[2] Will D. Howe, in _The Cambridge History of American Literature_, Vol. II, pp. 158–159 (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1918). [3] _A History of American Literature Since 1870_, p. 317 (The Century Co.: 1915). [4] _A History of American Literature Since 1870_, pp 79–81. [5] “The Works of Bret Harte,” twenty volumes. The Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. [6] _The Cambridge History of American Literature_, Vol. II, p. 386. [7] See this Introduction. [8] _The Cambridge History of American Literature_, Vol. II, p. 385. [9] Fred Lewis Pattee, in The Cambridge History of American Literature, Vol. II, p. 394. CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION v _Alexander Jessup_ THE LITTLE FRENCHMAN AND HIS WATER LOTS (1839) 1 _George Pope Morris_ THE ANGEL OF THE ODD (1844) 7 _Edgar Allan Poe_ THE SCHOOLMASTER’S PROGRESS (1844) 18 _Caroline M.S. Kirkland_ THE WATKINSON EVENING (1846) 34 _Eliza Leslie_ TITBOTTOM’S SPECTACLES (1854) 52 _George William Curtis_ MY DOUBLE; AND HOW HE UNDID ME (1859) 75 _Edward Everett Hale_ A VISIT TO THE ASYLUM FOR AGED AND DECAYED PUNSTERS (1861) 94 _Oliver Wendell Holmes_ THE CELEBRATED JUMPING FROG OF CALAVERAS COUNTY (1865) 102 _Mark Twain_ ELDER BROWN’S BACKSLIDE (1885) 109 _Harry Stillwell Edwards_ THE HOTEL EXPERIENCE OF MR. PINK FLUKER (1886) 128 _Richard Malcolm Johnston_ THE NICE PEOPLE (1890) 141 _Henry Cuyler Bunner_ THE BULLER-PODINGTON COMPACT (1897) 151 _Frank Richard Stockton_ COLONEL STARBOTTLE FOR THE PLAINTIFF (1901) 170 _Bret Harte_ THE DUPLICITY OF HARGRAVES (1902) 199 _O. Henry_ BARGAIN DAY AT TUTT HOUSE (1905) 213 _George Randolph Chester_ A CALL (1906) 237 _Grace MacGowan Cooke_ HOW THE WIDOW WON THE DEACON (1911) 252 _William James Lampton_ GIDEON (1914) 260 _Wells Hastings_ ACKNOWLEDGMENTS