PREFACE. THE author has not had an undue desire for bookmaking, but having had some experience in the world, and being, as will be seen from the work, one of the "old school," she has thought that the present generation might be benefited by reading an account of their fathers and mothers. Not persons only, but customs and habits have essentially changed, within Education has taken new forms; better on the whole, is a question the last fifty years. but whether for the for the wise to consider. When the author began life, railroads, steamboats, and speaking telegraphs, were unknown. They were among the things that were not. Every thing then went upon the low pressure; "slow and sure was the watchword. Steady, steady, steady, the instruction which fathers gave to their sons, and mothers to their daughters. Then lived a generation of men and women who could be depended upon; you knew where to find them. Such were those of the fathers and mothers whose character and "manner of life," are described in the following pages. Those who "remain unto this present day," we doubt not will read them with some good degree of pleasure; but how it will be with the present active generation, who have been trained up under different customs, and who move with the lightning's speed, we will not venture a prediction. All we have to say is, here is the book, large as life, printed on good paper, in fair and legible type, and nicely bound, and well lettered. Thus it goes forth from the hand of the author, to find a place among the numerous publications of this publishing age. That it will have the widest circulation of any book ever published, the author does not expect; that it will pay its way, and find some readers, she does not doubt. |