Mary is a twelve-year old "inmate" of the Yorkburg Female Orphan Asylum. She talks about Miss Bray, the head of the Asylum, who lies to the Board to further her own selfish ends. Miss Katherinei is her friend, role model and nurse. Martha is Mary's bolder other self who is not afraid to speak her mind. Mary states her philosophy as "When you're miserable you don't get much of anything that's going around. I won't be unhappy ... I haven't enough other blessings."

    His father was an invalid, and at the present time was in the South, seeking to recuperate his failing health, and Mrs. Jordan was with him as his nurse. They had left Frank in charge of the aunt, who was a miserly, fault-finding person, and for nearly a month the lad had not enjoyed life very greatly.

    Kenneth Garwood had been booked for Hilltop in the autumn, but circumstances had interfered with the family's plans. Instead he journeyed to Moritzville on the afternoon of the day preceding the commencement of the new term, a very cold and blustery January afternoon...

    The heroine is the daughter of a self-made man, a millionaire, who was once a mill-hand. Prosperity has brutalised him; he has even lost his insight into men and things. How the 'school friend' intervenes in the troubles which arise, may be read with pleasure." -from: The Spectator: Volume 256