Mother Carey's Chickens

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Mother Carey's Chickens (1911)
by Kate Douglas Wiggin, illustrated by Alice Barber Stephens
Chapter 1
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Adapted into a play in 1917, and twice (1938 and 1963) as films (The 1963 Disney version being called Summer Magic.

Mother Carey is the still young and lovely widow of an American naval officer. His death has left her almost without means; and the family must leave their city house and city way of living. Fate directs them to Beulah and the wonderful Yellow House. [...] The tale is a pleasant one, a frankly sentimental celebration of motherhood as it may be. All the crabbed persons turn sweet under her influence, and in the end everything is as lovely for everybody as anybody could desire. We confess to an impression of Nancy as, like all Mrs. Riggs's heroines, something of a minx. —from a review in The Nation, September 1911.

Kate Douglas Wiggin2611265Mother Carey's Chickens1911Cover--Mother Carey's chickens.jpg
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MOTHER CAREY'S CHICKENS

[Front matter]

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By Kate Douglas Wiggin

MOTHER CAREY'S CHICKENS. lllustrated.

ROBINETTA. Illustrated.

REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM. Holiday Edition. Illustrated.

SUSANNA AND SUE. Illustrated.

THE OLD PEABODY PEW. With decorations and illustrations.

REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM.

NEW CHRONICLES OF REBECCA. Illustrated.

ROSE O' THE RIVER. Illustrated in color.

THE AFFAIR AT THE INN. Illustrated.

THE DIARY OF A GOOSE GIRL. Illustrated.

A CATHEDRAL COURTSHIP, and PENELOPE'S ENGLISH EXPERIENCES, Illustrated.

PENELOPE'S PROGRESS.

PENELOPE'S IRISH EXPERIENCES.

PENELOPE'S EXPERIENCES. I. England; II. Scotland; III. Ireland; Holiday Edition. With many illustrations by Charles E. Brock.

A CATHEDRAL COURTSHIP. Holiday Edition, enlarged. Illustrated by C. E. Brock.

THE BIRDS' CHRISTMAS CAROL. Illustrated.

THE STORY OF PATSY. Illustrated.

A SUMMER IN A CAÑON. A California Story. Illustrated.

TIMOTHY'S QUEST. A Story for Anybody, Young or Old, who cares to read it. Also Holiday Edition. Illustrated.

POLLY OLIVER'S PROBLEM. Illustrated.

THE VILLAGE WATCH-TOWER.

MARM LISA.

NINE LOVE SONGS, AND A CAROL. Music by Mrs. Wiggin. Words by Herrick, Sill, and others.

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
Boston and New York.

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"NOW, MOTHER, DO YOU LIKE JULIA CAREY?" (p. 36)

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MOTHER CAREY'S
CHICKENS

BY
KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN

BOSTON AND NEW YORK
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
The Riverside Press Cambridge
1911

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COPYRIGHT, 1910 AND 1911, BY THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY

COPYRIGHT, 1911, BY KATE DOUGLAS RIGGS


ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Published September 1911

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CONTENTS

  1. I.Mother Carey Herself1
  2. II.The Chickens7
  3. III.The Common Denominator16
  4. IV.The Broken Circle21
  5. V.How about Julia?27
  6. VI.Nancy's Idea39
  7. VII."Old Beasts into New"52
  8. VIII.The Knight of Beulah Castle59
  9. IX.Gilbert's Embassy70
  10. X.The Careys' Flitting83
  11. XI.The Service on the Threshold94
  12. XII.Cousin Ann104
  13. XIII.The Pink of Perfection115
  14. XIV.Ways and Means124
  15. XV.Belonging to Beulah135
  16. XVI.The Post-Bag143
  17. XVII.Jack of All Trades152
  18. XVIII.The House of Lords163
    19. ​
  19. XIX.Old and New 172
  20. XX.The Painted Chamber183
  21. XXI.A Family Rhomboid193
  22. XXII.Cradle Gifts204
  23. XXIII.Nearing Shiny Wall214
  24. XXIV.A Letter from Germany223
  25. XXV."Following the Gleam"240
  26. XXVI.A Zoölogical Father252
  27. XXVII.The Carey Housewarming262
  28. XXVIII."Tibi Splendet Focus"271
  29. XXIX."Th' Action Fine"278
  30. XXX.The Inglenook291
  31. XXXI.Grooves of Change306
  32. XXXII.Doors of Daring318
  33. XXXIII.Mother Hamilton's Birthday325
  34. XXXIV.Nancy comes Out336
  35. XXXV.The Crimson Rambler344
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ILLUSTRATIONS

  1. "Now, mother, do you like Julia Carey?" (p. 36)Frontispiece
  2. "Come home, children!"98
  3. The Entire Family lived on the Front Stairs156
  4. "If my own girls would write me letters like this!"196
  5. "Read the last few lines"234
  6. Peter crouched on the Hearth and lighted the Fire264
  7. "For you the hearth-fire glows"274
  8. Mother Carey was moved to the Very Heart306
  9. "I was on the point of kissing you"316
  10. "Pick that little cluster"348


From drawings by Alice Barber Stephens.


This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

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