Ruth Hall

Fanny Fern

Description

In Fanny Fern’s novel Ruth Hall, Miss Ruth Hall must learn to navigate life without her husband, Harry, after he unexpectantly dies from typhoid fever. This follows the death of Harry and Ruth’s eldest daughter, Daisy, who passed tragically by contracting a respiratory illness. In the thick of mourning and with her two youngest daughters to support, Ruth must find a way to make end meet. After she resorts to begging, her father agrees to give her a small amount of money. Unable to afford anything else, Rith moves her family to an unsafe, run-down part of town. Despite the discouragement from her parents and older brother, she decides to pursue writing, as she has exhausted her other job opportunities. Ruth finds an editors, Mr. Lascom and Mr. Tibbetts, who both publish her works. Though readers really enjoy her work which earns the newspapers more subscriptions but neither Mr. Lascom nor Mr. Tibbets will pay Ruth fairly for her contributions. Because of this, she still struggles despite having a job. As Ruth continues her passion, working hard to survive off her modest salary, she meets a new publisher, who promises to pay her more than the other publishers, on the condition that Ruth writes exclusively for him. Ruth Hall is a story of endurance and excellence. Widowed and poor, Ruth is able to pull herself up and become a successful writer, loving mother and find love again after losing her first husband. First published in 1854, Fanny Fern completed Ruth Hall in just a few months, writing with passion that remains evident even to modern day readers. This edition of Ruth Hall by Fanny Fern features an eye-catching new cover design and is presented in a font that is both modern and readable. With these accommodations, this edition is accessible and appealing to contemporary audiences, restoring Ruth Hall to modern standards while preserving the emotion and brilliance of Fanny Fern’s work.

Sujets

• Literary
• 19th century
• Victorian era
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: Mint Editions
• Date de parution: 21 mai 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781513284965
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Ruth Hall
Fanny Fern
 
Ruth Hall was first published in 1854.
This edition published by Mint Editions 2020.
ISBN 9781513279947 | E-ISBN 9781513284965
Published by Mint Editions®
minteditionbooks.com
Publishing Director: Jennifer Newens
Design & Production: Rachel Lopez Metzger
Project Manager: Micaela Clark
Typesetting: Westchester Publishing Services
 
