Young Lucretia and Other Stories

by Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman

"Young Lucretia and Other Stories" by Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman is a collection of thirteen short stories published in 1892. Originally appearing in literary magazines between 1887 and 1892, these tales follow children who face moral dilemmas and learn important lessons through their misbehavior. From a girl who deceives her strict aunts about Christmas presents to a six-year-old's anxious errand to the store, each story explores childhood struggles with temptation, honesty, and the consequences of poor choices in late nineteenth-century New England.