=coup de théâtre=:--(French) A very striking scene, such as might appear
on the stage.

=Two Years before the Mast=:--A sea story written by R.H. Dana, about
1840.


SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDY

What is a romance? The phrase _already mentioned_ refers to earlier
parts of the book _Suburban Sketches_, from which this story is taken.
What effect does the author gain by the ring at the door-bell? How does
he give you a quick and vivid idea of the visitor? What significance do
the man's clothes have in the story? By means of what devices does the
author interest you in the stranger? Do adventures really happen in
everyday life? Why does the author speak of one's own "register"? Mr.
Howells has written a number of novels in which he pictures ordinary
people, and shows the romance of commonplace events. Why does the
listener "exult"? How does the man's story affect you? What is gained by
having it told in his own words? Is Jonathan Tinker's toast a happy one?
What does the contributor mean by saying that he would have been a good
subject for "the predatory arts"? _The last horse-car_: To Boston; the
scene is probably laid in Cambridge where Mr. Howells lived for some
years. In what way does the sailor's language emphasize the pathetic
quality of his story? How was the man "literature made to the author's
hand"? What are the "national traditions" mentioned in connection with
the boy? Why was the story regarded as "too perfect" when it was related
at home? In what way was Julia Tinker's face "disappointing"? How does
the author feel when he hears the facts in the case? Why does he resolve