Details

Title

The Passing of the Third Floor Back and Other Stories

Author

Jerome, Jerome K.

Physical Description

232 p. ; 19.1 x 12.8 cm

Place of Publication

London

Publisher

Hurst and Blackett, Ltd.

Collection

L.M. Montgomery Institute. Ryrie-Campbell Collection.

Donor

Donated by Donna Jane Campbell.

Note

Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927) was an English writer best known for his comic travelogue, ‘Three Men and a Boat’ (1889). “The Passing of the Third Floor Back,'' a short story that he later turned into a play, anchors this collection first published in 1907. Montgomery was clearly fond of Jerome, and she quoted from his essay collection ‘The Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow’ more than once, particularly the line, “life tastes much the same, whether we quaff it from a golden goblet or drink it out of a stone mug.” This volume was owned by L.M. Montgomery, and the inscription reads: "L.M. Montgomery Macdonald 1927" with her signature cat drawing next to her name. Beneath this inscription is another one in a different handwriting that reads: "H. du D. Rothwell". Montgomery has also pasted a small newspaper clipping into the book. The clipping includes a short poem “Books! Books! Books! / And we thank Thee God for the gift of them; / For the glorious reach and lift of them; / For the gleam in them and the dream in them; / For the things they teach and the souls they reach; / For the light in them, and the might in them; / For the throngs of folk they bring to us, / And the song of hope they sing to us.” The word "Wawataysee" at the bottom of the clipping could possibly indicate Wawataysee Island located in Muskoka, Ontario. Wawataysee Island is not far from Bala, Ontario, where the Maconalds stayed for two weeks and which inspired her to write ‘The Blue Castle,’ (1926).

Contents

"The Passing of the Third Floor Back" ; "The Philosopher's Joke" ; "The Soul of Nicholas Snyders, or the Miser of Zandam" ; "Mrs. Korner Sins Her Mercies" ; "The Cost of Kindness" ; "The Love of Ulrich Nebendahl"

Genre

short story

Call Number(s)

953 SI P.LIB.LMM 1927