Once Upon A Time

In Short

Once Upon A Time is a collection of eight dramatic short stories exploring themes of identity, honor, and sudden moral transformation. Moving from the humid rubber plantations of the Congo to Broadway hotel rooms, rural retreats, and military war games, Richard Harding Davis places ordinary men—journalists, clerks, detectives, and society figures—into unexpected, high-stakes encounters. Through sharply drawn dialogue and swift narrative turns, these tales capture early twentieth-century anxieties about class, globalism, and manhood. The collection has endured because of its vivid period detail, brisk pace, and timeless interest in how crisis reveals true character.

The Story

The collection opens with "A Question of Latitude," following Julian Everett, an idealistic young muckraker from a wealthy background who travels to the Congo to report on international atrocities. Expecting to remain an objective observer, Everett finds his refined moral code eroded by heat, disease, and the pervasive cruelty around him. When a dying man groans beneath his window through the night, Everett ignores his instincts to help, rationalizing his callousness as a cynical form of wisdom. Soon after, he aggressively pursues Madame Ducret, a married passenger on a riverboat, threatening her with primitive violence. She outsmarts him by feigning compliance, leaving him stranded and humiliated as she departs with her husband.

In "The Spy," a gentleman named Crosby aboard an ocean liner encounters Schnitzel, an unscrupulous, petty thief from New York’s East Side who has stolen confidential corporate documents to sell to the highest bidder. Schnitzel misinterprets Crosby's polite disgust as professional admiration and boasts open-endedly about his underhanded exploits. Upon reaching a Broadway hotel, Schnitzel is abruptly murdered in his room by an associate before he can profit from his treason, leaving Crosby to witness the grim reality of criminal intrigue.

Love and mistaken identity drive "The Make-Believe Man." A bored NYC stenographer named Philip Earle longs for adventure and embarks on a vacation with his boastful co-worker, Kinney. On a coastal steamer, Kinney falsely introduces Philip to a wealthy passenger as the Earl of Ivy. When the real Lord Ivy and his sister, Lady Moya, are brought into the mix, a farce ensues, culminating in a foggy night escape in a rowboat. The misadventure ends harmlessly on a peaceful shoreline, teaching Philip the difference between genuine romance and cheap pretense.

Other stories in the volume test resolve under varied conditions. In "A Chaperon," Ainsley retreats to his secluded lake cabin to nurse a broken heart over Polly Kirkland, who has sailed to Egypt without giving him a definitive sign of affection. In "The Waste Products of Love," a prominent Manhattan lawyer, Mr. Thorndike, enters a rough criminal court to offer testimony for a troubled young man named Spear, discovering unexpected dignity and community approval in the unlikeliest of places. "The Amateur" follows reporter Austin Ford as he tracks a missing husband named Ashton in London, using charm and cunning to unravel a complex personal mystery. Finally, "The Red Cross Girl" and "The Mind Reader" pit amateur soldiers and young men against crooks posing as military personnel, ending with physical confrontations and romantic declarations. Across all eight narratives, Davis drives his characters through moments of confusion, danger, or deceit, ultimately forcing them to confront who they really are.

How It Unfolds

A journalist loses his way Julian Everett arrives in the Congo determined to expose systemic corruption with high-minded detachment. Instead, the oppressive climate and ubiquitous violence erode his principles, leading him to ignore a dying man's cries outside his window and make desperate, predatory advances toward a fellow passenger.

A spy meets his end A young opportunist named Schnitzel brags to a polite fellow traveler about stealing secret documents from his employer. Shortly after arriving at a Manhattan hotel to complete his transaction, he is betrayed and killed in his room by an unseen accomplice.

A retreat into solitude Heartbroken by Polly Kirkland's departure for Egypt, Ainsley abandons New York for his isolated mountain lake house. He spends his days clearing forest paths and observing wildlife while pining for a sign that her feelings match his own.

An unexpected courtroom victory Wealthy attorney Mr. Thorndike steps out of his high-stakes Wall Street routine to speak on behalf of a young defendant in a dingy municipal court. He expects a quick formality but leaves with the judge's public praise and a restored faith in civic duty.

