Anne's terrible good nature, and other stories for children

In Short

This collection of eleven domestic tales paints a affectionate, episodic picture of Edwardian childhood in England. Across varied stories, children encounter eccentric adults, manage small windfalls, repair broken toys, navigate the bustle of London, and attempt grand gestures of kindness that frequently backfire. Edward Verrall Lucas writes with light-hearted humor and quiet observation, capturing the intense seriousness with which young people treat their daily projects. The book has endured because it treats children’s ambitions, missteps, and moral dilemmas with genuine warmth and respect, framing everyday life as a series of charming, low-stakes adventures.

The Story

The book gathers eleven distinct narratives centered on the misadventures, bright ideas, and quiet discoveries of English children. In the title story, young Anne Bayes possesses an irrepressible urge to help others, though her good intentions regularly lead to awkward complications. After inviting an impoverished pedlar woman into her family’s train compartment, she earns both a gold sovereign from a cousin and a gentle reprimand from her father, who reminds her that brains must control generous impulses. Undeterred by warnings, Anne continues her well-meant interventions in the lives of neighbours and strangers alike.

In other tales, children encounter the unexpected consequences of sudden pocket money or curious social encounters. Alison Muirhead, while walking her terrier Thomson in Kensington Gardens, befriends an elderly gentleman who shares the dog's name. When the gentleman vanishes from his usual bench, he leaves behind a generous gift of a thousand threepenny bits. Alison and her brother carefully divide the funds, spending portions on picture postcards for workhouse residents, a silver collar for the dog, and a sturdy old bureau writing-desk complete with a secret drawer. Elsewhere, young Roderick Bulstrode experiences absolute triumph when he accompanies his father on a cricket tour to Sheffield, proudly carrying equipment alongside famous players and watching his father hit boundaries against county bowlers.

Misunderstandings and small rescues form the backbone of several other episodes. In "The Monkey's Revenge," a little girl named Clara suffers heartbreak at a toy shop, only to receive a extravagant doll and a apologetic note from an elderly gentleman whose striking facial features she had unintentionally insulted. "The Notice-Board" features Christopher and Claire Morgan, who attempt to alter their quiet neighbourhood by replacing a street sign prohibiting organ grinders with one eagerly inviting them. In "The Miss Bannisters' Brother," young Roy Tiverton travels miles to seek out an elderly recluse known for fixing broken toys so that his injured sister's beloved Parisienne doll can be mended. Meanwhile, "The Anti-burglars" follows children who secretively break into a lonely handyman’s shed to leave a brand-new transport truck without his knowledge.

The collection also branches into whimsical perspectives and historical curiosity. "A Day in the Life of a Shilling" tracks a silver coin as it travels from a girl's forgotten piggy bank to a flower shop, onto a racecourse, into a Lockhart's refreshment-room to buy food for a poor family, and finally into the till of a circus ticket-office. Through each story, the children navigate small moral lessons, learn the value of restraint, and discover the quiet satisfaction of doing good.

How It Unfolds

Anne's misguided generosity Anne invites a needy pedlar woman into a clean train carriage, receiving a gold sovereign from a relative but earning a firm lesson from her father on using judgment alongside kindness.

The windfall of threepenny bits Alison befriends an elderly gentleman in the park who later leaves her a thousand silver coins, which she and her brother systematically spend on charitable postcards, a dog collar, and an old writing bureau.

Roderick at the cricket ground Young Roderick travels with his father's cricket team to Sheffield, proudly mingling with famous players at the nets and watching his father face formidable county bowling.

A gesture of restitution After Clara is denied a doll because of a stray comment about an old man's appearance, the gentleman sends the exact doll to her home accompanied by a full wardrobe and a penitent letter.

Changing the street signs Christopher and Claire attempt to bring music to their suburban street by crafting a customized notice-board that invites street musicians rather than forbidding them.

The mission to Dormstaple Roy journeys to find the mysterious brother of the Misses Bannister, persuading the elderly recluse to leave his house for the first time in twenty years to repair his sister's broken doll.

