STOCKTON, steolcitOn, Francis Richard, (Frank R. Stockton), American author: b. Philadelphia, Pa. 5 April 1834; d. Washington, D. C., 20 April 1902. After a secondary educa tion to Philadelphia, he became a wood-en graver, practised the art with some success, and invented a double graver (1866). In 1872 he entered journalism, joining the staff of the Philadelphia Post, in the same year that of Hearth and Home of New York, somewhat later that of Seribner's Monthly, and in 1874 that of St. Nicholas, of which he was assistant editor until 1882. During this period he wrote many stories for children, among which were 'Roundabout Rambles' (1872); 'What Might Have Been Expected' (1874); 'Tales Out of School' (1875); 'A Jolly Fellowship' (1880); 'The Floating Prince' (1881); 'The Story of Viteau' (1884) and 'Personally Conducted' (1889). His first success was made with 'Rudder Grange' (1879), a burlesque account' of a house-boat outing, and. this he followed by the now well-known series of quaint and whim sical volumes which have made Stocktonian humor a thing peculiar to itself. Much of his best work is to be found in his short stories, the best known of which is probably 'The Lady or the Tiger.' He was a prolific writer of
novels, short stories, sketches and tales for children. Much of his humor depends upon the situation in which his characters are placed and the grotesque attitude of the author toward them; yet Stockton created many delightful characters that, with all their whimsicality, are quite human and very likeable personages. The list of his published works includes 'The Cast ing Away of Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine' (1886); 'The Late Mrs. Null' (1886); 'The Christmas Wreck' (1886); 'The Bee Man of Ora'. (1887); 'The Dusantes' (1888); 'Amos Kilbright' (1888); 'The Great War Syndicate' (1889); 'The Squirrel Inn' (1890); 'Ardis Claverden' (1890) ; 'The Watchmaker's Wife' (1893); 'The Adventures of Captain Horn' (1895); 'The Girl at Cobhurst' (1897); "A Story Teller's Pack' (1897); 'The Associate Hermits' (1898); 'Afield and Afloat' (1900); 'A Bicycle of Cathay' (1900); 'John Garden, and the Stories Told Therein' (1902) and.. 'The Captain's Toll-Gate' (1903). See CASTING. AWAY op MRS. LBCKS AND MRS. ALESH INE ; RUDDER GRANGE.