Margaret Mary Julia "Daisy" Ashford (1881-04-07 – 1972-01-15) was during her childhood a writer of fiction, but abandoned her literary career as a teenager. The Young Visiters, or, Mr. Salteena's Plan, written at the age of 9, is considered her masterpiece; its themes are true love and the immutability of class distinctions. The Young Visiters was published with the author’s original spelling and punctuation in 1919, and was adapted as a stage-play in 1920, as a musical in 1968, and as a TV film starring Jim Broadbent in 2003.

The Young Visiters (1919)

• Mr. Salteena was an elderly man of 42 and was fond of asking peaple to stay with him.
  • Chapter 1

• I am parshial to ladies if they are nice I suppose it is my nature. I am not quite a gentleman but you would hardly notice it but cant be helped anyhow.
  • Chapter 1

• I shall wear my best black and my white alpacka coat to keep off the dust and flies replied Mr Salteena.
  I shall put some red ruge on my face said Ethel because I am very pale owing to the drains in this house.
  • Chapter 2

• Ethel was calm but she felt excited inside. Bernard has a big house said Mr S. gazing at Ethel he is inclined to be rich.
  • Chapter 2

• My own room is next the bath room said Bernard it is decerated dark red as I have somber tastes. The bath room has got a tip up bason and a hose thing for washing your head.
  • Chapter 2

• He moved away to the next picture. It was of a man with a fat smiley face and a red ribbon round him and a lot of medals. My great uncle Ambrose Fudge said Bernard carelessly.
  He looks a thourough ancester said Ethel kindly.
  Well he was said Bernard in a proud tone he was really the Sinister son of Queen Victoria.
  Not really cried Ethel in excited tones but what does that mean.
  Well I dont quite know said Bernard Clark it puzzles me very much but ancesters do turn quear at times.
  • Chapter 3

• Bernard always had a few prayers in the hall and some whiskey afterwards as he was rarther pious but Mr Salteena was not very adicted to prayers so he marched up to bed.
  • Chapter 3

• Oh I see said the Earl but my own idear is that these things are as piffle before the wind.
  • Chapter 5

• The bearer of this letter is an old friend of mine not quite the right side of the blanket as they say in fact he is the son of a first rate butcher but his mother was a decent family called Hyssopps of the Glen so you see he is not so bad and is desireus of being the correct article.
  • Chapter 5

• I am very fond of fresh air and royalties.
  • Chapter 5

• Ethel patted her hair and looked very sneery.
  • Chapter 8

• My life will be sour grapes and ashes without you.
  • Chapter 8

• Her name was called Lady Helena Herring and her age was 25 and she mated well with the earl.
  • Chapter 12

• Ethel and Bernard returned from their Honymoon with a son and hair a nice fat baby called Ignatius Bernard. They soon had six more children four boys and three girls and some of them were twins which was very exciting. The Earl only got two rarther sickly girls called Helen and Marie because the last one looked slightly french.
  • Chapter 12