VI INTRODUCTION

La Boîte aux lettres, La Veuve du loup, and Le Grenadier de la belle neuvième. I hâve borrowed from Les Récits de la plaine et de la montagne: Quinze billets bleus, and Le Chapeau de soiej from Croquis de France et d'' Orient : Histoires de dindons.

The first sélection, La Jumeitt bleue, is worthy to figure prominently among the many short stories lately inspired by the Napoleonic legend. Le Moulin qiii ne tour7ie plus is a rustic taie, much in Daudet's vein and trend. La Boîte atix lettres is a délicate little sketch of clérical life, fuU of gentle humor. The story of Quinze billets bleus vaguely reminds us of François Coppée's novel. Les vrais riches. Le Chapeau de soie is a dramatic épisode of the late Franco-Prussian war. Histoires de dindons shows us the amusing and strange mixture of creduHty and cunning to be found in French country people. La Veuve du loiep is a poetical taie of a Vendean vendetta. Finally, the last and longest one, Le Grenadier de la belle neuvième relates an act of bravery somewhat similar to that accomplished by heroic Captain Deberle in Jules Claretie's La Frontière.

YoNKERS, N. Y., May 6, 1907.