AustLit

A gambling and slave tale set on a Mississippi steamboat before the US Civil War. A gambler's sale of a negro slave and her son by raffle ends happily when chances bought for her by kindly Pennsylvanians win their freedom. Purportedly recorded by a German traveller. (PB)

Tale of childish heroism set on a Gippsland farm near Traralgon. A young boy dies from wounds suffered in a fire from which he saves his injured mother. He is obeying his father's command not to leave her. (PB)

A chance meeting at a country entertainment and a mistaken identification separates engaged lovers. The mystery is unfolded months later in Rome through a woman's collapse in church, her tale of seduction by a married officer, and her love for her twin sister. A deathbed reunion of the sisters - and the separated lovers - is arranged by the English officers who wrongly identified the sister in the first place. Includes brief description of rites observed in Rome on Maundy Thursday - flagellation etc. Ruined twin sister dies as a result of seduction, betrayal etc. (PB)

Two young lovers on a country visit finally confess their love for each other. Pleasant courtship of feigned disinterest quickly altered. [Setting not specific, but it is Christmas and hot.] (PB)

Adventure of his childhood in Van Diemen's Land narrated by a New Zealand farmer to his child. Through his bravery and persistence he helps a loyal constable fight off an attack by escaped convicts turned bushrangers. Part exemplary tale - never give up ... (PB)

An American medical student arrives late at night in Paris and is lured to an isolated hotel. He escapes murder by constructing a ladder and fleeing out the window. Usual - traveller in strange hotel and murder genre. 'Naivete' of US traveller in Europe is a new emphasis. (PB)

A sharp London solicitor and his clerk assist a prominent nobleman to settle a break of promise - and the clerk in the process gains sufficient funds to purchase a partnership. Wry talk of cunning practice well-conducted. (PB)

Romance of marriage and love awakened late. A young girl marries before she knows of love, but falls in love with her husband's cousin. Her husband dies soon after but his evil father extorts a promise through his son that she will not marry again. Only after the father's death does a servant reveal a letter releasing her from the vow - and a true marriage follows. Probably US. (PB)

A young child helps his mother to accept death when his elders can't. Pathos. (PB)

Incident of the Franco-Prussian war. A brave and clever peasant shows the retreating French troops a ford over the Meusse River - and then sacrifices his life to lead the Germans astray. Interesting atmosphere of mob fight. Germans represented as very cruel. Tone of self sacrifice familiar. (PB)

Domestic argument - husband and wife bicker at home. Humour. (PB)

An engaged youth is cured of stealing kisses from his betrothed when he kisses the maid and the cook by mistake - and nearly loses his fiancee. (PB)

Tale of the British army in Ireland set in the days of Parnell. An English officer taken in by a thief with a resemblance to one of his superior officers attacks the man when he reappears - only to find he is the genuine officer. (PB)

Courtship in Virginia persuades a young teacher to give up an inheritance and keep his own name in order to win his beloved. It eventuates that she will inherit if he refuses to change his name - so he gets to keep both his name and the money when they marry. (PB)

Set in Venice in 1520, an artist's drawing allows a poor man to marry a rich innkeeper's daughter and saves her from suicide - Michael Angelo [sic]. (PB)

A political candidate mistakes an orphanage for a family home. (PB)

A maiden aunt tells of the courtship of her youth - engaged to a boy she had grown up with. He is shared by her married school friend and they run off together on the eve of her remarriage. The runaways are killed the same night in a carriage accident. (PB)

US frontier tale of a rough man who had killed three men in shootouts - but who died to rescue an immigrant and his family from Indians. (PB)

A team of five diggers agree to pump out a flooded claim on a tiny diggings, encouraged by a swagman and digger, Bill the Hatter. A miserly shanty-keeper tries to double-cross them - but one of the team, a murderer, watches and kills him! Includes an old woman and her young grand-daughter half-starved - who grows up to marry one of the team. (PB)

A group of cosmopolitan cowboys in North Texas are moved by the elocution of a dying lad - and his references to the woman he loves. Includes his peaceful death. (PB)