Peak and Prairie From a Colorado Sketch-book

"Peak and Prairie" by Anna Fuller is a series of stories displaying Colorado life in the 1800s. The collection tells about varied people and events located around Springtown, with the topics of sadness, rebirth, and links to both nature and society. The main person we get to know is Mrs. Nancy Tarbell, a kind widow starting a new life out West after her son Willie passed away. When the story starts, we see Mrs. Tarbell thinking about where she is, like Peak that stands over her home. She remembers her past in New England, what she gave up for Willie, and the difficulties of getting used to where she is now. A key moment happens when she finds a man pulling a dog; she feels bad and ends up taking the dog in, naming him David. This act of kindness sparks changes in her everyday life as she deals with her sadness and loneliness, leading to more happenings in the story. The beginning creates the mood and emotional complexity that people can expect in the stories.