About Isabella – Page 25

New Grace Livingston Hill Book and Giveaway

Published on August 27, 2015August 28, 2015 by Isabella Alden4 Comments

Although there was a nine-year age difference between Isabella and her older sister Marcia, they were as close as sisters could be.

They had a lot in common—they had the same sense of humor, they both married ministers, and they were both talented writers.

Isabella Alden (left) and her sister, Marcia Livingston in an undated photo

Marcia and Isabella co-wrote several novels together, including:

Aunt Hannah and Martha and John
John Remington, Martyr
By Way of the Wilderness
From Different Standpoints

Isabella and Marcia wrote some books while they lived together in the same house in Winter Park, Florida; and when miles and circumstances separated the sisters, they wrote some of their books “by mail.” What’s extraordinary is the way the sisters’ writing styles blended seamlessly so that it’s impossible to tell which sister wrote which sections of their books.

They were both tireless writers. In addition to novel writing, Marcia contributed stories and articles to The Pansy, which was Isabella’s magazine for children. And Marcia’s short stories for adults were regularly published in The Interior, a Christian magazine.

Marcia’s husband Charles was a minister who wrote his own weekly sermons, as well as theological papers. Like Marcia, he, too, wrote stories and articles for The Pansy.

Their daughter Grace Livingston Hill grew up in a home filled with creativity, a love of reading, and a strong work ethic. She learned the letters of the alphabet by clicking on the keys of her Aunt Isabella’s typewriter. She learned the art of writing a short story from her mother Marcia.

At an early age Grace discovered she could earn a living by her writing, just as her mother and aunt did. Her first book, A Chautauqua Idyl was published in 1887. Soon Grace joined her mother and her Aunt Isabella in creating inspiring, uplifting and memorable Christian fiction for women. Marcia encouraged Grace and often edited her manuscripts before Grace sent them off to her publisher.

Grace wrote over one-hundred novels, all of which remain popular today. Less popular are her short stories—not because they are any less well-written, but because they are more difficult to find. Her short stories appeared in magazines and newspapers in the early years of the 1900s and copies of those publications are rare finds today.

Grace working in the out of doors at her home in Swarthmore, PA. 1915.

The same is true for stories written by Marcia Livingston. They were published in the 1890s in magazines that went out of business long ago, their records scattered or destroyed; only a few issues can be found in libraries and museum collections. Their scarcity makes them all the more precious.

A new, exclusive collection of those hard-to-find short stories by Grace Livingston Hill and Marcia Livingston is now available …

… And we’re giving away free copies!

We’re giving away four copies of Faith and Love in e-book format to subscribers to this blog. The winners will claim their e-book through Amazon.

We’ll announce the winners on Friday, August 28. Good luck!

Faith and Love is available at these e-book retailers:

Cooking with Martha

Published on August 25, 2015August 25, 2015 by Isabella Alden2 Comments

When Isabella Alden wrote Aunt Hannah and Martha and John, she created the character of Martha Remington, a young bride who—through no fault of her own—had never been taught to cook and keep house.

Isabella herself was an excellent homemaker. Her niece, Grace Livingston Hill, wrote that her Aunt Isabella was “a marvelous housekeeper, knowing every dainty detail of her home to perfection; able to cook anything in the world just a little better than anyone else.”

Poor, Martha, however, couldn’t cook at all and her bridegroom, John, suffered through many meals that were overcooked, undercooked, sour, or salty.

Cooking in the late 1800s and early 1900s was truly a skill that was acquired after years of practice. A young woman stood a much better chance of learning to cook from an experienced housekeeper than she did if she tried to learn to cook on her own.

This was especially true because of the stoves and ovens that were available then. They lacked one essential feature we take for granted today: A thermostat.

Ranges at the turn of the 20th Century didn’t have any means for accurately detecting the temperature of their ovens or burners, and they had no dials or knobs to turn heat up or down. Cooks controlled the temperature of the oven and burners by the amount and type of fuel they fed the range. They had to rely on their experience and years of trial and error to determine whether an oven was the right temperature for baking a loaf of bread or roasting a shank of beef.

Cookbooks from the time included recipes with very general terms:

“Heat your oven to a satisfactory degree of heat.”

“Bake in a hot oven.”

“Bake in a quick oven for ten minutes.”

With such imprecise instructions, it’s no wonder an inexperienced cook like Martha was so bewildered in the kitchen, and served her husband so many meals that were almost inedible.

Luckily, Aunt Hannah detected the trouble and came to Martha’s rescue, not only as a teacher of the kitchen arts, but as a friend.

