THE TWIN HELLSTHE TWIN HELLSBY JOHN N. REYNOLDS ATCHISON, KANSAS.1- Page 2-THE TWIN HELLSTO MY DEAR OLD MOTHER AND TO THE MEMORY OF MYSAINTED WIFE THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BYTHE AUTHOR.2- Page 3-THE TWIN HELLSPREFACEThe following pages treat of hellA Kansas hell and a Missouri hell....　

The Black Robeby Wilkie CollinsBEFORE THE STORY.FIRST SCENE.BOULOGNE-SUR-MER.THE DUEL.I.THE doctors could do no more for the Dowager Lady Berrick.When the medical advisers of a lady who has reached seventy yearsof age recommend the mild climate of the South of France, theymean in plain language that they have arrived at the end of theirresources. Her ladyship gave the mild climate a fair trial, andthen decided (as she herself expressed it) to "die at home."...　

Polyuecteby Pierre CorneilleTranslated by Thomas ConstableINTRODUCTORY NOTEPierre Corneille was born in Rouen in 1606, the son of an official;was educated by the Jesuits, and practised unsuccessfully as a lawyer.His dramatic career began with the comedy of "Melite," but it was byhis "Medee" that he first proved his tragic genius. "The Cid" appearedin 1636, and a series of masterpieces followed"Horace," "Cinna,""Polyeucte," "Le Menteur." After a failure in "Pertharite" he retiredfrom the stage, deeply hurt by the disapproval of his audience. Six...　

The Double-Dealerby William CongreveInterdum tamen et vocem Comoedia tollit.HOR. Ar. Po.Huic equidem consilio palmam do: hic me magnificeeffero, qui vim tantam in me et potestatem habeamtantae astutiae, vera dicendo ut eos ambos fallam.SYR. in TERENT. Heaut.TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES MONTAGUE,ONE OF THE LORDS OF THE TREASURY.Sir,I heartily wish this play were as perfect as I intended it,that it might be more worthy your acceptance, and that my dedicationof it to you might be more becoming that honour and esteem which I,...　

by Plutarchtranslated by John DrydenHAVING mentioned the most memorable actions of these great men, ifwe now compare the whole life of the one with that of the other, itwill not be easy to discern the difference between them, lost as it isamongst such a number of circumstances in which they resemble eachother. If, however, we examine them in detail, as we might somepiece of poetry, or some picture, we shall find this common to themboth, that they advanced themselves to great honour and dignity in thecommonwealth by no other means than their own virtue and industry. But...　

Men of Ironby Ernie Howard PyleINTRODUCTIONThe year 1400 opened with more than usual peacefulness in England. Only a few months before, Richard IIweak, wicked, and treacherous had been dethroned, and Henry IV declared King in his stead. But it was only a seeming peacefulness, lasting but for a little while; for though King Henry proved himself a just and a merciful manas justice and mercy went with the men of iron of those daysand though he did not care to shed blood needlessly, there were many noble families who had been benefited by King Richard during his reign, and who had lost somewhat o　

The Choir Invisibleby James Lane Allen"O may I join the choir invisible Of those immortal dead who live again In minds made better by their presence. . . . . . feed pure love, Beget the smiles that have no cruelty, Be the sweet presence of a good diffused And in diffusion evermore intense. So shall I join the choir invisible Whose music is the gladness of the world."GEORGE ELIOTTHE middle of a fragrant afternoon of May in the green wilderness of Kentucky: the year 1795.High overhead ridges of many-peaked cloudthe gleaming, wandering Alps of the blue ether; outstretched far below, the warming 　

The Altruist in Politicsby Benjamin CardozoThere comes not seldom a crisis in the life of men, of nations,and of worlds, when the old forms seem ready to decay, and theold rules of action have lost their binding force. The evils ofexisting systems obscure the blessings that attend them; and,where reform is needed, the cry is raised for subversion. Thecause of such phenomena is not far to seek. "It used to appearto me," writes Count Tolstoi, in a significant passage, "it usedto appear to me that the small number of cultivated, rich and...　

The Writings of Abraham Lincolnby Abraham LincolnVOLUME 5.TO SYDNEY SPRING, GRAYVILLE, ILL.SPRINGFIELD, June 19, 1858.SYDNEY SPRING, Esq.MY DEAR SIR:Your letter introducing Mr. Faree was duly received.There was no opening to nominate him for Superintendent of PublicInstruction, but through him Egypt made a most valuable contributionto the convention. I think it may be fairly said that he came off thelion of the dayor rather of the night. Can you not elect him to theLegislature? It seems to me he would be hard to beat. What...　

Evergreensby Jerome K. JeromeThey look so dull and dowdy in the spring weather, when the snow dropsand the crocuses are putting on their dainty frocks of white and mauveand yellow, and the baby-buds from every branch are peeping withbright eyes out on the world, and stretching forth soft little leavestoward the coming gladness of their lives. They stand apart, so coldand hard amid the stirring hope and joy that are throbbing all aroundthem.And in the deep full summer-time, when all the rest of nature dons itsrichest garb of green, and the roses clamber round the porch, and the...　

SHERLOCK HOMESTHE ADVENTURE OF THE NORWOOD BUILDERby Sir Arthur Conan DoyleTHE ADVENTURE OF THE NORWOOD BUILDER"From the point of view of the criminal" said Mr. Sherlock Holmes,"London has become a singularly uninteresting city since the deathof the late lamented Professor Moriarty.""I can hardly think that you would find many decent citizens toagree with you," I answered."Well, well, I must not be selfish," said he, with a smile, as bepushed back his chair from the breakfast-table. "The community is...　

THE HAUNTED HOTELA Mystery of Modern Veniceby Wilkie CollinsTHE FIRST PARTCHAPTER IIn the year 1860, the reputation of Doctor Wybrow as a Londonphysician reached its highest point. It was reported on goodauthority that he was in receipt of one of the largest incomesderived from the practice of medicine in modern times.One afternoon, towards the close of the London season, the Doctor...　

FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENTHE TINDER-BOXby Hans Christian AndersenA SOLDIER came marching along the high road: "Left, right- left,right." He had his knapsack on his back, and a sword at his side; hehad been to the wars, and was now returning home.As he walked on, he met a very frightful-looking old witch inthe road. Her under-lip hung quite down on her breast, and she stoppedand said, "Good evening, soldier; you have a very fine sword, and alarge knapsack, and you are a real soldier; so you shall have as...　

AT THE SHRINE OF ST. WAGNERBayreuth, Aug. 2d, 1891It was at Nuremberg that we struck the inundation of music-mad strangers that was rolling down upon Bayreuth. It had beenlong since we had seen such multitudes of excited and strugglingpeople. It took a good half-hour to pack them and pair them intothe trainand it was the longest train we have yet seen inEurope. Nuremberg had been witnessing this sort of experience acouple of times a day for about two weeks. It gives one animpressive sense of the magnitude of this biennial pilgrimage....　

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 Malay Archipelago Volume 1by Alfred Russell WallaceThe land of the orang-utan, and the bird or paradise.A narrative of travel, with sketches of man and nature.To CHARLES DARWIN,AUTHOR OF "THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES,"I dedicate this book, Not only as a token of personal esteem and friendship But also To express my deep admiration For His genius and his works.PREFACE.My readers will naturally ask why I have delayed writing this book for six years after my return; and I feel bound to give them full satisfaction on this point.When I reached England in the spring of 1862, I found myself surrounded