AustLit

A dream of danger is forgotten when Evelyn Hylton and her sister, the narrator, attend the 21st birthday ball of Evelyn's fiancée. A thieving servant and a costly engagement bracelet combine to frighten Evelyn nearly to a literal death, and he dies making his escape. Eventful, slight notion of prophecy vs. reason, light. (PB)

Adventures of a newspaper reporter and his wife in pursuit of an article on Christmas carolling. Concludes with a garden hose and a cold. Light humour. (PB)

A girl's kindness to a tramp is rewarded seven years later when they meet in society - he more prosperous and she more beautiful. Light. (PB)

Romance begun in a Christmas shopping collision when a stuffed bird is accidentally exchanged for two Christmas ducks. Three years later the specimen bird is the occasion of a university professor renewing his acquaintance with the narrator, no longer at school. Pleasant. (PB)

Light domestic tale of suburbia. A family cook is finally dismissed when her tendency to dream prophecy turns into trust in a gypsy hawker to tell her fortune - while he steals the household silver. (PB)

The career and love of the fatherless Marion Newtown, her mother, brother and younger sister left almost penniless. A rich uncle refuses assistance - Marion turns to teaching music and Jack eventually becomes sub-editor on a country newspaper. Marion becomes a successful opera singer after saving the baby of visiting Italian singers from a fire, the family prospers and she is reunited with her faithful suitor. Pleasant. Very well-written. (PB)

A mounted constable and a journalist assist in uncovering the murder of the cruel vindictive widow of a Germanic vigneron by her sister. Motive in the widow's decision to remarry and thus deprive her poor bullied sister of a home. Fellow Germanic vigneron suspects something when whispers come from a large tank in which the widow's husband also died. Murderer impersonates sister after death. (PB)

English social tale of religion and racing. A saintly and honest bishop agrees to bless a mother and her about-to-be-born child when a much agitated man requests it. He does so without seeing them and is rewarded four years later when the offspring wins its first race - with the prize. Humour.