1
Urban Sketches, by Bret Harte
The Project Gutenberg EBook of Urban Sketches, by Bret Harte This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: Urban Sketches
Author: Bret Harte
Release Date: May 21, 2006 [EBook #2598]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK URBAN SKETCHES ***
Produced by Donald Lainson
URBAN SKETCHES
by Bret Harte
CONTENTS
A VENERABLE IMPOSTOR
FROM A BALCONY
MELONS
SURPRISING ADVENTURES OF MASTER CHARLES SUMMERTON
SIDEWALKINGS
A BOY'S DOG
CHARITABLE REMINISCENCES
"SEEING THE STEAMER OFF"
NEIGHBORHOODS I HAVE MOVED FROM
MY SUBURBAN RESIDENCE
ON A VULGAR LITTLE BOY
WAITING FOR THE SHIP
URBAN SKETCHES
A VENERABLE IMPOSTOR.
As I glance across my table, I am somewhat distracted by the spectacle of a venerable head whose crown occasionally appears beyond, at about its level. The apparition of a very small hand--whose fingers are bunchy and have the appearance of being slightly webbed--which is frequently lifted above the table in a vain and impotent attempt to reach the inkstand, always affects me as a novelty at each recurrence of the phenomenon. Yet both the venerable head and bunchy fingers belong to an individual with whom I am familiar, and to whom, for certain reasons hereafter described, I choose to apply the epithet written above this ar