Against the Odds: Tales of Achievement was
published in 1995. It was edited by Rea Wilmshurt and contains 18 stories.
Thematically, the stories all describe a struggle against adversity. The original
publication
dates
are
in
parentheses. Click on a title to see a short, spoiler-free summary:
"A Patent Medicine
Testimonial" (1903)
"The Fillmore Elderberries" (1909)
"Dorinda's Desperate Deed" (1906)
"The Genesis of the Doughnut Club" (1907)
"Bessie's Doll" (1914)
"At the Bay Shore Farm" (1904)
"In Spite of Myself" (1896)
"When Mr. Cropper Changed his Mind" (1903)
"How We Went to the Wedding" (1913)
"Ned's Stroke of Business" (1903)
"Their Girl Josie" (1906)
"The Blue North Room" (1906)
"Where There is a Will There is a Way" (1934)
"Lillian's Business Venture" (1900)
"A Question of Acquaintance" (1929)
"A Case of Trespass" (1897)
"A Substitute Journalist" (1907)
"The Strike at Putney" (1903)
"A
Patent Medicine Testimonial" (Star Monthly, April 1903)
Prudence wants her twin brother Murray to be able to go to college and become
a doctor, only their guardian, Uncle Abimelech, stands in her way. Their uncle
wants Murray to remain on his farm and become a successful farmer. After spending
hours in the garret, Prue comes up with a plan involving Alloway’s Anodyne
Linament, and makes Murray swear to back her and not say a word until she succeeds.
"The Fillmore Elderberries" (East and West, September 1909)
Fourteen year old Ellis Duncan asks his Uncle Timothy Robinson for a job, but
is refuses because his uncle believes he is worthless and lazy like his father
(Timothy’s half-brother) was. Ellis is disappointed because he wants
to support his mother and doesn’t want charity. When he sees Old Thomas
Fillmore’s elderberry field, which was once a fertile planting ground,
he asks Fillmore if he can clear the land for payment. Fillmore offers him
poor pay, and the job turns out to take more time than Ellis expects, but
he decides he must keep his word and stick with it, and rewarded for his
efforts.
"Dorinda's Desperate Deed" (Days of Youth, December 1906)
Fifteen year old Dorinda Page has returned to her family after five years of
living with her Aunt Mary. Her mother was a widow with five children, and
very poor, and she refuses her ask her brother-in-law for financial help.
Dorinda is more practical about the matter, and after discussing their most
important needs with her mother, she plans her own meeting with her Uncle
Eugene.
"The Genesis of the Doughnut Club" (Epworth Herald, November 1907)
Patty has spent five years out west in Carlton and finally feels she has found
a purpose for her life. She enjoys listening to the town boys’ troubles
and feeding them well. When her brother, John Henry, died of typhoid, she
had no alternative but to go back to Northfield and her life as an old maid
of no importance to anyone. Before she goes, she plans an old-fashioned Thanksgiving
feast for fifteen of her boys, and by granting a favor everything changes
for her.
"Bessie's Doll" (Western Christian Advocate, February 1914)
Tommy Puffer is a poor twelve-year-old, who would give his life for his eight-tear-old
friend Bessie, who had to walk with a crutch. To bring joy to her, he shows
her a beautiful doll in a toy shop window, but when it is purchased, her heart
is broken, and Tommy blames himself for ever showing her the doll. Meanwhile,
Miss Octavia believes Tommy threw a rock at her garden, when he truly loves
flowers. When he does Miss Octavia a good deed, both Tommy and Bessie have
reasons to be happy.
"At the Bay Shore Farm" (Forward and Wellspring, January 1904)
Ralph, Elliott, Rachel and Cecilia are all looking forward to the Governor’s
picnic. The boys want to see the Governor, Rachel wants to see her favorite
author, and Cecilia wants to meet an old friend. When an invitation comes from
their grandmother for the same day as the picnic, the girls must choose who
will sacrifice the picnic, and everyone expects that Cecilia will. Instead,
Rachel does, and she is rewarded for her kindness.
(note: Cecilia is reminiscent of Cissy Gay of the Blue Castle and Cecily in
the Story Girl series, in both name and personality.)
"In Spite of Myself" (by
M. L. Cavendish, Chicago Inter Ocean, July
1896)
During a month vacation at Aunt Lucy’s farm, Mr. Carslake meets his cousin
Augusta “Gussie” Ashley, a bright and assertive women. Though Carslake
had made up his mind to marry Nellie, a very devoted woman at home, he can’t
help but think her commonplace next to Gussie.
