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Nelly Channell

by Sarah Doudney (1843–1926)

  • Free to read
  • 2 hours to read
  • 18 chapters
  • Reading level: 6th grade

"Nelly Channell" by Sarah Doudney is a novel likely written in the late 19th century. The story revolves around the lives of the Farren family, particularly focusing on Rhoda Farren, who returns to her childhood home only to find it altered by new residents, including her cousin Helen and Helen's baby. The narrative delves into themes of family dynamics, social challenges, and the personal struggles of its characters, particularly in the context of love and moral dilemmas. The opening of the novel introduces a bleak November day as Rhoda reflects on her return to Huntsdean and the changes within the family home. As she confronts her feelings about her cousin Helen—who has become a mother and is entangled in distress due to her husband’s actions—Rhoda’s internal conflicts about her past and the future take shape. The atmosphere is heavy with nostalgia and resistance, as Rhoda grapples with the presence of Helen's baby and the implications of familial duty. Through vivid descriptions and emotional undercurrents, the beginning sets the stage for Rhoda's journey of self-discovery amid the complexities of family and societal expectations.

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  • English fiction

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Chapter II

BROTHER AND SISTER.—RHODA FARREN PERPLEXED.

The father and mother retired first, then Helen. John seated himself in the farmer's large arm-chair, and looked at Rhoda as she sat on the other side of the fire. These after-supper talks had been a custom with them in the old days. The sister knew by her brother's glance that he understood her mood, and was prepared for a long chat.

It is a trying thing for a woman that a man will seldom begin a subject, however full his heart may be of it. He will wait, with indomitable patience, until she speaks the first word, and after that he will go on glibly enough. Rhoda first learned to understand something of man's nature by studying John, and she knew perfectly well that she should never get a sentence out of him unless she broke the silence.

"Well," she said at last, with a little movement of impatience, "this is a miserable business. I never thought that I should come back to the old home and find the wife and child of a felon comfortably settled in it. But there is no end to sin—no limit to the audacity of criminals. It is not enough for Robert Clarris to rob his employer, he must also thrust his own lawful burdens on other folks' shoulders."

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Contents

  1. Front Matter
  2. Chapter II
  3. Chapter III
  4. Chapter IV
  5. Chapter V
  6. Chapter VI: "The Master Is Come, and Calleth for Thee."
  7. Chapter VII
  8. Chapter VIII
  9. Chapter IX
  10. Chapter X
  11. Chapter XI
  12. Chapter XII
  13. Chapter XIII
  14. Chapter XIV
  15. Chapter XV
  16. Chapter XVI
  17. Chapter XVII
  18. Chapter XVIII

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About this edition

This free edition of Nelly Channell by Sarah Doudney comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #54596, released 2017-04-24. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Novels, British Literature.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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