Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange ThingsBy Lafcadio HearnA Note On Japanese PronunciationAlthough simplified, the following general rules will help the readerunfamiliar with Japanese to come close enough to Japanese pronunciation.There are five vowels: a (as in fAther), i (as in machIne), u (as infOOl), e (as in fEllow), and o (as in mOle). Although certain vowels becomenearly "silent" in some environments, this phenomenon can be safely ignoredfor the purpose at hand.Consonants roughly approximate their corresponding sounds in English,...　

Lecture IIIKinship as the Basis of SocietyThe most recent researches into the primitive history ofsociety point to the conclusion that the earliest tie whichknitted men together in communities was Consanguinity or Kinship.The subject has been approached of late years from severaldifferent sides, and there has been much dispute as to what theprimitive blood-relationship implied, and how it arose; but therehas been general agreement as to the fact I have stated. The...　

The Bridge-Buildersby Mark Twain [Samuel Clemens]The least that Findlayson, of the Public Works Department,expected was a C.I.E.; he dreamed of a C.S.I. Indeed, hisfriends told him that he deserved more. For three years he hadendured heat and cold, disappointment, discomfort, danger, anddisease, with responsibility almost to top-heavy for one pair ofshoulders; and day by day, through that time, the great KashiBridge over the Ganges had grown under his charge. Now, in lessthan three months, if all went well, his Excellency the Viceroy...　

The Golden Chersonese and the Way Thitherby Isabella L. Bird (Mrs. Bishop)PREFACEIn presenting to the public the last installment of my travels in theFar East, in 1879, I desire to offer, both to my readers and critics, mygrateful acknowledgments for the kindness with which my letters fromJapan were received, and to ask for an equally kind and lenient estimateof my present volume, which has been prepared for publication under theheavy shadow of the loss of the beloved and only sister to whom theletters of which it consists were written, and whose able and careful...　

Chapter XIII of Volume III (Chap. 55)A FEW days after this visit, Mr. Bingley called again, and alone. His friend had left him that morning for London, but was to return home in ten days time. He sat with them above an hour, and was in remarkably good spirits. Mrs. Bennet invited him to dine with them; but, with many expressions of concern, he confessed himself engaged elsewhere.``Next time you call,' said she, ``I hope we shall be more lucky.'He should be particularly happy at any time, &c. &c.; and if she would give him leave, would take an early opportunity of waiting on them.``Can you c　

THE WATER-LILY. THE GOLD-SPINNERSONCE upon a time, in a large forest, there lived an oldwoman and three maidens. They were all three beautiful,but the youngest was the fairest. Their hut was quitehidden by trees, and none saw their beauty but the sunby day, and the moon by night, and the eyes of the stars.The old woman kept the girls hard at work, from morningtill night, spinning gold flax into yarn, and when onedistaff was empty another was given them, so they hadno rest. The thread had to be fine and even, and whendone was locked up in a secret chamber by the old woman,...　

MALBONE: AN OLDPORT ROMANCE.MALBONE: ANOLDPORT ROMANCE.by THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON."What is Nature unless there is an eventful human life passingwithin her?Many joys and many sorrows are the lights and shadows in whichshe shows most beautiful."THOREAU, MS. Diary.1- Page 2-MALBONE: AN OLDPORT ROMANCE.CHAPTER I....　

History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 16By Thomas CarlyleBOOK XVI.THE TEN YEARS OF PEACE.1746-1756.Chapter I.SANS-SOUCI.Friedrich has now climbed the heights, and sees himself on the upper table-land of Victory and Success; his desperate life-and- death struggles triumphantly ended. What may be ahead, nobody knows; but here is fair outlook that his enemies and Austria itself have had enough of him. No wringing of his Silesia from this "bad Man." Not to be overset, this one, by never such exertions; oversets US, on the contrary, plunges us heels-over-head into the ditch, so often as we like to 　

FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENTHE BEETLE WHO WENT ON HIS TRAVELSby Hans Christian AndersenTHERE was once an Emperor who had a horse shod with gold. He had agolden shoe on each foot, and why was this? He was a beautifulcreature, with slender legs, bright, intelligent eyes, and a mane thathung down over his neck like a veil. He had carried his master throughfire and smoke in the battle-field, with the bullets whistling roundhim; he had kicked and bitten, and taken part in the fight, when the...　

FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENTHE SNOW MANby Hans Christian Andersen"IT is so delightfully cold," said the Snow Man, "that it makes mywhole body crackle. This is just the kind of wind to blow life intoone. How that great red thing up there is staring at me!" He meant thesun, who was just setting. "It shall not make me wink. I shallmanage to keep the pieces."He had two triangular pieces of tile in his head, instead of eyes;his mouth was made of an old broken rake, and was, of course,...　

The Bickerstaff-Partridge PapersThe Bickerstaff-Partridge PapersJonathan Swift1- Page 2-The Bickerstaff-Partridge PapersPREDICTIONS FOR THE YEAR 1708Wherein the month, and day of the month are set down, the personsnamed, and the great actions and events of next year particularly related,as will come to pass.Written to prevent the people of England from being farther imposed...　

MISCELLANEOUS PAPERSMISCELLANEOUSPAPERSBY CHARLES DICKENS- Page 2-MISCELLANEOUS PAPERSTHE AGRICULTURALINTERESTThe present Government, having shown itself to be particularly cleverin its management of Indictments for Conspiracy, cannot do better, wethink (keeping in its administrative eye the pacification of some of its mostinfluential and most unruly supporters), than indict the whole...　

The Well of the Saintsby J. M. SyngeA Comedy in Three ActsSCENESome lonely mountainous district in the east of Ireland one ormore centuries ago.THE WELL OF THE SAINTS was first produced in the Abbey Theatre inFebruary, 1905, by the Irish National Theatre Society, under thedirection of W. G. Fay, and with the following cast.Martin Doul W. G. FAYMary Doul EMMA VERNONTimmy GEORGE ROBERTSMolly Byrne SARA ALLGOODBride MAIRE NIC SHIUBHLAIGHMat Simon P. MAC SHIUBHLAIGHThe Saint F. J. FAY...　

10,000 Dreams Interpretedby Gustavus Hindman Miller``In a dream, in a vision of the night, whendeep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings uponthe bed; then he openeth the ears of men andsealeth their instruction that he may withdrawman from his purpose, and hide pride from man.'Job xxxiii., 15.PREFACE.``Dreams are rudiments of the great state to come.We dream what is about to happen.'BAILEY,The Bible, as well as other great books of historical andrevealed religion, shows traces of a general and substantial...　

In Flanders Fields And Other Poemsby John McCraeIn Flanders Fieldsby John McCraeWith an Essay in Character by Sir Andrew MacphailJohn McCrae, physician, soldier, and poet, died in Francea Lieutenant-Colonel with the Canadian forces.The poem which gives this collection of his lovely verse its namehas been extensively reprinted, and received with unusual enthusiasm.The volume contains, as well, a striking essay in characterby his friend, Sir Andrew Macphail.In Flanders FieldsIn Flanders fields the poppies growBetween the crosses, row on row...　

　　THOMAS COVENANT is a happy and successful author until an unfelt infection leads to the amputation of two fingers. Then his doctor tells him he has leprosy. The disease is arrested at a leprosarium, but he returns home to find himself an outcast. His wife has divorced him and ignorant fear makes all his neighbors shun him. He bees a lonely, bitter pariah.　In rebellion, he goes to town. There, just after he meets a strange beggar, he stumbles in front of a police car. Disorientation overes him. He revives in a strange world where the evil voice of Lord Foul gives him a mocking message of doo