The Adventure of the Cardboard BoxThe Adventure of theCardboard BoxBy Sir Arthur Conan Doyle1- Page 2-The Adventure of the Cardboard BoxIn choosing a few typical cases which illustrate the remarkable mentalqualities of my friend, Sherlock Holmes, I have endeavoured, as far aspossible, to select those which presented the minimum of sensationalism,while offering a fair field for his talents. It is, however, unfortunately...　

TWICE-TOLD TALESTHE CELESTIAL RAILROADby Nathaniel HawthorneNOT A GREAT WHILE AGO, passing through the gate of dreams, Ivisited that region of the earth in which lies the famous city ofDestruction. It interested me much to learn that, by the public spiritof some of the inhabitants, a railroad has recently been establishedbetween this populous and flourishing town, and the Celestial City.Having a little time upon my hands, I resolved to gratify a liberalcuriosity to make a trip thither. Accordingly, one fine morning, after...　

　Clinch padded to the kitchen and fixed himself a pot of coffee, four eggs scrambled (with ketchup), a quarter-pound of Jimmy Dean sausage, and two slices of whole-wheat toast with grape jam. As he ate, he listened to the radio for a weather report. The temperature outside was forty-one degrees, humidity thirty-five percent, wind blowing from the northeast at seven miles per hour. According to the weatherman, thick fog lay on the highway between Harney and Lake Jesup. Robert Clinch loved to drive in the fog because it gave him a chance to use the amber fog lights on his new Blazer truck. The 　

　　　　This story takes place in an America whose history is often similar to, but often quite different from our own. You should not assume that the portrayal in this book of a person who shares a name with a figure from American history is an accurate portrayal of that historical figure. In particular, you should be aware that William Henry Harrison, famed in our own history for having the briefest presidency and for his unforgettable election slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler too," was a somewhat nicer person than his counterpart in this book.　　My thanks to Carol Breakstone for American Indian lor　

THE SLEEPING-CARTHE SLEEPING-CAR1- Page 2-THE SLEEPING-CARI.SCENE: One side of a sleeping-car on the Boston and Albany Road.The curtains are drawn before most of the berths; from the hooks and rodshang hats, bonnets, bags, bandboxes, umbrellas, and other travelling gear;on the floor are boots of both sexes, set out for THE PORTER to black.THE PORTER is making up the beds in the upper and lower berths...　

The Diary of a Nobodyby George and Weedon GrossmithCHAPTER I.We settle down in our new home, and I resolve to keep a diary. Tradesmen trouble us a bit, so does the scraper. The Curate calls and pays me a great compliment.My clear wife Carrie and I have just been a week in our new house, "The Laurels," Brickfield Terrace, Holloway - a nice six-roomed residence, not counting basement, with a front breakfast-parlour. We have a little front garden; and there is a flight of ten steps up to the front door, which, by-the-by, we keep locked with the chain up. Cummings, Gowing, and our other intimat　

Of Refinement in the Artsby David HumeLUXURY is a word of an uncertain signification, and may betaken in a good as well as in a bad sense. In general, it meansgreat refinement in the gratification of the senses; and anydegree of it may be innocent or blameable, according to the age,or country, or condition of the person. The bounds between thevirtue and the vice cannot here be exactly fixed, more than inother moral subjects. To imagine, that the gratifying of anysense, or the indulging of any delicacy in meat, drink, orapparel, is of itself a vice, can never enter into a head, that...　

1781THE CRITIQUE OF PURE REASONby Immanuel Kanttranslated by J. M. D. MeiklejohnPREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION, 1781Human reason, in one sphere of its cognition, is called upon toconsider questions, which it cannot decline, as they are presentedby its own nature, but which it cannot answer, as they transcend everyfaculty of the mind.It falls into this difficulty without any fault of its own. Itbegins with principles, which cannot be dispensed with in the field of...　