A case of mistaken identity at sea A working-class clerk looking for excitement goes on vacation with a friend who pretends they are British nobility. The prank spirals out of control on a fog-bound vessel, forcing the pair into a rowboat escape that ends safely at a quiet Connecticut harbor.

Unmasking the impostors During a military training exercise, an amateur soldier named Lathrop is captured by two men wearing inverted uniforms. Realizing they are actual thieves looting local properties under cover of the war game, he fights them off and secures the safety of his companion, Beatrice.

The People

• Julian Everett: An earnest, wealthy young reporter who prides himself on fairness and integrity. When he travels to the Congo to report on local atrocities, the brutal environment strips away his moral pretenses, leaving him self-absorbed, ruthless, and ultimately humiliated.
• Schnitzel: A fast-talking, amoral clerk raised on New York's East Side who steals trade secrets from a trust company. Driven by petty vanity and a desire to feel important, his inability to read people or keep his secrets leads directly to his tragic end.
• Ainsley: A romantic, sensitive young man crushed by the uncertain end of his courtship with Polly Kirkland. He retreats to his rural estate to brood, filling his time with physical labor and nature until hope unexpectedly returns.
• Mr. Thorndike: A powerful, high-minded lawyer accustomed to dealing with international finance and high society. By stepping into a crowded municipal courtroom to help an acquaintance, he discovers a sense of purpose that his wealthy corporate life lacks.
• Lathrop: An enthusiastic but somewhat careless amateur soldier taking part in war maneuvers. Though mortified at being captured by crude recruits, his sharp eye for military detail allows him to spot real criminals and prove his courage to the woman he loves.

In Its Own Voice

"Living as we do here, so close to death, we see things more clearly. Death loses its importance."

Julian Everett rationalizes his growing callousness to his companion after ignoring a dying man's cries during his stay in the Congo.

"From a room noisy with typewriters this skill had lifted him into the private office of the president of the Nitrate Trust. There, as Schnitzel expressed it, 'I saw mine, and I took it.'"

The narrator describes the cynical ambition and lack of moral compass that drive Schnitzel to steal confidential files.

"There were people waiting in the room; strange people, only like those Mr. Thorndike had seen on ferry-boats. They leaned forward toward young Mr. Andrews, fawning, their eyes wide with apprehension."

Mr. Thorndike observes the unfamiliar, desperate atmosphere of the city court before realizing the value of helping those inside it.

What It's Really About

At its core, Once Upon A Time examines the fragility of human character when removed from comfortable, familiar surroundings. Davis constantly tests his figures by placing them in environments—whether the African wilderness, a dingy courthouse, or a fog-dense bay—where social status and surface polished manners offer no protection. The stories argue that true moral strength is demonstrated through action rather than reputation. Characters like Everett fail because their morality is merely a habit born of luxury, while characters like Thorndike or Lathrop succeed because they adapt to unexpected crises with genuine empathy and courage. Davis repeatedly questions whether modern civilization genuinely refines human nature or merely masks its rawest instincts beneath fine clothes and polite conversation.

Why Read It Today

Once Upon A Time offers modern readers an entertaining, polished window into early twentieth-century popular fiction. Richard Harding Davis writes with clean, energetic prose and a keen eye for social types, balancing snappy dialogue with swift narrative pacing. Readers who enjoy classic adventure stories, historical mystery, or character-driven drama will find much to admire in these eight distinct tales. The book moves fluidly across varied settings, offering a satisfying mixture of irony, humor, and sudden tension.

The collection does carry some difficulties characteristic of its period. Readers will encounter outdated cultural assumptions, imperialist attitudes toward foreign regions like the Congo, and sharp class distinctions that reflect the biases of Gilded Age America. Some of the plots rely on coincidences or romantic tropes that feel conventional by contemporary standards. However, Davis’s crisp execution and sharp observational skill keep the stories lively. What stays with the reader is his ability to capture brief, decisive moments where ordinary people must choose between cowardice and integrity, revealing who they truly are when the familiar rules no longer apply.