Project Gutenberg 2006-05-22 Public domain in the USA. 902 Harte, Bret 1836 1902 Harte, Francis Bret Urban Sketches A venerable impostor -- From a balcony -- Melons -- Surprising adventures of Master Charles Summerton -- Sidewalkings -- A boy's dog -- Charitable reminiscences -- "Seeing the steamer off" -- Neighborhoods I have moved from -- My suburban residence -- On a vulgar little boy -- Waiting for the ship. Produced by Donald Lainson and David Widger "Urban Sketches" by Bret Harte is a collection of essays and narrative vignettes written during the late 19th century. The work captures various aspects of urban life in San Francisco, with a particular focus on the whimsical and humorous observations of the author. The stories range from interactions with peculiar characters, such as a comically perceived “venerable impostor,” to depictions of unique incidents that arise within the city's neighborhoods, each painting a vivid portrait of life and social nuances during this period. The opening of "Urban Sketches" introduces us to the character referred to as a "Venerable Impostor," depicted humorously through the lens of an observer who remains fascinated and bemused by the old man's antics and mysterious background. The narrator describes his experiences interacting with this character, who is both child-like and otherworldly, evoking a sense of nostalgia and reflecting on the absurdities found in the everyday. Following this segment, the tone shifts with observations from a balcony, showcasing the rich tapestry of urban life filled with music, youthful romances, and social interactions, all underscored by Harte's sharp wit and keen insight into human behavior. This introduction sets the stage for a series of interconnected sketches, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the whimsical atmosphere of Victorian San Francisco. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 55.4 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. en Short stories American fiction -- 19th century PS Text Category: Humour Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches Category: American Literature 157202 2025-08-01T14:03:41.693831 text/html 155841 2021-01-27T13:40:52 text/html; charset=utf-8 57486 2021-01-27T13:40:52 text/html; charset=utf-8 application/zip 125851 2025-08-01T14:03:46.312808 application/epub+zip 127689 2025-08-01T14:03:43.542842 application/epub+zip 127689 2025-08-01T14:03:42.325864 application/epub+zip 219357 2025-08-01T14:03:48.568305 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 204483 2025-08-01T14:03:45.644855 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 180454 2022-09-02T04:55:37.013206 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 136954 2025-08-01T14:03:41.413860 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 136866 2018-03-05T09:02:42 text/plain; charset=utf-8 54918 2018-03-19T10:22:02 text/plain; charset=utf-8 application/zip 136364 2006-05-21T12:13:20 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 54789 2006-05-21T12:13:46 text/plain; charset=us-ascii application/zip 21139 2025-08-01T14:03:48.713313 application/rdf+xml 10432 2025-08-01T14:03:42.820851 image/jpeg 2942 2025-08-01T14:03:42.572816 image/jpeg 123042 2025-08-01T14:03:41.706855 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia