
BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY The Riverside Press Cambridge 1911
COPYRIGHT, 1911, BY KEENE ABBOTT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Published April 1911
A MELODY IN SILVER - CHAPTER IToC - THE LOST CAUSE
CHAPTER IIToC - RUE AND ROSEMARY
CHAPTER IIIToC - THE WORLD'S END
CHAPTER IVToC - DEAD SEA FRUIT
CHAPTER VToC - THE MUG OF WOE
CHAPTER VIToC - "FAV-VER"
CHAPTER VIIToC - AS A FOUNTAIN IN THE DESERT
CHAPTER VIIIToC - THE GONE-AWAY LADY
In this off‑beat tale, a young boy named David navigates the confusing terrain of childhood friendships and family expectations. When Mitch, the enigmatic new neighbor, arrives with his mysterious Indian bow and a secret about “trouvers,” David’s world tilts sideways. Their games of climbing trees, pretend swordplay, and strained politeness hint at deeper questions of identity.
David’s mother, ever watchful, tries to steer the boys toward proper chores and strawberry turnovers, while quietly suspecting that Mitch may be bringing trouble. The narrative swirls with playful misunderstandings—Mitch’s cryptic advice, a sudden debate over dresses versus kilts, and David’s desperate search for a way to prove his point without a brick.
The story unfolds with a gentle humor that captures the bewildering mix of imagination and social pressure children often face. Listeners are drawn into a vivid, slightly absurd world where a simple yard fence becomes a stage for questions about belonging, bravery, and the odd rituals that mark growing up.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (103K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Jeannie Howse, Barbara Tozier, Bill Tozier and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
May 22, 2006
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1876–1941
Best remembered for warm, well-crafted short fiction and a long career in newspaper criticism, this Nebraska writer moved easily between journalism and storytelling. His work appeared in major magazines of the early 20th century, bringing a plainspoken Midwestern voice to a national audience.
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