Dorothy

In Short

Evelyn Raymond's Dorothy introduces an abandoned infant left in a wicker wagon on the doorstep of mail carrier John Chester and his wife, Martha. Raised with unconditional devotion in their humble Baltimore home, twelve-year-old Dorothy faces sudden upheaval when John collapses on his route and is hospitalized. Sent to fetch his pay, Dorothy vanishes into the countryside, leading to a frantic search dominated by rumors of kidnapping and rewards. Rescued from harsh farm labor by the loyal lad Jim Barlow and a spirited wealthy patron, Dorothy is restored to her adopted parents at a new mountain sanctuary.

The Story

The narrative begins on a spring morning in Baltimore, Maryland, when Martha Chester opens the front door of her brick house on Brown Street to discover an abandoned baby in a wicker carriage. A card attached to the infant’s coat reads, "My name is Dorothy C. I have come to be your daughter." Martha and her husband, John, a warm-hearted postal carrier known locally as the "whistling postman," instantly absorb the child into their home and hearts. Over the next twelve years, Dorothy grows into an imaginative, affectionate, and spirited girl whose fleeting ambitions range from painting and classical vocal music to literature.

Tragedy strikes the comfortable household when John Chester suffers a physical collapse after years of hard service. Five doctors agree on his grave condition, and he is admitted to the Johns Hopkins Hospital, leaving the family without an income. Determined to help her struggling family, Dorothy sets off into a violent rainstorm to navigate the unfamiliar city streets to find the hospital, enduring the misguided warnings of a young grocery messenger who paints a terrifying picture of medical institutions. Though she reaches her father, financial ruin looms over the Chesters. Dorothy attempts to take over her father’s mail beat, pitching the idea directly to the postmaster, but is gently turned away due to her youth.

The family resolves to let their city home to country tenants, Mr. and Mrs. Jones, and relocate to a cheap rural cottage to allow John to recover. Before they can depart, Dorothy is sent to the post office to collect the monthly ten-dollar envelope sent anonymously by her unknown birth parents. On her way back, she disappears without a trace. The city papers erupt with sensational headlines speculating on her kidnapping or murder, while local postal workers pool funds to offer a reward for her return.

In reality, Dorothy has been taken into the country, ending up on a remote truck farm managed by the stern Mrs. Stott. Weakened by illness, Dorothy suffers through a severe bout of measles while locked away in the farmhouse. Her sole companions are Tiger, a protective mastiff, and Jim Barlow, a simple, hardworking farm lad whose unyielding sense of right and wrong drives him to protect her. Recognizing Dorothy's distress and the danger of her predicament, Jim resolves to help her escape.

Together, the two children flee across the countryside on foot, pursued by bounty-seeking local constabulary aware of the five-hundred-dollar reward. As Dorothy's injured foot and exhaustion nearly bring them to a halt, their plight catches the eye of Mrs. Cecil, a wealthy, spirited gentlewoman driving her carriage along the road. Stirred by the chase, Mrs. Cecil rescues the exhausted children, sheltering them from their pursuers. She delivers Dorothy to "Skyrie," a vine-covered stone cottage perched on a hilltop, reuniting the girl with Martha and the wheelchair-bound John, while offering Jim a fresh start at her nearby estate.

How It Unfolds

The doorstep surprise Martha Chester finds an abandoned baby girl in a wicker wagon outside her brick home, accompanied by a brief note bestowing the child's name. She and her postman husband, John, instantly adopt the child as their own, raising her with intense affection in Baltimore.

A crushing blow Twelve years later, John Chester collapses from physical exhaustion on his mail route and is admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dorothy braves a terrible rainstorm and frightening urban superstitions to reach his bedside, where the family must confront their sudden loss of income.

Fallen ambitions Dorothy seeks to secure her father's mail route by appealing directly to the postmaster, who kindly denies her request while advising her against keeping secrets. Meanwhile, the family makes arrangements to lease their home to rural tenants and move to the country for John's recovery.

The sudden disappearance Sent to retrieve the regular ten-dollar note sent by her secret benefactor, Dorothy fails to return home. Sensationalized newspaper reports broadcast fears of kidnapping and murder, while local postal workers raise a reward fund for any news of her whereabouts.

Captivity on the farm Dorothy awakens on a isolated truck farm run by the rigid Mrs. Stott, where she falls dangerously ill with the measles. She survives the ordeal through the quiet kindness of a farm boy, Jim Barlow, and the unexpected affection of a farm mastiff named Tiger.

