Nelly Channell

"Nelly Channell" by Sarah Doudney introduces us to the Farren family, especially Rhoda Farren, who finds her old home changed when she comes back. Her cousin Helen lives there now with her baby, which makes things complicated. The story looks at how family members interact, the problems they face in society, and their own personal battles with love and doing what's right. The story starts on a gloomy day in November, as Rhoda thinks about being back in Huntsdean and how different her family home feels. She's not sure how she feels about the new baby and tries to deal with what happened in the past and what might happen in the future. Rhoda has to balance what she feels about her cousin Helen, who is having a hard time because of her husband, with what her family expects of her. The beginning creates a mood of both wanting things to be like they were and not being able to go back, as Rhoda figures out who she is in a world that's not so simple.