In Which We Discuss Hitty: Her First Hundred Years
Written by Rachel Field, illustrated by Dorothy Lathrop

HITTY Her First Hundred Years

Week of May 24, 2010

 

Chapter Ten:  In Which I Am Rescued and Hear Adelina Patti:

Hitty has been trapped for a long time in the horsehair sofa in the attic where she was abandoned by Little Thankful.  The fates have intervened again and she is rescued and is given to a little girl that actually prefers her over the fancy dolls.  Clarissa turned out to be a very good companion for Hitty and it was with Clarissa that Hitty learned to write after spending many hours as her companion at school. 

Hitty’s life is now relatively quiet as Clarissa is a quiet and gentle Quaker child.  She sewed many outfits for Hitty.  Clarissa’s sister, Ruth, is 18 and far too given to vanities of the world rather than the Quaker lifestyle, but Ruth was also a kind girl and saved scraps of silk and muslin for Clarissa to use for Hitty’s clothes.  She even had an idea of making a wooden box into a delightful one-room home for Hitty. 

Hitty also has a chance to go to the opera to see Adelina Patti sing.  Clarissa knew she would be forbidden to go because it was too worldly and expensive; however, when the opportunity presented itself, it was too great for her to refuse.  She will sneak out, meet a boy whose Uncle will be playing in the orchestra and who will provide the passes for them to get in.  Once there, they enjoyed the concert immensely and were able to meet Adelina in person after the concert.  However, a mob soon ensued and Clarissa and Hitty barely made it out safely.  Unbeknownst to Clarissa, her parents were at the concert and saw their daughter on stage with Adelina Patti.  They met her at the door when she arrived home, but seeing how upset she was they put her to bed to rest and recover from her experience.

DISCUSSION:

 

Hitty’s thought while in the sofa: “True worth counts for little. It is a hard world for those of us who are not able to keep our complexions.” I think that holds true for today, too.

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I always like the way Clarissa took care of Hitty.

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Imagine Hitty’s hopefulness when she hears children in the attic. Just to hear their voices and know they are nearby. But, of course, when they go back downstairs, Hitty is even lonelier. Finally one day, after spending years trapped in the sofa, the joy of having one of the children put their hand around her.

Hitty spent some of the pleasantest years of her life with Clarissa Pryce. It was less adventurous, but Hitty was to learn a lot as she became Clarissa’s desk companion at the little dame school she attended.

Fortunately for Hitty, Clarissa was very kind and gentle. She was very skillful with a needle and Hitty found her wardrobe being replenished right away. Even though the Pryces were Quakers, Clarissa’s mother let Hitty keep her coral beads as long as Clarissa did not draw attention to them too frequently and the neck of her dress was high enough to keep them from being too conspicuous. I can’t imagine Hitty being without her coral beads. The beads must always remind her of the wonderful time she was having exploring Bombay and shopping with the Prebles. The Captain was kind enough to buy Hitty the beads.