The Hollow Tree and Deep Woods Book   By: Albert Bigelow Paine (1861-1937)

THE HOLLOW TREE AND DEEP WOODS BOOK

[Illustration: AN INVITATION FROM JACK RABBIT.]

THE HOLLOW TREE

AND

DEEP WOODS BOOK

BEING A NEW EDITION IN ONE VOLUME OF "THE HOLLOW TREE" AND "IN THE DEEP WOODS" WITH SEVERAL NEW STORIES AND PICTURES ADDED

BY ALBERT BIGELOW PAINE

ILLUSTRATED BY J. M. CONDÉ

[Illustration]

NEW YORK AND LONDON HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS

BOOKS BY ALBERT BIGELOW PAINE

MARK TWAIN: A BIOGRAPHY. Illustrated.

Octavo, Uniform Red Cloth, Trade Edition, 3 Vols. (in a box) net $6.00

Octavo, Cloth, Full Gilt Backs, Gilt Tops, Library Edition, 3 Vols. (in a box) net 7.00

Octavo, Three quarter Calf, Gilt Tops, 3 Vols. (in a box) net 14.50

Octavo, Three quarter Levant, Gilt Tops, 3 Vols. (in a box) net 15.50

THE SHIP DWELLERS. Illustrated. 8vo net 1.50

THE TENT DWELLERS. Illustrated. Post 8vo 1.50

"PEANUT." Illustrated. 16mo net .50 Full Leather, 16mo net 1.00

THE HOLLOW TREE AND DEEP WOODS BOOK. Illustrated. Post 8vo 1.50

THE HOLLOW TREE SNOWED IN BOOK. Ill'd. Crown 8vo 1.50

FROM VAN DWELLER TO COMMUTER. Illustrated. Post 8vo 1.50

LIFE OF THOMAS NAST. Illustrated. 8vo net 5.00

HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, N. Y.

Copyright, 1898, by JAMES GORDON BENNETT Copyright, 1899, by FRANK MUNSEY Copyright, 1899, by THE CENTURY CO. Copyright, 1898, 1899, 1901, by ROBERT HOWARD RUSSELL Copyright, 1900, by HARPER & BROTHERS

Acknowledgments are due to the New York Herald , The Puritan , Harper's Bazar , and The Century Magazine , in which periodicals these stories were originally printed.

TO FRIENDS, OLD AND NEW

I suppose the very best pay that ever comes to anyone who writes a book is to know that the ones he wrote it for really like it. When they like it well enough to write and tell him so, though they have never seen him, and perhaps never will, then he feels very proud indeed, and happy. Perhaps he even looks at himself in the looking glass to make sure he is really the one who did it, though of course he wouldn't have anyone see him doing it, or think him vain, for anything.

The publisher is only going to let me print one of the ever so many nice letters that have come for the man who wrote the Hollow Tree stories and the other man who drew the pictures for them. So I've picked out one that is for both of us, and that is signed by three, which makes it equal to six letters, three for each of us, and as nice letters as anyone who writes books for other folks to read could ever wish to have.

NEW YORK CITY, 107 SIXTY NINTH STREET, EAST, Oct. 18th, 1900 .

DEAR MR. PAINE:

Won't you please write another book about the 'Coon and the 'Possum and the old black Crow? We know these two by heart, now. We like that story about the "Rain In The Night" because that is the way we do when there is a thunderstorm. Please write some more and make them friends with poor Mr. Dog, and we want Mr. Condé to draw the pictures, too.

Your sincere friends, AMY C. HUTTON, JACK HUTTON, JR., M. KATHERINE HUTTON.

Don't you think that is a very nice letter to get? I am sure no one could be blamed for taking just one little look in the glass after that, or for trying to "write another book" to please readers who have learned the others "by heart."