INTRODUCTION



life of the old South when it was somewhat dis-
tinctive, and of the changes which war and war's
bastard offspring, Reconstruction, have brought
about.
  The writer feels that he may without impro-
priety claim that with his devotion for the South,
whose life he has tried faithfully to portray, and
his pride in the Union, which he has rejoiced to
see fully restored in his time, he has never wit-
tingly written a line which he did not hope
might tend to bring about a better understand-
ing between the North and the South, and fin-
ally lead to a more perfect Union.
  To the magazine editors I offer my frank
acknowledgments for much consideration and
many useful suggestions. But for the maga-
zines the literary men of my generation would
scarcely have found a public, and at least one of
them would probably never have found it.
  To the critics I make my best bow. Being
but mortal, all correction for the present seemeth
grievous to me. In other words, all adverse
criticism makes me angry at first; but on reflec.
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