"When Mr. Cropper Changed his Mind" (Household Guest, 1903)
Mr. Cropper is against having a woman teacher at the Maitland school, so Miss
Ester Maxwell has her work cut out for her. The two Cropper children act
out, and Ester thinks her position will be lost, until she takes a photo
of a plum tree that the Mr. Cropper wants no one to see.
"How
We Went to the Wedding" (Housewife, April and May 1913)
Philippa Blair is visiting her cousin Kate in Arrow Creek, Saskatchewan during
the rainiest fall in years. During the past three weeks, their plans have
been put off, but when Kate is invited to her friend Mary Taylor’s
wedding, she determines that they will travel the 120 miles to attend the
wedding. During their long adventure, they get into many scrapes and lament
a lost ham.
(Note: The laughable section where Phil and Kate meet Mrs. Matilda Pitman
was re-used in LMM’s Rilla of Ingleside.)
"Ned's Stroke of Business" (Farm and Fireside, January 1903)
Ned Allen and the other Carleton boys have no free place to skate in town
and travel to Windsor to skate. Ned wants to take business courses, but his
mother
can’t afford it, but then Ned thinks of an idea to both raise the money
and skate. He has to make his proposal to cranky Old Dutcher to make
his idea a reality.
"Their Girl Josie" (American Home, 1906)
When Cy and Deborah Morgan’s son Paul married an actress, his parents
are ashamed. They make no further contact. Both Paul and his wife Elinor die
young leaving a daughter Jocelyn, who is raised by her grandparents. They strictly
try to keep her from acting, but it is in her blood and she eventually leaves
home for the stage.
"The Blue North Room" (East and West, April 1906)
Sara, Ray and Willard need a plan when Aunt Josephina wants to come to visit
because they don’t have a spare room. They come up with an idea to furnish
the Blue North Room and repair and refurbish the old, stored furniture. The
rooms ends up looking beautiful, and Aunt Josephine’s visit gives Sara
an idea to solve their family’s money troubles.
"Where There is a Will There is a Way" (unknown,
1934)
Gordon has been locked in his room by his Aunt Mary who doesn’t want
him to go to his school debate contest. He exacts a daring plan to escape,
wearing a dress covered with an old overcoat, climbing down an ancient creeper
and
crossing a dangerous old bridge. When he reaches the school, he spots his Aunt
Mary at the back of the auditorium and determines that he cannot fail in front
of her.
"Lilian's Business Venture" (Advocate and Guardian, November 1900)
When Lilian’s father dies, leaving her and her mother financially ruined,
Lilian must think of something to do. She comes up with an idea of selling
her cookery to the townspeople of Willington. Will her venture prove to be
successful?
"A Question of Acquaintance" (MacLean’s, October 1929)
Set during the first World War, Dr. Dimma worries about his daughter Merle.
He wishes she would accept a suitor who was a fine doctor, and is troubled
by her interest in a visitor to town, Arthur Binns. After chasing pigs out
of his yard in his orange and purple pajamas, Dr. Dimma escapes from a bulldog
by climbing a ladder in his neighbor’s barn. With only Arthur Binns
to help him, how will he ever get down without being humiliated?
"A Case of Trespass" (Golden Days, July 1897)
Thirteen-year-old Danny Phillips fishes on the Carleton pond, owned by the
factory owner Mr. Walters. He’s helping to support his family (his
mother and crippled sister) by doing odd jobs and selling fish. When he realizes
he’s been selling stolen fish, he knows he must confess the truth to
Mr. Walters.
"A Substitute Journalist" (Forward and Wellspring, March 1907)
Patty Baxter and her brother both want to earn a living and help their mother.
Clifford has a job with a newspaper, but really wants to be a mechanical
engineer. Clifford is offered a chance to move up the ladder and interview
a politician. Then Patty is worried when he misses his train and decides
she will go and interview the man herself and ends up with a tremendous scoop.
"The Strike at Putney" (Western Christian Advocate, September
1903)
When the elders and minister declare that the Women’s Foreign Mission
Auxiliary cannot be held in the church, and no woman could speak at the pulpit,
the women of the Putney church decide to strike. Will they get their way when
the men notice all they do?
Last Updated 03.08.07
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