Short stories from Life: The 81 prize stories in "Life's" Shortest Story Contest
The 81 Prize Stories in “Life’s” Shortest Story Contest
With an Introduction by Thomas L. Masson
Managing Editor of “Life”
Garden City New York Doubleday, Page & Company 1916
Copyright, 1916, by Doubleday, Page & Company
All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign languages, including the Scandinavian
COPYRIGHT, 1916, BY THE LIFE PUBLISHING COMPANY
CONTENTS
By Thomas L. Masson Managing Editor of Life
It was at a luncheon party that the idea of Life’s Short Story Contest was first suggested by Mr. Lincoln Steffens. He propounded this interesting query:
“How short can a short story be and still be a short story?”
It was thereupon determined to discover, if possible, a practical answer to this interesting question. The columns of Life were thrown open to contributors for many months, prizes aggregating $1,750 were offered and eighty-one short stories were published. This book contains these stories, including the four prize winners.
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INTRODUCTION
N. B.
THE CLEAREST CALL
GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN
THE GRETCHEN PLAN
THE GLORY OF WAR
THE AVIATOR
LOYALTY
MOSES COMES TO BURNING BUSH
BUSINESS AND ETHICS
NORTH OF FIFTY-THREE
THE OLD THINGS
THE FORCED MARCH
APPROXIMATING THE ULTIMATE WITH AUNT SARAH
THE HORSE HEAVER
THE EGO OF THE METROPOLIS
THE GAY DECEIVER
IN COLD BLOOD
HOUSEWORK—AND THE MAN
HER MEMORY
HIS JOURNEY’S END.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
HOPE
COLLUSION
FAITHFUL TO THE END
ARLETTA
WHICH?
WHAT THE VANDALS LEAVE
BEN T. ALLEN, ATTY., VS. HIMSELF
THE JOKE ON PRESTON
THE IDYL
WITHHELD
UP AND DOWN
THE ANSWER
PATCHES
THE ARM AT GRAVELOTTE
THE BAD MAN
NEMESIS
THE BLACK DOOR
THE MAN WHO TOLD
THE UNANSWERED CALL
THE WOMEN IN THE CASE
THE CAT CAME BACK
“SOLITAIRE” BILL
JUST A PAL
WHEN “KULTUR” WAS BEATEN
PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE
A MEXICAN VIVANDIÈRE
MOTHER’S BIRTHDAY PRESENT
RED BLOOD OR BLUE
THE IMPULSIVE MR. JIGGS
TOMASO AND ME
THICKER THAN WATER
THE OLD GROVE CROSSING
LOST AND FOUND
I
II
III
YOU CAN NEVER TELL
THE ESCAPE
TWO LETTERS, A TELEGRAM, AND A FINALE
THE INTRUDER
MOLTEN METAL
THE WINNER’S LOSS
THE RECOIL OF THE GUN
“MAN MAY LOVE”
ONE WAY—AND ANOTHER
THE BLACK PATCH
A SHIPBOARD ROMANCE
THE COWARD
THE HEART OF A BURGLAR
THE REWARD
THE FIRST GIRL
A SOPHISTRY OF ART
THE MESSAGE IN THE AIR
IN A GARDEN
A CLEVER CATCH
STRICTLY BUSINESS
THE ADVENT OF THE MAJORITY
THE NIGHT NURSE
WHY THE TRENCH WAS LOST
THE KING OF THE PLEDGERS
A PO-LICE-MAN
THE QUEST OF THE V. C.
SOMEWHERE IN BELGIUM