Under Aunt Hannah’s gentle tutelage, Martha Remington learned to be a good cook and housekeeper.

And as her confidence in the kitchen grew, so did Martha’s confidence in all areas of her life, as she matured into a caring and capable pastor’s wife.

You can find out more about Isabella’s book, Aunt Hannah and Martha and John by clicking on the book cover.

Chautauqua’s Hall of Philosophy

Published on August 7, 2015August 7, 2015 by Isabella AldenLeave a comment

Isabella Alden considered The Hall of Philosophy one of the most beloved locations at Chautauqua Institution.

The Hall of Philosophy, viewed from the side

The Hall of Philosophy—sometimes called the Hall in the Grove because of its location in idyllic St. Paul’s Grove—was an open-air structure that sat under a canopy of trees that shaded and cooled the Hall during the hot summer months. It was a favorite gathering place for Chautauquans, even when no lectures were held there.

The view from the top of the steps of the Hall of Philosophy; photo courtesy of TripAdvisor.com — A modern view from the top of the steps of the Hall of Philosophy; photo courtesy of TripAdvisor.com

If you were a Chautauqua visitor, you could stand at the edge of the Hall of Philosophy and look out upon different views of the grounds. From one vantage point, you’d see the Hall of Christ and the spires of the different denominational chapels.

Chapel-Episcopal — The Episcopal Chapel at Chautauqua Institution.

Presbyterian Headquarters building at Chautauqua Institution

From another direction you’d see gingerbread-trimmed cottages and inviting expanses of green lawns.

The original Hall of Philosophy was designed by Bishop John Vincent for the Christian Literary and Scientific Circle (C.L.S.C.). Twenty years later, when it was discovered the building needed to be replaced in order to last for future generations, the C.L.S.C. lead a fund-raising campaign and raised the money needed to erect a new Hall of Philosophy in the same location.

When the new concrete floor was poured in 1905, it included 51 different mosaic tiles, each designed by a different C.L.S.C. class, beginning with the class of 1882 (the first class) and ending with the class of 1924. Each tile depicts the class year, name and logo.

For instance, the first C.L.S.C. class of 1882 was called “The Pathfinders.” Their emblem was the nasturtium and their motto was “The truth shall make you free.”

The class of 1915 adopted the name “Jane Addams” and used the American laurel as their emblem. Their motto: “Life more abundant.”

The mosaic tile for the 1915 CLSC class; photo courtesy of TextileFusion.com

Isabella Alden was a member of the 1887 class; her fellow classmates honored her by naming their class the Pansy Class. They used the pansy flower as their emblem and “Neglect not the gift that is in thee” as their motto.

Isabella paid tribute to the Hall of Philosophy and her own experience with the C.L.S.C. in her novel The Hall in the Grove. The story centers around a diverse group of people who each spend a summer at Chautauqua for different reasons—and each end the summer changed by their experience. The Hall of Philosophy is almost another character in Isabella’s story, for it plays a prominent role in the different characters’ spiritual journeys. (You can click on the book cover to learn more about the novel.)

Thanks to the determination and rallying spirit of the members of the C.L.S.C. the Hall of Philosophy was rebuilt, and is still in use today.

This short video by Chautauqua Institution gives a brief history of the Hall of Philosophy and shows some examples of the C.L.S.C. class tiles:

Clothes Pansy’s Characters Might have Worn

Published on August 4, 2015March 30, 2017 by Isabella Alden2 Comments

There’s a new Isabella Alden Pinterest board for you to view: “Clothes Pansy’s characters might have worn” is a budding collection of clothing, jewelry, hats and shoes from the time period in which Isabella wrote her books.

This brown suit (from about 1880) might have been similar to the suit Marian Wilbur wore in Four Girls at Chautauqua.

And this delicate gown may remind you of the gown Flossy Shipley ruined in the rain on her first visit to Chautauqua.

You’ll also see several black gowns that Ruth Burnham might have worn (she never wore any other color) in the book Ruth Erskine’s Crosses.

You’ll find examples of traveling costumes, day dresses, tea gowns, and walking suits, as well as some jewelry, purses, and shoes to help you visualize Isabella’s beloved characters as you read her books. Click here to view Isabella’s Pinterest board now.

The Heroine of the Temperance Cause

Published on July 31, 2015July 30, 2015 by Isabella AldenLeave a comment

Isabella Alden was a great campaigner for the temperance movement. She had seen for herself the consequences of an unregulated alcohol industry. Alcoholic drinks in her time were often far more potent than commercial beer, wine and distilled liquor we’re used to today, making them much more addictive. Sometimes alcoholic beverages were laced with other substances, like cocaine; and alcohol was openly marketed to children.

