long course of reading in its books, newspapers and periodicals, notably
_The North American Review, The United States Magazine and Democratic
Review, The New York Mirror, The Knickerbocker, The St. Lawrence
Republican_, Benton's _Thirty Years' View_, Bancroft's _Life of Martin
Van Buren_, histories of Wright and his time by Hammond and Jenkins, and
to many manuscript letters of the distinguished commoner in the New York
Public Library and in the possession of Mr. Samuel Wright of Weybridge,
Vermont.

To any who may think that they discover portraits in these pages I
desire to say that all the characters--save only Silas Wright and
President Van Buren and Barton Baynes--are purely imaginary. However,
there were Grimshaws and Purvises and Binkses and Aunt Deels and Uncle
Peabodys in almost every rustic neighborhood those days, and I regret to
add that Roving Kate was on many roads. The case of Amos Grimshaw bears
a striking resemblance to that of young Bickford, executed long ago in
Malone, for the particulars of which case I am indebted to my friend,
Mr. H.L. Ives of Potsdam.

THE AUTHOR.




CONTENTS


BOOK ONE

WHICH IS THE STORY OF THE CANDLE AND COMPASS