In 1911, young Millie Thayer
witnesses the building of a rail line passing through the back pasture of her
family’s farm in Gray, Maine. Electric trolleys that will run from Portland to
Lewiston capture Millie’s imagination and dreams of faraway places. A chance
encounter with a gypsy who sees the future sets Millie on a path that
intersects with former president Theodore Roosevelt and his trolley ride on the
new Narcissus as it passes through
her town. Millie’s fascination with “Mr. Teddy” and her childhood fantasies
guide her actions for the next few years. Ultimately, Millie is faced with one
of life’s harsh realities that casts a shadow on her dreams. In a moving twist,
her answer comes in an unexpected place.
BACK COVER BLURBS:
As
she’s done in her previous books, Jean Flahive expertly rolls back the years,
bringing us back to the arrival of interurban rail service in small-town Maine.
These “electric traveling machines” change young Millie’s life forever, opening
up new worlds of possibility. She visits the city, rides with suffragettes, and
even meets Theodore Roosevelt. An eye-opening and entertaining ride—you won't
want the train to stop! Highly recommended.
Andrew
Vietze, award-winning
author of Becoming Teddy Roosevelt.
As the great-granddaughter
and current holder of the legacy of Sewall House, the history of TR’s
friendship with William Sewall held within its walls, the chapters that include
the story of their friendship is beautifully woven into the touching story of
the girl with the flowers, reflecting both their friendship and my great-grandfather’s
temperament as guide and mentor.
Donna Sewall Davidge, Sewall
House, Island Falls, Maine