000 03067cam a22003733u 4500
001 76667
003 UtSlPG
005 20260610134756.0
006 m
007 cr n
008 260607r20251886utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d
040 _aUtSlPG
041 7 _aen
_2iso639-1
050 4 _aPZ
100 1 _aBurch, Florence E.,
_d1856-1918
245 1 0 _aNo royal road
264 1 _aSalt Lake City, UT :
_bProject Gutenberg,
_c2025
300 _a1 online resource :
_bmultiple file formats
336 _atext
_btxt
_2rdacontent
337 _acomputer
_bc
_2rdamedia
338 _aonline resource
_bcr
_2rdacarrier
500 _aRelease date is 2025-08-10
520 _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.)
534 _pOriginally published:
_cLondon: The Sunday School Union, 1886
653 _aChristian life -- Juvenile fiction
653 _aOrphans -- Juvenile fiction
653 _aFriendship -- Juvenile fiction
653 _aGrandmothers -- Juvenile fiction
653 _aChildren and death -- Juvenile fiction
653 _aHousehold employees -- Juvenile fiction
653 _aLoneliness -- Juvenile fiction
653 _aSelf-culture -- Juvenile fiction
856 4 0 _uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/76667
999 _c117392
_d117392