Bushy

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

78043

Title

Bushy

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Set in the rugged Colorado mining camps of the 1890s, this adventure tale follows Bushy, a spirited young girl who lives with her father and a close-knit community of miners. Blending humor, danger, and heart, the story chronicles Bushy's daring escapades, her loyal companions Rover and Jip, and her harrowing capture by Indigenous warriors. A nostalgic tribute to frontier life, it celebrates courage, loyalty, and the enduring bond between a father and his daughter against the backdrop of wild mountains...

Summary up to 500 words

Bushy: A Romance Founded on Fact by Cynthia May Westover Alden transports readers to the vibrant and dangerous world of Colorado's gold rush era. The narrative centers on Bushy, a tomboyish girl who lives with her father, Mr. Sukolt, in a mining camp populated by colorful characters like the handy Tom, the doctor Shanks, and the wealthy Mr. Hamilton. Bushy's life is defined by her love for adventure, her two loyal companions—a dog named Rover and a pony named Jip—and her refusal to conform to the delicate expectations placed on young girls. The story opens with lighthearted domestic scenes, such as Bushy's prized pink calico dress being ruined when Rover accidentally drags her into a muddy pond, only for her to realize the dog saved her from a hidden hole. As the plot thickens, Bushy's curiosity leads her into increasingly perilous situations. In one major sequence, she ventures into the mountains with her father and the mining crew to cut timber. A sudden flash flood forces them to flee, sweeping horses and logs through the canyon. During the chaos, Bushy's father is knocked unconscious by a falling log, and Bushy and Jip are swept away by the raging current. Bushy is eventually captured by a group of Indigenous people. Held prisoner in a wigwam, she faces the terrifying prospect of death or being taken as a slave. Her escape is a tense sequence of stealth and bravery. She manages to slip past the sleeping camp while Jip, her pony, helps her navigate the darkness. In a moment of desperation, she uses her revolver to stun an Indian boy who threatens her, allowing her and Jip to gallop away into the night. They travel for hours in the dark until Jip, sensing his master's father nearby, leads them back to safety just as dawn breaks. Upon her return, Bushy is reunited with her father, who is relieved but heartbroken by the ordeal. The story concludes with a farewell party at the mine, where Bushy bids emotional goodbyes to her friends and the miners who have become her family. She and her father then depart for New York City, leaving the Rocky Mountain gold-diggers behind. The novel is a charming, fast-paced adventure that highlights themes of resilience, the sanctity of family, and the unpredictable dangers of the frontier, all told with a tone that balances serious peril with the warmth of community and humor.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/78043.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg78043.epub

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Categories

• Historical Fiction
• Family Life
• Frontier Life