The story in one page
Margery Meanwell is left destitute when a landlord evicts her family, leaving her with only one shoe. She eventually acquires a second, earning her nickname. She dedicates her life to educating the local children, promoting common sense, and debunking superstitions about ghosts. Margery survives a harrowing encounter with thieves, saves her pupils from a building collapse, and manages a farm to feed the impoverished. She dies a local hero, bequeathing her land to the hungry, leaving her community to mourn a benefactor who transformed their village through intellect, literacy, and a profound commitment to public service.
Who's who
- Margery Meanwell
An enterprising orphan who becomes the local schoolmistress.
- Mr. Graspall
An avaricious landholder who causes the misery of the poor.
- Sir Timothy
A cruel landlord who works alongside Graspall to exploit villagers.
- Tommy Meanwell
Margery's brother who shares in their early, impoverished struggles.
What it's really about
- Literacy
- Learning to read is presented as the path to stability.
- Superstition
- Reason and evidence are the only cures for imaginary fears.
Why it's memorable
- A dog dragging a teacher out of a schoolhouse seconds before the roof collapses.
- A young woman hiding under straw to eavesdrop on thieves planning a heist.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
Margery dies a local legend, leaving behind a potato-growing legacy for the poor and a stone monument that villagers visit to weep. A gentleman provides a final poem suggesting the community should stop grieving and prepare to meet her in the afterlife.
For your book club
- Why the aggressive insistence on alphabet blocks for children.
- The practical link between farming and village literacy.