Ruth Hall

Fanny Fern

• Publisher: Mint Editions
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9781513284965
• eBook ISBN: 9781513284965
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Literature General
• Index: Literature

In Fanny Fern's novel Ruth Hall, Miss Ruth Hall must learn to navigate life without her husband, Harry, after he unexpectantly dies from typhoid fever. This follows the death of Harry and Ruth's eldest daughter, Daisy, who passed tragically by contracting a respiratory illness. In the thick of mourning and with her two youngest daughters to support, Ruth must find a way to make end meet. After she resorts to begging, her father agrees to give her a small amount of money. Unable to afford anything else, Rith moves her family to an unsafe, run-down part of town. Despite the discouragement from her parents and older brother, she decides to pursue writing, as she has exhausted her other job opportunities. Ruth finds an editors, Mr. Lascom and Mr. Tibbetts, who both publish her works. Though readers really enjoy her work which earns the newspapers more subscriptions but neither Mr. Lascom nor Mr. Tibbets will pay Ruth fairly for her contributions. Because of this, she still struggles despite having a job. As Ruth continues her passion, working hard to survive off her modest salary, she meets a new publisher, who promises to pay her more than the other publishers, on the condition that Ruth writes exclusively for him. Ruth Hall is a story of endurance and excellence. Widowed and poor, Ruth is able to pull herself up and become a successful writer, loving mother and find love again after losing her first husband. First published in 1854, Fanny Fern completed Ruth Hall in just a few months, writing with passion that remains evident even to modern day readers. This edition of Ruth Hall by Fanny Fern features an eye-catching new cover design and is presented in a font that is both modern and readable. With these accommodations, this edition is accessible and appealing to contemporary audiences, restoring Ruth Hall to modern standards while preserving the emotion and brilliance of Fanny Fern's work.

