Aldrich, Thomas Bailey: Marjorie Daw. v1. 30 Mar 2013
 

Thomas Bailey Aldrich (November 11, 1836 – March 19, 1907) was an American poet, novelist, travel writer and editor. Thomas Bailey Aldrich was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on November 11, 1836.[1] When Aldrich was a child, his father moved to New Orleans. After 10 years, Aldrich was sent back to Portsmouth to prepare for college. This period of his life is partly described in his semi-autobiographical novel The Story of a Bad Boy (1870), in which "Tom Bailey" is the juvenile hero. Critics have said that this novel contains the first realistic depiction of childhood in American fiction and prepared the ground for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Excerpt
My Dear Sir: I am happy to assure you that your anxiety is without reason. Flemming will be confined to the sofa for three or four weeks, and will have to be careful at first how he uses his leg. A fracture of this kind is always a tedious affair. Fortunately the bone was very skilfully set by the surgeon who chanced to be in the drugstore where Flemming was brought after his fall, and I apprehend no permanent inconvenience from the accident.