Book Description

"The Step-Brothers. A Tale" is a moving tale of loyalty and friendship set in France. Just before the commencement of the harvest of the year 1788, several fertile and beautiful provinces of northern France were visited by the most terrible tempest of thunder, hail, rain, and wind that ever was recorded in the annals of history. In this time of great scarcity, God moved the hearts of the inhabitants of the distant provinces (that had been so fortunate as to escape the effects of the tempest) to commiserate the sufferings of those who had lost their all; and many liberal subscriptions were raised for their relief. Those persons who were possessed of much wealth, and who resided in the immediate neighbourhood of the sufferers, threw open their granaries and stores of corn, and sold out the grain at a very low price, to such as could purchase it; and to the very poor, who were in a starving condition, they commissioned a certain portion of bread to be allotted to each family, according to their wants. Among those noblemen who were the most remarked for their generosity to their poor neighbours, there was none showed a more benevolent spirit than the seigneur of a little village in the Pontoise district. This worthy man left no means untried, by which he could lessen the distresses of his people. As he gave out bread one day, an unkempt young man pushed his way to the front, begging to be given the last piece of bread for himself and his brother and their dog. The priest was puzzled by the mystery of the young man, who was a stranger to their village...