The Allis Family

In Short

This work is a mid-19th-century moral tale designed for children, charting the challenges of a family settling on the American frontier. Through the eyes of twin sisters, Annie and Susie, it illustrates the necessity of trust, obedience, and faith in the face of environmental dangers—ranging from prairie fires to freezing winter winds. Published by the American Sunday-School Union, the book serves as both a manual for character development and a glimpse into the arduous, isolated reality of life on the Great Plains during the 1850s.

The Story

The story begins with the Allis family arriving in the West, where the father, a man of strong resolve but perhaps limited foresight, attempts to build a farm on the open prairie. He selects land that is fertile but lacks the vital resources of timber and water, requiring him to spend his days in back-breaking labor to secure materials and sustain his family. His wife, a pious and patient woman, manages the domestic life of their log cabin, raising their twin daughters, Annie and Susie, alongside a young relative named Mary.

The family’s resilience is tested by the harsh climate and the isolation of the frontier. They face the terror of a massive prairie fire that threatens to consume their home and crops. Only through the timely intervention of a neighbor, who directs them to set a "back-fire"—a controlled burn that clears a path to starve the oncoming flames—is the family spared. Following this, the family is struck by the ague, a recurring fever that leaves them weak and exhausted through the winter. As spring finally arrives, the birth of a new baby brings renewed joy, and the twins begin attending a local school.

This transition into the wider world introduces the girls to peer pressure. They start to challenge their parents' rules, influenced by classmates who mock their modest, orderly ways. Annie suffers the consequences of secret disobedience when she hides her shoes to play barefoot, resulting in a painful injury from a thorn while she is distracted by a snake. Susie faces a similar test when a mischievous friend, Jane Smith, tries to lure her into wandering far from home to fetch new bonnets without permission. Both girls learn the hard way that their parents’ restrictions were born of love and experience rather than a desire to stifle their joy.

The culmination of these lessons occurs during a sudden, brutal cold snap. While returning from school, the girls are caught in a ferocious north wind. Despite their intense physical suffering and the temptation to stop at a neighbor's house, they remember their mother's strict command to come straight home. They struggle through the freezing weather, arriving home with frozen fingers. Though they suffer the pain of thawing, they find comfort in their parents' approval. By the end, the girls have internalized the importance of obedience and faith, fully trusting that their parents’ guidance is their greatest protection against the dangers of the vast, wild prairie.

How It Unfolds

The arduous beginning Mr. Allis chooses a homestead on the prairie with little regard for the practical necessities of timber and water. He compensates for this error by rising before dawn to work in the fields or in his shop, laboring to build a home for his wife and twin daughters.

The test of faith The family faces a terrifying prairie fire that sweeps across the landscape, threatening their survival. By following the guidance of a neighbor to set a back-fire, they save their home, cementing their reliance on one another and their gratitude to God.

The temptation of independence As the girls begin school, they encounter outside influences that make their parents' rules feel restrictive. Annie experiences the immediate, painful consequence of her disobedience when she attempts to hide her shoes, learning that secret actions often lead to hidden dangers.

The final trial During a sudden, life-threatening winter storm, the girls prioritize their mother’s commands over their own immediate comfort. Despite the physical cost of the cold, they reach home safely, proving that their obedience has become a fundamental part of their character.

The People

Mr. Allis is a hardworking, determined father who initially lacks the practical wisdom required for prairie life but learns through experience. He provides stability through manual labor, transforming from a man making mistakes to a protector who deeply values his family’s integrity.

Mrs. Allis is the moral center of the family. She is firm but tender, guiding her children toward obedience not through fear, but by teaching them that "love is the golden chain" that binds them to heaven and each other.

Annie and Susie are energetic, loving twins who represent the innocence of childhood. They are eager to please but naturally tempted by peer influence and curiosity. Throughout the book, they shift from impulsive children to thoughtful, disciplined individuals who understand why their parents’ boundaries keep them safe.

Mary acts as an elder sister figure and a steady, reliable helper. Her presence adds to the domestic support system, allowing the family to weather the periods of illness and exhaustion that plague their early years on the prairie.

In Its Own Voice

"No, children, I shall not now tell you why; I have my reasons; and you must trust me now, and wait for an explanation until some future time."

Mrs. Allis explains to her daughters that parental authority must sometimes be accepted on faith before the full logic of a rule is understood.

"I think it would, mother; for it would be very cruel to make anybody suffer, I have heard you say."

Annie demonstrates her growing moral maturity by recognizing that empathy for a stranger is a reason to deny oneself personal pleasure.

"I see you have had a very pleasant time,--much more pleasant than if you had been cross and unkind to each other, or had made a noise to disturb me."

Mrs. Allis teaches the girls that happiness is a direct byproduct of kindness and self-restraint rather than mere self-indulgence.

What It's Really About

At its core, this book is an exploration of the tension between individual desire and the necessity of communal or familial discipline. It argues that in a dangerous environment—symbolized by the untamed, indifferent prairie—unrestricted freedom is a liability. The "golden chain" of love mentioned in the text serves as the argument's foundation: true freedom is found not in doing what one pleases, but in submitting to a higher, loving authority. It posits that children are ill-equipped to judge the risks of the world on their own and that the parental command is a vital buffer against the harsh realities of the frontier, whether those realities are snakes, fire, or the corrupting influence of "naughty" companions.

Why Read It Today

Readers today will find a stark, unvarnished portrait of the 19th-century frontier. It is a slow-paced, earnest read that prioritizes didactic moral lessons over high-octane adventure, though the descriptions of the prairie fire and the freezing wind are genuinely intense. Those interested in the history of juvenile literature will appreciate the explicit, traditionalist worldview of the American Sunday-School Union, which championed obedience and piety as the ultimate virtues.

The book is not without its difficulties. The dialogue is sometimes heavy with moralizing, and the parents' demand for unquestioning obedience—even when the reasons for rules are withheld—may feel alien or overly strict to modern sensibilities. However, for those who enjoy historical fiction that focuses on the domestic reality of pioneer life, this provides an authentic window into a vanished world. You will likely walk away struck by the physical fragility of the characters; the constant threat of nature—the ague, the cold, the fire—is felt on every page. It is a quiet, meditative look at how a family survives when they have nothing but their own hands, their shared faith, and their commitment to one another to lean on.