This short video by documentary film maker Ken Burns describes the influence of liquor on America at the turn of the Twentieth Century.

Isabella’s dear friend Theodosia Toll Foster (whose nom de plume was Faye Huntington) was another tireless worker for the cause of temperance. Many of her novels were written for publication by the National Temperance Society and described the impact of alcoholism on the lives of individuals and communities.

And in her own books, Isabella often wove stories around the impact alcoholism had on families. She and her sister Marcia Livingston co-authored the novel, John Remington, Martyr, which chronicled one man’s efforts to fight the power of the alcohol industry and its hold on society.

Isabella, Theodosia and Marcia, as well as Marcia’s daughter, Grace Livingston Hill, were active members of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. The W.C.T.U. began in 1874 as a “crusade” of 208 dedicated temperance workers.

The Baptist Church in Fredonia, NY. Here on December 15, 1873 208 crusaders met and organized the Women's Christian Temperance Union — The Baptist Church in Fredonia, NY. Here on December 15, 1873 208 crusaders met and organized the Women’s Christian Temperance Union

When Frances Willard was named the W.C.T.U.’s president in 1879, she inherited an organization comprised of several autonomous chapters with no unified action plan to achieve the group’s goal of reforming the distribution and sale of alcohol in America.

Up to that point, the organization was known for it crusades—bands of women visiting local saloons to pray and ask saloonkeepers to close their doors and stop selling spirits. For the most part, they were seen as teetotaling moral zealots.

Frances Willard had a different vision for the organization. By profession she was a teacher. She was educated, dynamic, and persuasive; she used those talents to redefine the W.C.T.U. Knowing that America’s high rate of alcoholism was directly related to crime, sexual assault, poverty, and domestic violence, she redirected the organization to focus on social reform and political activism.

She formed alliances with politicians, instilled a sense of sisterhood in W.C.T.U. members, and cultivated powerful and influential allies.

Lewis Miller, co-founder of Chautauqua Institution and a multi-millionaire industrialist, was a staunch supporter of the W.C.T.U.; his wife Mary was one of the first members of the Ohio W.C.T.U., a well-organized and militant branch of the organization.

Their daughter Mina recalled how her mother, with other “dauntless women” visited saloons and pleaded with the male proprietors to close their doors. They were often subjected to insults and even had buckets of water thrown on them.

After Mina Miller married Thomas Edison, the great American inventor, she used her influence as “Mrs. Edison” to further the W.C.T.U.’s programs.

And what programs they were! W.C.T.U. members developed and taught temperance lessons to children in Sunday schools and visited drunkards in prison. They lobbied for free public kindergartens and prison reform. By 1889 W.C.T.U. chapters were operating nurseries, Sunday schools, homeless shelters, and homes for fallen women. Members supported labor reform, suffrage, disarmament, and the eight-hour work day.

Isabella often wrote about the activities of the W.C.T.U. in her books. Most striking was her novel One Commonplace Day. In that story, a group of people come together on their own to help one family overcome the effects of alcoholism; and they employ many of the W.C.T.U. methods to do so.

W.C.T.U. headquarters building at Chautauqua Institution, New York

Isabella and Frances Willard often lectured together, speaking before different chapters of the Sunday School Assembly and at regional Chautauqua locations.

Statue of Frances Willard in the United States Capital, Washington D.C.

By the time Frances Willard passed away in 1898 the W.C.T.U. was an acknowledged political and social force in the United States. Under her leadership the organization united women from varied backgrounds, educated them and empowered them to form one of the strongest and most influential women’s organizations in American history.

In 1905 a statue of Frances Willard was erected in National Statuary Hall at the United States Capital in Washington D.C. Her statue was the first honoring a woman to be chosen for the National Statuary Hall Collection.

Would you like to learn more about Frances Willard and the W.C.T.U.? Click here to visit the organization’s website.

Click on this link to read more about the statue of Frances Willard in Statuary Hall at the United States Capital.

Grace Livingston Hill wrote a short biography of Frances Willard’s early years. Click here to read her 1909 article.

You can watch the full 90-minute Ken Burns documentary “A Nation of Drunkards” here:

What Can I Do for Jesus?

