A Little Country Girl

A bright June morning finds a modest, country‑raised girl named Candace Arden aboard the steamer Eolus, bound for Newport. The sea breeze is crisp, the sky a clear blue, and the ship’s captain, Peleg King, takes a particular interest in the shy passenger, inviting her to sit in the wheel‑house. From the high windows she watches the shoreline glide past, feeling the thrill of her first long journey away from home.

The wheel‑house buzzes with the chatter of two fashionable young ladies, their polished attire and confident manner a stark contrast to Candace’s simple goat‑skin boots and country‑made hat. Their effortless elegance makes her self‑conscious, yet the captain’s gentle attention eases her nerves. As the vessel heads toward a summer stay with her cousin, Candace senses that this trip may open a world beyond the quiet fields she knows, hinting at new friendships and the promise of unexpected discoveries.