The preface is proving horribly inadequate. It is not at all what Ben wants. It does not seem possible to support his theory that "One Thousand and One Afternoons," springing from a literary passion so authentic and continuing so long with a fervor and variety unmatched in newspaper writing, are hack-work, done for a meal ticket. They must have had the momentum of a strictly artistic inspiration and gained further momentum from the need of expression, from pride in the subtle use of words, from an ardent interest in the city and its human types. Yes, they are newspaper work; they are the writings of a reporter emancipated from the assignment book and the copy-desk; a reporter gone to the heaven of reporters, where they write what they jolly well please and get it printed too! But the sketches are also literature of which I think Ben cannot be altogether ashamed; else why does he print them in a book, and how could Mr. Rosse be moved to make the striking designs with which the book is embellished? Quite enough has been said. The author, the newspaper editor, the proof-readers and revisers have done their utmost with "One Thousand and One Afternoons." The prefacer confesses failure. It is the turn of the reader. He may welcome the sketches in book form; he may turn scornfully from them and leave them to moulder in the stock-room of Messrs. Covici-McGee. To paraphrase an old comic opera lyric: "You never can tell about a reader; Perhaps that's why we think them all so nice. You never find two alike at any one time And you never find one alike twice. You're never very certain that they read you, And you're often very certain that they don't. Though an author fancy still that he has the strongest will It's the reader has the strongest won't." Yet I think that the book will succeed. It may succeed so far that Mr. Hecht will hear some brazen idiots remarking: "I like it better than 'Dorn' or 'Gargoyles'." Yes, just that ruinous thing may happen. But if it does Ben cannot blame his editor. HENRY JUSTIN SMITH. Chicago, July 1, 1922 CONTENTS A Self-Made Man An Iowa Humoresque An Old Audience Speaks Clocks and Owl Cars Confessions Coral, Amber and Jade Coeur De Lion and The Soup and Fish Dapper Pete and The Sucker Play Dead Warrior Don Quixote and His Last Windmill "Fa'n Ta Mig!" Fanny Fantastic Lollypops Fog Patterns Grass Figures Ill-Humoresque Jazz Band Impressions Letters Meditation in E Minor Michigan Avenue Mishkin's Minyon Mottka Mr. Winkelberg Mrs. Rodjezke's Last Job Mrs. Sardotopolis' Evening Off Night Diary Nirvana Notes For A Tragedy On A Day Like This Ornaments Pandora's Box Pitzela's Son Queen Bess Feast Ripples Satraps At Play Schopenhauer's Son Sergt. Kuzick's Waterloo Sociable Gamblers Ten-Cent Wedding Rings The Auctioneer's Wife The Dagger Venus The Exile The Great Traveler The Indestructible Masterpiece The Lake The Little Fop The Man From Yesterday