E-text prepared by Al Haines Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 20914-h.htm or 20914-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/9/1/20914/20914-h/20914-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/9/1/20914/20914-h.zip) Transcriber's note: The volume from which this e-book was created contained two books, _A Window in Thrums_ and _Auld Licht Idylls_. A WINDOW IN THRUMS by J. M. BARRIE Illustrated [Frontispiece: Photograph of J. M. Barrie] New York Charles Scribner's Sons 1918 Copyright, 1896, by Charles Scribner's Sons CONTENTS CHAPTER I THE HOUSE ON THE BRAE II ON THE TRACK OF THE MINISTER III PREPARING TO RECEIVE COMPANY IV WAITING FOR THE DOCTOR V A HUMORIST ON HIS CALLING VI DEAD THIS TWENTY YEARS VII THE STATEMENT OF TIBBIE BIRSE VIII A CLOAK WITH BEADS IX THE POWER OF BEAUTY X A MAGNUM OPUS XI THE GHOST CRADLE XII THE TRAGEDY OF A WIFE XIII MAKING THE BEST OF IT XIV VISITORS AT THE MANSE XV HOW GAVIN BIRSE PUT IT TO MAG LOWNIE XVI THE SON FROM LONDON XVII A HOME FOR GENIUSES XVIII LEEBY AND JAMIE XIX A TALE OF A GLOVE XX THE LAST NIGHT XXI JESS LEFT ALONE XXII JAMIE'S HOME-COMING ILLUSTRATIONS J. M. BARRIE . . . . . . . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ The square foot of glass where Jess sat in her chair and looked down the brae INTRODUCTION When the English publishers read "A Window in Thrums" in manuscript they thought it unbearably sad and begged me to alter the end. They warned me that the public do not like sad books. Well, the older I grow and the sadder the things I see, the more do I wish my books to be bright and hopeful, but an author may not always interfere with his story, and if I had altered the end of "A Window in Thrums" I think I should never have had any more respect for myself. It is a sadder book to me than it can ever be to anyone else. I see Jess at her window looking for the son who never came back as no other can see her, and I knew that unless I brought him back in time the book would be a pain to me all my days, but the thing had to be done.