Aprilly

by Jane D. Abbott

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1921 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VI April Meets The Merediths Blossom had its main street, its aristocracy, and its "new people." Sneed's Emporium and the Post Office, flanked on the right by the old Tavern, known as the Armes House, made the Hub of the town. Opposite this center of commerce a strip of rough common, shaded by spreading elms and dignified by a gaudily painted bandstand, served as a gathering place for the whole county. A row of rotting hitching posts outlined the common. Across from the Post Office was the First Baptist Church, of red brick and squatty in line. To the right of the common the main street straggled off for a quarter of a mile, then turned abruptly into the "station road." At the turn stood St. Stephen's, its weather-worn steeple almost hidden by the sheltering trees. Back of it, hedged in by barberry and overgrown with myrtle, rested past generations of Blossom folk. An opening through the hedge led to the Rectory garden. Blossom's "aristocracy," because it was made up of men who followed the sea, lived out toward the Cove. Those hardy ones had built their homes where, from the small-paned windows, their women folk c old watch the ships sail in behind the Point. It had come to be called the Lighthouse Road. Though men of the later generations had taken up other callings and had moved away, others became masters of the big ships which steamed in and out of Boston harbor and came to Blossom only once in a great while, others, like Lymus Lee's father and Captain Manny, had added to their acres and tilled the soil with only a wistful thought now and then seaward, though the Cove, once alive with sails, was deserted except for a few fishermen and the summer picnicers and the old stone lighthouse on Windover Point had been abandoned for...

60 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1921

About the author

Jane Ludlow Drake Abbott (1879-1962) was an American author who began her career writing for adolescent girls, and went on to write adult romance. Born in Buffalo, New York, to a family involved in the shipbuilding industry of the Great Lakes region, she was educated at Cornell University, and married Buffalo attorney Frank A. Abbott. Most of her twenty juvenile titles were published under the name Jane D. Abbott, although a few were released under the name Jane Abbott. Her adult titles were all released under the name Jane Abbott.

Reviews

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read an original edition, so it set the atmosphere for the story. I was hoping to make room for new titles by eliminating this one, but I do like the old "feel good" stories with the optimistic young girl who finds a place in everyone's hearts. The first couple of chapters were a little choppy (or was I too tired?), but once the author found her stride the story flowed smoothly.

[Tammie Groeneman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rough start, but a good story with all the feels of small town by the sea during the 1920’s. There is a surprising ending which is satisfying.