Autobiography and Selected Essaysby Thomas Henry HuxleyEdited, with introduction and notes by Ada L. F. SnellAssociate Professor Of EnglishMount Holyoke CollegeCONTENTSPREFACEINTRODUCTIONThe Life of HuxleySubject-matter, Structure, and Style of EssaysSuggested StudiesAUTOBIOGRAPHYON IMPROVING NATURAL KNOWLEDGEA LIBERAL EDUCATIONON A PIECE OF CHALKTHE PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS OF EDUCATIONTHE METHOD OF SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONON THE PHYSICAL BASIS OF LIFE...　

BUTTERCUP GOLD AND OTHER STORIESBUTTERCUP GOLDAND OTHER STORIESEllen Robena Field1- Page 2-BUTTERCUP GOLD AND OTHER STORIESThe Little New YearOne cold morning Maurice awoke from his dreams and sat up in bedand listened. He thought he heard a knock at his window; but though themoon was shining brightly, Jack Frost had been so busily at work thatMaurice could not see through the thickly painted panes. So he crept...　

The White Mr. Longfellowby William Dean HowellsWe had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in OldCambridge. This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for theancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yetvisibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed thecivil war had not yet begun. In Cambridge the houses to be let were few,and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above ourpurse. I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we　

　Acknowledgments　First and foremost, to my friend and editor, Jason Kaufman, for working so hard on this project and for truly understanding what this book is all about. And to the inparable Heide Lange-tireless champion of The Da Vinci Code, agent extraordinaire, and trusted friend.　I cannot fully express my gratitude to the exceptional team at Doubleday, for their generosity, faith, and superb guidance. Thank you especially to Bill Thomas and Steve Rubin, who believed in this book from the start. My thanks also to the initial core of early in-house supporters, headed by Michael Palgon, Suza　

CHAPTER 1 - RUMBLINGS AND DREAMS 8CHAPTER 2 - VISIONS AND HORIZONS 13CHAPTER 3 - EXPLORATIONS 19CHAPTER 4 - INTRODUCTIONS 24CHAPTER 5 - GETTING CLOSE 30CHAPTER 6 - BUT NOT TOO CLOSE 37CHAPTER 7 - SIMMERING 43CHAPTER 8 - THE DISH 48CHAPTER 9 - SPIRITS 53CHAPTER 10 - BOLT FROM THE BLUE 59CHAPTER 11 - HAND JIVE 65CHAPTER 12 - HANDOFF 67CHAPTER 13 - COLLEGIALITY 72CHAPTER 14 - DANGER SIGNAL 78CHAPTER 15 - MEETING PLACE 82CHAPTER 16 - A FUR HAT FOR THE WINTER 88CHAPTER 17 - FLASH TRAFFIC 94CHAPTER 18 - CLASSICAL MUSIC 100...　

Years and years later, I still start in the deepest part of night with his agonized face before me. And always, in these helpless dreams, I am helpless to ease his suffering.　　I will tell the tale then, in hope the last ghosts may be put to rest, if such a thing can ever happen in this place where there are more ghosts than living souls. But you will have to listen closely - this is a tale that the teller herself does not fully understand.　　I will tell you of Lord Sulis, my famous stepfather.　　I will tell you what the witch foretold to me.　　I will tell you of the love that I had and I lost..　

　　　It was Jackstraw who heard it first-it was always Jackstraw, whose hearing was an even match for his phenomenal eyesight, who heard things first. Tired of having my exposed hands alternately frozen, I had dropped my book, zipped my sleeping-bag up to the chin and was drowsily watching him carving figurines from a length of inferior narwhal tusk when his hands suddenly fell still and he sat quite motionless. Then, unhurriedly as always, he dropped the piece of bone into the coffee-pan that simmered gently by the side of our oil-burner stove-curio collectors paid fancy prices for what they i　

　　　　In the spring, families in the suburbs of New Orleans-Metairie, Jefferson, Lafayette-hang wreaths on their front doors. Gay straw wreaths of gold and purple and green, wreaths with bells and froths of ribbons trailing down, blowing, tangling in the warm wind. The children have king cake parties. Each slice of cake is iced with a different sweet, sticky topping-candied cherries and colored sugar are favorites-and the child who finds a pink plastic baby in his slice will enjoy a year of good luck. The baby represents the infant Christ, and children seldom choke on it. Jesus loves little chi