The Argosy

About this issue

This issue of the Victorian periodical contains the serialized novel Edina by Mrs. Henry Wood (author of East Lynne), illustrated by M. Ellen Edwards. The excerpt shows Chapter XIX ("Apprehensions"), the beginning of a substantial domestic narrative. The Raynor family gathers at their estate, Eagles' Nest, for Christmas; Frank Raynor and his wife Daisy have recently returned from Switzerland, where they attempted unsuccessfully to establish a medical practice. The narrative details the estate's troubles: despite Mrs. Atkinson's deathbed wishes for renovation, new cottages remain unfinished skeletons and laborers' dwellings deteriorate. Major Raynor, lacking funds after settling personal debts, provides none of the charitable aid his predecessor offered. Winter brings severe hardship—scarcity of work, dear food, and widespread sickness among the poor—yet inside the house "days floated on in a round of enjoyment." The issue also contains multiple shorter works, poems, and serials by various authors.