no startling developments, no hair-breadth escapes. I have compressed into one volume what I might have expanded into two or three. I have avoided long introductions and descriptions, and have entered unceremoniously and unannounced, into people's houses, without stopping to ring the bell. Whether you will fancy this primitive mode of calling, whether you will like the company to which it introduces you, or--whether you will like the book at all, I cannot tell. Still, I cherish the hope that, somewhere in the length and breadth of the land, it may fan into a flame, in some tried heart, the fading embers of hope, well-nigh extinguished by wintry fortune and summer friends.

FANNY FERN.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
THE EVE BEFORE THE BRIDAL--RUTH'S LITTLE ROOM--A RETROSPECTIVE
REVERIE 15

CHAPTER II.
THE WEDDING--A GLIMPSE OF THE CHARACTER OF RUTH'S BROTHER
HYACINTH 23

CHAPTER III.
THE NEW HOME--SOLILOQUY OF THE MOTHER-IN-LAW 25

CHAPTER IV.
THE FIRST INTERVIEW WITH THE MOTHER-IN-LAW 28

CHAPTER V.
RUTH'S REFLECTIONS ON THE INTERVIEW 32

CHAPTER VI.
A BIT OF FAMILY HISTORY 34

CHAPTER VII.
THE FIRST-BORN 39

CHAPTER VIII.
THE NURSE 41

CHAPTER IX.
FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS OF THE MOTHER-IN-LAW'S CHARACTER 44

CHAPTER X.
RUTH'S COUNTRY HOME 47

CHAPTER XI.
RUTH AND DAISY 50

CHAPTER XII.
THE OLD FOLKS FOLLOW THE YOUNG COUPLE--AN ENTERTAINING
DIALOGUE 52

CHAPTER XIII.
THE OLD LADY'S SURREPTITIOUS VISIT TO RUTH'S, AND HER
ENCOUNTER WITH DINAH 55

CHAPTER XIV.
THE OLD LADY SEARCHES THE HOUSE--WHAT SHE FINDS 59

CHAPTER XV.
THE OLD DOCTOR MEDDLES WITH HARRY'S FARMING ARRANGEMENTS 63

CHAPTER XVI.
LITTLE DAISY'S REVERIE--HER STRANGE PLAYFELLOW 65

CHAPTER XVII.
"PAT" MUTINIES 67

CHAPTER XVIII.
A GROWL FROM THE OLD LADY 69

CHAPTER XIX.
DAISY'S GLEE AT THE FIRST SLEIGH-RIDE 72

CHAPTER XX.
DAISY'S ILLNESS--THE OLD DOCTOR REFUSES TO COME 74

CHAPTER XXI.
DINAH'S WARNING--HARRY GOES AGAIN FOR THE DOCTOR 78

CHAPTER XXII.
THE OLD DOCTOR ARRIVES TOO LATE 81

CHAPTER XXIII.
"THE GLEN" DESERTED--THE OLD DOCTOR'S AND HIS WIFE'S VERSION
OF THE CAUSE OF DAISY'S DEATH--MRS. JONES GIVES HER
OPINION 85

CHAPTER XXIV.
ANNIVERSARY OF DAISY'S DEATH--RUTH'S REVERIE--LITTLE KATY'S
REQUEST 90

CHAPTER XXV.
HOTEL LIFE--A NEW FRIEND 93

CHAPTER XXVI.
THE FALL OF THE LEAF--HARRY'S ILLNESS--THE LONELY WATCHER 97

CHAPTER XXVII.
ARRIVAL OF THE OLD DOCTOR AND HIS WIFE 102

CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE OLD DOCTOR'S ANNOUNCEMENT--HARRY'S DEATH 105

CHAPTER XXIX.
HYACINTH'S SENSIBILITIES SHOCKED 110

CHAPTER XXX.
MISS SKINLIN 114

CHAPTER XXXI.
HARRY'S FUNERAL 120

CHAPTER XXXII.
A SERVANT'S DEVOTION 123

CHAPTER XXXIII.
BICKERINGS OF THE FATHER AND FATHER-IN-LAW--DISPUTE ABOUT THE
SUPPORT OF THE CHILDREN 125

CHAPTER XXXIV.
RUTH RECEIVES A VISIT FROM HER FATHER--HE INSISTS ON HER
GIVING UP HER CHILDREN TO THE OLD DOCTOR--RUTH'S REFUSAL 128

CHAPTER XXXV.
THE OLD LADY, ENRAGED, PROPOSES A COMPROMISE--MR. ELLET IS
FORCED TO ACCEDE 132

CHAPTER XXXVI.
RUTH'S NEW LODGINGS--SPECULATIONS OF THE BOARDERS 139

CHAPTER XXXVII.
MR. DEVELIN'S COUNTING-HOUSE--THE OLD DOCTOR'S LETTER 142

CHAPTER XXXVIII.
LITTLE KATY MOURNS FOR HER PAPA 146

CHAPTER XXXIX.
MR. DEVELIN DEMANDS HARRY'S CLOTHES OF RUTH--THE WEDDING VEST 148

CHAPTER XL.
RUTH'S APPLICATION FOR NEEDLE-WORK 151

CHAPTER XLI.
DISGUST OF RUTH'S FASHIONABLE FRIENDS 155

CHAPTER XLII.
CONVERSATION IN MRS. MILLET'S KITCHEN 158

CHAPTER XLIII.
THE BOUQUET 161

CHAPTER XLIV.
MRS. MILLET AND THE WOODEN MAN 164

CHAPTER XLV.
LITTLE KATY VISITS HER GRANDPA AND MEETS WITH A CHARACTERISTIC
RECEPTION--THE STRANGE GENTLEMAN 166

CHAPTER XLVI.
A PEEP FROM RUTH'S CHAMBER WINDOW--KATY'S RETURN 171

CHAPTER XLVII.
BOARDING-HOUSE REVOLUTION--MRS. SKIDDY'S FLIGHT--MR. SKIDDY IN
THE CAPACITY OF DRY NURSE 176

CHAPTER XLVIII.
A NEW IDEA--THE MILLETS EXHIBIT THEIR FRIENDSHIP AND DELICACY 184

CHAPTER XLIX.
RUTH RESOLVES TO BECOME A TEACHER 189

CHAPTER L.
RUTH APPLIES FOR A PRIMARY SCHOOL 191

CHAPTER LI.
THE EXAMINATION BY THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE 192