Flight through the hedges Realizing Dorothy needs to return home, Jim Barlow guides the injured girl on a desperate escape across fields and lanes. They are relentlessly pursued by a local constable eager to capture the missing girl for the reward money.

A dramatic rescue Witnessing the chase from her passing carriage, the wealthy Mrs. Cecil orders her driver to intervene and save the fleeing children. She safely transports them away from their pursuers, bringing Jim into her service and carrying Dorothy toward a long-awaited reunion.

Reunion at Skyrie Mrs. Cecil delivers Dorothy to Skyrie, a charming hilltop stone cottage, where John and Martha Chester wait with open arms. The family is joyously restored to one another, leaving the lingering mystery of Dorothy's origin to be unraveled in future days.

The People

• Dorothy C. wants to support her working-class foster parents and solve her family's sudden hardship, but her extreme youth and naive, overly imaginative nature frequently leave her vulnerable. Through severe illness, physical captivity, and a grueling cross-country flight, she transforms from an overly sheltered city girl into a resilient, courageous youth who deeply appreciates her family.
• John Chester desires only to protect his wife and adopted daughter from hardship, but his sudden physical collapse and long-term invalidism prevent him from working his long-held postal beat. Forced into a wheelchair, he must learn to accept help and rely on the kindness of others while holding fast to his deep love for Dorothy.
• Martha Chester seeks to maintain an immaculate home and keep her family intact despite crushing financial strain. Her quiet, pragmatic resilience holds the household together during John's hospitalization and Dorothy's terrifying absence.
• Jim Barlow is a lanky, simple farm youth whose core desire is to fulfill his daily duty, regardless of personal cost or lack of reward. His steadfast moral compass drives him to defy his harsh employer, carry the injured Dorothy across miles of back roads, and ultimately earn a promising new life through his bravery.
• Mrs. Cecil is an affluent, independent woman who longs for excitement and purpose. Moved by her old sporting instincts and inherent generosity, she intervenes to save the fleeing children, providing the Chesters with a hilltop home and taking Jim under her wing.

In Its Own Voice

"One spring morning Mrs. John Chester opened the front door of her little brick house and screamed."

On a quiet Baltimore street, a childless woman discovers the wicker baby-wagon left upon her marble step, setting the plot in motion.

"Laws, honey, I reckon yo' mus' be 'quick'! But de quickes' yo' is ain' half quick enough."

A young grocery messenger warns a panicked Dorothy against entering the local hospital to find her father, reflecting the neighborhood superstitions she encounters during her search.

"Drive, drive, Ephraim, drive! Kill the horses--save those children!"

Mrs. Cecil reacts with sudden vigor upon spotting the exhausted Jim carrying Dorothy along the honeysuckle hedges while pursued by mounted men.

What It's Really About

Dorothy explores the nature of adoptive family ties, contrasting true parental devotion against mere biological origin. The narrative places deep value on moral integrity, showing how domestic happiness relies far more on mutual affection and sacrifice than on material wealth. Evelyn Raymond highlights the stark vulnerabilities faced by working-class families when a primary wage-earner falls ill, demonstrating how quickly a stable home can be threatened by unexpected crisis. Additionally, the book contrasts the naive, romantic fantasies of childhood with the grounded, unselfish sense of duty demonstrated by figures like Jim Barlow. Through Dorothy's journey, the text asserts that real character is forged not through artistic ambition or high status, but through active compassion, loyalty, and endurance under pressure.

Why Read It Today

Dorothy appeals to readers who enjoy classic domestic fiction, early twentieth-century juvenile adventures, and heartwarming family dynamics. The narrative moves at a gentle yet engaging pace, offering vivid glimpses into historical Baltimore life, from tidy brick houses with scrubbed marble steps to the bustling routines of city mail carriers and hospital wards.

Modern readers should note that the text reflects the period attitudes and literary conventions of its era (1907). It includes rendered regional dialects and stereotypical representations of minor working-class and African American characters that read as dated today. Furthermore, the plot relies on classic melodramatic tropes—such as mysterious benefactors, sudden illnesses, and convenient coincidences.

Despite these period markers, the book retains its charm through its warm depiction of parental love and the steadfast friendship between Dorothy and Jim Barlow. It leaves a lasting impression of sweetness, celebrating the simple virtues of honesty, devotion, and the comforting security of home.