My brother's friend by Eglanton Thorne
"My brother's friend" by Eglanton Thorne is a novel written in the late 19th century. It is a domestic coming‑of‑age story narrated by Dorothy Carmichael, set between a modest tannery household in rural Essex and the showy mansion of a local magnate. The plot centers on Dorothy’s candid, impulsive nature contrasted with her poised sister Mabel, whose marriage to wealthy Howard Steinthorpe reshapes the family, while their clever brother Edmund and his
friend Ralph Dugdale draw Dorothy into new loyalties, affections, and trials. Themes of class, pride, illness, and financial strain frame Dorothy’s first steps into adult life. The opening of the story follows Dorothy and Mabel home from school, sharply contrasting Mabel’s neat grace with Dorothy’s awkward warmth and deep attachment to their brother, Edmund. In Burford they pass the newly occupied “Towers,” meet its owner Howard Steinthorpe, and return to their shabby but beloved house by the family tannery, where their gentle, careworn father hints at business anxieties. Dorothy’s idle school record, Mabel’s decision to stay home, and the dismissal of their long‑time nurse Salome (re‑engaged as an outside laundress) unsettle the old routines. Mabel becomes engaged to Howard and is quickly married, while Edmund’s recurring cough worries Dorothy. Edmund’s brilliant friend Ralph Dugdale arrives on the rainy wedding day, offering steady kindness and promise of watchful friendship. As months pass, Howard frequents the tannery office, the household trims expenses, and the father grows thinner and more troubled until he collapses at his desk, prompting Dorothy to press for better medical help while Mabel downplays the danger. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Thorne, Eglanton, 1852-1907 |
|---|---|
| Title | My brother's friend |
| Original Publication | London: The Leisure Hour Office, 1886. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres |
| Subject | Christian life -- Juvenile fiction |
| Subject | Young women -- England -- Juvenile fiction |
| Subject | Marriage -- Juvenile fiction |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 77999 |
| Release Date | Feb 21, 2026 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 245 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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