Once more she turned toward the home land, arriving in Castile,
N.Y., in April, 1908, where she was joined by the friend of her
early missionary days in India.
Dr. Cordelia Greene, who established the Sanitarium, was succeeded
by her niece, Dr. Mary T. Greene, who arranged that the two
friends should occupy rooms in her lovely cottage, Brookside,
opposite the Sanitarium grounds, where for nearly three years they
enjoyed the comforts of a home and of congenial society. Though
living outside the institution they took their meals with the
Sanitarium family and took part in the daily morning prayer
service in the helpers' sitting-room and the after-supper service
for patients and guests in the large parlors, enjoying to the
full the spiritual atmosphere of the place.
There were quiet hours of delightful study in the Book which each
had made the guide of her life; social afternoons with friends
from different parts of the country and from over the seas who
were taking a rest-time in the lovely village; and pleasant
evenings before the cheerful grate fire in Dr. Swain's room. These
were made more heartsome one autumn because of the presence of a
much-esteemed missionary friend, Miss Knowles, from India, and of
Miss McFarland, Dr. Swain's dear friend of Canandaigua days, who
had come to spend a little time with the one whose companionship
had always been a pleasure, and whose correspondence during her
absence from America had been a delight.
"A GLIMPSE OF INDIA"
Relatives and friends of Dr. Swain had carefully preserved many of
her letters; and Dr. Greene, who had long desired that these
letters should be published, conceived that the favorable time had
come and urged the immediate preparation of the work. The letters
were read, extracts made, compiled and edited; and in the summer
of 1909 "A Glimpse of India" was given to the public. This
furnished a most interesting record of the busy life of the first
medical missionary to the women of the orient. As long as Dr.
Swain was able, she attended the Sunday morning service and the
Thursday evening prayer meeting, as well as the meetings of the
missionary and the Ladies' Aid societies of the church. When she
was no longer equal to the walk to church, she and her friend had
regular Sunday morning service in their room with hymns, Scripture
reading, prayer and a sermon, and were often present in spirit at
the midweek prayer meeting, though their prayers and praises were
uttered in their room.