THE FRIENDLY ROADTHE FRIENDLY ROADby DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY1- Page 2-THE FRIENDLY ROADA WORD TO HIM WHO OPENSTHIS BOOKI did not plan when I began writing these chapters to make an entirebook, but only to put down the more or less unusual impressions, theevents and adventures, of certain quiet pilgrimages in country roads. Butwhen I had written down all of these things, I found I had material inplenty."What shall I call it now that I have written it?" I asked myself....　

April Hopesby William Dean HowellsFrom his place on the floor of the Hemenway Gymnasium Mr. Elbridge G.Mavering looked on at the Class Day gaiety with the advantage which hisstature, gave him over most people there. Hundreds of these were prettygirls, in a great variety of charming costumes, such as the eclecticismof modern fashion permits, and all sorts of ingenious compromises betweenwalking dress and ball dress. It struck him that the young men on whosearms they hung, in promenading around the long oval within the crowd ofstationary spectators, were very much younger than students used to be,whether they wore the dress-coats of the Seniors or the cut-away of the...　

Weir of HermistonWeir of HermistonRobert Louis Stevenson1- Page 2-Weir of HermistonTO MY WIFEI saw rain falling and the rainbow drawn On Lammermuir.Hearkening I heard again In my precipitous city beaten bells Winnow thekeen sea wind. And here afar, Intent on my own race and place, I wrote.Take thou the writing: thine it is. For who Burnished the sword, blew onthe drowsy coal, Held still the target higher, chary of praise And prodigalof counsel - who but thou? So now, in the end, if this the least be good, If...　

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 howonce, from amid the bleak chaos of rock and snow at the head of an Alpine...　

Sunday Under Three Headsby Charles DickensDEDICATIONTo The Right ReverendTHE BISHOP OF LONDONMY LORD,You were among the first, some years ago, to expatiate on thevicious addiction of the lower classes of society to Sundayexcursions; and were thus instrumental in calling forth occasionaldemonstrations of those extreme opinions on the subject, which arevery generally received with derision, if not with contempt.Your elevated station, my Lord, affords you countless opportunitiesof increasing the comforts and pleasures of the humbler classes ofsociety - not by the expenditure of the smallest portion of yourprincely income, but by merely sanctioning with the influence of...　

Erewhon (Revised Edition)by Samuel ButlerOR OVER THE RANGEPREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITIONThe Author wishes it to be understood that Erewhon is pronounced asa word of three syllables, all shortthus, E-re-whon.PREFACE TO SECOND EDITIONHaving been enabled by the kindness of the public to get through anunusually large edition of "Erewhon" in a very short time, I havetaken the opportunity of a second edition to make some necessarycorrections, and to add a few passages where it struck me that theywould be appropriately introduced; the passages are few, and it ismy fixed intention never to touch the work again.I may perhaps be allowed to say a word or two here in reference to...　

The MemorabiliaThe Memorabiliaby XenophonTranslation by H. G. Dakyns1- Page 2-The MemorabiliaBOOK III have often wondered by what arguments those who indicted[1]Socrates could have persuaded the Athenians that his life was justly forfeitto the state. The indictment was to this effect: "Socrates is guilty of crimein refusing to recognise the gods acknowledged by the state, and importing...　

The Lost HouseThe Lost Houseby Richard Harding Davis1- Page 2-The Lost HouseIIt was a dull day at the chancellery. His Excellency the AmericanAmbassador was absent in Scotland, unveiling a bust to Bobby Burns,paid for by the numerous lovers of that poet in Pittsburg; the FirstSecretary was absent at Aldershot, observing a sham battle; the MilitaryAttache was absent at the Crystal Palace, watching a foot-ball match; the...　

The Duchesse de Langeaisby Honore de BalzacTHE DUCHESS OF LANGEAISIIn a Spanish city on an island in the Mediterranean, there stands a convent of the Order of Barefoot Carmelites, where the rule instituted by St. Theresa is still preserved with all the first rigour of the reformation brought about by that illustrious woman. Extraordinary as this may seem, it is none the less true.Almost every religious house in the Peninsula, or in Europe for that matter, was either destroyed or disorganised by the outbreak of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars; but as this island was protected through those times by the English fleet, its wealthy convent and peaceable inhabitants were secure fr　

IN THE town there were two mutes, and they were alwaystogether. Early every morning they would come out fromthe house where they lived and walk arm in arm down thestreet to work. The two friends were very different. Theone who always steered the way was an obese anddreamy Greek. In the summer he would come outwearing a yellow or green polo shirt stuffed sloppily intohis trousers in front and hanging loose behind. When itwas colder he wore over this a shapeless gray sweater.His face was round and oily, with half-closed eyelids andlips that curved in a gentle, stupid smile. The other mutewas tall. His eyes had a quick, intelligent expression. Hewas always immaculate and very soberly dressed..　

The ChimesThe Chimes1- Page 2-The ChimesCHAPTER I - First Quarter.HERE are not many people - and as it is desirable that a story- tellerand a story-reader should establish a mutual understanding as soon aspossible, I beg it to be noticed that I confine this observation neither toyoung people nor to little people, but extend it to all conditions of people:little and big, young and old: yet growing up, or already growing downagain - there are not, I say, many people who would care to sleep in a...　

The Price She Paidby David Graham PhillipsIHENRY GOWER was dead at sixty-onethe end of a lifelong fraud which never had been suspected, and never would be. With the world, with his acquaintances and neighbors, with his wife and son and daughter, he passed as a generous, warm-hearted, good-natured man, ready at all times to do anything to help anybody, incapable of envy or hatred or meanness. In fact, not once in all his days had he ever thought or done a single thing except for his own comfort. Like all intensely selfish people who are wise, he was cheerful and amiable, because that was the way to be healthy and happy and to have those around one agreeable and in the mood to do what one