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[Illustration: "LET ME OPEN THE BURR FOR YOU." Chestnut Burr.Frontispiece.]
The Works of E. P. Roe
In sending this, my fourth venture, out upon the uncertain waters ofpublic opinion, I shall say but few words of preface. In the past Ihave received considerable well-deserved criticism from the gentlemenof the caustic pen, but so far from having any hard feeling towardthem, I have rather wondered that they found so much to say that wasfavorable. How they will judge this simple October story (if they thinkit worth while to judge it at all) I leave to the future, and turn tothose for whom the book was really written.
In fancy I see them around the glowing hearth in quiet homes, such as Ihave tried to describe in the following pages, and hope that thisnew-comer will be welcomed for the sake of those that preceded it.Possibly it may make friends of its own.
From widely separated parts of the country, and from almost everyclass, I have received many and cordial assurances that my former bookswere sources not only of pleasure, but also of help and benefit, and Iam deeply grateful for the privilege of unobtrusively entering so manyhouseholds, and saying words on that subject which is inseparable fromhappiness in both worlds.
I think the purpose of the book will become apparent to the reader. Theincidents and characters are mainly imaginary.
Observation has shown me that there are many in the world, like myhero, whose condition can be illustrated by the following lines:
Were some great ship all out of stores,
When half-way o'er the sea,
Fit emblem of too many lives,
Such vessel doomed would be.
Must there not be something fatally wrong in that scheme of life whichfinds an heir of eternity weary, listless, discouraged, while yet inthe dawning of existence? It is not in perishing things, merely, togive back the lost zest. But a glad zest and hopefulness might beinspired even in the most jaded and ennui-cursed, were there in ourhomes such simple, truthful natures as that of my heroine; and in thesphere of quiet homes—not elsewhere—I believe that woman can bestrule and save the world.
Highland Falls, N.Y., September, 1874.