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Mariella; Of Out-West
Excerpt from Mariella; Of Out-West
AN isolated ranch on Puget Sound. A hillside that swung like a cloud of blended gold and rose and green between the blue of the sky and the deeper blue of the sea. A big orchard whose trees had taken on long downward curves beneath the heaviness of their fruit age. Under these trees, in the brightest hour of the brightest day, twilight, dim and fragrant. Butterflies drifting brilliantly here and there, or sinking to rest under the lifted tents of their wings. The goldness and the languor of autumn hovering over everything; and a stillness, broken only by a low wind, lingering and elusive; a wind that breathed out the very heart break of the year. Mist-fragments, pink as fields of Oleander bloom, loitering across the water and purpling as they settled into the hollows of the hills on the islands, where the smooth madrones shone redly among the dark firs and cedars. North, east, and south the unbroken forest, climbing and darkening as it climbed; and at the far horizon the snow-mountains, glimmering, misty and beautiful, through the autumnal splendor. To the west the wide sweep of undulating sea which ebbs and flows, under its opaline lights, on.
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
AN isolated ranch on Puget Sound. A hillside that swung like a cloud of blended gold and rose and green between the blue of the sky and the deeper blue of the sea. A big orchard whose trees had taken on long downward curves beneath the heaviness of their fruit age. Under these trees, in the brightest hour of the brightest day, twilight, dim and fragrant. Butterflies drifting brilliantly here and there, or sinking to rest under the lifted tents of their wings. The goldness and the languor of autumn hovering over everything; and a stillness, broken only by a low wind, lingering and elusive; a wind that breathed out the very heart break of the year. Mist-fragments, pink as fields of Oleander bloom, loitering across the water and purpling as they settled into the hollows of the hills on the islands, where the smooth madrones shone redly among the dark firs and cedars. North, east, and south the unbroken forest, climbing and darkening as it climbed; and at the far horizon the snow-mountains, glimmering, misty and beautiful, through the autumnal splendor. To the west the wide sweep of undulating sea which ebbs and flows, under its opaline lights, on.
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
- GenresFiction
449 pages, Paperback
First published July 13, 2015
5 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Ella Higginson
43 books2 followersElla Rhoads Higginson (1862-1940) was an American author of award-winning fiction, poetry, and essays. She was influential for the international attention her writing drew to the then little-known Pacific Northwest region of the United States. She helped establish the first public reading room and library in Bellingham and served on the library’s board. In 1912 she served as campaign manager for Republican candidate Frances C. Axtell, who became the first female member of the Washington state legislature.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 26, 2018
Ella Rhoads Higginson was the Poet Laureate of Washington state and managed the campaign of Francis Axtell, one of two women elected to Washington's House of Representatives in 1912. Some reviews claim it is a rewrite of the Scarlette Letter. It reminds me of Mark Twain because it is humorous and the characters speak using a local dialect. I found it easy to read online and occasionally look up obsolete words like 'tew', although it was easily understood in context.
Higginson women are not ashamed of their spirit, being outspoken is an admirable trait and there is quite a bit of mocking everyone. It reflects a love of nature, education and rejects church doctrine. In 1902, some residents of Puget Sound were outraged because they felt the book was a personal reference. I think this is a hidden gem that has historical significance in the women's movement and the western frontier.
Higginson women are not ashamed of their spirit, being outspoken is an admirable trait and there is quite a bit of mocking everyone. It reflects a love of nature, education and rejects church doctrine. In 1902, some residents of Puget Sound were outraged because they felt the book was a personal reference. I think this is a hidden gem that has historical significance in the women's movement and the western frontier.
March 6, 2019
Mariella of Out-West is a stunning book that clearly displays the skill Ella Higginson had as a writer. Giving us one plucky heroine, and four families to follow along the way, and plot twists that would make Nathaniel Hawthorne proud, this is a classic that I dearly hope will come back into print one day.
Like all 1800-1900s novels written by white authors, it becomes apparent that the erroneous beliefs and politics of colonization are ever-present (i.e., the characters are grossly ignorant/racist at times), which I think makes the book all the more valuable in starting conversations about the effect those in the past had, and how their behaviors (fictional or not) can inform the choices we make today.
Like all 1800-1900s novels written by white authors, it becomes apparent that the erroneous beliefs and politics of colonization are ever-present (i.e., the characters are grossly ignorant/racist at times), which I think makes the book all the more valuable in starting conversations about the effect those in the past had, and how their behaviors (fictional or not) can inform the choices we make today.
December 13, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel -- it reminded me of some of the classics centering on social dynamics and domestic life in the Victorian Era, except instead of rich people in England, it was about people living in the rural Pacific Northwest. I enjoyed how the dialect was so interesting and became a plot point/theme of the pioneer West becoming more "cultured" and cosmopolitan.
This edition does have a few missing pages and blurred pages. Hope it can be re-released in a new printing sometime.
This edition does have a few missing pages and blurred pages. Hope it can be re-released in a new printing sometime.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews