AUTHORESS OF "UNCLE TOM'S CABIN," "THE MINISTER'S WOOING," ETC. ETC. 250.c. 69. LONDON: SAMPSON LOW, SON, & CO., 47, LUDGATE HILL. 1861. PREFACE. OUR Story has two distinct parts; in the present, we paint the child-life of our characters, and endeavour to make real to the reader the educational influences that are at work upon them. We look forward an imaginary ten years an actual six months-when the sombre spruces of Middle Bay and Orr's Island shall be lighted up once more by the scarlet brilliancy of the rock maple-when the creeper shall hang like a crimson pennon from the crags, and the larches stand in feathery gold in the purple haze of Indian summer, to promise our readers the sequel. We can only hope, in the meanwhile, that we have been successful in so interesting them in our characters as to make the proposed renewal as pleasant in prospect to them as it is to the author. ANDOVER, April, 1861. H. B. S. |