Once again, a book from our Digital Library has made its way to Project Gutenberg via the Distributed Proofreaders project. This time, the work is Henry Harrison Lewis’ Midshipman Merrill, the story of a youth’s entry into the United States Navy.

The novel was first serialized in the Good News story paper from October 9 through December 18, 1890, and later reissued in both paper and cloth formats. Its story paper roots show in a simple “talented and determined boy wins at everything” story and a stream-of-consciousness style that suggests the work was completed with minimal pre-planning and few revisions.

It appears that the original story was successful enough to merit a sequel, 1893’s Ensign Merrill; or, The Rovers of the Yellow Sea… but that’s a story for another day! For now, the first adventure is available in full through Project Gutenberg, where it can be read online or downloaded in popular eBook formats.