This is Edith Wharton’s earliest published collection of 8 short stories (1899). A selection consists: „Muse’s Tragedy”: Unrequited love between a poet and his muse. „The Journey”: A woman journeys with her ailing husband. „The Pelican”: A woman supports her son. „Souls Belated”: The pressure put on couples to marry. „A Coward”: A man recounts his cowardice past. „The Twilight of the God”: Past lovers meet under a husbands eye. „A Cup of Cold Water”: Redemption song. „The Portrait”: One of Wharton’s earliest short stories, when a painter paints your flaws. Like much of Wharton’s later work, they touch on themes of marriage, male/female relationships, New York society, and the nature and purpose of art. Give yourselves a treat, and read this short but unforgettable diverse collection!