This tale of a young lady's ambition, marriage and final fall was the first publication by this author, who later became an expert in folklore and published several volumes on that subject. As a newly-married young lady, it was perhaps an example of 'writing what you know'. Her married life ended very early, as her husband died in 1890, leaving her a childless widow. Mary MacLeod Banks (18611951) was a folklorist, born in Scotland, but raised in Australia. As president of the Folklore Society (1937-1939), she gave presidential addresses titled "Syncretism in a Symbol" and "Scottish Lore of Earth, its Fruits, and the Plough". In 1947 she received the first Medal for Folk Lore Research from the Society, for her work on Scottish calendar customs. She was also a fellow of the Royal Historical Society from 1906, and a member of the Philological Society. Later publications included: "British Calendar Customs: Scotland" (1937, 1941), & "British Calendar Customs: Orkney and Shetland" (1946);