"These stories were originally published in the Atlantic Monthly, Harper's Bazaar, Outing, the Independent, the Delineator, the Chicago Tribune, the [...] Chicago Graphic, and Lippincott's Magazine[.]"

Release date is 2024-08-17

Ohio: The Queen of the Swamp. The stirring-off. Sweetness. Serena. Rose day -- Kentucky: A Kentucky princess -- Indiana: The Fairfield poet. T'Férgore -- Illinois: Beetrus. The bride of Arne Sandstrom. The Babe Jerome. The Calhoun fiddler. A man from the Spanish war.

David E. Brown and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)

"The Queen of the Swamp, and Other Plain Americans" by Mary Hartwell Catherwood is a collection of short stories written in the late 19th century. The works reflect the experiences and nuances of life in Middle America, specifically highlighting women and communities in rural Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois. The stories seem to encapsulate the social dynamics of the era, aiming to preserve honest portrayals of regional characters and their struggles. The opening of "The Queen of the Swamp" sets the stage for a Christmas gathering at George's Chapel in Ohio during the year 1846. As the congregation disperses after a successful meeting filled with warmth and camaraderie, several characters emerge, including Priscilla Thompson, dubbed the “Queen of the Swamp” by her admirers, and her love interest, Martin Macauley. The narrative reveals the complexity of their social interactions, laden with expectations and rivalries, and the tension brought about by the disapproval of family and community. The initial Christmas festivities quickly take a dramatic turn when Priscilla unexpectedly falls into a frozen creek, prompting a rescue that intensifies the emotions surrounding the relationships within the group. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Originally published: Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1899