Chapter I: Front Matter

THE

HARVEST OF YEARS

BY

_M.L.B. EWELL_

NEW YORK G.P. PUTNAM'S SONS 182 Fifth Avenue 1880

Copyright by G.P. PUTNAM'S SONS 1880

TO MY FAMILY

THIS RECITAL OF MY LIFE IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.

Old friends and other days have risen about me as I have written, recalling, through my pen, these treasured experiences; and the pictured characters are to me as real as earthly hands, whose touch we feel. I have written as the story runs, with no effort at adorning, and those who love me best will not bring to it the cold criticisms that may come from other readers. To illustrate the truth of "a little leaven's leavening the whole lump" has been my purpose, and if this purpose can be even partially achieved, I shall deem myself sufficiently rewarded. To those whom in previous years I have met in the field of my mission, whose heart-felt sympathy and interest became the tide which bore me on, as from public platform (as well as in private ways) I have, for truth's dear sake, been impelled to utterances, to these friends I may hope this volume will not come as a stranger, but that through it I may receive, as in the days gone by, the grasp of their friendly hands.

M.L.B.E.

New Haven, Conn., _June_, 1880.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I.--Emily Did It 1

II.--From Girlhood to Womanhood 5

III.--Changes 11

IV.--Our New Friend 18

V.--Louis Robert 31

VI.--A Question and a Problem 49

VII.--Wilmur Benton 60

VIII.--Fears and Hopes 71

IX.--The New Faith 84

X.--Matthias Jones 95

XI.--The Teaching of Hosea Ballou 109

XII.--A Remedy for Wrong-talking 123

XIII.--Perplexities 137

XIV.--Louis returns 150

XV.--Emily finds peace 164

XVI.--Mary Harris 177

XVII.--Precious Thoughts 210

XVIII.--Emily's Marriage 226

XIX.--Married Life 240

XX.--Life Pictures and Life Work 254

XXI.--John Jones 274

XXII.--Clara leaves us 290

XXIII.--Aunt Hildy's Legacy 317

THE HARVEST OF YEARS