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Christmas Eve on Lonesome: And Other Stories
Excerpt from Christmas Eve on Lonesome: And Other Stories
T was Christmas Eve on Lonesome. But nobody on Lonesome knew that it was Christmas Eve, although a child of the outer world could have guessed it, even out in those wilds where Lonesome slipped from one lone log-cabin high up the steeps, down through a stretch of jungled dark ness to another lone cabin at the mouth of the stream.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
T was Christmas Eve on Lonesome. But nobody on Lonesome knew that it was Christmas Eve, although a child of the outer world could have guessed it, even out in those wilds where Lonesome slipped from one lone log-cabin high up the steeps, down through a stretch of jungled dark ness to another lone cabin at the mouth of the stream.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
270 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1904
45 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
John Fox Jr.
76 books17 followersJohn William Fox was born in the heart of Bluegrass country in Bourbon County, Kentucky. His father, John W. Fox was headmaster of the Stony Point Academy, which John Jr. attended from 1867 to 1875. After attending the Transylvania University for two years, he entered Massachusetts' Harvard university to study English in 1880, graduating cum laude in 1883.
Fox moved to New York City where he worked for a time as a journalist with the New York Sun and then the New York Times. He then moved to Virginia where he joined his half-brother James in the real estate business, and the rest of the Fox family soon settled there too at Big Stone Gap, now an historic National Monument in memory of the Fox family. The new homestead saw a number of illustrious visitors, including future President Theodore Roosevelt, who became a life-long friend of Fox's. It was in Century magazine that his first story "A Mountain Europa" (1892) was published serially, followed by "A Cumberland Vendetta" a year later. The mountaineer-theme would be repeated in future works. Due to his popularity, he launched into the lecture circuit, travelling around Europe and America, including visits to President Roosevelt's White House, singing accompanying mountaineering songs and reading from his own works and others.
A Cumberland Vendetta and Other Stories (1895) was his first published collection of short stories. It was followed by Hell-Fer-Sartain and Other Stories (1897). The Kentuckians (1897) was followed by the novella A Mountain Europa (1899). Harper's Weekly sent Fox to Cuba in 1898 to report on the Spanish-American War. Crittenden (1900), Blue-Grass and Rhododendron (1901), and Christmas Eve on Lonesome and Other Stories (1904) followed, before he was off to Japan and Manchuria to cover the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. Following the Sun Flag: A Vain Pursuit Through Manchuria (1905) was a result. A Knight of the Cumberland (1906) was followed by his popular romance/coming-of-age story The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1908). This and Little Shepherd were adapted for the big screen in several different versions in 1912, 1916, and 1936.
Fox counted among his friends other popular writers such as Richard Harding Davis, Jack London, and Booth Tarkington. He was awarded many honours in his lifetime including election to membership in the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1899, a medal for his literary contributions from the Emperor of Japan, and his dedication and lobbying led to the passing of the Federal Copyright Act. John William Fox Jr. died of pneumonia at Big Stone Gap in Virginia and is buried in the Paris Cemetery, Paris, Bourbon County, Kentucky.
Fox moved to New York City where he worked for a time as a journalist with the New York Sun and then the New York Times. He then moved to Virginia where he joined his half-brother James in the real estate business, and the rest of the Fox family soon settled there too at Big Stone Gap, now an historic National Monument in memory of the Fox family. The new homestead saw a number of illustrious visitors, including future President Theodore Roosevelt, who became a life-long friend of Fox's. It was in Century magazine that his first story "A Mountain Europa" (1892) was published serially, followed by "A Cumberland Vendetta" a year later. The mountaineer-theme would be repeated in future works. Due to his popularity, he launched into the lecture circuit, travelling around Europe and America, including visits to President Roosevelt's White House, singing accompanying mountaineering songs and reading from his own works and others.
A Cumberland Vendetta and Other Stories (1895) was his first published collection of short stories. It was followed by Hell-Fer-Sartain and Other Stories (1897). The Kentuckians (1897) was followed by the novella A Mountain Europa (1899). Harper's Weekly sent Fox to Cuba in 1898 to report on the Spanish-American War. Crittenden (1900), Blue-Grass and Rhododendron (1901), and Christmas Eve on Lonesome and Other Stories (1904) followed, before he was off to Japan and Manchuria to cover the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. Following the Sun Flag: A Vain Pursuit Through Manchuria (1905) was a result. A Knight of the Cumberland (1906) was followed by his popular romance/coming-of-age story The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1908). This and Little Shepherd were adapted for the big screen in several different versions in 1912, 1916, and 1936.
Fox counted among his friends other popular writers such as Richard Harding Davis, Jack London, and Booth Tarkington. He was awarded many honours in his lifetime including election to membership in the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1899, a medal for his literary contributions from the Emperor of Japan, and his dedication and lobbying led to the passing of the Federal Copyright Act. John William Fox Jr. died of pneumonia at Big Stone Gap in Virginia and is buried in the Paris Cemetery, Paris, Bourbon County, Kentucky.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 18, 2023
Review of free Kindle edition.
