Rich and Humble: A Story for Young People
1864
The Grant family of Woodville holds everything: money, reputation, a name worth defending. But when fortune begins to shift, character is all that remains. Bertha Grant pours her compassion into the poor children of Dunk's Hollow, teaching, clothing, caring for souls society has discarded. Her brother Richard cares only for pleasure, racing boats and chasing bets. When he steals from his own sister to fund his ambitions, the family's moral ledger tilts toward ruin. Enter Noddy Newman, a wild river boy Bertha nurses back to health after a terrible accident, his heart softened by her kindness, while Richard's hardens with every transgression. A boat race. A father's mysterious absence. A newspaper item that makes Bertha faint. This is the story of two siblings on opposite paths, and what happens when a family built on wealth discovers what it's truly made of.
