Chapter I: Preface

It matters but little to the average reader whether a book be wholly historical or purely imaginary if it be of sufficient interest to hold the attention in a pleasurable excitement to its close.

There are those however, who will be glad to know that the following work was wrought out of historical facts gleaned from a large parcel of letters written by a son while a soldier in the army of the rebellion, to his widowed mother, then in Springfield, Mass.

Graphic were his descriptions of scenes and incidents coming to his personal knowledge during that memorable march from "Atlanta to the sea."

These I have woven into a web of fiction mingling their lights and shadows, blending them as best I could amid denser shades, hoping that peradventure their coming to you, gentle reader, may prove as great a pleasure in the perusing as the author has enjoyed in the weaving.

IDA GLENWOOD.
Fenton, Mich.

EDITOR'S PREFACE.

My editing of this most interesting story has been little more than proof-correction. On reading the manuscript in advance of the type-setting I soon found it safer to leave the author's style to take care of itself, sure that it will strike the public, as it struck me, with renewed respect and admiration for one who, sightless, can excel so many of us having all the senses.

It is touching to observe how the blind narrator dwells on outward things,--color, light and shade, sunset skies, human features and expressions,--which must come to her only in imagination. She seems to dwell with peculiar intensity on a world of beauty which we others, sated by abundance, pass by unrecorded if not unnoticed.

Sightless she is not, for in her the mind's eye is of a brilliancy that seems to make our mere physical vision useless by comparison. Better the soul's sight without eyes, than the eyesight without soul.

JOSEPH KIRKLAND.

PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT.

We would be pleased to have the reading public patronize "LILY PEARL AND THE MISTRESS OF ROSEDALE," because of the benefit to the author, "The Blind Bard of Michigan," and for the pleasure it will give the following gentlemen and firms, who have freely and generously given their time to the production of the work: Major Joseph Kirkland, editor; G. M. D. Libby, printer; L. Braunhold, artist; A. Zeese & Co., electrotypers, and Donohue & Henneberry, binders. But the best reason for buying will be found in the charming story itself.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTERS.

I MIDNIGHT AT "CLIFF HOUSE," 17

II THE LITTLE MARINER ALONE UPON THE OCEAN, 29

III THE WAIF AFTER THE STORM, 39

IV RECEPTION NIGHT AT THE NEW HOME, 50

V DEATH IN THE LITTLE COTTAGE, 61

VI "CRAZY DIMIS" AND THE TWILIGHT SCENE, 71

VII CHANGES IN THE COTTAGE HOME, 81

VIII OUT INTO THE WORLD, 91

IX AN UPPER ROOM IN THE HOTEL, 99

X THE OPENING OF A NEW LIFE, 108

XI ROSEDALE, 117

XII HEART'S SECRETS REVEALED, AND UNREVEALED, 127

XIII THE MOTHER'S CURSE, 137

XIV THE MYSTERIOUS LETTER, 147

XV SCENES UPON THE PLANTATION, 157

XVI THE BIRTHNIGHT ENTERTAINMENT, 167

XVII THE THRILLING REVELATION, 177

XVIII THE LITTLE PARTY AT THE WASHBURN'S, 189

XIX DEATH OF "UNCLE BOB," 201

XX THE ABDUCTION, 211

XXI BREAKING OF HOME TIES, 225

XXII LEADING HER ON, 237

XXIII A DAY IN THE HOSPITAL, 247

XXIV THE DARK, DARK WAVE, 259

XXV THE RECOGNITION, 271

XXVI THE "PHANTOM" REMOVED, 283

XXVII NEW RESOLVES AND NEW ADVENTURES, 295

XXVIII FLIGHT OF THE SOUTHERN SPY, 307

XXIX A NIGHT UPON THE BILLOWS, 319

XXX THE SHADOWS AS THEY FLY, 331

XXXI CHANGING CLOUDS, 343

XXXII THE DARKNESS THICKENS, 355

XXXIII LIGHT THROUGH THE RIFTED CLOUD, 367

XXXIV A STORM ABOUT THE WIDOW'S COTTAGE, 375

XXXV A PROUD SPIRIT BROKEN, 387

XXXVI UNFOLDINGS AND REVEALINGS, 397

XXXVII THE GOLDEN CLASP RELINKED, 407

XXXVIII CHANGES AND REVOLUTIONS, 417

XXXIX THE HAZY MISTS ARE LIFTING, 427

XL AUNT VINA IN THE NEW HOME, 441

XLI "GOOD BYE," 450

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

Ida Glenwood, the Blind Bard of Michigan, Midnight, 17

The Cliffs, 28

By the Sea, 38

"Look at her, Shipmates," 42

At the New Home, 60

The Church Yard, 70

The Brook, 90

"Oh, Mrs. Gaylord, I am so Lonely!" 104

The Inn at Kirkham, 136

Park Scene, 145

"Give Me That Paper!" 146

Nest-building, 200

The Death of Uncle Bob, 207

The Haystacks, 210

"She Placed the Cup to His Lips," 253

The Capitol in War Times, 258

Scene in the Dismal Swamp, 294

Camp Fires, 306

"Did You Say Her Husband?" 312

The Night Train, 318

The Billows, 329

Lily Pearl, 342

Mrs. St. Clair, 354

Scene on the Schuylkill, 365

Lillian, 373

Plantation Scene, 385

Arrival at Kirkham, 406

Meeting of Lily Pearl and Her Mother, 408

Aunt Vina, 426