STOCKTON, FRANCIS RICHARD (1834-1902). A popular American writer of humorous tales, born in Philadelphia. In early life be was a wood-engraver and designer, in which capacity he contributed pictures to periodicals. Mean while lie busied himself also with literary and journalist le work. Ile was first employed on the Philadelphia Morning Post, and in 1S72 gave up designing definitively to join the New York Hearth Home. Soon tie joined the staff of the Century Magazine ( then Scribner's Monthly) and in 1573 was made assistant editor of the newly founded magazine for children, the Saint Nicholas, remaining here till abort ISSO. lie was a prolific writer. His books for children in clude: Ting-a-Ling Stories (1870); Roundabout Rambles (1872) : What Night Hare Men Ex pected (1874); Talcs Out of School (1875); A Jolly Fellowship (1880); The Floating Prince The Story of l'iteau (1834) ; and Per sonally Conducted (1889). Even more numerous are his longer works; they are well known for the agreeable impossibility of the situations they narrate. The chief are: Rudder Grange (1870), which brought him into prominence; The Lady or the Tiger? (1S84), perhaps his most popular story; The Late Mrs. Null (1886) ; The Christ
mas (1886) ; The Casting A leap of Mrs. Leeks and .1Irs. Alcshine (1886) The Dee-ilan of Orn (1887) ; The Hundredth Man (1S87) ; The Dusantes (1888); Amos Icilbright (188S); The Great War Syndicate (1889) ; The Stories of Three Burglars (1859) : The Merry Chanter (1890); Ardis Clarcrden ( 1S90) ; The House of Martha. (1891); The Squirrel Inn (1891) ; The Clocks of Rondaine (1592) ; The Watehmaker's Wife (1893) ; The Adrentures of Captain Horn, (1895) ; The Great Stone of Sardis (1897): The Girl at Cobhurst (1898) ; Afloat and Ashore (1900) ; and The Captain's Toll-Oate, with memoir by his wife (1903). In the character of his humor Stockton stands alone. His situations are whimsical and his characters grotesque; usually, however, the eccentricity is not merely superficial. and the story. quietly rather than boisterously amusing, and told with apparent sincerity, produces an illusion that pleasingly conceals its absurd premises and its logical though equAlly absurd conclusions.