William Dean Howells, the foremost American novelist of
his generation, was born at Martin's Ferry, Ohio, March
11, 1837. Most of his many novels have been realistic
and sympathetic studies of contemporary American life.
For some years he has written "The Editor's Easy Chair"
in _Harper's Magazine_. He has received honorary
degrees from Harvard, Yale, Oxford, and Columbia, and
in 1915 the National Institute of Arts and Letters
awarded him its Gold Medal "For distinguished work in
fiction." _The Daughter of the Storage_ and _Years of
My Youth_ are his latest books.
_THE JOYS OF THE POOR_ 19