of the early gold-seeking days of California. Their
charm lies in his emphasis on the manners and actions of a picturesque
community.

The material of his stories is romantic, melodramatic, often almost
shocking. He handled it, however, with humor, irony, or pathos. He was
a realist who pictured, marvelously, the life about him as he saw it.

In 1870 Mr. Harte was made professor of recent literature in the
University of California. After 1878 he held consular appointments; in
Germany 1878-1880, in Scotland 1880-1885. After 1885 he lived in
England until his death in 1902.

Chu Chu

145, 1. Castilian. Of pure Spanish origin.

2. Mexican plug. Slang for an inferior horse of Mexican breed.

147, 1. Vaquero. A cowherder.

2. Sombrero. A hat.

149, 1. Comstock lode. A rich vein of gold and silver discovered in
Nevada in 1859. The discovery of its riches led people to rush to
Nevada, and Virginia City grew up as if by magic.

2. Rosinante. The horse belonging to Don Quixote who was the romantic
and absurdly chivalric hero of a satirical Spanish novel entitled _The
History of the Valorous and Witty Knight Errant, Don Quixote of the
Mancha_ by Miguel Cervantes.

152, 1. Arabian Nights. _The Thousand and One Nights_, commonly called
_The Arabian Nights' Tales_, are ancient oriental fairy tales. One of
these is the story of the enchanted horse, a wooden horse with two
pegs. When one of the pegs was turned, the horse rose in the air; when
the other was turned, the horse descended wherever the rider wished.

154, 1. Dulcinea. Sweetheart. Dulcinea was also the name of Don
Quixote's lady.

156, 1. Hidalgo. A man of wealth and position.

157, 1. Chatelaine. The mistress of a castle.

158, 1. Petite. Small.

159, 1. Toreador. A bull-fighter.

162, 1. Hacienda. A large estate.

2. Alfalfa. A species of grass valuable as fodder for horses and
cattle.

165, 1. Rodeo. Cattle market.

167, 1. Tete-a-tete. A private conversation between two people.

169, 1. Padre. Priest.

172, 1. Rencontre. A meeting.

2. Patio. Courtyard.

3. Cabriole. An open carriage.

* * * * *

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE (Page 173)

Because he was one of the founders of the short story in America, and
because he is considered by many critics to be superior in style to all
other American writers of fiction, Nathaniel Hawthorne has been chosen
as the last of the group of American authors represented in t