Laddie, by Gene Stratton-Porter

The author's dedication -- "The way to be happy is to be good" -- encapsulates the book. From beginning to end, Little Sister tries to figure out how to be happy and good. The author wants us to know that each pursued separately doesn't satisfy as much as finding one through pursuit of the other.

The way to happiness through goodness -- righteousness -- is not always readily apparent to the narrator, but by close observation of her loved ones (especially older brother Laddie) and neighbors -- their failures and triumphs of love over selfish ambition -- she continually makes discoveries.

Late in the book, Little Sister asks, "Father, when you pray for anything that it's all perfectly right for you to have, does God come down from heaven and do it Himself, or does He send a man like Laddie to do it for him?" Father answers, "Why, you have the whole thing right there in a nutshell, Little Sister. You see it's like this: the Book tells us most distinctly that 'God is love.' Now it was love that sent Laddie to bind himself for a long tedious job, to give Leon his horse, wasn't it?" Little Sister responds: "Of course! He wouldn't have been likely to do it if he hated him. It was love, of course!" "Then it was God," said father, "because 'God is love.' They are one and the same thing."

Near the end of the book, Little Sister concludes that the problem with their neighbors the Pryors is they didn't know how to love each other, and that because they didn't love God. They didn't know what "proper love" was, "because God is love, like father said."

The book is full of lessons in love -- loving one's family, one's spouse, one's children, one's neighbors, one's land and animals, one's work and hobbies, one's country -- including strangers and future generations. Even education ought to be loved. Father comments about the system of the day: "We re not going at children in a way to gain and hold their interest, and make them love their work. There must be a better way of teaching."

As an aside, this is a purely American book, and pointedly draws distinctions from the "old country." It tells of a time in our history when the land was still being settled, yet there already were established laws and culture.

My favorite chapter is The Garden of the Lord. The family sees their farm as a parallel to the Garden of Eden, as a place to tend and steward. This chapter describes their vision of paradise didactically, yet beautifully. A simple choice about leaving bushes to grow at the edges of their land is deliberate, allowing cover for birds, which keep down insects. Mother explained to Mr. Pryor: "Always we have planned and striven to transform this into the dearest, the most beautiful spot on earth. In making our home the best we can, in improving our township, county, and state, we are doing our share toward upbuilding this nation."

When he complained about taxes for bridge upkeep, mother expounds its value: "A good bridge and fine road add to [travellers'] pleasure, and when they leave, the improvements remain. They will benefit us and our children through all the years to come."

Stewardship begins in the home, from the way treasures are stored to the way leisure time is spent. Evening hours are spent around the hearth reading, studying, and quizzing. The household is as productive then as they are at work in the barn or kitchen. But it's not all stoical toil; it's so they can lavish joy on weddings, holidays, and other family celebrations.

Great care is taken of people's feelings, as well. Laddie exemplifies this best when he declares his intention to seek the Princess' hand to a house full of hangers-on after Sunday dinner -- church-folk, neighbors, and family. This tactic seems assured to bring out the most scrutiny and hilarity, but Little Sister observes that it has stripped the gathering of the need to gossip. He has spared himself and the Princess by being direct and honest.

Life with the is painted in the rosy hues of mother's fancy window shades, but is not sugar-coated. There are, literally an figuratively, snakes in the garden -- dangers and temptations. Disaster is sometimes a hair's-breadth away. Sometimes a response must be carefully considered and the timing of a confrontation patiently awaited. But the rewards author gives the reader steers us unerringly toward the desired path.

---

Something I wish we had done in our discussion was compare and contrast this family with some of the others we've met in book club selections such as Angela's Ashes, Gilead, Jim the Boy, The Glass Castle, even Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. And, of course, we can't help but think of Wendell Berry and Hannah Coulter.