Wright American Fiction

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Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by HARPER & BROTHERS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

TO JOHN:

THE MOST IMPERFECTLY DESCRIBED OF ALL THE PERSONS IN
THESE PAGES, INASMUCH AS ALL MENTION OF
HER HEREIN FALLS SO FAR BELOW
HER ACTUAL EXCELLENCE.

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A WORD IN ADVANCE.

ONCE upon a time, years ago, the author turned from fields in many respects more inviting, to labor in one of the newest, as it is the noblest, of the States of the South-west. Residing in the leading city of that State, his duties bore him around that centre through a large and diversified circle of persons and things, in a climate where all is freshest and freest. In the intervals of more important labors he found himself recording, almost unconsciously, the events and the people of the hour. It was as if the paper upon his desk was sensitized, taking photographs of nature around, the writer being little more than the camera, condensing and directing the same into focus.

The author yields to no man in orthodox belief, honest and hearty; and his only hesitation here has been lest some hasty reader should for a moment imagine religion, or any aspect thereof, lightly mentioned in these pages. Yet, even the humblest Luther must risk this when his blows are aimed solely at, and fall wholly upon, that which is purely human in systems and persons connected, and really and truly connected, with our holy religion. In the human, and the human only, lies the imperfect, and, therefore, not perfectly efficient part of the means appointed for the saving of this world. Surely, too great allegiance to the human herein is treason to the Divine! page: 6-7 (Table of Contents) [View Page 6-7 (Table of Contents) ]Switch to Image ModeCLOSE Page 6-7 (Table of Contents) And the changes for the better, since this volume was written, themselves prove that the effort herein was at least in the right direction.

The author would beg leave to state distinctly that he himself is not the Mr. Charles Wall of this book: where every thing else herein is almost literal fact, it would make the volume a fiction indeed to suppose any thing of the kind.

He ventures also to add that he has given himself, since inditing these pages, exclusively to the Profession which he regards as demanding and rewarding every energy he possesses. Yet he ventures to hope that an effort in the same general direction as incidental as this may not be wholly in vain. The Master deigned to accept and use the fishes and barley-loaves of the Apostles, as well as their sufferings and labors in the ministry.

CONTENTS.

• CHAPTER I. In which Mr. Charles Wall, but not our Hero, steps upon the Stage. 11
• CHAPTER II. Mr. Wall, Jun., preaches his first Sermon. 17
• CHAPTER III. A new Character for the Tragic Muse, truer to Fact than any Cornelia, Goneril, Desdemona, or Lady Macbeth of them all. 23
• CHAPTER IV. We make the Acquaintance—under his solemn Protest, however—of Mr. Merkes. 32
• CHAPTER V. Mr. Charles Wall ventures into a Mohammedan Paradise. 47
• CHAPTER VI. In which Charles Wall and John Easton ascend Parnassus. 51
• CHAPTER VII. A Sunday at General Likens's. 68
• CHAPTER VIII. In which we return to Patriarchal Times. 80
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• CHAPTER IX. John and her Friend. 92
• CHAPTER X. In which Mrs. General Likens expresses herself. 96
• CHAPTER XI. Mr. Robert Long arrives upon Bobasheela. 108
• CHAPTER XII. Another Arrival, and the Return Home. 125
• CHAPTER XIII. A Family Council convened. 136
• CHAPTER XIV. Quite another Neighborhood than General Likens's. 147
• CHAPTER XV. Good Mr. Ramsey has his Views. 158
• CHAPTER XVI. Mr. Charles Wall has a Providence not apparently quite so providential. 175
• CHAPTER XVII. We make acquaintance with the Meggars. 182
• CHAPTER XVIII. The Hunt of the Bear, and of other Game besides. 199
• CHAPTER XIX. The Diocletian of these Days. 218
• CHAPTER XX. Something about John and Edward. 237
• CHAPTER XXI. Mr. Edward Burleson drinks deep of Helicon. 244
• CHAPTER XXII. The Enthronement of a King! 258
• CHAPTER XXIII. In which Mr. Merkes is cruelly treated. 270
• CHAPTER XXIV. "Terrible News in Town to-day, Sir!" 277
• CHAPTER XXV. In which Mrs. General Likens enacts the savage Medea to her Offspring. 285
• CHAPTER XXVI. Mr. Bob Long finds Something tougher than Greek or Hebrew. 291
• CHAPTER XXVII. Mr. Charles Wall makes his terrible and hairbreadth Escape. 300
• CHAPTER XXVIII. Facilis est Descensus—But why is the old Quotation so very hackneyed? 307
• CHAPTER XXIX. The supremest of Woman's Rights. 317
• CHAPTER XXX. "Thine Ears shall hear a Word behind thee, saying, This is the Way." 323
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• CHAPTER XXXI. An Announcement and a Reminiscence. 330
• CHAPTER XXXII. In which one of us enters into a Heaven of Rest, and two others of us into a Heaven of Work. 340