The Bacillus of Beauty: A Romance of To-day

"The Bacillus of Beauty: A Romance of To-day" by Harriet Stark is a late 19th-century novel about a young woman named Helen Winship who moves to New York City and develops a captivating beauty that fascinates everyone. Seen through the eager eyes of John Burke, a childhood friend and admirer, the story begins with John's arrival in New York and his keen desire to see Helen again; however, he is shocked to find her transformed into an almost impossibly beautiful woman. As John tries to understand this incredible change, he wrestles with a range of emotions from disbelief to strong admiration, capturing the essence of love, longing, and transformation set against the backdrop of a lively, growing city.