Thankful Rest

A spotless kitchen and a flourishing orchard conceal a chilly welcome at Thankful Rest, a Connecticut homestead near Pendlepoint. Joshua Strong and his sister Hepzibah learn that their widowed sister has died, leaving two children who need a home. Their first concern is the extra expense and work. Annie S. Swan sets this children's novel against the contrast between a comfortable house and its owners' reluctance to take responsibility for their young relatives.

The young siblings, Tom and Lucy, also encounter a more generous circle around the local parsonage. In a hillside outing, Lucy serves tea while the company trades jokes, then Judge Keane challenges everyone to write four lines about the scenery. These small social scenes give the story room for affection, humour and Christian reflection alongside its account of orphaned children and family duty. Readers interested in older children's fiction will find household tensions set beside friendship and the practical meaning of kindness.