Includes bibliographical references (p. xv).

Notorious jumping frog of Calaveras County -- Story of the bad little boy -- Cannibalism in the cars -- Day at Niagara -- Legend of the Capitoline Venus -- Journalism in Tennessee -- Curious dream -- Facts in the great beef contract -- How I edited an agricultural paper -- Medieval romance -- My watch -- Political economy -- Science vs luck -- Story of the good little boy -- Buck Fanshaw's funeral -- Story of the old ram -- Tom Quartz -- Trial -- Trials of Simon Erickson -- True story -- Experience of the McWilliamses with membranous croup -- Some learned fables for good old boys and girls -- Canvasser's tale -- Loves of Alonzo Fitz Clarence and Rosannah Ethelton -- Edward Mills and George Benton: A tale -- Man who put up at Gadsby's -- Mrs. McWilliams and the lightning -- What stumped the bluejays -- Curious experience -- Invalid's story -- McWilliamses and the burglar alarm -- Stolen white elephant -- Burning brand -- Dying man's confession -- Professor's yarn -- Ghost story -- Luck -- Playing courier -- Californian's tale -- Diary of Adam and Eve -- Esquimau maiden's romance -- Is he living or is he dead? -- $1,000,000 bank-note -- Cecil Rhodes and the shark -- Joke that made Ed's fortune -- Story without an end -- Man that corrupted Hadleyburg -- Death disk -- Two little tales -- Belated Russian passport -- Double-barreled detective story -- Five boons of life -- Was it heaven? or hell? -- Dog's tale -- $30,000 bequest -- Horse's tale -- Hunting the deceitful turkey -- Extract from Captain Stormfield's visit to Heaven -- Fable -- Mysterious stranger.