"The Toll Gatherer's Day (From "Twice Told Tales")" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a short story that looks at humble American life through the eyes of one of the nation's most beloved authors. Starting in the morning, readers go through a day with the tale's narrator. The mundane moments, the novelties, and the comforts of life. Using the framework of the passage of time, Hawthorne explores the transitory nature not just of the days, but life itself.