Daddy-Long-Legs

Jerusha Abbott, the eldest of ninety‑seven orphans, spends her days juggling chores, caring for younger children, and dreaming of a life beyond the institutional walls. The routine Wednesdays are a blur of scrubbing, buttoning starched gowns, and watching carriages drift past the iron fence, each one stirring a fleeting fantasy of warmth and belonging. Yet her imagination is both a comfort and a source of admonition from the stern matron, who warns that dreaming too far can bring trouble.

One evening, as the last trustee departs, his elongated shadow stretches across the hallway, casting the uncanny shape of a “daddy‑long‑legs” that catches Jeru’s eye and sparks a sudden laugh. That strange silhouette belongs to a mysterious benefactor who, impressed by her letters, decides to fund her education under the condition that she never learn his identity. The story follows Jeru’s journey from the orphanage to college, chronicling her growth, friendships, and the gentle mystery that shapes her future.