Project Gutenberg 2010-05-16 Public domain in the USA. 74 Marquis, Reina Melcher 1881 The Torch Bearer Produced by Al Haines "The Torch Bearer" by Reina Melcher Marquis is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story centers around Peter Burnett, a young schoolmaster, and his interactions with the charming but peculiar Sheila, an orphan girl he teaches at a girls’ seminary run by Mrs. Caldwell. The book explores themes of growth, mentorship, and artistic aspiration in the delicate framework of Southern society in Shadyville, Kentucky. The opening of the narrative introduces Peter Burnett as he enjoys the freedom of a weekend away from teaching, offering a glimpse into his character—intelligent yet somewhat indifferent to societal expectations. As he strolls through Shadyville, Peter encounters Mrs. Caldwell, who brings his attention to Sheila, her beloved granddaughter. Their conversation reveals Sheila's extraordinary intellect and imaginative nature, reminiscent of a budding poet, which Mrs. Caldwell is worried may isolate her from the world. The chapter deftly establishes Peter’s role as a mentor to Sheila, hinting at his own internal struggles and desires for a more engaging life, setting the stage for the relationships and conflicts that will unfold throughout the novel. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 80.9 (6th grade). Easy to read. en Married women -- Fiction Women authors -- Fiction Mothers -- Fiction PS Text Category: Novels Category: American Literature 325934 2025-07-13T08:37:11.084376 text/html 320857 2021-01-06T14:39:40 text/html 182314 2025-07-13T08:37:16.555312 application/epub+zip 187419 2025-07-13T08:37:12.666323 application/epub+zip 187418 2025-07-13T08:37:11.650334 application/epub+zip 326684 2025-07-13T08:37:19.471821 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 310586 2025-07-13T08:37:15.967319 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 286118 2022-09-15T04:30:00.607565 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 301767 2025-07-13T08:37:10.264324 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 301580 2021-01-06T14:39:40 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 301571 2021-01-06T14:39:40 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 20983 2025-07-13T08:37:19.602782 application/rdf+xml 11585 2025-07-13T08:37:12.141342 image/jpeg 3193 2025-07-13T08:37:11.891335 image/jpeg 114228 2021-01-06T14:39:40 application/octet-stream application/zip 117029 2021-01-06T14:39:40 application/octet-stream application/zip 114190 2021-01-06T14:39:40 application/octet-stream application/zip 176582 2025-07-13T08:37:11.110359 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog