trate the development of the form from Roman times to our own
day, nor to show how the technique of Poe differs from that of Irving:
its purpose is none of these things, but rather to use the short story
as a means of interpreting American life. Our country is so vast that
few of us know more than a small corner of it, and even in that corner
we do not know all our fellow-citizens; differences of color, of race,
of creed, of fortune, keep us in separate strata. But through books we
may learn to know our fellow-citizens, and the knowledge will make us
better Americans.

The story by Dorothy Canfield has a unique interest for the student, in
that it is followed by the author's own account of how it was written,
from the first glimpse of the theme to the final typing of the story.
Teachers who use this book for studying the art of short story
construction may prefer to begin with "Flint and Fire" and follow with
"The Citizen," tracing in all the others indications of the authors'
methods.

BENJAMIN A. HEYDRICK.

NEW YORK CITY,
March, 1920.

CONTENTS

PAGE
I. IN SCHOOL DAYS
THE RIGHT PROMETHEAN FIRE _George Madden Martin_ 3
Sketch of George Madden Martin 16

II. JUST KIDS
THE LAND OF HEART'S DESIRE _Myra Kelly_ 21
Sketch of Myra Kelly 37

III. HERO-WORSHIP
THE TENOR _H. C. Bunner_ 41
Sketch of H. C. Bunner 54

IV. SOCIETY IN OUR TOWN
THE PASSING OF PRISCILLA WINTHROP _William Allen White_ 59
Sketch of William Allen White 73

V. A PAIR OF LOVERS
THE GIFT OF THE MAGI _O. Henry_ 79
Sketch of O. Henry 86

VI. IN POLITICS
THE GOLD BRICK _Brand Whitlock_ 91
Sketch of Brand Whitlock 111

VII. THE TRAVELLING SALESMAN
HIS MOTHER'S SON _Edna Ferber_ 117
Sketch of Edna Ferber 130

VIII. AFTER THE BIG STORE CLOSES
BITTER-SWEET