Trumps

"Trumps" by George William Curtis is a story set in the mid-1800s. It tells the story of Mr. Savory Gray, a businessman who pivots to become a boys’ school headmaster after some tough financial times. As he adjusts to his new role, the story focuses on the relationships between his students and Hope Wayne, a girl who has been shielded from society. The tale begins with Mr. Gray kicking off his new school in Delafield after his business goes bust, and there is some humor in his transformation from wealth to education. The interactions between the students and their developing relationship with Hope bring out themes of social class, the energy of youth, and the difficulty of growing up with the world around them.