The Little Lame Princeby Miss Mulock [Pseudonym of Maria Dinah Craik]CONTENTSTHE LITTLE LAME PRINCE THE INVISIBLE PRINCE PRINCE CHERRY THE PRINCE WITH THE NOSE THE FROG-PRINCE CLEVER ALICETHE LITTLE LAME PRINCECHAPTER IYes, he was the most beautiful Prince that ever was born.Of course, being a prince, people said this; but it was true besides. When he looked at the candle, his eyes had an expression of earnest inquiry quite startling in a new born baby. His nosethere was not much of it certainly, but what there was seemed an aquiline shape; his complexion was a charming, healthy purple; he was round and fat, straight- limbed and longin fact, a splendid baby, and everybody was exceedingly pr　

An Old Maidby Honore de BalzacTranslated by Katharine Prescott WormeleyDEDICATIONTo Monsieur Eugene-Auguste-Georges-Louis Midy de la GrenerayeSurville, Royal Engineer of the Ponts at Chausses.As a testimony to the affection of his brother-in-law,De BalzacAN OLD MAIDCHAPTER IONE OF MANY CHEVALIERS DE VALOISMost persons have encountered, in certain provinces in France, anumber of Chevaliers de Valois. One lived in Normandy, another atBourges, a third (with whom we have here to do) flourished in Alencon,and doubtless the South possesses others. The number of the Valesian...　

FEMALE EDUCATION_To Nathaniel Burwell__Monticello, March 14, 1818_DEAR SIR, Your letter of February 17th found me sufferingunder an attack of rheumatism, which has but now left me atsufficient ease to attend to the letters I have received. A plan offemale education has never been a subject of systematic contemplationwith me. It has occupied my attention so far only as the educationof my own daughters occasionally required. Considering that theywould be placed in a country situation, where little aid could beobtained from abroad, I thought it essential to give them a solideducation, which might enable them, when become mothers, to educate...　

SHERLOCK HOLMESTHE ADVENTURE OF SHOSCOMBE OLD PLACEby Sir Arthur Conan DoyleSherlock Holmes had been bending for a long time over a low-powermicroscope. Now he straightened himself up and looked round at me intriumph."It is glue, Watson," said he. "Unquestionably it is glue. Have alook at these scattered objects in the field!"I stooped to the eyepiece and focussed for my vision."Those hairs are threads from a tweed coat. The irregular graymasses are dust. There are epithelial scales on the left. Thosebrown blobs in the centre are undoubtedly glue.""Well," I said, laughing, "I am prepared to take your word for it....　

Muratby Alexander Dumas, pereITOULONOn the 18th June, 1815, at the very moment when the destiny of Europewas being decided at Waterloo, a man dressed like a beggar wassilently following the road from Toulon to Marseilles.Arrived at the entrance of the Gorge of Ollioulles, he halted on alittle eminence from which he could see all the surrounding country;then either because he had reached the end of his journey, orbecause, before attempting that forbidding, sombre pass which iscalled the Thermopylae of Provence, he wished to enjoy themagnificent view which spread to the southern horizon a littlelonger, he went and sat down on the edge of the ditch which bordered...　

On The Firing Lineby Anna Chapin Ray and Hamilton Brock FullerCHAPTER ONESix feet one in his stockings, broad-shouldered and without an ounce of extra flesh, Harvard Weldon suddenly halted before one of a line of deck chairs."I usually get what I want, Miss Dent," he observed suggestively."You are more fortunate than most people." Her answering tone was dry.Most men would have been baffled by her apparent indifference. Not so was Weldon. Secure in the possession of a good tailor and an equally good digestion, he was willing to await the leisurely course of events."My doctor always advises mild exercise after lunch," he continued."You are in the care of a physician?" she queried, with a whim　

TWICE-TOLD TALESTHE GREAT STONE FACEby Nathaniel HawthorneONE AFTERNOON, When the sun was going down, a mother and her littleboy sat at the door of their cottage, talking about the Great StoneFace. They had but to lift their eyes, and there it was plainly tobe seen, though miles away, with the sunshine brightening all itsfeatures.And what was the Great Stone Face?Embosomed amongst a family of lofty mountains, there was a valleyso spacious that it contained many thousand inhabitants. Some of thesegood people dwelt in log huts, with the black forest all around...　

FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENTHE UGLY DUCKLINGby Hans Christian AndersenIT was lovely summer weather in the country, and the goldencorn, the green oats, and the haystacks piled up in the meadows lookedbeautiful. The stork walking about on his long red legs chattered inthe Egyptian language, which he had learnt from his mother. Thecorn-fields and meadows were surrounded by large forests, in the midstof which were deep pools. It was, indeed, delightful to walk aboutin the country. In a sunny spot stood a pleasant old farm-houseclose by a deep river, and from the house down to the water side...　

Lectures on Evolutionby Thomas Henry HuxleyITHE THREE HYPOTHESES RESPECTING THE HISTORY OF NATUREWe live in and form part of a system of things of immensediversity and perplexity, which we call Nature; and it is amatter of the deepest interest to all of us that we should formjust conceptions of the constitution of that system and of itspast history. With relation to this universe, man is, in extent,little more than a mathematical point; in duration but afleeting shadow; he is a mere reed shaken in the winds of force.But as Pascal long ago remarked, although a mere reed, he is athinking reed; and in virtue of that wonderful capacity of...　

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 beautythat she despised everyone else in the world....　

BluebeardA Musical Fantasyby Kate Douglas WigginDedication: To my friend Walter DamroschMaster of the art form so irreverently treated in these pages.Kate Douglas WigginPREFACEMore than a dozen years ago musical scholars and critics began toilluminate the musical darkness of New York with lecture-recitalsexplanatory of the more abstruse German operas. Previous to this era no onehad ever thought, for instance, of unfolding the story, or the "_Leit__motive_" (if there happened to be any!), in "The Bohemian Girl,""Maritana," or "Martha." These and many other delightful but thoroughlythird-class works unfolded themselves as they went along, to the entire...　

A Cumberland Vendettaby John Fox Jr.TO MINERVA AND ELIZABETHA Cumberland VendettaITHE cave had been their hiding-place as children; it was a secret refuge now against hunger or darkness when they were hunting in the woods. The primitive meal was finished; ashes were raked over the red coals; the slice of bacon and the little bag of meal were hung high against the rock wall; and the two stepped from the cavern into a thicket of rhododendrons.Parting the bushes toward the dim light, they stood on a massive shoulder of the mountain, the river girding it far below, and the afternoon shadows at their feet. Both carried guns-the tall mountaineer, a Winchester; the boy, a squirrel rifle longer th