The anti-burglar operation Mary and her allies hatch a scheme to secretly break into an obstinate handyman's shed at night in order to leave him a much-needed new handtruck without wounding his pride.

The travels of a silver coin A circulating shilling details its day-long journey through the hands of flower sellers, churchgoers, gamblers, hungry labourers, and circus fans.

The People

• Anne Bayes wants to extend immediate, unbounded charity to anyone in distress. Her impulsiveness frequently embarrasses her family or creates chaotic situations, forcing her father to remind her to govern her emotions with common sense. Through her mishaps, she slowly learns to combine generosity with practical judgment.

• Alison Muirhead desires to spend a sudden financial windfall responsibly and thoughtfully. Constrained by her limited experience with money, she relies on her brother and father to help allocate her thousand threepenny bits between practical gifts for strangers and a lasting piece of furniture for herself.

• Roderick Bulstrode wants nothing more than to participate in the grand world of adult cricket and see his father excel. His eager presence wins over the older athletes, and his journey leaves him with an enduring pride in his father's athletic skill.

• Roy Tiverton seeks a remedy for his bedridden sister's grief over a broken Parisienne doll. Braving a long trek to a neighbouring town, he confronts a set of secretive elderly siblings and successfully coaxes their reluctant brother out of decades of isolation.

• Sir Franklin Ingleside is a wealthy, quiet bachelor living in Berkeley Square who seeks meaningful ways to distribute his fortune. His encounter with young Matilda Beacon prompts him to fund a temporary toy-shop venture, finding quiet joy in the small practical gifts she selects for her family and neighbours.

In Its Own Voice

“We must, dear Anne, be a little careful how we exercise even so amiable a quality as kindness of heart.”

Mr. Bayes offers this gentle counsel to his daughter on the train ride home after her hasty generosity creates an uncomfortable situation in their carriage.

“‘Organs and street cries invited!’ she exclaimed. ‘Why, I never heard such a thing in my life. They drive me frantic.’”

An elderly resident of Westerham Gardens reacts with complete astonishment when two children present her with a homemade replacement for her restrictive neighborhood sign.

“I value that very highly; that is the profit that I made out of a toy-shop which I once kept.”

Sir Franklin Ingleside points to a bright yellow and scarlet woollen kettle-holder hanging by his fireplace, given to him by a young girl he befriended.

What It's Really About

Beneath its cozy suburban settings and lighthearted incidents, the book explores the complex nature of juvenile empathy. It repeatedly asks how children can learn to navigate the adult world with genuine compassion without causing accidental harm through misplaced zeal. The stories contrast the instinctual, unfiltered generosity of youth with the practical restraint required by civilized society.

Money and class also form a steady undercurrent throughout the collection. The narratives frequently examine how financial resources—whether a single shilling, a small pile of threepenny bits, or immense inherited wealth—can be used to build connections across social boundaries. Lucas suggests that true charity requires imagination, humility, and a willing respect for the dignity of the recipient.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate classic British domestic fiction, traditional children's literature, and warm period vignettes will find much to enjoy in this collection. It offers an atmospheric, unhurried glimpse into late-Edwardian England, filled with hansom cabs, bustling London parks, quiet country villages, and traditional toy shops. The writing possesses a clear, buoyant rhythm and a subtle ironical humor that appeals to adults reading aloud as much as to young readers exploring the chapters on their own.

Modern readers should be prepared for the book's episodic structure, as it functions as a collection of independent stories rather than a single continuous novel. The prose reflects the deliberate pacing and refined vocabulary of early twentieth-century publishing, complete with period social hierarchies and traditional gender roles. Some readers may notice the gentle moralizing typical of the era, though it is consistently tempered by the author's light touch and affectionate understanding of childhood flaws. The book remains a delightful, reassuring read that honors the seriousness of young people's intentions while celebrating the quiet pleasures of everyday kindness.