Francis Bret Harte (1836–1902) is a famous American writer who won recognition all over the world and was invariably popular in Russia. His main work, the novel “Gabriel Conroy,” paints a wide panorama of the American “Wild West” from the beginning of the “Golden Age.” fever." Romantic heroes, noble heroines, unexpected plot twists, the struggle for ownership of a gold mine or silver mine, intrigues, intrigues, transformations - all this captivates the reader even today. Bret Harte was especially successful in his female characters, including the heroines of the short stories “The Fiddletown Story” and “Flip” included in the first volume.