"And looking backward through the yearsAlong the way our feet have pressed,We see sweet places everywhere—Sweet places, where our souls had rest.For though some human hopes of oursAre dead and buried from our sight,Yet from their graves immortal flowersHave sprung, and blossomed into light.Our sorrows have not been so light,God's chastening hand we could not trace;Nor have our blessings been so greatThat they have hid our Father's face."
"And looking backward through the yearsAlong the way our feet have pressed,We see sweet places everywhere—Sweet places, where our souls had rest.
For though some human hopes of oursAre dead and buried from our sight,Yet from their graves immortal flowersHave sprung, and blossomed into light.
Our sorrows have not been so light,God's chastening hand we could not trace;Nor have our blessings been so greatThat they have hid our Father's face."
And we thanked Him that He "had mercifully ordained that we should grow old together." And now, laying down my pen, I say to all who have followed me through these memories: "Good night, dear friends. God bless you every one."
Transcriber's Notes
The Table of Contents does not appear in the original book.
Minor punctuation errors and the following typos in the original book have been corrected to reflect the author's intention.
Pg. 23: Hzzaard to Hazard (son-in-law, Mr. Hazard,)Pg. 42: lenghtening to lengthening (lengthening shadows)Pg. 60: parent's to parents' (parents' murder)Pg. 78: off to of (telling of the Sioux scalps)Pg. 105-106: decased to deceased (respect for the deceased, this)Pg. 115: fondnes to fondness (for consistency; fondness on pg. 28)Pg. 160: nd to And (And the harbor-bar be moaning.")
The following inconsistencies were left as is.
Pg. 56: Mrs. Apthorp's seminaryPg. 102: "Mrs. Apthorpe's School for Young Ladies"Pg. 34: Mitch-ele-mack-i-nackPg. 101: Mich-e-li-mac-i-nac
All other questionable spellings were left as in the original book.