Harding's Luck

<p><i>Harding’s Luck</i>, published in 1909, is the sequel to <i><a href=" House of Arden</a></i> by <a href=" Nesbit</a>.</p> <p>Rather darker and more serious in tone than the previous book, this novel is set in England’s Edwardian era, when there was no government-supported welfare and the poor still sometimes starved to death. It centers on young Dickie Harding, a poor, lame orphan boy who is enticed to run away with a disreputable tramp, Mr. Beale. Beale intends to use him to help carry out burglaries (a plot device not dissimilar to that of <i><a href=" Twist</a>)</i>. Nevertheless Be…