This is a 68 page collection of five good short stories by John Fox, Jr., the author of The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come and The Trail of the Lonesome Pine. These stories are all set in the hills and mountains of Kentucky. Two are at Christmas time. The first is about a man planning a revenge killing on Christmas Eve. A great point is made of the fact that none of the characters know that it is Christmas Eve. The second is a happy ending dog story on Christmas day, though some dogs do die. My wife will not read it, calling it a dead dog story.
This is a 68 page collection of five good short stories by John Fox, Jr., the author of The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come and The Trail of the Lonesome Pine. These stories are all set in the hills and mountains of Kentucky. Two are at Christmas time. The first is about a man planning a revenge killing on Christmas Eve. A great point is made of the fact that none of the characters know that it is Christmas Eve. The second is a happy ending dog story on Christmas day, though some dogs do die. My wife will not read it, calling it a dead dog story.
December 22, 2018
This is my second Christmas western for the year, and probably my last.
I found this when looking for an old Christmas western that If had read many years ago, How Santa Came to Simpson’s Bar.
This, too, is a very short story, although I would say much shorter. A man, who had been betrayed by someone he knew and as a result was sent to prison, and who is now free, decides to take revenge. He doesn’t realize that it is Christmas Eve, as if that would matter to him. So, he rides up to this man’s cabin, climbs a tree that allows him to look into this man’s window and into his life.
I found this when looking for an old Christmas western that If had read many years ago, How Santa Came to Simpson’s Bar.
This, too, is a very short story, although I would say much shorter. A man, who had been betrayed by someone he knew and as a result was sent to prison, and who is now free, decides to take revenge. He doesn’t realize that it is Christmas Eve, as if that would matter to him. So, he rides up to this man’s cabin, climbs a tree that allows him to look into this man’s window and into his life.
May 6, 2017
As I've found with many of these old Christmas books, this wasn't particularly Christmassy. Only the first story was really a Christmas story.
I struggled to understand many of the stories. I think this was mainly because they were set during the American Civil War which I don't really know much about.
Obviously a product of its time. Very, very racist in places which did make me feel kind of awkward reading it at the the airport.
Fairly quick little read.
I struggled to understand many of the stories. I think this was mainly because they were set during the American Civil War which I don't really know much about.
Obviously a product of its time. Very, very racist in places which did make me feel kind of awkward reading it at the the airport.
Fairly quick little read.
March 8, 2015
As another reviewer wrote, the southern dialect is very heavy but well written. If you're looking for a "feel good" Christmas read... this is NOT the one you want to read. This is a collection of short stories and I wasn't aware of that fact when I began reading. I have a first edition, first printing book and there aren't separations or chapter descriptions. I spent the first 3/4 of the book trying to figure out how the stories tied together! Duh. Anyway, in my book, there is beautiful artwork separated by what feels to be waxed paper. I think I enjoyed the look and feel of the book more than I enjoyed any of the stories. One of the stories about a dying mountain woman giving her forgiveness instead of a curse was interesting... again, not the typical feel good Christmas story (the woman died with a smile on her face.... does that count? lol). Christmas with Satan.... Well, Satan was a happy little dog who witnessed his fellow dog friends being herded to their death. It was kind of a kid story but the kids were involved in the killing of the dogs. I can say that I got a glimpse of how hard of a time it was 100 years ago in the Cumberland Gap (Mountains) of Kentucky and VA. I'm glad I grew up in the later part of the 1900's!
Would I recommend this book? In all honesty, No. Not unless you're looking for a historical piece about what it's like to be isolated in the mountains. I forgot to mention, there are several references to African American's. Remember, these stories are time period pieces and history doesn't reflect nicely on human behavior right after the Civil War. Black People are referred to as "Blackies" and although in one story the black man or the slave ran away , the other stories weren't quite as nice. So beware if you're sensitive to history.
Would I recommend this book? In all honesty, No. Not unless you're looking for a historical piece about what it's like to be isolated in the mountains. I forgot to mention, there are several references to African American's. Remember, these stories are time period pieces and history doesn't reflect nicely on human behavior right after the Civil War. Black People are referred to as "Blackies" and although in one story the black man or the slave ran away , the other stories weren't quite as nice. So beware if you're sensitive to history.
February 21, 2008
This book, given to my for Xmas by Nicky, is likely long out of print. The several stories are somewhat reminiscent of Mark Twain. The Appalachian dialect is very heavy, but well done. The author was obviously familiar with the area, its residents, and their speech. The stories range in time from the Civil War through the early 1900's. The characters are colorful, as are the names of the various communities (e.g. Hell Fer Sartain and Kingdom Come).
December 17, 2015
Interesting product of it's time but left me feeling unsettled.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews