MRS MANSTEY'S VIEW, a Short Story by Edith Wharton

In a bustling New York boarding house, Mrs. Manstey, a quiet and aging widow, finds her solace in an unlikely sanctuary: the chaotic, cluttered backyard view from her third-floor window. Through her eyes, broken barrels, fluttering clotheslines, and neglected flowerbeds transform into a tapestry of fragile beauty. But when a neighbor’s plans for a looming extension threaten to erase her cherished view, Mrs. Manstey faces an impossible choice. What can an old woman do against the relentless march of progress? In this poignant tale of resistance, loss, and the quiet power of seeing beauty where others see none, Edith Wharton crafts a story as tender as the magnolia blossoms Mrs. Manstey so dearly loves.