The Seed That Fell On Rocky Ground

Sarah E. Walters' unusual book from a century ago reads better than a current novel, yet an appendix of newspaper articles from the period verifies that everything she says is true. Her story is that of an extraordinary ordinary woman with elementary schooling who married a man of her dreams, a doctor, no less, who, in reality, and despite his redeeming qualities, turned out to be an alcoholic, carouser and womanizer who disappeared until shortly before he died. She fought all along to save their marriage and support their children, cleaning floors, working for a restaurant chain and on steamboats, a dangerous occupation allowed to women in those days. She also fought city hall when her boy became addicted to heroin illegally peddled by the drug store, thanks to unethical officials. And for that she was thrown without a hearing into the infamous madhouse where she wrote her book, hoping all the while to go on a book tour to save others from suffering her similar ordeals, but she died while cleaning a floor at the height of the Spanish Influenza. Her book did not see the light of day until this day, and is offered by her great grandson with great respect for good women.