PART VIKRONBORGIIt is a glorious winter day. Denver, standing on herhigh plateau under a thrilling green-blue sky, is maskedin snow and glittering with sunlight. The Capitol buildingis actually in armor, and throws off the shafts of the sununtil the beholder is dazzled and the outlines of the buildingare lost in a blaze of reflected light. The stone terrace is awhite field over which fiery reflections dance, and the trees...
50 Bab Balladsby W. S. GilbertPREFACE.THE "BAB BALLADS" appeared originally in the columns of "FUN,"when that periodical was under the editorship of the late TOM HOOD.They were subsequently republished in two volumes, one called "THEBAB BALLADS," the other "MORE BAB BALLADS." The period duringwhich they were written extended over some three or four years;many, however, were composed hastily, and under the discomfortingnecessity of having to turn out a quantity of lively verse by acertain day in every week. As it seemed to me (and to others) that...
had nothing left but his mill and a large apple-tree behindit. Once when he had gone into the forest to fetch wood, anold man stepped up to him whom he had never seen before, andsaid, why do you plague yourself with cutting wood, I willmake you rich, if you will promise me what is standing behindyour mill. What can that be but my apple-tree, thought themiller, and said, yes, and gave a written promise to thestranger. He, however, laughed mockingly and said, when threeyears have passed, I will come and carry away what belongs to me,and then he went. When the miller got home, his wife came
The Ethics [Part II](Ethica Ordine Geometrico Demonstrata)by Benedict de SpinozaTranslated by R. H. M. ElwesPart II: ON THE NATURE AND ORIGIN OF THE MINDPREFACE I now pass on to explaining the results, which mustnecessarily follow from the essence of God, or of the eternaland infinite being; not, indeed, all of them (for we proved inPart i., Prop. xvi., that an infinite number must follow in aninfinite number of ways), but only those which are able to lead...
Hans Brinker or The Silver Skatesby Mary Mapes DodgeTo my father James J. Mapes this book is dedicated in gratitude and lovePrefaceThis little work aims to combine the instructive features of a book of travels with the interest of a domestic tale. Throughout its pages the descriptions of Dutch localities, customs, and general characteristics have been given with scrupulous care. Many of its incidents are drawn from life, and the story of Raff Brinker is founded strictly upon fact.While acknowledging my obligations to many well-known writers on Dutch history, literature, and art, I turn wi
Black RockA TALE OF THE SELKIRKSby Ralph ConnorINTRODUCTIONI think I have met "Ralph Conner." Indeed, I am sure I haveoncein a canoe on the Red River, once on the Assinaboine, and twice orthrice on the prairies to the West. That was not the name he gaveme, but, if I am right, it covers one of the most honest and genialof the strong characters that are fighting the devil and doing goodwork for men all over the world. He has seen with his own eyes thelife which he describes in this book, and has himself, for someyears of hard and lonely toil, assisted in the good influences which...
The Mysterious Strangerby Mark TwainCONTENTS:THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGERA FABLEHUNTING THE DECEITFUL TURKEYTHE McWILLIAMSES AND THE BURGLAR ALARMTHE MYSTERIOUS STRANGERChapter 1It was in 1590winter. Austria was far away from the world, and asleep;it was still the Middle Ages in Austria, and promised to remain soforever. Some even set it away back centuries upon centuries and saidthat by the mental and spiritual clock it was still the Age of Belief inAustria. But they meant it as a compliment, not a slur, and it was sotaken, and we were all proud of it. I remember it well, although I was...
Idle Ideas in 1905by Jerome K. JeromeContents:Are We As Interesting As We Think We Are?Should Women Be Beautiful?When Is The Best Time To Be Merry?Do We Lie A-Bed Too Late?Should Married Men Play Golf?Are Early Marriages A Mistake?Do Writers Write Too Much?Should Soldiers Be Polite?Ought Stories To Be True?Creatures That One Day Shall Be MenHow To Be Happy Though LittleShould We Say What We Think, Or Think What We Say?Is The American Husband Made Entirely Of Stained GlassDoes The Young Man Know Everything Worth Knowing?How Many Charms Hath Music, Would You Say?...
