The Choir Invisibleby James Lane Allen"O may I join the choir invisible Of those immortal dead who live again In minds made better by their presence. . . . . . feed pure love, Beget the smiles that have no cruelty, Be the sweet presence of a good diffused And in diffusion evermore intense. So shall I join the choir invisible Whose music is the gladness of the world."GEORGE ELIOTTHE middle of a fragrant afternoon of May in the green wilderness of Kentucky: the year 1795.High overhead ridges of many-peaked cloudthe gleaming, wandering Alps of the blue ether; outstretched far below, the warming 　

Lady Baltimoreby Owen WisterToS. Weir MitchellWith the Affection and Memories of All My LifeTo the ReaderYou know the great text in Burns, I am sure, where he wishes he could see himself as others see him. Well, here lies the hitch in many a work of art: if its makerpoet, painter, or novelistcould but have become its audience too, for a single day, before he launched it irrevocably upon the uncertain ocean of publicity, how much better his boat would often sail! How many little touches to the rigging he would give, how many little drops of oil to the engines here and there, the need of which 　

Aeroplanes and Dirigibles of Warby Frederick A. TalbotPREFACEEver since the earliest days of the great conquest of the air,first by the dirigible balloon and then by the aeroplane, theiruse in time of war has been a fruitful theme for discussion. Buttheir arrival was of too recent a date, their many utilities toounexplored to provide anything other than theories, manyobviously untenable, others avowedly problematical.Yet the part airships have played in the Greatest War has come asa surprise even to their most convinced advocates. For every...　

Evergreensby Jerome K. JeromeThey look so dull and dowdy in the spring weather, when the snow dropsand the crocuses are putting on their dainty frocks of white and mauveand yellow, and the baby-buds from every branch are peeping withbright eyes out on the world, and stretching forth soft little leavestoward the coming gladness of their lives. They stand apart, so coldand hard amid the stirring hope and joy that are throbbing all aroundthem.And in the deep full summer-time, when all the rest of nature dons itsrichest garb of green, and the roses clamber round the porch, and the...　

Ivanoffby Anton CheckovA PLAYCHARACTERSNICHOLAS IVANOFF, perpetual member of the Council of PeasantAffairsANNA, his wife. Nee Sarah AbramsonMATTHEW SHABELSKI, a count, uncle of IvanoffPAUL LEBEDIEFF, President of the Board of the ZemstvoZINAIDA, his wifeSASHA, their daughter, twenty years oldLVOFF, a young government doctorMARTHA BABAKINA, a young widow, owner of an estate and daughterof a rich merchantKOSICH, an excisemanMICHAEL BORKIN, a distant relative of Ivanoff, and manager of hisestateAVDOTIA NAZAROVNA, an old woman...　

THE HAUNTED HOTELA Mystery of Modern Veniceby Wilkie CollinsTHE FIRST PARTCHAPTER IIn the year 1860, the reputation of Doctor Wybrow as a Londonphysician reached its highest point. It was reported on goodauthority that he was in receipt of one of the largest incomesderived from the practice of medicine in modern times.One afternoon, towards the close of the London season, the Doctor...　

Painted Windowsby Elia W. PeattieWill you come with me into the chamber of memoryand lift your eyes to the painted windows where the figuresand scenes of childhood appear? Perhaps by looking withkindly eyes at those from out my past, long wished-forvisions of your own youth will appear to heal the woundsfrom which you suffer, and to quiet your stormy andrestless heart.CONTENTSI NIGHTII SOLITUDEIII FRIENDSHIPIV FAMEV REMORSEVI TRAVELPAINTED WINDOWSINIGHTYOUNG people believe very littlethat they hear about the compen-...　

