Manslaughter

'Manslaughter' is a romantic novel written by Alice Duer Miller, an American writer whose poetry had an active influence on political opinion. The story begins with Miss Bennett witnessing a scene in the Thorne household, where Joe Thorne is carrying a child, who resists him fiercely, up a grand staircase. The child is upset because Thorne has taken two puppies that belong to her. Miss Bennett usually supports Thorne in his struggles with the strong-willed child, but she is annoyed by him after he is rude to her. Despite Lydia losing the skirmish over the puppies, Miss Bennett admires her for fearlessly resisting Thorne's iron will.