If you enjoy the place and time of writing like this, and the funny turns of phrases and witty voices of young people, now's a good time to read a story or two

If you enjoy the place and time of writing like this, and the funny turns of phrases and witty voices of young people, now's a good time to read a story or two by Horatio Alger. They've always been one of my favorite peeks into early 1900's New York through the eyes of small children. As a bonus, they also give a lot of insight into the origin a common American trope: 'pulling yourself up your bootstraps' and 'fame and fortune can be yours, no matter how low of a post you begin from, with a good work ethic and strong morals.' I won't get on my soapbox about all that right now. Just keep the preaching in context. "Ragged Dick, Or, Street Life in New York with the Boot-Blacks" http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5348 http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5348 "Mark, the Match Boy" https://archive.org/details/markmatchboyorri00alge https://archive.org/details/markmatchboyorri00alge