A Complete Account of the Settlementby Watkin TenchPREFACEWhen it is recollected how much has been written to describe the Settlement of New South Wales, it seems necessary if not to offer an apology, yet to assign a reason, for an additional publication.The Author embarked in the fleet which sailed to found the establishment at Botany Bay. He shortly after published a Narrative of the Proceedings and State of the Colony, brought up to the beginning of July, 1788, which was well received, and passed through three editions. This could not but inspire both confidence and gratitude; but gratit　

Before Adamby Jack London"These are our ancestors, and their history is ourhistory. Remember that as surely as we one day swungdown out of the trees and walked upright, just assurely, on a far earlier day, did we crawl up out ofthe sea and achieve our first adventure on land."CHAPTER IPictures! Pictures! Pictures! Often, before I learned,did I wonder whence came the multitudes of picturesthat thronged my dreams; for they were pictures thelike of which I had never seen in real wake-a-day life.They tormented my childhood, making of my dreams a...　

CAMILLUS445?-365 B.C.by Plutarchtranslated by John DrydenAMONG the many remarkable things that are related of FuriusCamillus, it seems singular and strange above all, that he, whocontinually was in the highest commands, and obtained the greatestsuccesses, was five times chosen dictator, triumphed four times, andwas styled a second founder of Rome, yet never was so much as onceconsul. The reason of which was the state and temper of the...　

THE IDLE THOUGHTS OF AN IDLE FELLOW.THE IDLE THOUGHTSOF AN IDLE FELLOW.by JEROME K. JEROME.1- Page 2-THE IDLE THOUGHTS OF AN IDLE FELLOW.PREFACEOne or two friends to whom I showed these papers in MS. havingobserved that they were not half bad, and some of my relations havingpromised to buy the book if it ever came out, I feel I have no right to...　

FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENTHE DRYADby Hans Christian AndersenWE are travelling to Paris to the Exhibition.Now we are there. That was a journey, a flight without magic. Weflew on the wings of steam over the sea and across the land.Yes, our time is the time of fairy tales.We are in the midst of Paris, in a great hotel. Blooming flowersornament the staircases, and soft carpets the floors.Our room is a very cosy one, and through the open balcony doorwe have a view of a great square. Spring lives down there; it has come...　

THE SPIRIT OF THE BORDERA ROMANCE OF THE EARLY SETTLERS IN THE OHIO VALLEYBY ZANE GREY1906To my brotherWith many fond recollections of days spent in the solitude of the forestswhere only can be satisfied that wild fever of freedom of which this booktells; where to hear the whirr of a wild duck in his rapid flight is joy;where the quiet of an autumn afternoon swells the heart, and where one maywatch the fragrant wood-smoke curl from the campfire, and see the starspeepover dark, wooded hills as twilight deepens, and know a happiness that dwells...　

440 BCAJAXby Sophoclestranslated by R. C. TrevelyanCHARACTERS IN THE PLAYATHENAODYSSEUSAJAXCHORUS OF SALAMINIANSTECMESSA, concubine of AJAXMESSENGERTEUCER, half-brother of AJAXMENELAUSAGAMEMNONMute PersonsEURYSACES, child of AJAX and TECMESSAAttendants, Heralds, etc.AJAXAJAX(SCENE:-Before the tent of AJAX in the Greek camp at Troy. It is...　

THUVIA, MAID OF MARSTHUVIA, MAID OFMARS1- Page 2-THUVIA, MAID OF MARSCHAPTER ICARTHORIS AND THUVIAUpon a massive bench of polished ersite beneath the gorgeousblooms of a giant pimalia a woman sat. Her shapely, sandalled foot tappedimpatiently upon the jewel-strewn walk that wound beneath the statelysorapus trees across the scarlet sward of the royal gardens of Thuvan Dihn,...　

1872FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENTHE TOADby Hans Christian AndersenTHE well was deep, and therefore the rope had to be a long one; itwas heavy work turning the handle when any one had to raise abucketful of water over the edge of the well. Though the water wasclear, the sun never looked down far enough into the well to mirroritself in the waters; but as far as its beams could reach, greenthings grew forth between the stones in the sides of the well.Down below dwelt a family of the Toad race. They had, in fact,come head-over-heels down the well, in the person of the old...