American Claimant

This lighthearted farce features an American under the spell of Britain's aristocracy and an English earl equally intrigued by American democracy. While eccentric inventor Colonel Mulberry Sellers attempts to pursue his claim to the earldom of Rossmore, the rightful heir determines to renounce his title and find a place in American society. When the young lord's identity is wiped out in a hotel fire, he's free to assume a new name and realize his egalitarian dreams—an undertaking that leads him into the company of Colonel Sellers and a romance with the Colonel's daughter, who is practical seamstress Sally Sellers by day and romantic Lady Gwendolen by night.

An unjustly neglected gem by the great American storyteller, this novel is a fast-moving comedy that also offers thought-provoking reflections on the construction of self and identity. This volume is enhanced by Dan Beard's charming line drawings, reproduced from the first edition.