E-text prepared by the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net) from digital material generously made available by Internet Archive/American Libraries (http://www.archive.org/details/americana) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 23214-h.htm or 23214-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/3/2/1/23214/23214-h/23214-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/3/2/1/23214/23214-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive/Americal Libraries. See http://www.archive.org/details/fostinawoodman00burnrich Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. Dialect spellings, contractions and discrepancies have been retained. The Table of Contents was not contained in the book and has been created for the convenience of the reader. FOSTINA WOODMAN, THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURER. by A. A. BURNHAM. [Illustration: THE SHIP ESSEX SAILS FOR CALIFORNIA.] Boston: 1854. Entered according to an Act of Congress in the year 1850, by A. A. Burnham, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts Stereotyped at the Boston Stereotype Foundry. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. Description of Fostina's Home--Introduction of Herself and Parents to the Reader--Aunt Aubrey--Sudden Calamity--The Two Brothers and Lewis Mortimer--Introduction of her Uncle, and the Great Change in Fostina's Life. CHAPTER II. The Ship Essex sails for California, with Lewis Mortimer and the two Brothers on Board--Fostina's Grief at their Departure--Her Uncle's Family--Fostina's Dream--Rineldo Aubrey. CHAPTER III. Rineldo and his Cousin--He seeks to win her Love--Fostina makes known to him her Love for Lewis Mortimer--Rineldo tries to gain her Favor, and is encouraged by his Parents. CHAPTER IV. Rineldo's sudden Departure--His Return--He pleads in vain for the Love of his Cousin--Sad Intelligence and the Death of Lewis Mortimer--Fostina's Illness. CHAPTER V. Fostina goes to the Village--Deception Unmasked--The Mystery Revealed--Fostina makes her Escape. CHAPTER VI. Rineldo's Surprise--Mr. Aubrey and his Son go in Pursuit of Fostina--Visit to the Mountain and Cottage--Horrible Discovery--End of their Search. CHAPTER VII. Fostina pursues her way through an unknown Country--She stops at the Village Inn--Conversation between the Landlord and Coachman--Fostina again appears in the Dress of a Female--Her Departure. CHAPTER VIII. Fostina continues on her Journey--She arrives at a distant Country Village--A Walk in the Forest--Visit to the Castle--Mistaken Friends--A Mystery--Strange Discovery--Mysteries Revealed--The Result. CHAPTER IX. Discovery of the Plot--Escape from the Castle--Lewis Mortimer and Fostina return to the Village--They meet the two Brothers--Conclusion.