Sylvia"s Victory
Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN.
Owing to a change in the family fortunes, Sylvia Hughes is obliged to attend a day school in a small seaside town where she has the misfortune to make an enemy of the head girl, Phyllis Staunton-Taylor, who regards Sylvia as one belonging to an inferior set to her own. One day during the holidays Sylvia swims out and rescues Phyllis, who has got beyond her depth; but even this fails to establish amity between them, and no word of Sylvia"s heroism gets abroad in the school. It is not until after she has experienced many trials and heartburnings that Sylvia learns the reason of Phyllis"s apparent ingrat.i.tude and friendship is restored.
The Ogilvies" Adventures
Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN.
Hester Ogilvie and her elder, but less energetic, sister, daughters of a Canadian who is unable to support the whole of his family, are invited to spend a few years with their English uncle, Sir Hubert Campion, in order to finish their education. Hester is unable to please her uncle in any way, as his view of a finishing education differs very much from her own. At length she runs away to London to make her own living, but is taken back, and through a great service she does her uncle, he agrees to help her to carry out her original plans. Finally, he arranges that the Canadian and English branches of the family shall live together.
"A most delightful story, which is admirably suited to the average schoolgirl of to-day."--_Lady"s Pictorial_.
Audrey"s Awakening
Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN.
As a result of a luxurious and conventional upbringing, Audrey is a girl without ambitions, unsympathetic, and with a reputation for exclusiveness. Therefore, when Paul Forbes becomes her step-brother, and brings his free-and-easy notions into the Davidsons" old home, there begins to be trouble. Audrey discovers that she has feelings, and the results are not altogether pleasant. She takes a dislike to Paul at the outset; and the young people have to get through deep waters and some exciting times before things come right. Audrey"s awakening is thorough, if painful.
"Is far above the average tale of school and home life."--_Aberdeen Free Press_.
The Conquest of Claudia
Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by JAMES BURDEN.
Meta and Claudia Austin are two motherless girls with a much-occupied father. Their upbringing has therefore been left to a kindly governess, whose departure to be married makes the first change in the girls"
lives. Having set their hearts upon going to school, they receive a new governess resentfully. Claudia is a person of instincts, and it does not take her long to discover that there is something mysterious about Miss Strongitharm. A clue upon which the children stumble leads to the notion that Miss Strongitharm is a Nihilist in hiding. That in spite of various strange happenings they are quite wrong is to be expected, but there is a genuine mystery about Miss Strongitharm which leads to some unforeseen adventures.
"A convincing story of girl life."--_School Guardian_.
Dauntless Patty.
Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by DUDLEY TENNANT.
Patricia Garnett, an Australian girl, comes over to England to complete her education. She is unconventional and quite unused to English ways, and soon finds herself the most unpopular girl in the school. Several times she reveals her courage and high spirit, particularly in saving the life of Kathleen Lane, a girl with whom she is on very bad terms.
All overtures of peace fail, however, for Patty feels that the other girls have no real liking for her, and she refuses to be patronised.
Thus the feud is continued to the end of the term; and the climax of the story is reached when, in a cave in the face of a cliff, in imminent danger of being drowned, Patty and Kathleen for the first time understand each other, and lay the foundations of a lifelong friendship.
"A thoroughly faithful and stimulating story of schoolgirl life."--_Schoolmaster_.
"The story is well told. Some of the incidents are dramatic, without being unnatural; the interest is well sustained, and altogether the book is one of the best we have read."--_Glasgow Herald_.
By BRENDA GIRVIN
The Girl Scout
Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by N. TENISON.
This is the story of a patrol of Girl Scouts, and the service they rendered their country. Colonel Norton announces that some silver cups, which he values as souvenirs of the time when he could win races and gymnastic compet.i.tions, have been stolen, and calls on the Boy Scouts to catch the thief, promising, if they succeed, to furnish their club-room in time for the reception of a neighbouring patrol. Aggie Phillips, sister of the boys" leader, hears of this, and at once organises a girls" patrol to help solve the mystery. In tracing the thief, the girls manage to entrap two foreigners, who, in all kinds of disguises, try to get hold of valuable papers in the hands of the Colonel.
Meanwhile the boys continually follow up the tracks left by the girls, or are purposely misled by Aggie. The girls win the prize but arrange to join forces with the boys.
"The modern spirit is admirably shown in this excellent story."--_Lady"s Pictorial_.
By ANNA CHAPIN RAY
Teddy: Her Daughter
Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by N. TENISON.
Many young readers have already made the acquaintance of Teddy in Miss Anna Chapin Ray"s previous story, "Teddy: Her Book." The heroine of the present story is Teddy"s daughter Betty--a young lady with a strong will and decided opinions of her own. When she is first introduced to us she is staying on a holiday at Quantuck, a secluded seaside retreat; and Miss Ray describes the various members of this small summer community with considerable humour. Among others is Mrs. Van Hicks, a lady of great possessions but little culture, who seeks to put people under a lasting obligation to her by making friends with them. On hearing that a nephew of this estimable lady is about to arrive at Quantuck, Betty makes up her mind beforehand to dislike him. At first she almost succeeds, for, like herself, Percival has a temper, and can be "th.o.r.n.y"
at times. As they come to know each other better, however, a less tempestuous state of things ensues, and eventually they cement a friendship that is destined to carry them far.
Nathalie"s Sister
Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by N. TENISON.
n.o.body knows--or cares--much about Nathalie"s Sister at the opening of this story. She is, indeed, merely Nathalie"s sister, without a name of her own, shining with a borrowed light. Before the end is reached, however, her many good qualities have received the recognition they deserve, and she is Margaret Arterburn, enjoying the respect and admiration of all her friends. Her temper is none of the best: she has a way of going direct to the point in conversation, and her words have sometimes an unpleasant sting; yet when the time comes, she reveals that she is not lacking in the qualities of gentleness and affection, not to say heroism, which many young readers have already learned to a.s.sociate with her sister Nathalie.
Nathalie"s Chum
Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by DUDLEY TENNANT.
This story deals with a chapter in the career of the Arterburn family, and particularly of Nathalie, a vivacious, strong-willed girl of fifteen. After the death of their parents the children were scattered among different relatives, and the story describes the efforts of the eldest son, Harry, to bring them together again. At first there is a good deal of aloofness owing to the fact that, having been kept apart for so long, the children are practically strangers to each other; but at length Harry takes his sister Nathalie into his confidence and makes her his ally in the management of their small household, while she finds in him the chum of whom she has long felt the need.
"Another of those pleasant stories of American life which Miss Anna Chapin Ray knows so well how to write."--_Birmingham Post_.
Teddy: Her Book
A Story of Sweet Sixteen. Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by ROBERT HOPE.
"Teddy is a delightful personage; and the story of her friendships, her ambitions, and her successes is thoroughly engrossing."--_World_.
"To read of Teddy is to love her."--_Yorkshire Daily Post_.