deep emotion. It had been years, she said, since the old recollections
had come back to her, but she had been moved by my plea for service to
home women and to the great mass of ordinary American people.

She told me that while living abroad she had often met American girls--
intelligent women, well bred, the finest stuff in the world--who
suffered under a disadvantage, because they lacked a little training in
the social amenities.

"It has been a satisfaction and a compensation to me," she added, "to be
able sometimes to serve these fellow country-women of mine."

And right there was born the idea which culminated in the writing of
this little book. I suggested that a million women could be helped by
the publishing of her own story.

The thought was abhorrent to her. Her experience was something she had
never voiced in words. It would be too intimate a discussion of herself
and her family. She was sure her relatives would bitterly oppose such a
confession.

It took nearly a year to persuade this remarkable woman to put down on
paper, from her recollections and from her old letters home, this simple
story of a fine American life. She consented finally to write fragments
of her life, anonymously. We were pledged not to reveal her identity.
A few changes in geography and time were made in her manuscript, but
otherwise the story is true to life, laden with adventure, spirit and
the American philosophy. She has refused to accept any remuneration for
the magazine publication or for royalties on the book rights. The money
accruing from her labor is being set aside in The Central Union Trust