Harper's Round Table, September 24, 1895

Set on Sweet Apple Hill in the summer of 1895, the story opens as a country‑week girl named Grazella Hickins arrives in the quiet village, her bright scarf and pink parasol making her stand out among the modest cottages. She meets Gideon, a shy boy under the watchful eye of his aunt Esther, and their tentative friendship quickly draws in the neighboring sisters Phemie and little Adoniram. The lively dialogue captures the rhythm of small‑town life, from the clatter of the camera club to the gossip of the local newspaper stand.

As Grazella adjusts to a new home, she reveals the loneliness of a fractured family and the hope she places in her cousin Jicksy, while Gideon dreams of turning his modest talents into a business venture. Their conversations blend youthful ambition with the cautious guidance of adults who fear the influence of city ways on their children. The narrative gently explores themes of belonging, the pull of responsibility, and the small moments that shape early adolescence.