The Browning Boys by Isabella MacDonald Alden

Some of her books are: 'Esther Reid,' 'Four Girls at Chautauqua,' 'Chautauqua Girls at Home,' 'Tip Lewis and His Lamp,' 'Three People,' 'Links in Rebecca's Life,' 'Julia Reid,' 'Ruth Erskine's Crosses,' 'The King's Daughter,' 'The Browning Boys,' 'From Different Alden, and she is a success as a pastor's wife. Miss Macdonald was married in May, 1866, to the Rev. More than sixty volumes bear the name 'Pansy,' and all are good, pure books for young and old alike. From that time her pen has never been idle. To her surprise the committee selected her book as the best of those received.

She wrote 'Helen Lester,' a small book for young people, partly to amuse herself, and sent the manuscript to the publishers, not expecting to hear from it again. A publishing house offered a prize for the best Sunday-school book upon a given subject. Her first book was published when she was yet a mere girl. Her articles were accepted and published in the village papers, and 'Pansy' began to be known. She wrote stories, sketches, compositions, and a diary in which she recorded all the important events of her life. As a girl, Isabella was an aspiring and industrious author. When she was only ten years old, she wrote a story about an old family clock which suddenly stopped after running many years, and her father had it published. Her father and mother, both persons of intellect and education, encouraged her in every way in her literary work, and her progress was very rapid. Macdonald gave her the name which has become so famous. As the child showeredīlossoms in her mother's lap, she said they were 'every one for her,' and Mr. 'O, yes! of course,' spoke out both ministers 'that is really the foundation source of their troubles, as of most others.Widely, was given to her by her father on the occasion when Isabella, a mere child, had plucked every blossom from a treasured bed of pansies grown by her mother. 'Making failures, also, because they are trying to carry their own burdens without the help of the only real Helper,' said one of the ladies. 'They are like a great many people in this world,' interposed the other minister, 'working at cross purposes making failures of their lives, just because they do not try to put themselves in one another's places.' 'And I know the two boys are not half so mean as they are made out to be,' declared Paranete. 'I think the little girl means better than she is supposed to,' said Grace.

'They don't understand one another,' said one of the ministers, 'else there wouldn't be much trouble.' We used to talk about these people when we sat together after the day's work was done. This story is an honest record of what we, who are all writers, and all very intimate friends, have seen and heard as we looked on at the lives of certain people in whom we are deeply interested.

The Browning Boys by Isabella MacDonald Alden