1914. Ade, American humorist and dramatist, uses fables to deliver his observations on various topics including urbanization, education, sports, automobiles, salesmanship, the workingman's world, the shopkeeper, relationships and the dreams of youth. His view is that of a man who was born and raised in west Indiana farm country just after the Civil War, and who became a big city newspaper columnist, a successful playwright, world traveler and national celebrity. Sprinkled throughout Ade's fables are references to contemporary persons and events whose significance might escape the modern reader.