The Log of the "Jolly Polly"

In Short

This narrative centers on a down-on-his-luck novelist whose career has faded along with the public's taste for historical romance. When a wealthy, eccentric couple approaches him with an absurd proposal to adopt him as their son and heir, he travels to their coastal town to investigate the offer anonymously. What begins as a cynical observation of a "folly" transforms into a genuine search for identity and love. It has lasted as a charming, witty exploration of the tension between material security and the freedom of self-reliance.

The Story

Fletcher Farrell, a writer whose swashbuckling heroes have fallen out of favor with a public now obsessed with "true to life" grit, finds himself in desperate financial straits. Into his life walks a wealthy, self-made Irishman and his wife, also named Farrell, who insist that he is the long-lost son they have been looking for. They offer him five million dollars, an opulent estate called Harbor Castle, and a massive steam yacht, all to be his upon their passing. Skeptical but tempted, Farrell accepts a friend’s challenge to investigate the couple under the alias "Frederick Fitzgibbon."

He travels to Fairharbor, the site of the Farrells' estate, intending to play the detective. There, he encounters a beautiful young woman named Polly Briggs, who works in a bookstore and harbors a fierce sense of independence. Smitten, Farrell adopts the persona of an automobile salesman to get close to her. He finds himself caught in a double deception: he is spying on his prospective "parents" while simultaneously hiding his true identity from the woman he has fallen in love with.

As he spends time in the area, he realizes the Farrells are not the cartoons he initially assumed, but lonely people desperate for family. Simultaneously, his relationship with Polly deepens as they bond over literature and a shared desire for a simple, honest life. The ruse eventually collapses when Polly discovers his true identity through a registration error in a car manual. However, the revelation leads to a startling discovery: Polly is actually the estranged niece of the elder Mrs. Farrell, having rejected the family's wealth to work for her own living.

The couple decides to reject the adoption offer in favor of a quiet, humble life in a small cottage by the sea. They eventually succumb to the Farrells' pleas to marry at Harbor Castle, turning the wedding into a chaotic, opulent affair. In the end, the elder Farrells, having finally secured a connection to the couple, gift them the yacht, which is rechristened the Jolly Polly. The protagonist concludes that the true treasure was not the inheritance, but the chance to build a life with someone who valued him for himself rather than his social utility.

How It Unfolds

The proposal of inheritance A wealthy couple contacts a fading author with an offer to adopt him as their son and heir, promising a life of ease. The author, struggling with debt and a declining career, is initially bewildered but intrigued by their persistence.

The undercover investigation Spurred by a friend, the author travels to the couple’s coastal home under a false name to verify their character and wealth. He aims to see if the "Harbor Castle" estate is as magnificent—or as hollow—as the rumors suggest.

A meeting in the bookstore While scouting the town, the author encounters a captivating bookstore clerk and misrepresents himself as a car salesman to win her favor. This charade creates a web of lies that complicates his investigation and his burgeoning romance.

The mask begins to slip As the author balances his secret identity with his affection for the clerk, he realizes she is actually related to his would-be benefactors. The truth emerges, forcing him to choose between the life of a wealthy heir and the life he wants to build with her.

The resolution of the folly The couple eventually accepts their fate, rejecting the offer of adoption while reconciling with their wealthy relatives. They secure their own small cottage, finding that their mutual independence is worth more than the yacht and fortune they eventually inherit.

The People

Fletcher Farrell is the protagonist, a once-successful writer now facing the harsh reality of being a "has-been." His vanity and desire for security initially drive him to entertain the adoption offer, but his experiences in Fairharbor reveal a hidden capacity for sincerity and love. He ends the story having shed his obsession with fame, finding fulfillment in a partner who truly knows him.

Polly Briggs is the bookstore clerk who captures Farrell's heart. She is defined by her staunch refusal to rely on her wealthy relatives or anyone else for support. Her independence serves as a mirror for Farrell, challenging his assumptions about status and forcing him to be honest about his own pretensions.

The elder Farrells are the wealthy, impulsive benefactors. They are portrayed as both eccentric and profoundly lonely, seeking to "purchase" a familial connection because they have no one else. Their growth is found in their eventual acceptance of the couple's desire for a quiet life, moving from demanding "owners" of a son to supportive relatives.

In Its Own Voice

"My books and plays had flourished in the dark age of the historical-romantic novel."

The author reflects on his past professional success, noting that his popularity peaked before the public turned toward modern, grittier narratives.

"I want you two to see the world."

After the wedding, the elder Farrell grants the young couple the use of his yacht, signaling a shift from his earlier attempts to control their lives through inheritance.

What It's Really About

At its heart, the book is a meditation on the cost of comfort. It poses a fundamental question: is it possible to accept extreme wealth without surrendering one’s own agency? The narrative argues that personal identity is fragile and easily lost when it is tethered to the expectations of others, especially wealthy benefactors who view a person as a "social asset." The protagonist’s journey from a man who wants to be "taken care of" to a man who chooses the struggle of a simple life is a critique of the era's obsession with status. It suggests that true worth—and true love—can only exist in a relationship where the participants stand on equal, independent ground, free from the entanglements of inherited or unearned power.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy a light, old-fashioned romantic comedy will find much to admire in this story. It captures the charm of early 20th-century American life, with its sweeping verandas, steam yachts, and the specific, polite anxieties of the upper-middle class. The prose is clean and rhythmic, moving with a confident, jaunty pace that makes the absurdity of the "adoption" plot feel like a natural, if humorous, occurrence.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the period-typical attitudes that permeate the text. The author’s view of women—at times objectifying them as "menaces" to be masked—is a relic of the era, as is the casual dismissal of certain social classes. The protagonist’s constant maneuvering and lying to win a woman's heart might also feel grating to some. Yet, there is a refreshing honesty in the way the author acknowledges his own fading relevance; he is self-deprecating about his "scrapped" novels and his own financial failures. It is a warm, slightly cynical, yet ultimately sentimental book. It stays with you not because of the stakes—which are largely inconsequential—but because of the central, enduring fantasy: the chance to shed one's mistakes, start over in a quiet coastal town, and be loved for exactly who one is.