THE VITAL MESSAGETHE VITAL MESSAGEARTHUR CONAN DOYLE1- Page 2-THE VITAL MESSAGEPREFACEIn "The New Revelation" the first dawn of the coming change hasbeen described. In "The Vital Message" the sun has risen higher, and onesees more clearly and broadly what our new relations with the Unseenmay be. As I look into the future of the human race I am reminded of how...　

Glinda of Ozby L. Frank BaumIn which are related the Exciting Experiences of PrincessOzma of Oz, and Dorothy, in their hazardous journeyto the home of the Flatheads, and to the MagicIsle of the Skeezers, and how they wererescued from dire peril by thesorcery of Glinda theGoodby L. FRANK BAUM"Royal Historian of Oz"This Bookis Dedicated toMy SonRobert Stanton BaumLIST OF CHAPTERS...　

TOLD AFTER SUPPERTOLD AFTER SUPPERby Jerome K. Jerome1- Page 2-TOLD AFTER SUPPERINTRODUCTORYIt was Christmas Eve.I begin this way because it is the proper, orthodox, respectable way tobegin, and I have been brought up in a proper, orthodox, respectable way,and taught to always do the proper, orthodox, respectable thing; and thehabit clings to me.Of course, as a mere matter of information it is quite unnecessary to...　

The Fifth Stringby John Philip SousaIThe coming of Diotti to Americahad awakened more than usualinterest in the man and his work. Hismarvelous success as violinist in theleading capitals of Europe, together withmany brilliant contributions to theliterature of his instrument, had long beenfavorably commented on by the criticsof the old world. Many stories of hisstruggles and his triumphs had foundtheir way across the ocean and had beenread and re-read with interest.Therefore, when Mr. Henry Perkins,...　

On Public Creditby David HumeIt appears to have been the common practice of antiquity,make provision, during peace, for the necessities of war, and tohoard up treasures before-hand, as the instruments either ofconquest or defence; without trusting to extraordinaryimpositions, much less to borrowing, in times of disorder andconfusion. Besides the immense sums above mentioned, which wereamassed by ATHENS, and by the PTOLEMIES, and other successors ofALEXANDER; we learn from PLATO, that the frugal LACEDEMONIANS hadalso collected a great treasure; and ARRIAN and PLUTARCH take...　

Karl MarxWritten in 1837First published in the Athenaum.Zeitschrift fur das gebildete Deutschland,January 23, 1841I.THE FIDDLERThe Fiddler saws the strings,His light brown hair he tosses and flings.He carries a sabre at his side,He wears a pleated habit wide."Fiddler, why that frantic sound?...　

Love-Songs of Childhoodby Eugene FieldTo Mrs. Belle AnglerDearest Aunt:Many years ago you used to rock me to sleep, cradling me in yourarms and singing me petty songs. Surely you have not forgottenthat time, and I recall it with tenderness. You were verybeautiful then. But you are more beautiful now; for, in the yearsthat have come and gone since then, the joys and the sorrows ofmaternity have impressed their saintly grace upon the dear face Iused to kiss, and have made your gentle heart gentler still....　

MY ANTONIAby Willa Sibert CatherTO CARRIE AND IRENE MINERIn memory of affections old and trueOptima dies ... prima fugitVIRGILINTRODUCTIONLAST summer I happened to be crossing the plains of Iowa in a seasonof intense heat, and it was my good fortune to have for a travelingcompanion James Quayle BurdenJim Burden, as we still call himin the West. He and I are old friendswe grew up togetherin the same Nebraska townand we had much to say to each other.While the train flashed through never-ending miles of ripe wheat,...　

Four Short Playsby John GalsworthyCONTENTS:HALL-MARKEDDEFEATTHE SUNPUNCH AND GOHALL-MARKEDA SATIRIC TRIFLECHARACTERSHERSELF.LADY ELLA.THE SQUIRE.THE MAID.MAUD.THE RECTOR.THE DOCTOR.THE CABMAN.HANNIBAL and EDWARDHALL-MARKEDThe scene is the sitting-room and verandah of HER bungalow.The room is pleasant, and along the back, where the verandahruns, it seems all window, both French and casement. There is adoor right and a door left. The day is bright; the time...　

