The Argosy

About this issue

The Argosy, Vol. XLIX (January–June 1890), edited by Charles W. Wood. Published by Richard Bentley & Son, London. This bound volume contains the serialized novel The House of Halliwell by Mrs. Henry Wood (author of East Lynne), running across all six months in sixteen chapters with illustrations by M. Ellen Edwards. The narrative concerns Major Halliwell, a retired officer living in Seaford near London with his wife and five children—Alfred (20), Hester (18), Jane, Lucy (15), and young Mary. The plot centers on family life, romantic entanglements, and inheritance matters. Key episodes include Hester's romance, a legal case titled "Newcome versus Needham," the arrival of Aunt Copp (the Major's seafaring sister), and a wedding. The volume also features numerous shorter stories and poems by contributors including Letitia McClintock, E. J. Clayden, Esme Stuart, and others, ranging from romance and domestic fiction to verse. Non-fiction includes "Animal Disguise and Defence" by Alex H. Japp and "Fair Normandy" by the editor with 39 illustrations. The issue is typical of Victorian periodical miscellany: serialized fiction, short stories, poetry, and illustrated articles.