Daddy-Long-Legs is an endearing story written by Jean Webster and first published in 1912. Strongly romantic in a turn of the century fashion, it is still worth reading.
Story Summary
Daddy-Long-Legs is the story of an orphan by the name of Jerusha Abbot whose first name was found on a tombstone and whose last name was taken from the phone book by the head mistress of the asylum where she grew up. Jerusha spent her entire young life in an orphanage first as an orphan and then, because she showed promise, as an employee. By working at the orphanage, Jerusha received her high school education for ‘free.’ The story opens with Jerusha on the first Wednesday of the month, the day the trustees came to visit. As the oldest orphan, it was Jerusha’s job to keep order among the younger children. However, this ‘blue Wednesday,’ as Jerusha dubbed the monthly event, would mark the turning point in her life.
Jerusha receives a scholarship from one of the trustees who appreciated her writing ability and laughed at her humorous essay “Blue Wednesday.” In exchange for the privilege of being educated in a girl’s college, Jerusha is to write a monthly letter to her anonymous benefactor. As she leaves the interview informing her of her new situation, Jerusha sees the shadow of the last trustee, who is hurriedly leaving the orphanage, thrown up on the wall as a distorted shadow. The shadow looked like a wavering daddy-long-legs to Jerusha. Because of the strong emotional impression of that shadow, she gives the faceless man the name Daddy-Long-Legs.
Style of the Book
The rest of the book is written as a series of letters to Daddy-Long-Legs as Jerusha makes her way through four years of college and embarks on her career as a writer. The ending is a bit implausible if highly romantic as was the style in the early 1900’s. However, for the emotionally inclined of this world (myself included) it is a nice piece.
The letters that Jerusha writes to Daddy-Long-Legs are in turns humorous and revealing. Author Jean Webster, carefully combines the candor of an openhearted girl with revealing tidbits about the life of orphans at that time. The letters are occasionally illustrated with whimsical stick figures and line drawings pertaining to events of importance to Jerusha.
Why Bother to Read this Book
Daddy-Long-Legs is a thoroughly enjoyable and easy to read book. Near the end, Judy as Jerusha nicknames herself writes Daddy that she has discovered the secret to happiness. She says,
“You can have extensive farming and intensive farming; well, I am going to have intensive living after this. I am going to enjoy every second, and I am going to know I am enjoying it while I’m enjoying it. Most people don’t live; they just race. They are trying to reach some goal far away on the horizon, and in the heat of the going they get so breathless and panting that they lose all sight of the beautiful country they are passing through; and then the first thing they know, they are old and worn out, and it doesn’t make any difference whether they’ve reached the goal or not. I’ve decided to sit down by the way and pile up a lot of little happinesses.”
The letters, which make the body of this book, are full of descriptions of the little happinesses and that is the reason this little known gem is a delight to read and worth the time.
To learn more about the author of this book, read Jean Webster: Humanitarian and Author. For another romantic book from the turn-of-the century, try The Magic Garden by Gene Stratton Porter..