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Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• I. The Eve Before the Bridal—Ruth’s Little Room—A Retrospective Reverie
• II. The Wedding—A Glimpse of the Character of Ruth’s Brother Hyacinth
• III. The New Home—Soliloquy of the Mother-in-law
• IV. The First Interview with the Mother-in-law
• V. Ruth’s Reflections on the Interview
• VI. A Bit of Family History
• VII. The First-Born
• VIII. The Nurse
• IX. Further Developments of the Mother-in-law’s Character
• X. Ruth’s Country Home
• XI. Ruth and Daisy
• XII. The Old Folks Follow the Young Couple—An Entertaining Dialogue
• XIII. The Old Lady’s Surreptitious Visit to Ruth’s, and Her Encounter with Dinah
• XIV. The Old Lady Searches the House—What She Finds
• XV. The Old Doctor Meddles with Harry’s Farming Arrangements
• XVI. Little Daisy’s Reverie—Her Strange Playfellow
• XVII. “Pat” Mutinies
• XVIII. A Growl from the Old Lady
• XIX. Daisy’s Glee at the First Sleigh-Ride
• XX. Daisy’s Illness—The Old Doctor Refuses to Come
• XXI. Dinah’s Warning—Harry Goes Again for the Doctor
• XXII. The Old Doctor Arrives too Late
• XXIII. “The glen” Deserted—The Old Doctor’s and His Wife’s Version of the Cause of Daisy’s Death—Mrs. Jones Gives Her Opinion
• XXIV. Anniversary of Daisy’s Death—Ruth’s Reverie—Little Katy’s Request
• XXV. Hotel Life—A New Friend
• XXVI. The Fall of the Leaf—Harry’s Illness—The Lonely Watcher
• XXVII. Arrival of the Old Doctor and His Wife
• XXVIII. The Old Doctor’s Announcement—Harry’s Death
• XXIX. Hyacinth’s Sensibilities Shocked
• XXX. Miss Skinlin
• XXXI. Harry’s Funeral
• XXXII. A Servant’s Devotion
• XXXIII. Bickerings of the Father and Father-in-law—Dispute About the Support of the Children
• XXXIV. Ruth Receives a Visit from Her Father—He Insists on Her Giving up Her Children to the Old Doctor—Ruth’s Refusal
• XXXV. The old lady, Enraged, Proposes a Compromise—Mr. Ellet is Forced to Accede
• XXXVI. Ruth’s New Lodgings—Speculations of the Boarders
• XXXVII. Mr. Develin’s Counting-House—The Old Doctor’s Letter
• XXXVIII. Little Katy Mourns for Her Papa
• XXXIX. Mr. Develin Demands Harry’s Clothes of Ruth—The Wedding Vest
• XL. Ruth’s Application for Needle-Work
• XLI. Disgust of Ruth’s Fashionable Friends
• XLII. Conversation in Mrs. Millet’s Kitchen
• XLIII. The Bouquet
• XLIV. Mrs. Millet and the Wooden Man
• XLV. Little Katy Visits Her Grandpa and Meets with a Characteristic Reception—The Strange Gentleman
• XLVI. A Peep from Ruth’s Chamber Window—Katy’s Return
• XLVII. Boarding-House Revolution—Mrs. Skiddy’s Flight—Mr. Skiddy in the Capacity of Dry Nurse
• XLVIII. A New Idea—The Millets Exhibit their Friendship and Delicacy
• XLIX. Ruth Resolves to Become a Teacher
• L. Ruth Applies for a Primary School
• LI. The Examination by the School Committee
• LII. Mrs. Skiddy’s Unexpected Return
• LIII. Skiddy’s Intercepted Hegira—His Incarceration—His Final Escape
• LIV. The Lunatic Asylum
• LV. Ruth’s New Landlady
• LVI. The Strange Lodger—Ruth Resolves to Resort to Her Pen to Obtain a Subsistence—She Applies to Her Brother Hyacinth for Advice and Assistance—His Characteristic Reply
• LVII. The Old Lady Resorts to Stratagem, and Carries Her Point
• LVIII. Mr. Ellet Exhibits His Usual Fatherly Interest in Ruth’s Affairs
• LIX. Ruth Applies for Employment at Newspaper Offices
• LX. The Bread of Life
• LXI. A Chapter which may be Instructive
• LXII. Ruth Obtains Employment—Illness of Nettie—The Strange Lodger Proves Useful
• LXIII. A Peep into the Old Doctor’s Cottage
• LXIV. A Glimpse of Coming Success
• LXV. Little Nettie’s Sorrows—Cheering Letters
• LXVI. Katy’s First Day at School—The Town-Pump Controversy—Cruelty of Katy’s Grandparents
• LXVII. Mr. John Walter
• LXVIII. A Letter from Mr. Walter, and its Effect
• LXIX. Ruth Engages to Write Solely for the Household Messenger
• LXX. What Mr. Lescom said
• LXXI. A Sharp Correspondence
• LXXII. Offers of Marriage and Offers to Publish
• LXXIII. What Mr. Tibbetts said about Ruth’s Writing for the Household Messenger
• LXXIV. Soliloquy of a Sub-Editor
• LXXV. Mr. Walter’s Visit
• LXXVI. The Phrenological Examination
• LXXVII. Publication Day Comes at Last
• LXXVIII. Hyacinth Cornered
• LXXIX. Mr. Lewis Enlightened
• LXXX. More Letters
• LXXXI. Freshet in the Doctor’s Cellar—“Hams” in Danger of a Total Wreck—Sudden Appearance of Ruth—Rescue of Little Katy
• LXXXII. Arrival of Katy with her Mother, Mr. Walter, and Mr. Grey, at New Lodgings; Dinner and Letters—Conversations between the Children
• LXXXIII. The Little Family Alone at Their New Quarters—Nettie in the Confession Box—Katy’s Mirth
• LXXXIV. Katy and Nettie Compare Notes—Ruth Dreams—Midnight Conflagration—Rescue of the Little Family by Johnny Galt
• LXXXV. Tea-Table Talk between “The Wooden Man” and His Spouse—Letter from “Our John”
• LXXXVI. The Old Lady Extinguished in a Conversation with her Neighbors, Who Announce the Astonishing Fact that ‘Floy’ is Ruth
• LXXXVII. Conversation between Ruth’s Father and Mr. Jones Regarding Ruth’s Literary Debut
• LXXXVIII. Interview Between the Literary Bookseller and Mr. Walter
• LXXXIX. Arrival of Mr. Walter—Bank Stock and Bank Certificate
• XC. The Last Visit to Harry’s Grave
• A Note About the Author
• A Note from the Publisher