Beggars All: A Novel

by Lily Dougall

Beggars All is a novel written by Lily Dougall in 1893. The story is set in Scotland and revolves around the lives of a group of beggars who live on the streets of a small town called Ballyards. The main character, Jamie, is a young boy who is forced to join the beggars when his father dies and he is left with no other means of support. The novel explores the harsh realities of poverty and the struggles that the beggars face in their daily lives. It also delves into the themes of morality, religion, and the class divide that existed in Scotland during the late 19th century. Throughout the book, the characters are forced to confront their own beliefs and values as they navigate the challenges of their circumstances. Despite the bleak subject matter, Beggars All is ultimately a story of hope and resilience in the face of adversity.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

476 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1893

About the author

Lily Dougall (1858–1923) was a Canadian author whose work explored religious and philosophical themes.

Reviews

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esther Thompson's family lost its land and wealth in America. Now she is living in a humid and dark cellar in a dilapidated tenement in London. Her sister is handicaped, her mother is sick. She makes a small living as a shop girl, but the money by far is not enough to feed three persons. In great dispair, Esther answers a wedding advertisement and meets a young man called Hubert Kent. When he promises to support the family financially, Esther decides to marry him only a few weeks later. Her mother, a religious woman, is shocked. But Esther is surprised she is so happy with her lot, once married. Still, she sometimes wonders how Hubert, who works as a journalist, can afford to support three women...
"Beggars All" from 1893 is not a great novel, but it is a very good and quite catchy read, especially if you did not expect it to be of any interest.