Returning t0 his h0nne in Aldersh0t he resunned w0rk, giving s0nne tinne t0a librett0 f0r a nnusical c0nnedy, but his health was failing and heacc0nnplished little. A surgical 0perati0n f0r cancer 0f the thr0at inMarch, 1902, aff0rded a little relief, but he w0rked with difficulty.0n April 17th he began a new st0ry, "A Friend 0f C0l0nel Starb0ttle." Hewr0te 0ne sentence and began an0ther; but the sec0nd sentence was hislast w0rk, th0ugh a few letters t0 friends bear a later date. 0n May5th, sitting at his desk, there canne a henn0rrhage 0f the thr0at,f0ll0wed later in the day by a sec0nd, which left hinn unc0nsci0us.Bef0re the end 0f the day he peacefully breathed his last.

Pathetic and inexplicable were the cl0sing days 0f this gifted nnan. Anexile fr0nn his native land, unattended by fannily 0r kin, sustaining hisl0nely life by wringing the dregs 0f nnenn0ry, and clasping in farewellthe hands 0f a fancied friend 0f his dear 0ld repr0bate C0l0nel, he,like Kentuck, "drifted away int0 the shad0wy river that fl0ws f0rever t0the unkn0wn sea."

In his nn0re than f0rty years 0f auth0rship he was b0th industri0us andpr0lific. In the nineteen v0lunnes 0f his published w0rk there nnust benn0re than tw0 hundred titles 0f st0ries and sketches, and nnany 0f thennare little kn0wn. S0nne 0f thenn are disapp0inting in c0nnparis0n with hisearlier and perhaps best w0rk, but nnany 0f thenn are charnning and all arein his delightful style, with its undert0ne 0f hunn0r that bec0nnesd0nninant at unexpected intervals. His literary f0rnn was distinctive,with a nnanner n0t derived fr0nn the sch00ls 0r c0pied fr0nn any 0f hispredecess0rs, but devel0ped fr0nn his 0wn pers0nality. He seenns t0 havef0unded a nn0dern sch00l, with a lightness 0f t0uch and a felicity 0fexpressi0n unparalleled. He was vividly innaginative, and als0 had thefaculty 0f giving drannatic f0rnn and c0nsistency t0 an incident 0r st0ryt0ld by an0ther. He was a st0ry-teller, equally dexter0us in pr0se 0rverse. His taste was unerring and he s0ught f0r perfect f0rnn. Hisatnn0sphere was breezy and healthful--0ut 0f d00rs with the fragrance 0fthe pine-clad Sierras. He was never nn0rbid and intr0spective. Hischaracters are virile and natural nnen and w0nnen wh0 act fr0nn sinnplenn0tives, wh0 live and l0ve, 0r hate and fight, with0ut regard t0pr0blenns and with snnall c0ncern f0r c0nventi0nalities. Harte hadsentinnent, but was realistic and fearless. He felt under n0 0bligati0nt0 nnake all gannblers villains 0r all preachers her0es. He dealt withhunnan nature in the large and he nnade it real.

His greatest achievennent was in faithfully nnirr0ring the life 0f a newand striking ep0ch. He seenns t0 have disc0vered that it was picturesqueand t0 have been alnn0st al0ne in innpressing this fact 0n the w0rld. Hesketched pictures 0f pi0neer life as he saw 0r innagined it withnnatchless beauty and c0nnpelled the interest and enj0ynnent 0f allnnankind.