Authors, companions, and essayists: Sarah Orne Jewett and Annie Adams Fields are renowned not only for their colorful literary depictions of New England life in the mid-to-late-1800s, but also for the devoted decades they shared with one another in their Bostonian homesteads. The Daylily Library’s Special Ephemera Collection welcomes rich photographic aids, courtesy of The Sarah Orne Jewett House, which provide insight into the shared lives of Jewett and Fields. These photographs, as well as works published by both authors, are currently available for viewing both online and in-person.
A Marsh Island by
Embellished with picturesque descriptions, "A Marsh Island" is one of Jewett's extraordinary works. The narration follows an artist on the journey of self-discovery. Presenting the conventional role of women in a charming manner, this work subtly hints at the liberty of women and their desire to assert themselves. A thought-provoking work!
A Shelf of Old Books by
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger PublishingA AcentsAcentsa A-Acentsa Acentss Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of intere
A White Heron and Other Stories by
In the title story, a young girl--out walking with her only friend, a cow named Mistress Moolly--finds the nest of a rare bird. When a handsome young hunter passes by, she must decide whether or not to reveal the nest to him. Other charming, luminous stories of New England village life include "The Gray Man," "Farmer Finch," "Marsh Rosemary," "The Dulham Ladies," and more.
Deephaven by
A classic book in which two close friends go to a deceased aunt's cottage on the coast of Maine, for the summer.
Memories of a Hostess by 
Image Credit | Image Credit | Image Credit
A collaboration between our Archives and The Daylily Library itself, "Ephemera" is a collection of archival material pertaining to the life and work of a highlighted author, artist, or other creative. The term "ephemera" refers to pieces that are intended to exist only for a short period of time: such as sheet music, photographs, documentation, etc. Alongside these pieces, "Ephemera" intends to highlight the contributions of these creatives through the availability of their published literature and an insight into their work.
For any questions regarding this collection, please get in touch with our Archives staff by visiting our Archives & Special Collections desk, or contacting the Library remotely.
Call Us: (503) 007-1957
Email Us: archives@daylilylbr.com
The Winter 2023 Exhibit, in partnership with the Sarah Orne Jewett House, presents Library visitors with the writings, photography, and letter exchanges of Sarah Orne Jewett and Annie Adams Fields: two 19th-century writers who entertained a decades-long companionship with one another. Located in South Berwick, Maine, the Sarah Orne Jewett House is preserved and upkept by Historic New England. Through this partnership, the lives of these two women are made accessible to scholars, readers, and Library visitors here in the Pacific Northwest.
"Theodora Sarah Orne Jewett, as she was born, was a namesake of her father, Dr. Theodore Jewett, and grandfather, retired seaman and prosperous business owner, Captain Theodore Jewett. She was also the namesake of her paternal grandmother, Sarah Orne Jewett, who died before she was born. Seeming to have always been called Sarah by family and friends, Jewett dropped the Theodora entirely by adulthood. However, her birth name was in some ways prophetic; Jewett was at once tomboy, with one friend nicknaming her “Dear Boy,” and comfortable in the feminine realm, admiring her sister Mary’s purchase of blue silk for her dress and playing with dolls."
- The Sarah Orne Jewett House
"In her formative years, Jewett already began to question for herself the traditional role of women in society. Of her cousin Helen Gilman’s wedding, she wrote in her diary, (October 7, 1867) “…Heaps of tuberoses, orange blossoms and white roses … after Helen Williams Gilman was no more, they went up and congratulated her.” At the same time, she enjoyed infatuations with girlhood friends like Cicely Burt, with whom she exchanged rings, and whose marriage disappointed her."
- The Sarah Orne Jewett House
"After her first story was published, Jewett, writing under the pen name A.C. Eliot, persevered through several rejections before a second story, “Mr. Bruce,” was published by The Atlantic Monthly in 1869. Several other pieces by Jewett were rejected by the magazine until newly promoted editor William Dean Howells published “Shore House”—written by S. O. Jewett—with revisions, four years later, in 1873. With Howells' encouragement, Sarah Orne Jewett collected “Shore House” and other sketches into her first novel, Deephaven, published in 1877."
- The Sarah Orne Jewett House
"Jewett’s first novel, Deephaven (1877) was a success, propelling Jewett into the world of New England’s literary inner circle. At the center of this elite group were Jewett’s publisher, James T. Fields, and his wife Annie Fields, and it was at their home that Jewett met and became friends with some of the most noted writers, poets, and artists of the day. In 1882, after the sudden death of James T. Fields, Sarah went on a condolence visit to Mrs. Fields. A typical condolence visit at that time lasting three weeks, Sarah stayed three months and from then on, the two were virtually inseparable—they fell in love."
- The Sarah Orne Jewett House
"Jewett and Fields moved through society as couple. Theirs was a mutually supportive and nurturing relationship. Annie Fields, a brilliant society hostess, was also deeply involved with social reform and women’s causes, including education and suffrage. In Jewett, she had a partner with whom she could focus on these passions; in Fields, Jewett had found a love in which she could keep her strong identity and focus on her writing career. They had numerous close friends, travelled to Europe, and when apart, wrote letters to each other, Jewett writing to Fields virtually daily and presumably Fields returning the same (most of Fields’ letters to Jewett were destroyed)."
- The Sarah Orne Jewett House
"At first, the placement of a mirror in the corner of Sarah’s bedroom seems puzzling; its height and angle seem to serve no obvious function. A closer look reveals Sarah’s purpose: the mirror reflects the portrait of Annie Fields on the mantel. A mirror atop a chest of drawers in the room also reflects the portrait. Standing from any angle in the room, Jewett could see her beloved Annie."
- The Sarah Orne Jewett House