The Law and Miss Mary is set in St. Louis in 1840. While I am not from that area, I did grow up on the Mississippi River and love tales that revolve around it and steamboats and such. It was quite easy for me to picture the setting for this story... the boats and the scoundrels that frequent the docks. But the foe Miss Mary, new to St. Louis, finds herself fighting is not on the docks... he's in the mayor's office. It seems the "fine" people of St. Louis don't like seeing the orphan children on the streets... much like "fine" people today who complain about the homeless. They want them to go away, but are unwilling to do anything to help their plight.
Mary steps in to rescue a young lad named Ben and before she knows it she has a house full of children, but there are still many more who need help. The Captain of the police feels for the children and Mary, but he has plans... to advance politically and socially... and being a do-gooder will not help his efforts... in fact, it may hinder them. When the mayor passes a law that any child under the age of 12 found on the streets without an adult shall be arrested, the Captain realizes he has to reevaluate his dreams and goals.
The Law and Miss Mary is a nice read, especially for those of us who enjoy Historic settings. This was my first encounter with the author, Dorothy Clark. I look forward to reading more of her works in the future
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