As the title claims, the book is a real collection of the best examples of the American humorous literature. The editor gathers valuable pieces by the prominent authors like Washington Irving, Benjamin Franklin, Mark Twain and many more. It was compiled at the turn of the 19th and 20th century and its aim was to bring relaxing notes into the craze for moral seriousness in all literature, which was characteristic of that period. CONTENTS AGNES REPPLIER - A Plea for Humor MARIETTA HOLLEY - An Unmarried Female FITZHUGH LUDLOW - Selections from a Brace of Boys ROBERT JONES BURDETTE - Rheumatism Movement Cure OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES - An Aphorism and a Lecture JOSHUA S. MORRIS - The Harp of a Thousand Strings SEBA SMITH - My First Visit to Portland WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT - The Mosquito JOHN CARVER - Country Burial-places DANFORTH MARBLE - The Hoosier and the Salt-pile ANNE BACHE - The Quilting FITZ-GREENE HALLECK - A Fragment Domestic Happiness CHARLES F. BROWNE - ("Artemus Ward") One of Mr. Ward's Business Letters On "Forts" JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL - Without and Within LOUISA MAY ALCOTT - Street Scenes in Washington ALBERT BIGELOW PAINE - Mis' Smith JAMES JEFFREY ROOHE - A Boston Lullaby CHARLES GRAHAM HALPINE - Irish Astronomy SAMUEL MINTURN PEOK - Bessie Brown, M. D. ROBERT C. SANDS - A Monody CAROLYN WELLS - The Poster Girl JAMES GARDNER SANDERSON - The Conundrum of the Golf Links HARRIET BEECHER STOWE - The Minister's Wooing WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS - Mrs. Johnson ANONYMOUS - The Trout, the Cat and the Fox The British Matron