Published on July 29, 2015July 29, 2015 by Isabella AldenLeave a comment

For many years Isabella Alden wrote a regular column for Sabbath School Monthly magazine. Titled “Primary Department,” the column provided complete children’s Sunday school lessons for each week of the month. Isabella also contributed stories to the magazine, and sometimes released one of her new novels in serial form, publishing a chapter in successive issues.

In one issue of the magazine, Isabella gave an account of a ladies’ prayer-meeting she attended that had such an impact on her, she wanted to share the experience with other Sunday school teachers:

The subject was, “What can I do for Jesus?” It was to be answered first by Bible verses. How wonderfully pertinent they were!

“Walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing,” said one.

“Increase in the knowledge of God,” said another.

“Be strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power,” said a third.

Then one summed up, as it were, the whole question in that marvel of condensation, “Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

“It all resolves itself into this,” one lady said; “if we have our own hearts right, then, whatever we do, or say, or think, may be to the glory of God. What we want, more than anything else, is to put on Christ in his fullness, so that his will shall be ours, and so that, in any event, we can rest in him. Then he will accept all work, and all waiting, as done for him.”

“Isn’t it a great help,” a dear, earnest, loving woman said, “to think that all our little, everyday work may be done in such a spirit, that it shall be to his glory? That just glorifies the meanest thing that we may have to do, and sweetens the heaviest toil.”

“Doesn’t it make less of the toil?” A lady asked, quickly, and her face shown with the reflected light of Him from whom she had learned her message.

“How?” another asked, puzzled at the expression, not being able to take in its fullness.

“Why, if whatever we do, even the eating and drinking, is to be done to the glory of God, will it not make us careful that we glorify Him by not expending unnecessary time or strength in this work, but keeping ever before us the great aim—His glory. It will lessen the work, depend upon it. You cannot do that which is simply unnecessary, and worse than unnecessary, being often unhelpful, if you have this end in view.”

There were those present to whom these words came as a revelation. They drew new meaning from the familiar text. One’s thoughts could not help going rapidly over other things than the eating and drinking. What about dressing? Did this new idea take less ruffles and puffs and flounces? Could they, also, be managed for the glory of God? So long as one held the thought, it seemed to grow and expand. The rich crumbs still fell around us.

“It is just this spirit, I think,” said a sweet-faced sister, “that makes it possible to live the life that we are directed. ‘Pray without ceasing,’ I have heard one say. How is that possible, when life is crowded full of hard and incessant work? But I see how it is possible; if the work is done with that grand end in view, what is more natural than to look constantly to Him for help to carry it out, to turn our thoughts to Jesus in every trial, or annoyance, or perplexity? I think it rests one as nothing else will. Isn’t it possible, don’t you think, even in the midst of perplexing business cares that try heart and brain, to have this spirit of prayer?”

There came instant answer to the query. A bright-faced lady, who had hitherto listened with eyes, and heart, and glowing face, said quickly:

“I am not sure how it would be in mental work. But I know one can run the sewing machine and pray earnestly and eagerly at the same time; I’ve done it often.”

Thus the talk went on, each adding her crumb, or her rich slice, according as the Spirit had given her a precious thought. The name of it was a prayer-meeting—a female prayer-meeting at that; but the utter absence of all the stiffness and horrible decorum that usually characterize such gatherings made one forget that it was called by so dignified a name. It was just a little social talk about our hopes, and plans, and prospects, and privileges—as we might have met together and talked about our journey to Europe, and our preparations for the journey, if we were expecting to go. At intervals there came in sweet, short, tender, helpful prayers, and a verse of a hymn sung now and then.

When the hour was gone we felt a sense of wonder that so much could be crowded into one hour of time, and that an hour could be made to pass so quickly; and we went out from that parlor feeling a new and closer link added to the chain that bound our Christian hearts together. We had taken a step forward.

“Why,” I said to myself, as I came down the street, “why could there not be teachers’ prayer-meetings somewhat after this type, where they could meet to gather up the treasure crumbs from the coming lesson, and to pray for each other’s classes? I mean to tell the teachers of the Sabbath School Monthly about our dear little meeting; and so teachers, I have told you.”

“A word to the wise,” etc.

—Pansy

A New Brother

Published on July 22, 2015July 22, 2015 by Isabella Alden2 Comments

In her memoirs Isabella Alden recalled the day she met the man who would become her brother and an important influence in her life.

It started out like any other day for eleven-year-old Isabella. She and her older sisters—Mary (age 26 at the time), Marcia (age 20) and Julia (age 17)—set off with their father in the family’s old-fashioned wagon to ride to Clip Hill. Clip Hill was an area about seven miles from their home where wild blackberries grew. Isabella and her sisters were charged with picking as many berries as they could so their mother could bake pies and put up berry preserves to last through the winter.

