The rag pickers : $b and other stories

"The Rag Pickers: And Other Stories" by Madeline Leslie is a collection of short stories written in the mid-19th century. The book illustrates the lives of impoverished children, exploring their struggles and their resilience in the face of adversity. Notable characters include little Dilly Hogan, who works as a rag and coal picker to support her family, and her brother Pat, who grapples with his own challenges and feelings of jealousy. The opening of the collection focuses on the story of Dilly Hogan, a six-year-old girl who, alongside her father, toils in a rag and coal field. Tired and longing for home after a long day of hard work, Dilly's innocence is marked by her joy over her new baby brother. As her family faces the bitter reality of their impoverished existence—culminating in the father's despair as he worries about providing for the family—Dilly’s warmth and compassion shine through, illustrating her capacity for love despite their hardships. The narrative sets the tone for a deeper exploration of themes like sacrifice, family bonds, and the moral lessons woven throughout the stories. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Harriette Newell Woods Baker was an American author of books for children, and editor. Her career as an author began when she was about 30 years old. She devoted herself successfully to novels; but after about 15 years, she wrote popular religious literature. Her most famous book, Tim, the Scissors Grinder, sold half a million copies, and was translated into several languages. Baker published about 200 moral and religious tales under the pen name "Mrs. Madeline Leslie". She also wrote under her own name or initials, and under that of "Aunt Hattie". She wrote chiefly for the young, and was still writing in 1893 when she died.