Rebecca Blaine Harding Davis bola americká autorka a novinárka, považovaná za priekopníčku literárneho realizmu v americkej literatúre. Svojím dielom sa zámerne venovala postaveniu marginalizovaných skupín 19. storočia, vrátane černochov, žien, domorodých Američanov, imigrantov a robotníckej triedy. Svojím písaním sa usilovala o spoločenskú zmenu a poukazovala na ich ťažkosti. Jej vplyvný text z roku 1861 jej rýchlo zaistil postavenie uznávanej autorky a definoval jej literárny odkaz.
Rebecca Harding Davis's classic story illustrates the desperately hard lives of immigrants working in an American industrial town. The language has been updated for modern readers, but the plot and characters are just as she told them. Includes the original version in an appendix and an essay from a modern scholar.
Set against the backdrop of 19th-century industrial America, the story follows Margret Howth, a determined orphan who works as a clerk in a cotton mill. As she navigates the harsh realities faced by industrial workers, the narrative highlights the socio-economic challenges and personal aspirations in a time of inequality. Margret's romantic entanglements with various suitors reflect different societal facets, while the novel critiques the tensions between the working class and the industrial elite. It is notable for its realistic depiction of industrial life and early feminist themes.