Horatio Alger

Ragged Dick is a children's novel by Horatio Alger, about a poor bootblack and his rise to middle-class comfort and respectability through good moral behavior, clean living, and determination.

"Ragged Dick" was contributed as a serial story to the pages of the Schoolmate, a well-known juvenile magazine, during the year 1867. While in course of publication, it was received with so many evidences of favor that it has been rewritten and considerably enlarged, and is now presented to the public as the first volume of a series intended to illustrate the life and experiences of the friendless and vagrant children who are now numbered by thousands in New York and other cities. Several characters in the story are sketched from life. The necessary information has been gathered mainly from personal observation and conversations with the boys themselves. The author is indebted also to the excellent Superintendent of the Newsboys' Lodging House, in Fulton Street, for some facts of which he has been able to make use. Some anachronisms may be noted. Wherever they occur, they have been admitted, as aiding in the development of the story, and will probably be considered as of little importance in an unpretending volume, which does not aspire to strict historical accuracy. The author hopes that, while the volumes in this series may prove interesting stories, they may also have the effect of enlisting the sympathies of his readers in behalf of the unfortunate children whose life is described, and of leading them to co-operate with the praiseworthy efforts now making by the Children's Aid Society and other organizations to ameliorate their condition.

If you've ever used the phrase "rags to riches," you owe that to Horatio Alger, Jr. (1832-1899), who popularized the idea through his fictional writings that also served as a theme for the way America viewed itself as a country. Alger's works about poor boys rising to better living conditions through hard work, determination, courage, honesty, and morals was popular with both adults and younger readers. Excerpt from From Farm to Fortune: Or, Nat Nason's Strange Experience Nat Nason was a poor country boy with a strong desire to better his condition. Life on the farm was unusually hard for him, and after a quarrel with his miserly uncle, with whom he resided, he resolved to strike out for himself. Nat was poor and it was a struggle to reach the great city, where the youth trusted that fame and fortune awaited him. The boy obtained, by accident, a fair sum of money and with this he resolved to go into a business of some kind. But a sharper quickly relieved him of his wealth, and opened Nat's eyes to the fact that he was not as shrewd as he had thought himself to be. The lesson proved a valuable one, and from that moment the country boy did his best to not alone win success but to deserve it. He worked hard, often in the midst of great difficulties, and what the outcome of his struggle was, will be found in the pages which follow.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Horatio Alger Jr.(1832 - 1899), wrote over 100 poems, short stories, and novels during his lifetime, which included four adult novels and one adult novella. He gained notoriety when his friendship with 'William Taylor Adams', a boys' author, changed Alger's interest to writing for the juvenile market. His first book for young people, "Ragged Dick, or Street Life in New York," was a huge success, securing the author's fame among the youth of America. 'Digging for Gold: a Story of California, ' is one of Horatio Alger's 'formula, rags-to-riches' books for boys. At sixteen years of age, Grant Colburn is introduced to his new stepfather, a man who could provide well for his family, yet chooses not to. Desperate to make his fortune, and assist his mother, Grant leaves Iowa on a perilous journey for the gold fields of California. Among his many adventures, Grant experiences deprivation; encounters unscrupulous characters; and makes life-long, trustworthy friends. Through his generous nature, and clever mind, Grant is able to aid many of his old friends back home, and secure financial independence for his mother.

Most of Alger novels begin with a teen-age son forced to leave home to earn money to support a family member, often his mother. However, the story of Frank Kavanagh starts with him on his own. His unkind Uncle and Aunt tossed him out with enough money to get from outside Hartford, Connecticut, to New York City. Frank works at a variety of jobs and has many experiences that, again, provide the reader with action and adventure from start to finish. Horatio Alger, Jr. (January 13, 1832 - July 18, 1899) was a prolific 19th-century American author, best known for his many formulaic juvenile novels about impoverished boys and their rise from humble backgrounds to lives of middle-class security and comfort through hard work, determination, courage, and honesty. His writings were characterized by the "rags-to-riches" narrative, which had a formative effect on America during the Gilded Age.

Sam's Chance, and How He Improved It By Horatio Alger

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Helen Ford works as a seamstress in a typical 1800's sweat shop, supporting her father, a dreamer who wants to invent a flying machine. There is money in the family, however, kept at a distance by a deceitful nephew who schemes to take the fortune for himself. The nephew has kept the family separated for some time. This is suspense and mystery.