THE LOST PRINCESS OF OZby L. FRANK BAUMThis Book is DedicatedTo My GranddaughterOZMA BAUMTo My ReadersSome of my youthful readers are developing wonderfulimaginations. This pleases me. Imagination has broughtmankind through the Dark Ages to its present state ofcivilization. Imagination led Columbus to discoverAmerica. Imagination led Franklin to discoverelectricity. Imagination has given us the steam engine,the telephone, the talking-machine and the automobile,...
THE YELLOW DWARFOnce upon a time there lived a queen who had been themother of a great many children, and of them all only onedaughter was left. But then SHE was worth at least a thousand.Her mother, who, since the death of the King, herfather, had nothing in the world she cared for so much asthis little Princess, was so terribly afraid of losing her thatshe quite spoiled her, and never tried to correct any of herfaults. The consequence was that this little person, whowas as pretty as possible, and was one day to wear a crown,grew up so proud and so much in love with her own beauty...
MINNIKINTHERE was once upon a time a couple of needy folk who livedin a wretched hut, in which there was nothing but black want;so they had neither food to eat nor wood to burn. But if they hadnext to nothing of all else they had the blessing of God so far aschildren were concerned, and every year brought them one more.The man was not overpleased at this. He was always going aboutgrumbling and growling, and saying that it seemed to him thatthere might be such a thing as having too many of these goodgifts; so shortly before another baby was born he went away into...
Round the Sofaby Elizabeth GaskellLong ago I was placed by my parents under the medical treatment of acertain Mr. Dawson, a surgeon in Edinburgh, who had obtained areputation for the cure of a particular class of diseases. I wassent with my governess into lodgings near his house, in the Old Town.I was to combine lessons from the excellent Edinburgh masters, withthe medicines and exercises needed for my indisposition. It was atfirst rather dreary to leave my brothers and sisters, and to give upour merry out-of-doors life with our country home, for dull lodgings,...
Liber Amoris, or, The New Pygmalionby William HazlittADVERTISEMENTThe circumstances, an outline of which is given in these pages, happened a very short time ago to a native of North Britain, who left his own country early in life, in consequence of political animosities and an ill-advised connection in marriage. It was some years after that he formed the fatal attachment which is the subject of the following narrative. The whole was transcribed very carefully with his own hand, a little before he set out for the Continent in hopes of benefiting by a change of scene, but he died soon after i
The White Mollby Frank L. PackardCONTENTSCHAPTERI. NIGHT IN THE UNDERWORLDII. SEVEN-THREE-NINEIII. ALIAS GYPSY NANIV. THE ADVENTURERV. A SECOND VISITORVI. THE RENDEZVOUSVII. FELLOW THIEVESVIII. THE CODE MESSAGEIX. ROOM NUMBER ELEVENX. ON THE BRINKXI. SOME OF THE LESSER BREEDXII. CROOKS vs. CROOKSXIII. THE DOOR ACROSS THE HALLXIV. THE LAME MANXV. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERXVI. THE SECRET PANEL...
THE SKETCH BOOKTHE STAGE COACHby Washington IrvingOmne beneSine poenaTempus est ludendi.Venit horaAbsque moraLibros deponendi.OLD HOLIDAY SCHOOL SONG.IN THE preceding paper I have made some general observations onthe Christmas festivities of England, and am tempted to illustratethem by some anecdotes of a Christmas passed in the country; in...
The Turmoilby Booth TarkingtonTo Laurel.There is a midland city in the heart of fair, open country, a dirty andwonderful city nesting dingily in the fog of its own smoke. The strangermust feel the dirt before he feels the wonder, for the dirt will be upon himinstantly. It will be upon him and within him, since he must breathe it, andhe may care for no further proof that wealth is here better loved thancleanliness; but whether he cares or not, the negligently tended streetsincessantly press home the point, and so do the flecked and grimy citizens. At...