Tom Bruce of Arkansas; or, The Wolf in the Fold

Tom Bruce of Arkansas; or, The Wolf in the Fold is a “dime novel” written by Charles Morris and published in 1889. It was one of Beadle’s “Half Dime Library,” selling for a nickel. The publisher, Beadle and Adams of New York, published hundreds of stories between 1877 and 1905. The dime novel genre thrived from the 1860s into the early twentieth century, in part because of major technological developments in printing and transportation that allowed profitable printing in large quantities and reliable and prompt distribution and sales throughout the country. Moreover, advances in literacy created a demand for cheap reading material, especially in the population of young boys, soldiers, and others who could not afford hardback books. Dime novels set in Arkansas typically portray the state and its residents in familiar terms: wildly beautiful territory of forests, isolated villages, and a few small towns, all populated by primitive citizens, usually poor and uncouth. The contents of the novels are sensational accounts of violent crimes and surprises, and, generally, happy endings.

Tom Bruce is set in Mayville, a village on the edge of the forest that covered most of eastern Arkansas. The main occupation of the residents is gambling at cards, and whiskey is the beverage of choice. The men are violent, and virtually every man is armed with a pistol and a Bowie knife. Strangers are mistrusted, Black people disrespected, and women disregarded.

Tom is the son of a drunken bully, Jake. He resembles his father in absolutely no way. He is handsome, physically fit, and well-spoken. He spends his time reading or hiking in the woods. On his father’s behalf, he goes on a regular overnight journey to a rendezvous on the bank of the Mississippi River. He always rides a horse left for him at the edge of the forest and leaves it there on his return. Each time, Tom delivers a package to Jake but knows nothing about this mission.

When Jake is accused of murder, Tom refuses to cooperate with the Vigilance Committee and is himself arrested and sentenced to hang. At the moment when the rope is put around his neck, a violent tornado swoops him up and hurls him through the air into a field. He survives and is rescued by a friend. The murder and the night ride are sorted out, and Tom is cleared of any guilt.

Typical of the genre, the conclusion includes revelations about the true identities of several characters, money gotten dishonestly, and a new identity and future for the main characters.

For additional information:
“Dime Novels and Popular Literature.” Falvey Library, Villanova University. https://digital.library.villanova.edu/Collection/vudl:24093 (accessed November 27, 2024).

Tom Bruce of Arkansas; or, The Wolf in the Fold. Edward T. Blanc Memorial Dime Novel Bibliography. https://dimenovels.lib.niu.edu/islandora/object/dimenovels%3A138922#page/1/mode/1up (accessed November 27, 2024).

Ethel C. Simpson
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville