Fan's silken string
| Language | en |
|---|---|
| First published | 2025-11-16 |
| Rights | Public domain in the USA. |
| Gutenberg ID | #77248 |
Description
"The romance of the Oxford colleges" by Francis Henry Gribble is a historical account written in the early 20th century. It likely offers a lively survey of Oxford’s colleges—their origins, customs, architecture, and memorable personalities—blending anecdote with history to capture the charm of England’s academic heritage. Readers curious about university lore and English cultural history will find it especially appealing. The opening of the provided narrative follows Ben Fairfax, a sharp but unruly stable boy who charms his way into haymaking work on a Midlands farm, steals fruit and small goods, and then bolts when a guilty tug of love for his frail sister Fan sends him back home. He finds his father arrested for poaching, his mother and baby brother dead of fever, and Fan dangerously weak and targeted by police as a witness; he carries her off to London. Forced out by a fearful landlady, they flee again, briefly riding a produce waggon until the driver, sensing Ben’s lies and Fan’s illness, turns them away. Hungry and desperate, Ben nearly steals food but relents at Fan’s urgent plea. At last, he leaves the sleeping child in a tiny woodland cottage on a wealthy estate, where we meet the kind Harewoods—especially their cherished daughter, Pearl—setting the stage for the two worlds to meet. (This is an automatically generated summary.)