This Beadle and Adams dime novel—No. 254 in their Pocket Series—presents "The Masked Messenger: The Maid of Gresham Grange" by Herrick Johnstone, a historical romance set during England's Civil War in autumn 1651. The narrative follows the family conflict between Royalist Guy Carlington of Riverton manor and Colonel Robert Challoner of Gresham Grange, a Puritan Roundhead. Guy and Charlotte Challoner, the colonel's sister, are childhood sweethearts separated by political allegiance—she harbors Royalist sympathies despite her brother's devotion to Cromwell. Matters intensify when wounded Captain Luther Ling arrives bearing dispatches from Cromwell's forces regarding the Worcester campaign. The text introduces Sergeant Jeremiah Prim, a hypocritical Puritan soldier, among other supporting characters. The novel combines historical detail with romantic tension and domestic conflict as Civil War politics threaten the bond between siblings and lovers.
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About this artifact
- Date
- March 18, 1884
- Rights
- Public domain — free to view, share, and reuse.
- Restoration
- Digitally restored and hosted by ComicBooks.com.
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