Before the Civil War the literature preferred in the South was romantic in nature. After the Civil War life changed and so did the literature of the South. Realism was in vogue. The commonplace was now the subject of literary works. The writers showed the rest of the world glimpses of the characters and life in the new South. Within the local color in these stories the reader can find genuine pathos, true humor, noble feelings, and generous sympathy. Stories included in this collection are: The Capture of Andy Proudfoot by Brace Cooke, The Level of fortune by Abby Roach, Pap Overholt by Alice MacGowan, In the Piny Woods by B F Mayhew, My Fifth in Mammy by William Sheppard, An Incident by Sarah Elliott, A Snipe Hunt by M E M Davis, The Courtship of Colonel Bill by J J Eakins, and The Balance of Power by Maurice Thompson.