Is Shakespeare Dead?by Mark TwainFROM MY AUTOBIOGRAPHYCHAPTER IScattered here and there through the stacks of unpublished manuscript which constitute this formidable Autobiography and Diary of mine, certain chapters will in some distant future be found which deal with "Claimants"claimants historically notorious: Satan, Claimant; the Golden Calf, Claimant; the Veiled Prophet of Khorassan, Claimant; Louis XVII., Claimant; William Shakespeare, Claimant; Arthur Orton, Claimant; Mary Baker G. Eddy, Claimantand the rest of them. Eminent Claimants, successful Claimants, defeated Claimants, royal Cl　

FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENTHE RACESby Hans Christian AndersenA PRIZE, or rather two prizes, a great one and a small one, hadbeen awarded for the greatest swiftness in running,- not in a singlerace, but for the whole year."I obtained the first prize," said the hare. "Justice must stillbe carried out, even when one has relations and good friends among theprize committee; but that the snail should have received the secondprize, I consider almost an insult to myself"...　

A Second Homeby Honore de BalzacTranslated by Clara BellDEDICATIONTo Madame la Comtesse Louise de Turheim as a token of remembrance and affectionate respect.A SECOND HOMEThe Rue du Tourniquet-Saint-Jean, formerly one of the darkest and most tortuous of the streets about the Hotel de Ville, zigzagged round the little gardens of the Paris Prefecture, and ended at the Rue Martroi, exactly at the angle of an old wall now pulled down. Here stood the turnstile to which the street owed its name; it was not removed till 1823, when the Municipality built a ballroom on the garden plot adjoining the Hot　

MOGARZEA AND HIS SONThere was once a little boy, whose father and mother, when theywere dying, left him to the care of a guardian. But the guardianwhom they chose turned out to be a wicked man, and spent all themoney, so the boy determined to go away and strike out a path forhimself.So one day he set off, and walked and walked through woods andmeadows till when evening came he was very tired, and did notknow where to sleep. He climbed a hill and looked about him tosee if there was no light shining from a window. At first allseemed dark, but at length he noticed a tiny spark far, far off,..　

The Magic Skinby Honore de BalzacTranslated by Ellen MarriageTo Monsieur Savary, Member of Le Academie des Sciences.ITHE TALISMANTowards the end of the month of October 1829 a young man entered thePalais-Royal just as the gaming-houses opened, agreeably to the lawwhich protects a passion by its very nature easily excisable. Hemounted the staircase of one of the gambling hells distinguished bythe number 36, without too much deliberation."Your hat, sir, if you please?" a thin, querulous voice called out. A...　

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 　

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　

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　

1594THE RAPE OF LUCRECEby William ShakespeareDEDICATIONTO THERIGHT HONOURABLEHENRY WRIOTHESLEY,EARL OF SOUTHAMPTON, AND BARONOF TITCHFIELDThe love I dedicate to your lordship is without end: whereof thispamphlet, without beginning is but a superfluous moiety. The warrant Ihave of your honourable disposition, not the worth of my untutored...　

The Marriage Contractby Honore de BalzacTranslated by Katharine Prescott WormeleyDEDICATIONTo Rossini.THE MARRIAGE CONTRACTCHAPTER IPRO AND CONMonsieur de Manerville, the father, was a worthy Norman gentleman,well known to the Marechael de Richelieu, who married him to one ofthe richest heiresses of Bordeaux in the days when the old dukereigned in Guienne as governor. The Norman then sold the estate heowned in Bessin, and became a Gascon, allured by the beauty of thechateau de Lanstrac, a delightful residence owned by his wife. During...　

Agesilausby XenophonTranslation by H. G. DakynsDedicated ToRev. B. Jowett, M.A.Master of Balliol CollegeRegius Professor of Greek in the University of OxfordXenophon the Athenian was born 431 B.C. He was apupil of Socrates. He marched with the Spartans,and was exiled from Athens. Sparta gave him landand property in Scillus, where he lived for manyyears before having to move once more, to settlein Corinth. He died in 354 B.C....　

The Return Of Tarzanby Edgar Rice BurroughsCONTENTSCHAPTER1 The Affair on the Liner2 Forging Bonds of Hate and ?3 What Happened in the Rue Maule4 The Countess Explains5 The Plot That Failed6 A Duel7 The Dancing Girl of Sidi Aissa8 The Fight in the Desert9 Numa "El Adrea"10 Through the Valley of the Shadow11 John Caldwell, London12 Ships That Pass13 The Wreck of the "Lady Alice"14 Back to the Primitive15 From Ape to Savage16 The Ivory Raiders17 The White Chief of the Waziri...　

SHERLOCK HOLMESTHE ADVENTURE OF THE RETIRED COLOURMANby Sir Arthur Conan DoyleSherlock Holmes was in a melancholy and philosophic mood thatmorning. His alert practical nature was subject to such reactions."Did you see him?" he asked."You mean the old fellow who has just gone out?""Precisely.""Yes, I met him at the door.""What did you think of him?""A pathetic, futile, broken creature.""Exactly, Watson. Pathetic and futile. But is not all lifepathetic and futile? Is not his story a microcosm of the whole? We...　

THE STORY OF BIG KLAUS AND LITTLE KLAUSIn a certain village there lived two people who had both the samename. Both were called Klaus, but one owned four horses and theother only one. In order to distinguish the one from the other,the one who had four horses was called Big Klaus, and the one whohad only one horse, Little Klaus. Now you shall hear what befellthem both, for this is a true story.The whole week through Little Klaus had to plough for Big Klaus,and lend him his one horse; then Big Klaus lent him his fourhorses, but only once a week, and that was on Sunday. Hurrah!...　

Bel Amiby Henri Rene Guy De MaupassantTABLE OF CONTENTSCHAPTER I. POVERTYCHAPTER II. MADAME FORESTIERCHAPTER III. FIRST ATTEMPTSCHAPTER IV. DUROY LEARNS SOMETHINGCHAPTER V. THE FIRST INTRIGUECHAPTER VI. A STEP UPWARDCHAPTER VII. A DUEL WITH AN ENDCHAPTER VIII. DEATH AND A PROPOSALCHAPTER IX. MARRIAGECHAPTER X. JEALOUSYCHAPTER XI. MADAME WALTER TAKES A HANDCHAPTER XII. A MEETING AND THE RESULTCHAPTER XIII. MADAME MARELLECHAPTER XIV. THE WILL...　

420 BCTHE KNIGHTSby Aristophanesanonymous translatorCHARACTERS IN THE PLAYDEMOSTHENESNICIASAGORACRITUS, a Sausage-SellerCLEONDEMOSCHORUS OF KNIGHTSKNIGHTS(SCENE:-The Orchestra represents the Pnyx at Athens; in the back-ground is the house of DEMOS.)DEMOSTHENESOh! alas! alas! alas! Oh! woe! oh! woe! Miserable Paphlagonian!may the gods destroy both him and his cursed advice! Since that evil...