Wych Hazel

by Susan Bogert Warner

Excerpt from Wych Hazel
"We may shut our eyes, but we cannot help knowing That skies are clear and grass is growing."
When one has in charge a treasure which one values greatly, and which, if once made known one is pretty sure to lose, I suppose the impulse of most men would be towards a hiding-place. So, at any rate, felt one of the men in this history. Schools had done their secluding work for a time; tutors and governors had come and gone under an almost Carthusian vow of silence, except as to their lessons; and now with seventeen years of inexperience on his hands, Mr. Falkirk's sensations were those of the man out West, who wanted to move off whenever another man came within twenty miles of him.
Thus, in the forlorn hope of a retreat which yet he knew must prove useless, Mr. Falkirk let the first March winds blow him out of town; and at this present time was snugly hid away in a remote village which nobody ever heard of, and where nobody ever came.
So far so good: Mr. Falkirk rested and took breath. Nevertheless the spring came, even there; and following close in her train, the irrepressible conflict. Whoever succeeded in running away from his duties - or his difficulties?
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460 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1876

About the author

Born in 1819 in New York City, American novelist and children's author Susan Bogert Warner was the daughter of lawyer Henry Warner, and his wife, Anna Bartlett. Her early life was one of wealth and privilege, until her father lost his money in the Panic of 1837, and the family were forced to sell their home in St. Mark's Place (NYC), and move to a farmhouse they owned on Constitution Island, near West Point, NY.

Warner and her sister, Anna Bartlett Warner (author of the well-known children's hymn, Jesus Loves Me, This I Know), began writing in 1849, in order to improve their family's financial situation. Their work, for both children and adults, was largely evangelical. Susan Bogert Warner is primarily remembered for her debut novel, The Wide, Wide World (1850), although she wrote close to thirty additional titles, all under the pseudonym 'Elizabeth Wetherell."

Reviews

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

My hard back edition of this for me compelling read is dedicated "With love" Christmas 1899 ..

"We may shut our eyes, but we cannot help knowing That skies are clear and grass is growing."

I all to often read the end of a book early in the hope that the character I like has survived, I have not done so with this book as I get more angry on behalf of little Wych the further we go, I really hope she is brave enough to tell the "control freak" where to go although I believe sadly she isn't..

'You seem to have so many guardians,' the lady went on,--'and guardians are selfish, my dear; horribly selfish. For that, I think all men are, whether guardians or not.'

And those guardians always think they know what is best for the young lady and she suffers very bravely - - "My dear, I think you no more unwomanly then I think a rose unlovely; but a rose has thorns, which sometimes pricks the hands that would train it out of harms way"........

......"A roses thorns are for protection, sir!"
And away she went, out of the room and up the stairs;

Then there is Kitty Fisher (I kind of see her as Barbara Stanwyck some how) -- "Kitty Fisher was not exactly jealous of all this--or had too much sense to shew it; but deep in her heart she did wish she could dismount Wych Hazel from her pedestal, that comparisons might be made on level ground"..

'That girl provokes me to death with her high dresses!' said Kitty Fisher. 'Such ridiculous nonsense!'

When there was fun to be had in the mood of the time --and at last down came the four-in-hands, with flashing lamps, and harness that glittered all over in the moonlight, and the fine in-time harmony of the horses' hoof- beats. There was singing too, from some of the turn-outs,--
-- as the first superb four-in-hand came up; the horses shining almost like their own harness, the drag in the newest style of finish, and with every seat full. A young officer in undress uniform was on the box, and by his side sat Wych Hazel... there is "someone" there to spoil it ..

"and she suffers bravely -- "A great new sorrow is a many-cornered thing; having its sharp points that sting, and its jagged points that wound; with others so dull and heavy and immoveable that one is ready to wish they could pierce through and make an end".

Well it was not the read i thought it was going to be having read ..

BEGINNING A FAIRY TALE.

'Mr. Falkirk, I _must_ go and seek my fortune!'

Wych Hazel made this little remark, sitting on a low seat by the fire, her arms crossed over her lap.

'Wherefore?' said her guardian.

'Because I want to, sir. I have no other than a woman's reason.'

But well worth the read.