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“'She tossed the life-preserver down as near as she could to the struggling girl. The latter clutched at it, missed it, and the current carried it completely out of reach. 'I've got to do it,’ Midget thought, and a nervous chill passed over her, leaving her weak with fear. ‘Even if I drown, I must attempt to save her!’” -- "The Cross of Valor" by Mildred Augustine |
short stories: browse artifacts
“Many stories sold had been written for English class, where teacher Frank Luther Mott had said that she had no potential as an author, giving her a B for her coursework.” -- Geoffrey Lapin, “The Ghost of Nancy Drew”
Unlike Pulitzer prize winner and UI School of Journalism director Mott, many editors of national magazines saw potential in Mildred Wirt Benson. Beginning in 1919 when her first short story was published at age 13, Benson sold nearly 100 works to periodicals such as Calling All Girls, St. Nicholas, Youth’s Companion, Lutheran Young Folks, and Boy Life. These stories were published under a variety names, including her Nancy Drew pseudonym "Carolyn Keene."
Below is an incomplete list of these publications; we welcome any further any further information on Benson's short fiction at lib-digital@uiowa.edu
- Augustine, Mildred. "The Assistant Ranger." Lutheran Young Folks. Sept. 3, 1927, vol. 24, no. 40
- Augustine, Mildred. "'Caloric' Ann." Our Young People. Jan. 15, 1927, vol. 22, no. 3
- Augustine, Mildred. "The Courtesy." St. Nicholas. June 1919, vol. 46, no. 8, p. 672
- Augustine, Mildred. "The Cross of Valor." St. Nicholas. June 1926, vol. 53, no. 8, p. 797
- Augustine, Mildred. "The Decisive Race." Lutheran Young Folks. June 4, 1927, vol. 24, no. 27
- Augustine, Mildred. "The Greater Part." St. Nicholas. 1928?
- Augustine, Mildred. "Marion Andrews, Lifesaver." In People and Progress. Chicago: Scott, Foresman and Co., 1947, p. 17
- Augustine, Mildred. "Prexy's Pride." Lutheran Young Folks. Apr. 20, 1929, vol. 26, no. 21
- Augustine, Mildred. "A Question of Value." Lutheran Young Folks. July 23, 1927, vol. 24, no. 34
- Augustine, Mildred. "The Ship That Came In." Lutheran Young Folks. Dec. 18, 1926, vol. 24, no. 3, p. 1
- Augustine, Mildred. "Still Water." Our Young People. Apr. 27, 1929, vol. 24, no. 17, p. 3