C ONTENTS I. T HE E VE B EFORE THE B RIDAL —R UTH ’ S L ITTLE R OOM —A R ETROSPECTIVE R EVERIE II. T HE W EDDING —A G LIMPSE OF THE C HARACTER OF R UTH ’ S B ROTHER H YACINTH III. T HE N EW H OME —S OLILOQUY OF THE M OTHER - IN - LAW IV. T HE F IRST I NTERVIEW WITH THE M OTHER - IN - LAW V. R UTH ’ S R EFLECTIONS ON THE I NTERVIEW VI. A B IT OF F AMILY H ISTORY VII. T HE F IRST -B ORN VIII. T HE N URSE IX. F URTHER D EVELOPMENTS OF THE M OTHER - IN - LAW ’ S C HARACTER X. R UTH ’ S C OUNTRY H OME XI. R UTH AND D AISY XII. T HE O LD F OLKS F OLLOW THE Y OUNG C OUPLE —A N E NTERTAINING D IALOGUE XIII. T HE O LD L ADY ’ S S URREPTITIOUS V ISIT TO R UTH ’ S , AND H ER E NCOUNTER WITH D INAH XIV. T HE O LD L ADY S EARCHES THE H OUSE —W HAT S HE F INDS XV. T HE O LD D OCTOR M EDDLES WITH H ARRY ’ S F ARMING A RRANGEMENTS XVI. L ITTLE D AISY ’ S R EVERIE —H ER S TRANGE P LAYFELLOW XVII. “P AT ” M UTINIES XVIII. A G ROWL FROM THE O LD L ADY XIX. D AISY ’ S G LEE AT THE F IRST S LEIGH -R IDE XX. D AISY ’ S I LLNESS —T HE O LD D OCTOR R EFUSES TO C OME XXI. D INAH ’ S W ARNING —H ARRY G OES A GAIN FOR THE D OCTOR XXII. T HE O LD D OCTOR A RRIVES TOO L ATE XXIII. “T HE GLEN ” D ESERTED —T HE O LD D OCTOR ’ S AND H IS W IFE ’ S V ERSION OF THE C AUSE OF D AISY ’ S D EATH —M RS . J ONES G IVES H ER O PINION XXIV. A NNIVERSARY OF D AISY ’ S D EATH —R UTH ’ S R EVERIE —L ITTLE K ATY ’ S R EQUEST XXV. H OTEL L IFE —A N EW F RIEND XXVI. T HE F ALL OF THE L EAF —H ARRY ’ S I LLNESS —T HE L ONELY W ATCHER XXVII. A RRIVAL OF THE O LD D OCTOR AND H IS W IFE XXVIII. T HE O LD D OCTOR ’ S A NNOUNCEMENT —H ARRY ’ S D EATH XXIX. H YACINTH ’ S S ENSIBILITIES S HOCKED XXX. M ISS S KINLIN XXXI. H ARRY ’ S F UNERAL XXXII. A S ERVANT ’ S D EVOTION XXXIII. B ICKERINGS OF THE F ATHER AND F ATHER - IN - LAW —D ISPUTE A BOUT THE S UPPORT OF THE C HILDREN XXXIV. R UTH R ECEIVES A V ISIT FROM H ER F ATHER —H E I NSISTS ON H ER G IVING UP H ER C HILDREN TO THE O LD D OCTOR —R UTH ’ S R EFUSAL XXXV. T HE OLD LADY , E NRAGED , P ROPOSES A C OMPROMISE —M R . E LLET IS F ORCED TO A CCEDE XXXVI. R UTH ’ S N EW L ODGINGS —S PECULATIONS OF THE B OARDERS XXXVII. M R . D EVELIN ’ S C OUNTING -H OUSE —T HE O LD D OCTOR ’ S L ETTER XXXVIII. L ITTLE K ATY M OURNS FOR H ER P APA XXXIX. M R . D EVELIN D EMANDS H ARRY ’ S C LOTHES OF R UTH —T HE W EDDING V EST XL. R UTH ’ S A PPLICATION FOR N EEDLE -W ORK XLI. D ISGUST OF R UTH ’ S F ASHIONABLE F RIENDS XLII. C ONVERSATION IN M RS . M ILLET ’ S K ITCHEN XLIII. T HE B OUQUET XLIV. M RS . M ILLET AND THE W OODEN M AN XLV. L ITTLE K ATY V ISITS H ER G RANDPA AND M EETS WITH A C HARACTERISTIC R ECEPTION —T HE S TRANGE G ENTLEMAN XLVI. A P EEP FROM R UTH ’ S C HAMBER W INDOW —K ATY ’ S R ETURN XLVII. B OARDING -H OUSE R EVOLUTION —M RS . S KIDDY ’ S F LIGHT —M R . S KIDDY IN THE C APACITY OF D RY N URSE XLVIII. A N EW I DEA —T HE M ILLETS E XHIBIT THEIR F RIENDSHIP AND D ELICACY XLIX. R UTH R ESOLVES TO B ECOME A T EACHER L. R UTH A PPLIES FOR A P RIMARY S CHOOL LI. T HE E XAMINATION BY THE S CHOOL C OMMITTEE LII. M RS . S KIDDY ’ S U NEXPECTED R ETURN LIII. S KIDDY ’ S I NTERCEPTED H EGIRA —H IS I NCARCERATION —H IS F INAL E SCAPE LIV. T HE L UNATIC A SYLUM LV. R UTH ’ S N EW L ANDLADY LVI. T HE S TRANGE L ODGER —R UTH R ESOLVES TO R ESORT TO H ER P EN TO O BTAIN A S UBSISTENCE —S HE A PPLIES TO H ER B ROTHER H YACINTH FOR A DVICE AND A SSISTANCE —H IS C HARACTERISTIC R EPLY LVII. T HE O LD L ADY R ESORTS TO S TRATAGEM , AND C ARRIES H ER P OINT LVIII. M R . E LLET E XHIBITS H IS U SUAL F ATHERLY I NTEREST IN R UTH ’ S A FFAIRS LIX. R UTH A PPLIES FOR E MPLOYMENT AT N EWSPAPER O FFICES LX. T HE B READ OF L IFE LXI. A C HAPTER WHICH MAY BE I NSTRUCTIVE LXII. R UTH O BTAINS E MPLOYMENT —I LLNESS OF N ETTIE —T HE S TRANGE L ODGER P ROVES U SEFUL LXIII. A P EEP INTO THE O LD D OCTOR ’ S C OTTAGE LXIV. A G LIMPSE OF C OMING S UCCESS LXV. L ITTLE N ETTIE ’ S S ORROWS —C HEERING L ETTERS LXVI. K ATY ’ S F IRST D AY AT S CHOOL —T HE T OWN -P UMP C ONTROVERSY —C RUELTY OF K ATY ’ S G RANDPARENTS LXVII. M R . J OHN W ALTER LXVIII. A L ETTER FROM M R . W ALTER , AND ITS E FFECT LXIX. R UTH E NGAGES TO W RITE S OLELY FOR THE H OUSEHOLD M ESSENGER LXX. W HAT M R . L ESCOM SAID LXXI. A S HARP C ORRESPONDENCE LXXII. O FFERS OF M ARRIAGE AND O FFERS TO P UBLISH LXXIII. W HAT M R . T IBBETTS SAID ABOUT R UTH ’ S W RITING FOR THE H OUSEHOLD M ESSENGER LXXIV. S OLILOQUY OF A S UB -E DITOR LXXV. M R . W ALTER ’ S V ISIT LXXVI. T HE P HRENOLOGICAL E XAMINATION LXXVII. P UBLICATION D AY C OMES AT L AST LXXVIII. H YACINTH C ORNERED LXXIX. M R . L EWIS E NLIGHTENED LXXX. M ORE L ETTERS LXXXI. F RESHET IN THE D OCTOR ’ S C ELLAR —“H AMS ” IN D ANGER OF A T OTAL W RECK —S UDDEN A PPEARANCE OF R UTH —R ESCUE OF L ITTLE K ATY LXXXII. A RRIVAL OF K ATY WITH HER M OTHER , M R . W ALTER , AND M R . G REY , AT N EW L ODGINGS ; D INNER AND L ETTERS —C ONVERSATIONS BETWEEN THE C HILDREN LXXXIII. T HE L ITTLE F AMILY A LONE AT T HEIR N EW Q UARTERS —N ETTIE IN THE C ONFESSION B OX —K ATY ’ S M IRTH LXXXIV. K ATY AND N ETTIE C OMPARE N OTES —R UTH D REAMS —M IDNIGHT C ONFLAGRATION —R ESCUE OF THE L ITTLE F AMILY BY J OHNNY G ALT LXXXV. T EA -T ABLE T ALK BETWEEN “T HE W OODEN M AN ” AND H IS S POUSE —L ETTER FROM “O UR J OHN ” LXXXVI. T HE O LD L ADY E XTINGUISHED IN A C ONVERSATION WITH HER N EIGHBORS , W HO A NNOUNCE THE A STONISHING F ACT THAT ‘F LOY ’ IS R UTH LXXXVII. C ONVERSATION BETWEEN R UTH ’ S F ATHER AND M R . J ONES R EGARDING R UTH ’ S L ITERARY D EBUT LXXXVIII. I NTERVIEW B ETWEEN THE L ITERARY B OOKSELLER AND M R . W ALTER LXXXIX. A RRIVAL OF M R . W ALTER —B ANK S TOCK AND B ANK C ERTIFICATE XC. T HE L AST V ISIT TO H ARRY ’ S G RAVE
 
