pt. 1. Child of the prairie -- Nininger on the Mississippi -- Levi, between Satan and God -- Gratia, in thanksgiving -- At Hasting High School -- pt. 2. University scholar -- A house in Minneapolis -- A woman's vocation -- Horace V. Winchell -- One broken heart -- Company Q -- Commencement -- pt. 3. Working girl -- New library -- A restless spirit -- From Britain to Bayreuth -- Family obligations -- Marie Todd -- Scramble for a chief librarian -- pt. 4. Chief librarian -- New chief -- Friends and colleagues -- Hancock Point -- A home of her own -- Furnace and Jack Ryan -- An aborted candidacy -- pt. 5. Single mother -- Branch explosion -- "Love's bondage" -- Wellington Greenway -- War -- T.B. Walker -- Rules of conduct -- pt. 6. Benevolent autocrat -- A house for Marie -- Genevieve Macdonald -- At Wetoco Lodge -- Snake lady -- National prexy : the ALA -- Farewell -- pt. 7. Librarian emeritus -- "Miss Farmer" -- Wellington's marriage -- WPA Project -- Granddaughter Alta Marie -- Men and women in need -- Birthday celebrations -- pt. 8. Leave-taking -- Buffingtons of Duluth -- Marie's legacy -- Sharing of gifts -- Afterword -- Selected writings of Gratia Countryman -- "The vocation in which a woman may engage" -- "Liberty" -- "Maria Sanford," a eulogy -- "Fathers" -- Library Ann's cook book -- Gratia's recipes.