Black-Eyed Susan

In the sleepy heart of Putnam County, a bright‑eyed girl named Susan roams the stone‑strewn Featherbed Lane, forever trailing after her kindly Grandfather and Grandmother Whiting. Their modest white house, with its fragrant pantry and a dog named Snuff, feels like a haven of cinnamon cookies, gentle laughter, and the steady rhythm of rural life. Susan’s world is painted with simple pleasures—hand‑in‑hand walks, the creak of a coal fire, and the comforting weight of her grandparents’ affection.

When she slips into Grandfather’s cluttered law office, the room overflows with books that become makeshift forts for her imagination. He answers her endless questions with riddles and songs, turning ordinary moments into playful riddles about feather‑filled lanes and mysterious black‑eyed chickens. Through these tender exchanges, Susan learns to blend curiosity with wonder, setting the stage for the gentle adventures that lie just beyond the lane’s stone steps.