A Countess from Canada: A Story of Life in the Backwoods

by Bessie Marchant

EN·~9 hours·33 chapters

Chapters

33 total

BY - BESSIE MARCHANT

0:12

ILLUSTRATED BY CYRUS CUNEO - CHAP. - I. BEYOND THE SECOND PORTAGE II. A CURIOUS ACCIDENT III. OUTWITTING THE ENEMY IV. A NIGHT OF ROUGH WORK V. A SACRED CONFIDENCE VI. BUSINESS BOTHERS VII. ANOTHER CLUE VIII. THE FIRST RAIN IX. THE FLOOD X. THE STRANGER PROVES A FRIEND IN NEED XI. A WOMAN OF BUSINESS XII. THE FIRST OF THE FISHING XIII. MARY XIV. WOULD THEY BE FRIENDS? XV. MR. SELINCOURT IS INDISCREET XVI. "WE MUST BE FRIENDS!" XVII. 'DUKE RADFORD'S NEW FRIEND XVIII. STANDING ASIDE XIX. AN AWKWARD FIX XX. KATHERINE MAKES A DISCOVERY XXI. MATTER FOR HEARTACHE XXII. A BUSINESS XXIII. THE MAJORITY DECIDES XXIV. MR. SELINCOURT IS CONFIDENTIAL XXV. THE RIFT IN THE CLOUDS XXVI. FIGHTING THE STORM XXVII. A BEARER OF EVIL TIDINGS XXVIII. THE GLADNESS XXIX. WINTER AGAIN XXX. PREPARATIONS XXXI. THE WEDDING

1:04

CHAPTER I

17:04

CHAPTER II

16:34

CHAPTER III

17:14

CHAPTER IV

16:04

CHAPTER V

18:09

CHAPTER VI

15:07

CHAPTER VII

16:39

CHAPTER VIII

16:04

Description

Katherine Radford returns from college with a fierce determination to make a school work in the remote backwoods of Roaring Water Portage. The tiny, makeshift classroom shares a wall with her family’s store, and her only pupils for now are her two younger brothers, whose banter and stubbornness keep the days lively. As winter drifts in and the river freezes, she balances teaching, bookkeeping, and occasional trading with the passing canoe‑carrying trappers.

Beyond the cold, the rugged landscape teems with life—fur traders, Indigenous families, and the occasional wandering stranger all pass through the bustling rapids. Katherine’s resolve is tested by the isolation, the scarcity of students, and the constant hum of commerce that never quite quiets. Yet her spirited humor and unyielding sense of duty promise a compelling tale of perseverance and community in a wild, untamed frontier.

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117 titles

Details

Language

Duration

~9 hours (529K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Release date

2004-02-01

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

Subjects

Young women -- Fiction Love stories Canada -- Fiction Families -- Fiction

About the author

Bessie Marchant

1862–1941

Best known for fast-paced adventure stories for girls, this prolific English writer sent young heroines across the world in more than 150 novels. Her books mixed danger, travel, and independence in a way that stood out for young readers of the time.

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