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| Jill the Reckless (The Little Warrior)
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Main page / Bibliography / Jill the Reckless (The Little Warrior)
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US Title: The Little Warrior
First published in US: October 11 1920 by George H. Doran, New York
UK Title: Jill the Reckless
First published in UK: July 4 1921 by Herbert Jenkins, London
E-text (668K)
 Russian translation
- Neuyomnaya Dzhill by I. Mitrofanova: 2003
Jill had money and was engaged to be married to Sir Derek Underhill. But when she suddenly
becomes penniless, she finds herself no longer engaged. Refusing to be beaten, she heads for
New York, with a smile that betrays a tinge of recklessness, to join the chorus of "The Rose of
America".
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Click for enlarge book cover
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Characters
Freddie Rooke — Wealthy, kind and idle young drone who was
a childhood friend of Wally and Jill's. Was Sir Derek's fag at
Winchester. Loves Nelly Bryant.
Horace Parker — Freddie's valet in the Jeeves pattern
Sir Derek Underhill — 30 year old Member of Parliament who is
engaged to Jill. Dominated by his mother and has a weak
character.
Jill Mariner — English-American heroine who has pale gold hair
and is loved by Wally
Lady Underhill — Derek's mother who dislikes Jill and is disliked by
Freddie
Major Christopher Selby — Jill's lovable but scoundrelly uncle
who is very like Ukridge. He loses Jill's fortune, goes to
America and sells Nervino. Woos Mrs. Peagrim.
Ronny Devereux — Freddie's pal
Algy Martin — Freddie's pal and member of the Drones Club
Ferris — Lady Underbill's maid
Wally Mason — Hero and childhood friend of Freddie and Jill's
who is in love with Jill. Wrote the unsuccessful drama Tried
by Fire under the pen-name of John Grant, but a successful
writer of musical comedies with George Bevan. Does Swedish
exercises in the morning.
Ellen Parker — Horace's wife and Freddie's cook
Nelly Bryant — American chorus girl stranded in London. Cast
in The Rose of America in New York. Owns the parrot Bill
and loves Freddie whom she eventually marries.
Bill — Nelly's parrot
Elmer Mariner — Jill's stingy farmer uncle in Brookport, Long
Island
Julia Mariner — Jill's aunt
Tibby Mariner — Elmer and Julia's 8 year old child
Rover — Tibby's spaniel
(Ike) Issac Goble — Partner in Goble & Cohn, theatrical managers. Producing
The Rose of America.
Otis Pilkington — Young, rich, spoiled author and lyrist of The
Rose of America in New York who is dominated by his aunt,
Olive Peagrim
Roland Trevis — Young composer of The Rose of America
Mrs. Waddesleigh (Olive) Peagrim — Otis' wealthy aunt who falls
under Uncle Chris' spell
Mr. Saltzburg — Musical director of Otis' show who is also a
frustrated composer
Babe — Redheaded chorus girl in Otis' show
(The Cherub) Ìàå D'Arcy — Chorus girl with condescending
airs
Johnson Millar — Famous deaf choreographer for the show
Wentworth Hill — Famous English actor who gets fired from the
show
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 Synopsis
Jill Mariner, pretty, young, with plenty of money, lives in Ovington Square
(and owns the house) with her raffish uncle, Chris Selby. She is engaged to
Sir Derek Underhill, Bart., MP, a rich, handsome, athletic stuffed shirt
who is dominated by his mother, Lady Underhill. At a first night of a very
bad play the theatre catches fire and Jill, who is with Derek and his
mother, escapes with the help of the man in the next seat, who is Wally
Mason. He happens to be the author and backer of the play and to have known
Jill in childhood and to have loved her since. Jill and Wally go to the
Savoy and there they meet Derek and his mother. Uncle Chris loses Jill's
money for her, as her trustee, and at the same time Jill gets arrested in
London for fighting with a man who is teasing a parrot. Derek, under
pressure from his mother, breaks off the engagement (because of the arrest)
and everybody thinks he has done it because Jill's no longer rich. She goes
in poverty, to America, to the place on Long Island of a dour uncle (her
father had been American). She joins the chorus of a play being prepared
for Broadway. She acquires money and buys the play, which is foundering.
Wally Mason doctors it and it is a hit. Jill will marry Wally. Derek has
come over to New York to ask her, again, to marry him, but the answer is
No. Even Freddie Rooke, Derek's ex-fag (Winchester) and hero-worshipper,
turns on him in the end and calls him a rotter.
Good, with knowledgeable chapters about the theatre. Freddie Rooke,
Winchester, Bachelors Club, Albany, moneyed (but goes down on Amalgamated
Dyes), gets happily engaged to Nelly Bryant, American chorus girl.
Source: Richard Usborne. Plum Sauce. A P G Wodehouse Companion.
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