Stories of Wit, Humor, and Folly
The finest vintage fiction never took itself too seriously, and neither should you.
- Written by Sydney Cowell
Published April, 1890
On a glorious June afternoon at the Polo Grounds, Algernon De Witt Caramel, the Champion Short-Stop of America, chases an enchanted baseball clear over the outfield fence, across Manhattan, and straight into the Atlantic Ocean. What begins as the greatest sporting event of the year becomes a supernatural odyssey through moonlit forests and medieval castles, where moonlit forests hide terrible secrets and a fairy godmother pulls the strings.
- Written by Frank P. Smith
Published August, 1886
A writer scratching away at his quill pen hears a thin, squeaky voice demanding to know who he is. Perched on the corner of a book, wearing a yellowish jacket and the oddest bonnet with two long hairs sticking from the top, his tiny visitor has been watching him for two weeks, paralyzed between curiosity and terror. She has quite a lot to say. Surprised to be conversing with a cockroach, he wondered if he was dreaming.
- Written by George Edgar Montgomery
Published February, 1890
A theatrical comedy unfolds when Dr. Van Hyde arrives at the Valdingam estate to examine Rose, who her father believes suffers from dangerous romantic delusions. Mr. Valdingam claims his daughter falls in love with every man she meets and needs psychiatric treatment. However, Rose recognizes Dr. Van Hyde as the gentleman who helped her after she fell on a New York street just days earlier. As the doctor and patient are left alone to begin the examination, both realize they have met before under romantic circumstances.
- Written by William R. Travers
Published Sept, 1888
They say brevity is the soul of wit, but for W.R. Travers, a stammer was the perfect delivery system. A fixture of old Wall Street and the Union Club, Travers possessed a humor that struck like lightning, usually at the expense of long-winded Englishmen or self-important bankers. In this delightful 1908 collection, we follow the legendary broker as he navigates parrot shops and stuffy boardrooms alike. It is a portrait of a man who knew that oysters have brains enough to stay quiet, even if his dinner guests did not.
- Written by A. W. Moore
Published April, 1886
Young Jim Tolley had a penchant for theatrical mischief, but he never imagined a parlor game prank would cost him a fortune. When he crashes a society dinner dressed as the lovely Bertha Snyder to tease his wealthy bachelor uncle, the joke succeeds too well, resulting in immediate disinheritance. Yet, in a twist worthy of the stage, his apology to the real Bertha sparks a romance that proves fortune has a wicked sense of humor. A delightful 1890s tale of lost legacies and lucky love.
- Written by John Esten Cooke
Published October, 1887
When a cold breakfast and a denied sealskin sacque lead Mr. and Mrs. Inderwick to the melancholy conclusion that they are hopelessly incompatible, they turn to their trusted friends for counsel. The meddlesome Bacons, eager to share their own questionable wisdom on marital strife, suggest a drastic remedy: immediate separation. But as the young couple flees home to prove a point, they discover that taking relationship advice from miserable people might be the biggest mistake of all. It is a delightful comedy of errors regarding love, bad influence, and the importance of a good peace offering.
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