Walbey's novel is a moving portrait of a Southern family in the aftermath of the Civil War. Through the experiences of protagonist Mary Randolph, she explores the impact of war on the social and economic fabric of the South. The novel also deals with complex issues of race, class, and gender, making it a rich and thought-provoking read. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.