Nelly : $b or, The best inheritance.

"Nelly; or, The Best Inheritance" by Lucy Ellen Guernsey is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story centers around Nelly Ryan, a thirteen-year-old girl living in poverty with her grandmother, who often experiences feelings of hopelessness and envy when she compares herself to her more privileged peers. The book explores themes of resilience, the pursuit of education, and the importance of personal dignity despite difficult circumstances. At the start of the narrative, readers are introduced to Nelly, who laments her life of hardship as she watches a procession of well-dressed girls going to church. Despite her attractive appearance, Nelly feels ashamed of her ragged clothing and dirty hands. During a chance encounter with a kind young lady named Miss Powell, Nelly receives flowers and a picture card, which ignites a spark of hope in her. Inspired by her brief interaction, Nelly resolves to clean herself up and begins to contemplate her desire for education and a better life. However, her household responsibilities, particularly taking care of the cow and her grandmother's irritable demeanor, present obstacles that she must navigate on her journey towards self-improvement. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Lucy Ellen Guernsey was a 19th-century American author who lived in Rochester, New York. She was a strong proponent of early education and moral development in children, although she never had children of her own. Throughout her most productive years (1855–85) she wrote over 60 novels, most of which were published by the American Sunday School Union. She was an active member of the Rochester community; she founded the first sewing school for working-class children and was involved establishing the Home for Aged Women. She edited a popular religious publication, The Parish Visitor, taught an adult biblical class for Sunday School, and was the president of the Christ Church Missionary Society (1881–85).