By the same author:

OVER PRAIRIE TRAILS
THE TURN OF THE YEAR
SETTLERS OF THE MARSH

 

 

 


        

A SEARCH

FOR

AMERICA

BY

FREDERICK PHILIP GROVE

* *
*

"America a continent, not a country."

            THE GRAPHIC PUBLISHERS, LIMITED         

OTTAWA, CANADA


I REVERENTLY DEDICATE THIS BOOK

TO THE MEMORY OF

GEORGE MEREDITH

AND

ALGERNON SWINBURNE

AND TO ONE OF THAT ILLUSTRIOUS TRIAD

WHO IS STILL LIVING, NAMELY

THOMAS HARDY

FOR

"Canadian literature is a mere bud

on the tree of the great Anglo-Saxon tradition."


AUTHOR'S NOTE

      This book, during the last thirty-two years, has been written and rewritten eight times, becoming a little shorter every time. That, at last, I picked up courage to release it for publication as it stands, with all the anachronisms which are an unavoidable consequence of such a method of composition, is due entirely to the encouragement of two of my friends who have known the manuscript for a number of years, namely A.L.P and W.K., both of Wesley College, Winnipeg.

      RAPID CITY, MAN.,
      December, 1926.                                                            F.P.G.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

      PAGE
       
PREFACE     iv
     
BOOK ONE. - - THE DESCENT ix
CHAPTER I. I EMIGRATE 1
CHAPTER II. I LAND ON AMERICAN SOIL 14
CHAPTER III. I SECURE WORK 27
CHAPTER IV. I SUBMERGE 44
CHAPTER V. I EARN A PROMOTION 61
CHAPTER VI. I MEET THE EXPLANATION FOR ONE KIND OF SUCCESS 78
CHAPTER VII. I MOVE ON 94
     

BOOK TWO.

- -

THE RELAPSE

117

CHAPTER I. THE ISSUE IS OBSCURED 119
CHAPTER II. I SCOUR THE CITY FOR WORK 143
CHAPTER III. I GO ON THE ROAD 168
CHAPTER IV. I SEEK NEW FIELDS 182
CHAPTER V. I JOIN A NEW COMPANY 207
CHAPTER VI. I GO ON THE ROAD AGAIN AND LAND SOMEWHERE 228
CHAPTER VII. I WIND THINGS UP 247
     
BOOK THREE.   THE DEPTHS 255
CHAPTER I. I GO EXPLORING 257
CHAPTER II. I LOSE SIGHT OF MANKIND 273
CHAPTER III. I COME INTO CONTACT WITH HUMANITY AGAIN 286
CHAPTER IV. I TRY TO FIND WORK FOR THE WINTER 304
CHAPTER V. I BECOME A "HAND" 324
CHAPTER VI. I WIDEN MY OUTLOOK 338
CHAPTER VII. I AM KIDNAPPED 351
     
BOOK FOUR. - - THE LEVEL 363
CHAPTER I. I LEARN TO BEAT MY WAY 365
CHAPTER II. I START WORK IN THE HARVEST 387
CHAPTER III. I BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH THE HOBO 406
CHAPTER IV. I MEET MOTHER AND SON 425
CHAPTER V. MY PROBLEM DEFINES ITSELF AND I SOLVE IT 435


Copyright 1927
By Frederick Philip Grove

m
PRINTED IN THE DOMINION OF CANADA

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


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