Saxe Holm's Stories First Series

"Saxe Holm's Stories" by Helen Hunt Jackson is a compilation of tales from the late 1800s, starting with "Draxy Miller's Dowry," a touching account of a girl named Draxy Miller who journeys through tough times with her family, especially her dad, Reuben Miller, who, despite his failures, is a good man. The first account sets forth deep feeling and focuses on themes of staying strong, love, and finding yourself when things get really hard. It shows the Miller family living in the country, where Reuben can't seem to catch a break as a farmer, and Jane, his wife, always stands by him. We see how close Draxy is to her dad, how she understands him, and how she watches life closely. As the narrative unfolds, Draxy blossoms with inner strength and smarts, bravely tackling family disasters and money problems that will probably echo through the collection.