Their route took them through town, and as they drove down the main business street of Johnstown, New York, they saw a young man who stood out from the scores of other people moving up and down the sidewalk. Isabella wrote:

Perhaps his garments had a more stylish cut. For one thing, he carried a cane. I was used to seeing only old and lame people carry canes, but this man didn’t seem to need it, or anything else to help him! He walked as though he enjoyed walking and he looked all dressed up, even so early in the morning. I liked him.

Mary knew exactly who the aristocratic stranger was.

“Don’t you know that fine old house with splendid trees all around the grounds, the handsomest place in this part of the country?”

“The Livingston homestead?” said Father. “Yes, I know it.”

“Well, he is the youngest son, just graduated from college where he took all the honors they had to give. To hear the girls go on about him one would think there wasn’t any ground fit for him to walk on.”

By this time we had passed him. I saw my sister Marcia turn and look back at him again, so I twisted myself around in the hope of another glimpse as I said, “I like his looks.”

That young man was Charles Montgomery Livingston. He was descended from the distinguished Livingston family of New York. From the late 17th century to the early 19th century, the Livingstons were one of America’s richest and most aristocratic families. Their land holdings in New York alone were larger than the entire state of Rhode Island. By the early 1800s the family had built almost 40 mansions along the Hudson River, surrounded by more than one million acres of prime Hudson Valley land the family collectively owned.

Clermont, one of the Livingston mansions in New York State

But the Livingstons’ fame didn’t come from wealth. Rather, the family was distinguished because of their contributions to molding early America. Long before the Kennedys or the Roosevelts, the Livingstons shaped the course of the country.

During the American War of Independence, General George Washington used one of the Livingston mansions as his headquarters; and it was a Livingston who administered the presidential oath of office to George Washington.

Robert Livingston administers the Presidential Oath of Office to George Washington

Another Livingston helped draft the Declaration of Independence and negotiate the Louisiana Purchase. Yet another Livingston became a Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

Philip Livingston, signer of the Declaration of Independence

But it was Philip Livingston, Delegate to the Continental Congress and Signer of the Declaration of Independence, from whom Charles Livingston was descended.

When Isabella and her family finally reached Clip Hill, they were still talking about “the handsome gentleman with his cane.” While they picked berries, Marcia selected a branch from the ground and paraded up and down using her improvised cane to make everyone laugh.

Their father laughed, too; but he predicted, “If what I heard about that young man is true, you may see the time when you would be glad to imitate him in more ways than handling a cane.”

No prophecy could have proved more true, as Isabella later wrote. Only three months later, Charles Livingston married Isabella’s sister, Marcia—the very same sister who imitated him so ridiculously in the blackberry patch on Clip Hill!

By the day of the wedding, Isabella called Charles “brother” and he was as kind and loving to her as a brother could be. In fact, he asked Isabella and his niece, Maria (who was about Isabella’s age), to ride with the bride and groom to the railroad station after the marriage ceremony. It was quite an honor, and Isabella was thrilled to be singled out for such a special invitation. But in the confusion following the ceremony, Isabella and Maria never made it into the carriage. Instead, they watched as the carriage rolled away with the bride and groom … leaving Isabella and Maria standing at the curb!

Moments later the carriage came to a stop and then turned around. Marcia later told Isabella that it was Charles who insisted that they go back as fast as they could to pick up the girls, knowing it would break their hearts to be forgotten and left behind.

In later years, Isabella remembered that day and her new brother’s thoughtfulness. “I don’t believe there is another man like him in all the world. It was ‘just like him.’ And he was like that all through the beautiful years of his life, always thinking of others, and not considering his own plans or convenience.”

Click here to read a previous post about Charles Livingston and his influence on Isabella’s life.

You can learn more about the Livingston Mansions of New York by clicking this link.

Find out more about Philip Livingston, Signer of the Declaration of Independence at these websites:
www.dsdi1776.com

www.iment.com

New Free Read by Grace Livingston Hill

Published on July 17, 2015July 18, 2015 by Isabella AldenLeave a comment

Isabella Alden was very close to her sister Marcia Livingston. Like Isabella, Marcia was a writer and they often co-wrote stories together.

Isabella Alden and her sister, Marcia Livingston in an undated photo — Isabella Alden (left) and her sister, Marcia Livingston (right) in an undated photo

After the sisters married, the Alden and the Livingston families remained close. They spent much of their time together, and Marcia’s daughter Grace grew up in the creative atmosphere of writers and books.