CHAPTER LII.
MRS. SKIDDY'S UNEXPECTED RETURN 198

CHAPTER LIII.
SKIDDY'S INTERCEPTED HEGIRA--HIS INCARCERATION--HIS FINAL
ESCAPE 203

CHAPTER LIV.
THE LUNATIC ASYLUM 209

CHAPTER LV.
RUTH'S NEW LANDLADY 215

CHAPTER LVI.
THE STRANGE LODGER--RUTH RESOLVES TO RESORT TO HER PEN TO
OBTAIN A SUBSISTENCE--SHE APPLIES TO HER BROTHER HYACINTH
FOR ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE--HIS CHARACTERISTIC REPLY 219

CHAPTER LVII.
THE OLD LADY RESORTS TO STRATAGEM, AND CARRIES HER POINT 224

CHAPTER LVIII.
MR. ELLET EXHIBITS HIS USUAL FATHERLY INTEREST IN RUTH'S
AFFAIRS 228

CHAPTER LIX.
RUTH APPLIES FOR EMPLOYMENT AT NEWSPAPER OFFICES 230

CHAPTER LX.
THE BREAD OF LIFE 235

CHAPTER LXI.
A CHAPTER WHICH MAY BE INSTRUCTIVE 237

CHAPTER LXII.
RUTH OBTAINS EMPLOYMENT--ILLNESS OF NETTIE--THE STRANGE LODGER
PROVES USEFUL 240

CHAPTER LXIII.
A PEEP INTO THE OLD DOCTOR'S COTTAGE 245

CHAPTER LXIV.
A GLIMPSE OF COMING SUCCESS 251

CHAPTER LXV.
LITTLE NETTIE'S SORROWS--CHEERING LETTERS 257

CHAPTER LXVI.

KATY'S FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL--THE TOWN-PUMP CONTROVERSY--CRUELTY
OF KATY'S GRANDPARENTS 262

CHAPTER LXVII.
MR. JOHN WALTER 267

CHAPTER LXVIII.
A LETTER FROM MR. WALTER, AND ITS EFFECT 271

CHAPTER LXIX.
RUTH ENGAGES TO WRITE SOLELY FOR THE HOUSEHOLD MESSENGER 278

CHAPTER LXX.
WHAT MR. LESCOM SAID 282

CHAPTER LXXI.
A SHARP CORRESPONDENCE 287

CHAPTER LXXII.
OFFERS OF MARRIAGE AND OFFERS TO PUBLISH 292

CHAPTER LXXIII.
WHAT MR. TIBBETTS SAID ABOUT RUTH'S WRITING FOR THE HOUSEHOLD
MESSENGER 298

CHAPTER LXXIV.
SOLILOQUY OF A SUB-EDITOR 302

CHAPTER LXXV.
MR. WALTER'S VISIT 309

CHAPTER LXXVI.
THE PHRENOLOGICAL EXAMINATION 318

CHAPTER LXXVII.
PUBLICATION DAY COMES AT LAST 330

CHAPTER LXXVIII.
HYACINTH CORNERED 334

CHAPTER LXXIX.
MR. LEWIS ENLIGHTENED 338

CHAPTER LXXX.
MORE LETTERS 342

CHAPTER LXXXI.
FRESHET IN THE DOCTOR'S CELLAR--"HAMS" IN DANGER OF A TOTAL
WRECK--SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF RUTH--RESCUE OF LITTLE KATY 348

CHAPTER LXXXII.
ARRIVAL OF KATY WITH HER MOTHER, MR. WALTER, AND MR. GREY, AT
NEW LODGINGS; DINNER AND LETTERS--CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN
THE CHILDREN 354

CHAPTER LXXXIII.
THE LITTLE FAMILY ALONE AT THEIR NEW QUARTERS--NETTIE IN THE
CONFESSION BOX--KATY'S MIRTH 367

CHAPTER LXXXIV.
KATY AND NETTIE COMPARE NOTES--RUTH DREAMS--MIDNIGHT
CONFLAGRATION--RESCUE OF THE LITTLE FAMILY BY JOHNNY GALT 372

CHAPTER LXXXV.
TEA-TABLE TALK BETWEEN "THE WOODEN MAN" AND HIS SPOUSE--LETTER
FROM "OUR JOHN" 378

CHAPTER LXXXVI.
THE OLD LADY EXTINGUISHED IN A CONVERSATION WITH HER
NEIGHBORS, WHO ANNOUNCE THE ASTONISHING FACT THAT 'FLOY'
IS RUTH 383

CHAPTER LXXXVII.
CONVERSATION BETWEEN RUTH'S FATHER AND MR. JONES REGARDING
RUTH'S LITERARY DEBUT 388

CHAPTER LXXXVIII.
INTERVIEW BETWEEN THE LITERARY BOOKSELLER AND MR. WALTER 391

CHAPTER LXXXIX.
ARRIVAL OF MR. WALTER--BANK STOCK AND BANK CERTIFICATE 394

CHAPTER XC.
THE LAST VISIT TO HARRY'S GRAVE 398