"And looking backward through the years
Along the way our feet have pressed,
We see sweet places everywhere—
Sweet places, where our souls had rest.
For though some human hopes of ours
Are dead and buried from our sight,
Yet from their graves immortal flowers
Have 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 great
That 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 seminary
Pg. 102: "Mrs. Apthorpe's School for Young Ladies"

Pg. 34: Mitch-ele-mack-i-nack
Pg. 101: Mich-e-li-mac-i-nac

All other questionable spellings were left as in the original book.