Grace learned her ABCs on her “Aunt Belle’s” typewriter. At the age of ten she wrote a story of her own called, “The Esselsltynes; or, Marguerite and Alphonse,” which the family published for her as a surprise. That gift, along with the encouragement and work example set by her family, inspired Grace to continue writing.

She followed the adage of “write what you know.” When Grace became involved in the Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor, she wrote stories about that experience; many of those stories were published in Christian Endeavor World magazine.

The Epworth Herald also published Grace’s stories that illustrated simple truths about the Christian life. One such story was “Hazel Cunningham’s Denial,” which described a young woman’s dilemma while vacationing at a summer resort

“Hazel Cunningham’s Denial” first appeared in The Epworth Herald on August 9, 1902, and it’s available for you to read for free.

Click on the cover below to begin reading “Hazel Cunningham’s Denial” by Grace Livingston Hill.

Like Mother, Like Son

Published on June 22, 2015July 18, 2015 by Isabella AldenLeave a comment

Isabella Alden’s first published book Helen Lester was written as an entry to a contest . . . which she won! Isabella’s prize was a check for $50 and publication of her book Helen Lester in 1865.

Her son, Raymond, was also a writer. Like his mother, he began writing at a young age. As an associate professor at Stanford University in California he authored several text books. He also contributed stories to The Pansy magazine, which his mother edited; and in 1909 his Christmas book for children, Why the Chimes Rang, was published.

The 1909 cover of Why the Chimes Rang by Raymond Alden

Forty years after his mother took her first writing prize, Raymond entered a writing contest. In 1905 he submitted a short story titled “In the Promised Land” to a writing contest sponsored by Collier’s Weekly magazine. His short story took third prize in the national contest and Raymond was awarded $1,000. That was a substantial prize—the equivalent of $26,000 in today’s economy.

Article in The Los Angeles Herald, February 13, 1905

Raymond’s story was published in the June 1905 issue of Collier’s Weekly, and you can read it, too. Click here to read Raymond Alden’s prize-winning story, “In the Promised Land.”

Click here to read an earlier post about Isabella’s prize-winning book Helen Lester.

The Accusation

Published on June 5, 2015July 18, 2015 by Isabella AldenLeave a comment

Isabella Alden often drew on her own life experiences when she crafted her short-stories and novels. The incidents she wrote about weren’t necessarily historic or even life-changing, but she had a talent for sharing her own memories in a way her readers could identify with.

One of Isabella’s school experiences ended up as a short story titled “When I Was a Girl.” It happened when Isabella was a young student at Oneida Seminary in New York.

Gathered in the school assembly hall one day were all the teachers and pupils, as well as friends and parents of many of the students. Isabella was one of six young students chosen to read their own compositions at the assembly, and the audience was to vote by ballot for the best essay.

Being a talented writer from a young age, Isabella won the prize; but soon after she received her award, a rumor began to spread through school that the composition she read was not her own—that she had copied the words from a printed book!

Soon Isabella was in the office of Dr. Branner, the school principal. He confronted Isabella with the allegation, which she hotly denied.

Moments later, another student named Ophelia entered the office. Ophelia had been one of the five other students who read before the assembly, and she had been bitterly disappointed at not winning the prize awarded to Isabella—and it was Ophelia who was the source of that horrible rumor.

In her memoirs, Isabella described what happened next:

Dr. Branner’s manner was coldly dignified as he asked Ophelia:

“Am I to understand that you still insist that there is a book in your father’s library which has in it every word of the essay that took the prize in our school last week?”

Ophelia’s face as she answered the question was almost smiling, and she answered briskly:

“Of course, word for word. I didn’t suppose you were accusing me of telling lies!”

“Very well,” said the principal quietly. “Then you may go home at once and bring that book to me. We will wait here till you come.”

A high school in Hoosick Falls, New York, 1907

Isabella spent many anxious minutes waiting for Ophelia to come back with the book. In her story, “When I Was a Girl,” she described the moment when Ophelia returned. She made a few minor changes to some of the details in the story. For example, she changed the names of the school principal and the other student involved; she also added additional description she didn’t mention in her memoirs; but the finale—the truth of what happened when Ophelia returned to the principal’s office that day—is straight from Isabella’s childhood memory.

Click on the cover to the read Isabella’s short story, “When I Was a Girl” and find out how the story ended.

… And we’re giving away free copies!

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