Finished: The Able McLaughlins (Wilson) The 1924 Pulitzer Prize winner about a community of Scottish immigrants who have settled in Iowa during the Civil War years...and specifically about the McLaughlin family. We find out quickly enough that the McLaughlin's have thirteen children, but the story focuses on their beloved son, Wully, who has been to fight in the Civil War. He arrives home one day after being held as a prisoner of war in the south. He has escaped and takes refuge at home! His mother, father and siblings are beyond delighted, but after nursing Wully back to health, realize that he's got to go back to the army. Before he goes, though, he runs an errand for his mother and meets neighboring farm girl, Chirstie. He is immediately smitten, as is she. They share an emotional kiss, and then he is off back to the war. He's kept under lock and key by his own army, as are all the soldiers who escaped, but didn't come right back so were considered deserters. Finally, a northern general pooh poohs that idea and frees the young men, but Wully is once again sick and after a few months, honorably discharged and sent home to recover. When he's back on his feet, he rushes over to see Chirstie, only to have her violently rebuff him. It takes some time, but he finally learns from her that in recent months, her cousin, Peter, had forced himself upon her and now she was expecting a baby. Furious, Wully goes to find Peter and makes him leave and never come back. Wully then marries Chirstie and suffers the disdain of his own parents and the community when they all realize that Chirstie's baby is coming so soon that Wully must have had his was with her before their wedding. Wully lets himself be shamed and plans to raise the baby as his own, and makes Chirstie promise not to tell anyone the truth. Eventually, Chirstie does tell Wully's own mother, and she restores her worshipful opinion of her son...but doesn't let him know that she knows. Wully and Chirstie build their home on McLaughlin land that his father had set aside, and happily raise baby Johnnie. Johnnie is the light of the family, and all are happy...until one day Peter comes back and approaches Chirstie when she's alone in the house with the baby! He rips her sleeve and she runs screaming from the door to get Wully. Wully hunts and hunts for Peter, determined to kill him but he's nowhere to be found. Many worrisome months go by, and Wully decides that they can't spend all their days looking over their shoulders, especially with Chirstie having to be way out on the farm alone while he's working the fields, so he decides that they'll give up the farming, which has been quite successful, and move to town. While visiting town, Wully is notified that Peter is actually lying in a nearby stable dying. The townsfolk ask Wully if he'll take Peter back in his wagon to his family to die, and he refuses. When Chirstie finds out, she begs Wully to stop the wagon and take Peter to his family. She hates Peter as much as he does, but it isn't right to let him die alone. They eventually go back to get him, and the ride back is terribly stressful, without a word or smile. Then suddenly, baby Johnnie blurts out his very first complete sentence, and Chirstie turns to Wully with the most beautiful, loving smile. They are both so happy! Peter has lifted his head and witnessed how much in love they are. Wully notices that Peter sees that and is instantly full of forgiveness rather than vengeance. He sees that it must hurt Peter more than anything else possibly could to see that Chirstie loves Wully. With that, the story ends as they continue to drive Peter to his folks. The story is pretty good, but a little, hmmm, what's the word...just a little matter-of-fact like many of the earlier novels have seemed to me. It did keep me interested though! More characters were delved into and a good sense of the upbringing of the Scottish immigrants was represented, and of the community pulling together in what was assuredly a hard life on the cold plains. And, I'm glad that Wully and Chirstie got to end up having a happy ending. :-)