Legend of Don Munio Sancho de Hinojosa.IN THE cloisters of the ancient Benedictine convent of SanDomingo, at Silos, in Castile, are the mouldering yet magnificentmonuments of the once powerful and chivalrous family of Hinojosa.Among these reclines the marble figure of a knight, in complete armor,with the hands pressed together, as if in prayer. On one side of histomb is sculptured in relief a band of Christian cavaliers,capturing a cavalcade of male and female Moors; on the other side, thesame cavaliers are represented kneeling before an altar. The tomb,...　

THE YOUNG MAN WHO WOULD HAVE HIS EYES OPENEDOnce upon a time there lived a youth who was never happy unlesshe was prying into something that other people knew nothingabout. After he had learned to understand the language of birdsand beasts, he discovered accidentally that a great deal tookplace under cover of night which mortal eyes never saw. Fromthat moment he felt he could not rest till these hidden secretswere laid bare to him, and he spent his whole time wandering fromone wizard to another, begging them to open his eyes, but foundnone to help him. At length he reached an old magician 　

THE DECAMERONby Boccaccio GiovanniTHE INDUCTION OF THE AUTHOR TO THE FOLLOWING DISCOURSESGracious Ladies, so often as I consider with my selfe, and observerespectively, how naturally you are enclined to compassion; as manytimes doe I acknowledge, that this present worke of mine, will (inyour judgement) appeare to have but a harsh and offensive beginning,in regard of the mournfull remembrance it beareth at the verieentrance of the last Pestilentiall mortality, universally hurtfull...　

Tartuffe or the Hypocriteby Jean Baptiste Poquelin MoliereTranslated by Curtis Hidden PageINTRODUCTORY NOTEJean Baptiste Poquelin, better known by his stage name of Moliere,stands without a rival at the head of French comedy. Born at Paris inJanuary, 1622, where his father held a position in the royalhousehold, he was educated at the Jesuit College de Clermont, and forsome time studied law, which he soon abandoned for the stage. His lifewas spent in Paris and in the provinces, acting, directingperformances, managing theaters, and writing plays. He had his share...　

Gobseckby Honore de BalzacTranslated by Ellen MarriageDEDICATIONTo M. le Baron Barchou de Penhoen.Among all the pupils of the Oratorian school at Vendome, we are, Ithink, the only two who have afterwards met in mid-career of alife of letterswe who once were cultivating Philosophy when byrights we should have been minding our De viris. When we met, youwere engaged upon your noble works on German philosophy, and Iupon this study. So neither of us has missed his vocation; andyou, when you see your name here, will feel, no doubt, as much...　

　　Through the curtained windows of the furnished apartment which Mrs. Horace Hignett had rented for her stay in New York rays of golden sunlight peeped in like the foremost spies of some advancing army. It was a fine summer morning. The hands of the Dutch clock in the hall pointed to thirteen minutes past nine; those of the ormolu clock in the sitting-room to eleven minutes past ten; those of the carriage clock on the bookshelf to fourteen minutes to six. In other words, it was exactly eight; and Mrs. Hignett acknowledged the fact by moving her head on the pillow, opening her eyes, and sittin　

　　　　　　　　What I did was take all the spades out of a deck of cards plus a joker. Ace to King = 1-13. Joker = 14. I shuffled the cards and dealt them. The order in which they came out of the deck became the order of the stories, based on their position in the list my publisher sent me. And it actually created a very nice balance between the literary stories and the all-out screamers. I also added an explanatory note before or after each story, depending on which seemed the more fitting position. Next collection: selected by Tarot.　　　　　　Introduction: Practicing the (Almost) Lost Art...