AMERICAN SHORT STORIES
Reading edition
CHARLES SEARS BALDWIN, A.M., PH.D.
AMERICAN SHORT STORIES
SELECTED AND EDITED
WITH AN INTRODUCTORY ESSAY ON THE SHORT STORY
BY CHARLES SEARS BALDWIN, A.M., Ph.D. PROFESSOR OF RHETORIC IN COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
NEW IMPRESSION
LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO. FOURTH AVENUE & 30TH STREET, NEW YORK 39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON BOMBAY, CALCUTTA, AND MADRAS 1921
Copyright, 1904, By Longmans, Green, and Co.
All rights reserved.
First Edition, August, 1904 Reprinted, May, 1906, October, 1909 October, 1910, January, 1912, April, 1916 June, 1921
TO G. E. B.
In the brief tale, however, the author is enabled to carry out the fulness of his intention, be it what it may. During the hour of perusal the soul of the reader is at the writer’s control. There are no external or extrinsic influences resulting from weariness or interruption.
A skilful literary artist has constructed a tale. If wise, he has not fashioned his thoughts to accommodate his incidents; but having conceived, with deliberate care, a certain unique or single effect to be wrought out, he then invents such incidents, he then combines such events as may best aid him in establishing this preconceived effect. If his very initial sentence tend not to the out-bringing of this effect, then he has failed in his first step. In the whole composition there should be no word written of which the tendency, direct or indirect, is not to the one pre-established design.—Edgar Allan Poe.