THE BLUE MOUNTAINSThere were once a Scotsman and an Englishman and an Irishmanserving in the army together, who took it into their heads to runaway on the first opportunity they could get. The chance cameand they took it. They went on travelling for two days through agreat forest, without food or drink, and without coming across asingle house, and every night they had to climb up into the treesthrough fear of the wild beasts that were in the wood. On thesecond morning the Scotsman saw from the top of his tree a greatcastle far away. He said to himself that he would certainly dieif he stayed in the forest without anything to eat but the roots...　

THE FIVE BOONS OF LIFEChapter IIn the morning of life came a good fairy with her basket, and said:"Here are gifts. Take one, leave the others. And be wary,chose wisely; oh, choose wisely! for only one of them is valuable."The gifts were five: Fame, Love, Riches, Pleasure, Death.The youth said, eagerly:"There is no need to consider"; and he chose Pleasure.He went out into the world and sought out the pleasures that youthdelights in. But each in its turn was short-lived and disappointing,vain and empty; and each, departing, mocked him. In the end he said:"These years I have wasted. If I could but choose again, I would...　

Pioneers of the Old South, A Chronicle of English Colonial Beginningsby Mary JohnstonCONTENTSI. THE THREE SHIPS SAILII. THE ADVENTURERSIII. JAMESTOWNIV. JOHN SMITHV. THE SEA ADVENTUREVI. SIR THOMAS DALEVII. YOUNG VIRGINIAVIII. ROYAL GOVERNMENTIX. MARYLANDX. CHURCH AND KINGDOMXI. COMMONWEALTH AND RESTORATIONXII. NATHANIEL BACONXIII. REBELLION AND CHANGEXIV. THE CAROLINASXV. ALEXANDER SPOTSWOODXVI. GEORGIATHE NAVIGATION LAWSBIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTEPIONEERS OF THE OLD SOUTHCHAPTER I. THE THREE SHIPS SAILElizabeth of England died in 1603. There came to the English throne JamesStuart, King of Scotland, King now of England and Scotland. In 1604 a...　

My Buried Treasureby Richard Harding DavisThis is a true story of a search for buried treasure. The onlypart that is not true is the name of the man with whom I searchedfor the treasure. Unless I keep his name out of it he will not letme write the story, and, as it was his expedition and as my shareof the treasure is only what I can make by writing the story, Imust write as he dictates. I think the story should be told,because our experience was unique, and might be of benefit toothers. And, besides, I need the money.There is, however, no agreement preventing me from describing himas I think he is, or reporting, as accurately as I can, what hesaid and did as he said and did it....　

Eminent Victoriansby Lytton StracheyPrefaceTHE history of the Victorian Age will never be written; we knowtoo much about it. For ignorance is the first requisite of thehistorianignorance, which simplifies and clarifies, whichselects and omits, with a placid perfection unattainable by thehighest art. Concerning the Age which has just passed, ourfathers and our grandfathers have poured forth and accumulated sovast a quantity of information that the industry of a Ranke wouldbe submerged by it, and the perspicacity of a Gibbon would quailbefore it. It is not by the direct method of a scrupulousnarration that the explorer of the past can hope to depict that...　

Daisy Millerby Henry JamesIN TWO PARTSPART IAt the little town of Vevey, in Switzerland, there is aparticularly comfortable hotel. There are, indeed, many hotels,for the entertainment of tourists is the business of the place,which, as many travelers will remember, is seated upon the edgeof a remarkably blue lakea lake that it behooves every touristto visit. The shore of the lake presents an unbroken arrayof establishments of this order, of every category, from the"grand hotel" of the newest fashion, with a chalk-white front,a hundred balconies, and a dozen flags flying from its roof,...　

The Land of the Changing Sunby William N. HarbenChapter I.The balloon seemed scarcely to move, though it was slowly sinking toward the ocean of white clouds which hung between it and the earth.The two inmates of the car were insensible; their faces were bloodless, their cheeks sunken. They were both young and handsome. Harry Johnston, an American, was as dark and sallow as a Spaniard. Charles Thorndyke, an English gentleman, had yellow hair and mustache, blue eyes and a fine intellectual face. Both were tall, athletic in build and well-proportioned.Johnston was the first to come to consciousness as the balloon sank into less rarefied atmosphere. He opened his eyes dreamily and looked curiou　

Abraham Lincolnby James Russell LowellTHERE have been many painful crises since the impatient vanity ofSouth Carolina hurried ten prosperous Commonwealths into acrime whose assured retribution was to leave them either at themercy of the nation they had wronged, or of the anarchy they hadsummoned but could not control, when no thoughtful Americanopened his morning paper without dreading to find that he had nolonger a country to love and honor. Whatever the result of theconvulsion whose first shocks were beginning to be felt, therewould still be enough square miles of earth for elbow-room; butthat ineffable sentiment made up of memory and hope, of instinct...　

A New England Girlhoodby Lucy LarcomI dedicated this sketchTo my girlfriends in general;And in particularTo my namesake-niece,Lucy Larcom Spaulding.Happy those early days, when IShined in my angel-infancy!When on some gilded cloud or flowerMy gazing soul would dwell an hour,And in those weaker glories spySome shadows of eternity:Before I taught my tongue to woundMy conscience by a sinful sound;But felt through all this fleshy dressBright shoots of everlastingness.HENRY VAUGHANThe thought of our past years in me doth breedPerpetual benediction.WORDSWORTHPREFACETHE following sketch was written for the young, at the suggestion of friends....　

The Use and Need of the Life of Carrie A. Nationby Carrie A. NationENCOURAGEMENT FOR CHRISTIAN WORKERS."My word shall not return unto me void."Isa. iv., II."When saddened by the little fruit thy labors seem to yield,And when no springing blade appears in all thy barren field;When those whom thou dost seek to win, seem hard, and cold, and deadThen, weary worker, stay thine heart on what the Lord hath said;And let it give new life to hopes which seem well-nigh destroyedThis promise, that His word, shall not return unto Him void.For, if, indeed it be His truth, thy feeble lips proclaim,Then, He is pledged to shadow forth, the glory of His name.True this at present may be veiled; still trusting　

FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENTHE OLD GRAVE-STONEby Hans Christian AndersenIN a house, with a large courtyard, in a provincial town, atthat time of the year in which people say the evenings are growinglonger, a family circle were gathered together at their old home. Alamp burned on the table, although the weather was mild and warm,and the long curtains hung down before the open windows, and withoutthe moon shone brightly in the dark-blue sky.But they were not talking of the moon, but of a large, old stonethat lay below in the courtyard not very far from the kitchen door....　

The Lesson of the Masterby Henry JamesHe had been told the ladies were at church, but this was correctedby what he saw from the top of the steps - they descended from agreat height in two arms, with a circular sweep of the mostcharming effect - at the threshold of the door which, from the longbright gallery, overlooked the immense lawn. Three gentlemen, onthe grass, at a distance, sat under the great trees, while thefourth figure showed a crimson dress that told as a "bit of colour"amid the fresh rich green. The servant had so far accompanied PaulOvert as to introduce him to this view, after asking him if hewished first to go to his room. The young man declined that...