"Holding Bendigo's bridle, he had walked with her to theHarlow residence."Page 43.

THE MEASURE
OF A MAN

BY

AMELIA E. BARR

AUTHOR OF "THE BOW OF ORANGE RIBBON,"
"PLAYING WITH FIRE," "THE WINNING OF LUCIA," ETC.

ILLUSTRATED BY
FRANK T. MERRILL

D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
NEW YORK AND LONDON

1915

WITH SINCERE ESTEEM
I DEDICATE THIS BOOK
TO

MRS. ARTHUR ROBERTS

OF
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS

PREFACE

My Friends:

I had a purpose in writing this novel. It was to honor and magnify thesweetness and dignity of the condition of Motherhood, and of thosewomanly virtues and graces, which make the Home the cornerstone of theNation. For it is not with modern Americans, as it was with the oldGreek and Roman world. They put the family below the State, and thecitizen absorbed the man. On the contrary, we know, that just as theFamily principle is strong the heart of the Nation is sound. "Give meone domestic grace," said a famous leader of men, "and I will turn itinto a hundred public virtues."

A Home, however splendidly appointed, is ill furnished without the soundof children's voices; and the patter of children's feet. It may bestrictly orderly, but it is silent and forlorn; and has an air ofsolitude. Solitude is a great affliction, and Domestic Solitude is oneof its hardest forms. No number of balls and dinner parties, no visitsfrom friends, can make up for the absence of sons and daughters roundthe family table and the family hearth.

Yet there certainly is a restless feminine minority, who declare, bothby precept and example, Family Life to be a servitude. Alas! They havenot given themselves opportunity to discover that self-sacrifice is themeat and drink of all true affection.

But women have learned within the last two decades to listen to everyside of an argument. Their Club life, with its variety of "views," hasled them to decide that every phase of a question ought to beattentively considered. So I do not doubt that my story will receivejustice, and I hope approval, from all the women—and men—that read it.

Affectionately to all,    
AMELIA E. BARR.

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