Thomas Nelson Page was a Virginia writer who wrote southern plantation literature. This 1898 novel (this is a 1904 printing). This story takes place in post Civil War and describes the lives of two families, the Grays and Carys who live a rural life in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. The novel explores themes of race, class, and identity, and offers a glimpse into the complexities of life in the South during this period of history.