Contains 37 stories: The 30,000 dollars bequest -- A dog's tale -- Was it heaven? or hell? -- The Californian's tale -- A helpless situation -- A telephonic conversation -- Edward Mills and George Benton: a tale -- Saint Joan of Arc -- The five boons of life -- The first writing-machines -- Italian without a master -- Italian with grammar -- A burlesque biography -- General Washington's negro body-servant -- Wit inspirations of the "two-year-olds" -- An entertaining article -- A letter to the Secretary of the Treasury -- Amended obituaries -- A monument to Adam -- A humane word from Satan -- Introduction to "The new guide of the conversation in Portuguese and English -- Advice to little girls -- Post-mortem poetry -- A deception -- The danger of lying in bed -- Portrait of King William III -- Does the race of man love a lord? -- Eve's diary -- The invalid's story -- The captain's story -- Mark Twain: a biographical sketch -- In memoriam -- The belated Russian passport -- Two little tales. Diplomatic pay and clothes -- Extracts from Adam's Diary -- The death disk -- A double-barreled detective story.