I
T HE E VE B EFORE THE B RIDAL —R UTH ’ S L ITTLE R OOM —A R ETROSPECTIVE R EVERIE
T he old church clock rang solemnly out on the midnight air. Ruth started. For hours she had sat there, leaning her cheek upon her hand, and gazing through the open space between the rows of brick walls, upon the sparkling waters of the bay, glancing and quivering ’neath the moon-beams. The city’s busy hum had long since died away; myriad restless eyes had closed in peaceful slumber; Ruth could not sleep. This was the last time she would sit at that little window. The morrow would find her in a home of her own. On the morrow Ruth would be a bride.
Ruth was not sighing because she was about to leave her father’s roof, (for her childhood had been anything but happy,) but she was vainly trying to look into a future, which God has mercifully veiled from curious eyes. Had that craving heart of her’s at length found its ark of refuge? Would clouds or sunshine, joy or sorrow, tears or smiles, predominate in her future? Who could tell? The silent stars returned her no answer. Would a harsh word ever fall from lips which now breathed only love? Would the step whose lightest footfall now made her heart leap, ever sound in her ear like a death-knell? As time, with its ceaseless changes, rolled on, would love flee affrighted from the bent form, and silver locks, and faltering footstep? Was there no talisman to keep him?
“Strange questions,” were they, “for a young girl!” Ah, but Ruth could remember when she was no taller than a rosebush, how cravingly her little heart cried out for love! How a careless word, powerless to wound one less sensitive, would send her, weeping, to that little room for hours; and, young as she was, life’s pains seemed already more to her than life’s pleasures. Would it always be so? Would she find more thorns than roses in her future pathway?
Then, Ruth remembered how she used to wish she were beautiful,—not that she might be admired, but that she might be loved. But Ruth was “very plain,”—so her brother Hyacinth told her, and “awkward,” too; she had heard that ever since she could remember; and the recollection of it dyed her cheek with blushes, whenever a stranger made his appearance in the home circle.
So, Ruth was fonder of being alone by herself; and then, they called her “odd,” and “queer,” and wondered if she would “ever make anything;” and Ruth used to wonder, too; and sometimes she asked herself why a sweet strain of music, or a fine passage in a poem, made her heart thrill, and her whole frame quiver with emotion?
The world smiled on her brother Hyacinth. He was handsome, and gifted. He could win fame, and what was better, love. Ruth wished he would love her a little. She often used to steal into his room and “right” his papers, when the stupid housemaid had displaced them; and often she would prepare him a tempting little lunch, and carry it to his room, on his return from his morning walk; but Hyacinth would only say, “Oh, it is you, Ruth, is it? I thought it was Bridget;” and go on reading his newspaper.
Ruth’s mother was dead. Ruth did not remember a great deal about her—only that she always looked uneasy about the time her father was expected home; and when his step was heard in the hall, she would say in a whisper, to Hyacinth and herself, “Hush! hush! your father is coming;” and then Hyacinth would immediately stop whistling, or humming, and Ruth would run up into her little room, for fear she should, in some unexpected way, get into disgrace.
Ruth, also, remembered when her father came home and found company to tea, how he frowned and complained of headache, although he always ate as heartily as any of the company; and how after tea he would stretch himself out upon the sofa and say, “I think I’ll take a nap;” and then, he would close his eyes, and if the company commenced talking, he would start up and