The Purple Parasol by George Barr McCutcheon

The Purple Parasol by George Barr McCutcheon

The Purple Parasol by George Barr McCutcheon, published by A. L. Burt, 1907, Reprint with the Harrison Fisher illustrations.

When an elderly millionaire marries an elegant young woman about town, scandal erupts when she falls for a fashionable play actor. She tells her husband she is going to the mountains for a rest, and it's the straw that breaks the old man's back when he discovers that the lover is heading for the heights as well. Samuel W. Rossiter, Jr., promising young lawyer, is sent to the Adirondacks to get the "evidence" on the wayward lady. Trouble is, he has never laid eyes on the woman or her lover, but the description he is given relies heavily on the fact that she carries a purple parasol. The resulting comic chase is as charming as it is antic.

George Barr McCutcheon (1866 - 1928) was an imaginative writer and considered a member of the Golden Age of Indiana literature, joining the ranks of leading Hoosier authors including Lew Wallace, Booth Tarkington, James Whitcomb Riley and Theodore Dreiser. McCutcheon invented a country in Europe he called Graustark and he wrote several popular novels set in this enchanting realm. The Graustark novels and his other works led to his identification as a romantic writer, but McCutcheon preferred to be thought of as a playwright. His best known novel, Brewster's Millions, has repeatedly been made into movies.

Although The Purple Parasol is an old-fashioned novel, it is fast paced and the writing stands the test of time. Stepping back into a world where telegraphs are the swiftest means of communication and a train to the mountains is the elegant getaway (for a month!) of the well-to-do, the story is refreshing in its simplicity, has a good plot and a fun twist before the romantic end. The novel is short; there is a second story in this volume called The Flyers. The copy available for sale at Greenberry House is handsomely bound and is illustrated with color plates by Harrison Fisher, who was a well-known artist and involved in the discovery of Clara Bow, the "It-Girl."

Greenberry House, 12206 Squirrel Spur Road, Meadows of Dan, VA 24120 Hours: 10 AM to 5 PM Thurs. to Mon. April to mid-November. Closed except by appointment or chance. Mid-November to End of March

OPEN in Our New Location!

Back home at last in the little mountain cottage on the farm

It took longer than I hope but less effort than I thought but now Greenberry House is open at my sweet little cottage on the family farm on Squirrel Spur Road in Meadows of Dan. The yarn is displayed, the book shelves are filling up and there are so many unique vintage gifts and specialty crafts that I can't begin to list them. Here's hoping a picture conveys a thousand words!

Bargain book room!

On sale! Coned yarns for weaving, crocheting or knitting.

Occasionally I've thought I should change the name of the shop to the "It's probably here somewhere" bookstore!

And of course, there is yarn. Beautiful yarns created by local artisans.

Amazing wool and other fibers from local Virginia and North Carolina farmers.

Original hand made designs and wonderful vintage collectibles.

100% American cotton dishcloths and unique vintage gifts.

Delightful little toy cars, made in Italy, and still more unique collectible and hand made items.

Greenberry House, 12206 Squirrel Spur Road, Meadows of Dan, VA 24120 Hours: 10 AM to 5 PM Saturday through Tuesday. April to mid-November. Closed except by appointment or chance. Mid-November to End of March