03067cam a22003733u 450000100060000000300070000600500170001300600020003000700050003200800410003704000110007804100170008905000070010610000350011324500180014826400510016630000470021733600260026433700260029033800360031650000310035252018810038353400650226465300390232965300320236865300350240065300370243565300430247265300440251565300350255965300370259485600430263199900190267476667UtSlPG20260610134756.0mcr n260607r20251886utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aPZ1 aBurch, Florence E.,d1856-191810aNo royal road 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c2025  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier  aRelease date is 2025-08-10  a"No royal road :  or, The thing that lies the nearest. A story for girls." by Burch is a moral coming‑of‑age novel written in the late 19th century. The narrative centers on Lilla, an orphan living with her grandmother, and Margie, a sturdy village girl, as both discover that true greatness is found in humble duties, patience, and Christian kindness. With guidance from a kindly clergyman and a gentle governess, the tale contrasts ambition and class with everyday service. It suits readers who enjoy heartfelt Victorian domestic fiction with a clear ethical thread.  The opening of the story introduces a picturesque lodge where Lilla is lovingly raised by Mrs. Eden, whose health is beginning to fail, and sets a reflective tone through scenes of spring, home routines, and a fleeting excitement over a runaway pony. A parallel thread presents Margie’s crowded, working‑class home, her Sunday solace in church, and a brief exchange with the clergyman about work, rest, and purpose. A stormy afternoon visit from Mr. Munro gives Lilla the book’s motto—“Do the work that lies the nearest”—spurring her to early rising, practical help, and renewed diligence, even as her grandmother decides to hire a maid. Lilla and Margie meet, grow shyly friendly, and their lives intertwine: Lilla studies intensely under Miss St. Ives while learning patience in twilight hours with her grandmother; Margie’s hopes to “get on” are tested by her brother’s illness and a cousin’s shallow advice. When Margie’s mother falls sick, Lilla quietly takes over the housework so Margie can care for her family and still receive her wages, deepening their bond. By year’s end, with Margie back, the theme sharpens as a sermon on greatness as service echoes the lesson both girls are learning through small, faithful acts. (This is an automatically generated summary.)  pOriginally published:cLondon: The Sunday School Union, 1886  aChristian life -- Juvenile fiction  aOrphans -- Juvenile fiction  aFriendship -- Juvenile fiction  aGrandmothers -- Juvenile fiction  aChildren and death -- Juvenile fiction  aHousehold employees -- Juvenile fiction  aLoneliness -- Juvenile fiction  aSelf-culture -- Juvenile fiction40uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/76667  c117392d117392