Beadle's Dime Tales, Traditions and Romance of Border and Revolutionary Times
The first number of Beadles Dime Tales, Traditions and Romance of Border and Revolutionary Times was issued September 15, 1863, and No. 12, the last, on August 10, 1864. Intended eventually for binding with six numbers to the volume, two sets of pagination were provided; one at the top for the individual booklets, and one at the bottom for the volume. The booklets were † written, by Edward S. Ellis, † as shown by the title page of the bound volume. In appearance they are very unattractive (Fig. 29), being enclosed in buff or tan wrappers with a cut of a dime overlapped by the title of the series, and a black line illustration on the front. Below this is the title of the story and the imprint of the publishers, Beadle and Company, 118 William Street. The booklets are square 12mos., approximately 7 5/8 by 5 1/8 inches in size, and contain 64 single-column pages and four full-page woodcuts by John R. Chapin. The illustrations are printed on one side of the paper only, but the leaf is counted as two pages. Inside each front cover is an announcement of the succeeding number of the series, and inside the back cover are advertisements of Wheeler and Wilson's sewing machine, etc., a departure from Beadle's usual habit of accepting no advertisements from outside firms. The outside of the back wrapper contains a blurb about the series as a whole, which was announced as placing "before the public, in unusually attractive form, those stirring stories of Border and Indian Life, of the American Revolution, of the Settlements, of Hunters' Experiences, and of Heroic Deeds, which give to American history all the elements of a wild romance!" Each booklet contains a number of short stories, generally four, which were afterwards reprinted in the Boys' Books of Romance and Adventure.
† Correction made as per Volume 3.
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