Nelly: or, The best inheritance.: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
Nelly: or, The best inheritance.: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

Nelly: or, The best inheritance. is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Guernsey, Lucy Ellen (1826–1899).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"Nelly; or, The Best Inheritance" by Lucy Ellen Guernsey is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story centers around Nelly Ryan, a thirteen-year-old girl living in poverty with her grandmother, who often experiences feelings of hopelessness and envy when she compares herself to her more privileged peers. The book explores themes of resilience, the pursuit of education, and the importance of personal dignity despite difficult circumstances. At the start of the narrative, readers are introduced to Nelly, who laments her life of hardship as she watches a procession of well-dressed girls going to church. Despite her attractive appearance, Nelly feels ashamed of her ragged clothing and dirty hands. During a chance encounter with a kind young lady named Miss Powell, Nelly receives flowers and a picture card, which ignites a spark of hope in her. Inspired by her brief interaction, Nelly resolves to clean herself up and begins to contemplate her desire for education and a better life. However, her household responsibilities, particularly taking care of the cow and her grandmother's irritable demeanor, present obstacles that she must navigate on her journey towards self-improvement.
Book and edition facts
- Title: Nelly: or, The best inheritance.
- Author credits: Guernsey, Lucy Ellen (1826–1899)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Christian life -- Juvenile fiction
- Faith -- Juvenile fiction
- Grandmothers -- Juvenile fiction
- Honesty -- Juvenile fiction
- Intergenerational relations -- Juvenile fiction
- Irish Americans -- Juvenile fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Children & Young Adult Reading
- Category: Novels
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.


