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Available
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Series
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Publisher Unknown
Description
The sound of the drumming wheels! It had roared in the ears of Ruth Fielding for hours as she sat on the comfortably upholstered seat in the last car of the afternoon Limited, the train whirling her from the West to the East, through the fertile valleys of Upper New York State. This had been a very long journey for the girl, but Ruth knew that it would soon come to an end. Cheslow was not many miles ahead now; she had searched it out upon the railroad timetable, and upon the map printed on the back of the sheet; and as the stations flew by, she had spelled their names out with her quick eyes, until dusk had fallen and she could no longer see more than the signal lamps and switch targets as the train whirled her on.
User reviews
LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
Ever since Applewood Books began reprinting the original Nancy Drew books (the ones from the 1930s), I have had an interest in vintage children's series from the early part of the 20th century. So when this title, the first in the Ruth Fielding series, came through work, I decided to give it a
One of many series produced for the Stratemeyer Syndicate, the Ruth Fielding books began publication in 1913, and include 30 titles. They relate the adventures of the eponymous Ruth Fielding, a worthy young orphan who comes to stay with her gruff and miserly great Uncle Jabez Potter at his Red Mill in upstate New York. This initial title follows Ruth as she settles into her new home, befriends the Cameron twins, and helps to solve the mystery surrounding the disappearance of her uncle's strong-box.
The story was pleasant enough, though not brilliant. There were times at which I found myself thinking that the writing produced by anonymous series ghost-writers was far better then than what we see today. My main objections were the occasional insipidity of Ruth, and the obnoxious (though thankfully brief) inclusion of a black "Mammy" character, complete with stereotypical speech patterns. I had encountered this before in the original versions of the Bobbsey Twins, but assumed that this was owing to the Southern setting of that series. Apparently the trend was far more widespread in children's literature of the period. I don't know why that would surprise me.
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try.One of many series produced for the Stratemeyer Syndicate, the Ruth Fielding books began publication in 1913, and include 30 titles. They relate the adventures of the eponymous Ruth Fielding, a worthy young orphan who comes to stay with her gruff and miserly great Uncle Jabez Potter at his Red Mill in upstate New York. This initial title follows Ruth as she settles into her new home, befriends the Cameron twins, and helps to solve the mystery surrounding the disappearance of her uncle's strong-box.
The story was pleasant enough, though not brilliant. There were times at which I found myself thinking that the writing produced by anonymous series ghost-writers was far better then than what we see today. My main objections were the occasional insipidity of Ruth, and the obnoxious (though thankfully brief) inclusion of a black "Mammy" character, complete with stereotypical speech patterns. I had encountered this before in the original versions of the Bobbsey Twins, but assumed that this was owing to the Southern setting of that series. Apparently the trend was far more widespread in children's literature of the period. I don't know why that would surprise me.
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Original publication date
1913
Local notes
Ruth Fielding, 1
DDC/MDS
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