The Wife of Biddeford's Story
The story revolves around a woman who lives on an island off the coast of Maine with her husband, Biddeford. They have a happy and content life together until one day, Biddeford disappears while out fishing. The wife waits for his return but he never comes back. She holds onto hope that he will return to her, even after many years have passed.
By Edward Everett Hale · First published 1869 · Genre: Fiction, Satire, Moral Tale · 291 words
First lines
At the time you speak of I was the private governess of two lovely boys, Julius and Pompey -- Pompey the senior of the two. The black-eyed darling! I see him now. I also see, hanging to his neck, his blue-eyed brother, who had given Pompey his black eye the day before. Pompey was generous to a fault; Julius parsimonious beyond virtue. I, therefore, instructed them in two different rooms. To Pompey I read the story of "Waste not, want not. " To Julius, on the other hand, I spoke of the All-love of his great Mother Nature, and her profuse gifts to her children. Leaving him with grapes and oranges, I stepped back to Pompey, and taught him how to untie parcels so as to save the string. Leaving him winding the string neatly, I went back to Julius, and gave him ginger-cakes. The dear boys grew from year to year. They outgrew their knickerbockers, and had trousers. They outgrew their jackets, and became men; and I felt that I had not lived in vain. I had conquered nature.
What this Textopian page supports
The Wife of Biddeford's Story is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edward Everett Hale, dated 1869 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Edward Everett Hale
- Date: 1869 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Satire, Moral Tale, Historical Fiction, Drama
- Length: 291 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Genres
- Fiction — The narrative is a fictional story with invented characters and events.
- Satire — The story uses humor and irony to critique human behavior and societal norms.
- Moral Tale — The plot conveys moral lessons through the contrasting behaviors and fates of the characters.
- Historical Fiction — The setting and context suggest a historical period, though the focus is on fictional events.
Tags
American Literature · 19th Century Fiction · Historical Fiction · Maritime Fiction · Nautical Fiction · Sea Story · Adventure · Romance · Tragedy · Loss · Grief · Survival