INTRODUCTION

CONTENTS.

PORTRAITS.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

I. THE STAR IN THE EAST.

II. A GLIMMER IN THE WEST.

III. NEARING THE DAWN.

IV. WHERE THE BLUE-GRASS GROWS.

V. A HOLE IN THE GROUND.

VI. THE WORLD'S LUBRICANT.

VII. THE VALLEY OF PETROLEUM.

VIII. PICKING RIPE CHERRIES.

IX. A GOURD IN THE NIGHT.

X. UP THE WINDING RIVER.

XI. A BEE-LINE FOR THE NORTH.

XII. DOWN THE ZIG-ZAGGED STREAM.

XIII. ON THE SOUTHERN TRAIL.

XIV. MORE OYSTERS IN THE STEW.

XV. FROM THE WELL TO THE LAMP.

XVI. THE LITERARY GUILD.

XVII. NITRO-GLYCERINE IN THIS.

XVIII. THE STANDARD OIL-COMPANY.

XIX. JUST ODDS AND ENDS.

The positions of most illustrations have been adjusted slightly to fall on paragraph breaks. In most cases, any text included in the illustrations has been presented as a caption.

Those images which are employed at the opening of each chapter sometimes incorporate the first character in the illustration itself, but sometimes simply give that character in a large font. Normally the latter have a caption. This version follows the appearance of the text as well as possible.

Minor errors, attributable to the printer, have been corrected. Please see the transcriber’s note at the end of this text for details regarding the handling of any textual issues encountered during its preparation.

The cover image has been created, based on title page information, and is added to the public domain.

“He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play and old men from the chimney-corner.”—SIR PHILIP SIDNEY.

“What is writ is written, would it were better.”—SHAKESPEARE.