Stories of Chicago

George Ade

University of Illinois Press, 2003 - Fiction - 278 pages

The stories of George Ade are energetic, detailed, and affectionate slices of the social life of Chicago in the Gay Nineties. Originally appearing in the Chicago Record between 1893 and 1900, they range from candid character sketches and snapshots of everyday street scenes to fiction and fantasies drawing on the endless stream of inspiration the bustling city provided.

Ade was hailed by such contemporaries as Mark Twain, H. L. Mencken, and William Dean Howells, and the stories contained in this volume showcase the full spectrum of his skills: his keen eye for the absurd and sublime moments of daily urban life, his ear for the vernacular, his shrewd understanding of the Midwestern character, and above all his firm belief that all of human life was worthy literary subject matter.

This volume includes many lively and evocative drawings by John T. McCutcheon, Ade's college classmate and friend who came to be known as "the Dean of American Cartoonists." Also included is an introduction by Franklin J. Meine, incorporating interviews with Ade and letters from John McCutcheon, Mark Twain, and Ade's managing editor, Charles H. Dennis.

Contents

• A Young Man in Upper Life: 3
• Since the Frenchman Came: 8
• The Mystery of the BackRoomer: 13
• In Chicago But Not of It: 18
• Mr Pensley Has a Quiet Day Off: 23
• Stumpy and Other Interesting People: 29
• Small Shops of the City: 34
• The Intellectual Awakening in Burtons Row: 39
• Some Instances of Political Devotion: 45
• Old Days on the Canal: 51
• With the MarketGardeners: 55
• FairMinded Discussion in Dearborn Avenue: 60
• Little Billy as a Committeeman: 65
• At the Green Tree Inn: 70
• The Advantage of Being Middle Class: 75
• The JunkShops of Canal Street: 79
• A BreathingPlace and PlayGround: 83
• Vehicles Out of the Ordinary: 87
• Hobo Wilson and the Good Fairy: 92
• How Pink Was Reformed: 98
• After the SkyScrapers What?: 104
• Sidewalk Merchants and Their Wares: 109
• Some of the Unfailing Signs: 114
• A Plantation Dinner at Aunt Marys: 119
• Mr Bensons Experience with a Maniac: 124
• Artie Blanchard: 128
• A Story from the Back Streets: 133
• Sophies Sunday Afternoon: 135
• Olof Lindstrom Goes Fishing: 141
• The Glory of Being a Coachman: 145
• Chicago High Art Up to Date: 150
• How Pick Caught the BattleRow: 153
• Life on a River Tug: 157
• Clark Street Chinamen: 163
• From the Office Window: 167
• Where the River Opens to the Lake: 171
• Slims Dog: 174
• II Janitoro: 177
• Min Sargent: 181
• Pink Marsh: 185
• Doc as Lothario: 190
• The Barclay Lawn Party: 195
• Handsome Cyril or The Messenger Boy with the Warm Feet: 201
• Clarence Allen the Hypnotic Boy Journalist: 208
• Rollo Johnson the Boy Inventor: 214
• The Fable of Sister Mae: 220
• An Incident in the Pansy: 222
• The Old Spelling School: 228
• The Lush Tries and Fails: 233
• An Experiment in Philanthropy: 238
• In the Roof Garden: 243
• The Hickey Boy in the Feathers: 247
• A Social Call: 252
• At Larrys Lunch: 257
• Gondola Wilsons Misfortune: 264
• Effie Whittlesy: 269
• Notes: 275

Bibliographic information

• Title: Stories of Chicago
• Author: George Ade
• Edition: illustrated, reprint
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press, 2003
• ISBN: 0252071433, 9780252071430
• Length: 278 pages
• Subjects: Fiction / City Life; Fiction / General; Fiction / Humorous / General; Fiction / Short Stories (single author); History / United States / 19th Century; Social Science / Sociology / Urban