This one picks up where Man of the Family left off. In that book, the family was forced to flee Littleton, Colorado to avoid Mrs. Moody being forced to testify against their former neighbor in a trial that probably would have ended with a death sentence being meted out. So they fled to Boston where her brother, his family, and her uncle lived.
Once again, the ingenuity and diligence this widow and her 6 children display is so incredibly compelling, the reader finds himself pulling for them to succeed in each of their attempts at overcoming the obstacles they encounter at every turn. And true to life, the depth of their character shines through no matter how difficult life becomes. Mrs. Moody always looks for the best and she firmly believes there is a way to overcome each new challenge, if they just work hard and don't give up. I love how she trusted the Lord to make a way when there seemed to be no way.
When they first arrived in Boston, they lived with her brother's family in a very modest dwelling. It didn't take long before Mary Emma (Mrs. Moody) recognized the hardship their presence created for their hospitable relatives. And once recognized, she would not rest until the situation was alleviated. She got a job in a hand laundry in a very dangerous part of the city in order for her to learn the skills required to start her own laundry business out of her home.
Ralph found a job in a grocery store with two precious older men who quickly recognized what a responsible, hard-working young man they had hired. These two men had many helpful connections they used to repeatedly bless the Moody family. It was through them that the Moody's found their new home: an enormous older rental house in horrible condition. But that didn't intimidate the Moodys. They simply rolled up their sleeves and went to work, turning the disaster into a wonderful home. The grocers also provided a connection with a former delivery boy turned big city lawyer who was selling his mother's houseful of furniture. Mrs. Moody was able to buy all the furnishings, dishes, linens and furniture, for $50, much less than the actual value.
Ralph's ingenuity provided blessing after blessing for his family. He even devised a way to recover many large wooden beams that had been thrown into the river when a bridge caught on fire. Through his salvage efforts he earned enough money to buy new clothing and shoes for all the children.
Ralph's arrival in Boston did not go well, however, with several of the local authorities. He ended up getting into one scrape after another with the local police officer and the principal of his school. The last straw, teaching a friend to fire a revolver by shooting it into the river, ended up with the threat of reform school if his mother didn't send him away. Back in Colorado, no one would have thought twice about his activities. But in the "big city," he got his name in the "bad boy's book" one too many times.
This crisis sets up the transition to the next book in this autobiographical series: Fields of Home. I can't even begin to tell you which of the ones we have read to this point is my favorite. They are all so absolutely wonderful, I can't choose. I have been warned (thanks Kessie!) that Fields of Home is the hardest to read because of the hardships Ralph endured during that time in his young life. We are five chapters in, and she is right!
This is #22 in my quest for 52 in 52. There has been virtually no time for my independent reading the past few weeks, and it doesn't look like there will be much additional time in the foreseeable future. After all, our first grandbaby is due any day now! After that, all bets are off. :) All the more reason why choosing outstanding read-alouds for our homeschool is so rewarding. These books are so well written that I recommend them for everyone of all ages.
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