A Waif of the Plainsby Bret HarteCHAPTER IA long level of dull gray that further away became a faint blue,with here and there darker patches that looked like water. Attimes an open space, blackened and burnt in an irregular circle,with a shred of newspaper, an old rag, or broken tin can lying inthe ashes. Beyond these always a low dark line that seemed to sinkinto the ground at night, and rose again in the morning with thefirst light, but never otherwise changed its height and distance.A sense of always moving with some indefinite purpose, but ofalways returning at night to the same placewi　

The Agony Columnby Earl Derr BiggersCHAPTER ILondon that historic summer was almost unbearably hot. It seems, looking back, as though the big baking city in those days was meant to serve as an anteroom of torture - an inadequate bit of preparation for the hell that was soon to break in the guise of the Great War. About the soda-water bar in the drug store near the Hotel Cecil many American tourists found solace in the sirups and creams of home. Through the open windows of the Piccadilly tea shops you might catch glimpses of the English consuming quarts of hot tea in order to become cool. 　

Augustus Does His Bitby George Bernard ShawI wish to express my gratitude for certain good offices whichAugustus secured for me in January,1917. I had been invited tovisit the theatre of war in Flanders by the Commander-in-Chief:an invitation which was, under the circumstances, a summons toduty. Thus I had occasion to spend some days in procuringthe necessary passport and other official facilities formy journey. It happened just then that the Stage Society gave aperformance of this little play. It opened the heart of everyofficial to me. I have always been treated with distinguished...　

Options,by O. HenryCONTENTS"The Rose of Dixie"The Third IngredientThe Hiding of Black BillSchools and SchoolsThimble, ThimbleSupply and DemandBuried TreasureTo Him Who WaitsHe Also ServesThe Moment of VictoryThe Head-HunterNo StoryThe Higher PragmatismBest-SellerRus in UrbeA Poor RuleOPTIONS"THE ROSE OF DIXIE"When The Rose of Dixie magazine was started by a stock company in Toombs City, Georgia, there was never but one candidate for its chief editorial position in the minds of its owners. Col. Aquila Telfair was the man for the place. By all the rights of learning, family, reputation, 　

THE DEVOTION OF ENRIQUEZIn another chronicle which dealt with the exploits of "Chu Chu," aCalifornian mustang, I gave some space to the accomplishments ofEnriquez Saltillo, who assisted me in training her, and who wasalso brother to Consuelo Saitillo, the young lady to whom I hadfreely given both the mustang and my youthful affections. Iconsider it a proof of the superiority of masculine friendship thatneither the subsequent desertion of the mustang nor that of theyoung lady ever made the slightest difference to Enriquez or me inour exalted amity. To a wondering doubt as to what I ever coul　

FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENBY THE ALMSHOUSE WINDOWby Hans Christian AndersenNEAR the grass-covered rampart which encircles Copenhagen lies agreat red house. Balsams and other flowers greet us from the long rowsof windows in the house, whose interior is sufficientlypoverty-stricken; and poor and old are the people who inhabit it.The building is the Warton Almshouse.Look! at the window there leans an old maid. She plucks thewithered leaf from the balsam, and looks at the grass-covered rampart,...　

Rowdy of the Cross Lby B. M. Bower (B.M. Sinclair)CONTENTS1. Lost in a Blizzard2. Miss Conroy Refuses Shelter3. Rowdy Hires a New Boss4. Pink as "Chappyrone"5. At Home at Cross L6. A Shot From the Dark7. Rowdy in a Tough Place8. Pink in a Threatening Mood9. Moving the Herd10. Harry Conroy at Home11. Rowdy Promoted12. "You Can Tell Jessie"13. Rowdy Finds HappinessCHAPTER 1Lost in a Blizzard."Rowdy" Vaughanhe had been christened Rowland by his mother, andrechristened Rowdy by his cowboy friends, who are prone to treat with much...　

THE LIFTED VEILTHE LIFTED VEILby George Eliot [Mary Anne Evans]1- Page 2-THE LIFTED VEILCHAPTER IThe time of my end approaches. I have lately been subject to attacksof angina pectoris; and in the ordinary course of things, my physician tellsme, I may fairly hope that my life will not be protracted many months.Unless, then, I am cursed with an exceptional physical constitution, as I...　

History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 16By Thomas CarlyleBOOK XVI.THE TEN YEARS OF PEACE.1746-1756.Chapter I.SANS-SOUCI.Friedrich has now climbed the heights, and sees himself on the upper table-land of Victory and Success; his desperate life-and- death struggles triumphantly ended. What may be ahead, nobody knows; but here is fair outlook that his enemies and Austria itself have had enough of him. No wringing of his Silesia from this "bad Man." Not to be overset, this one, by never such exertions; oversets US, on the contrary, plunges us heels-over-head into the ditch, so often as we like to 　

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...　

The PondsSometimes, having had a surfeit of human society and gossip, andworn out all my village friends, I rambled still farther westwardthan I habitually dwell, into yet more unfrequented parts of thetown, "to fresh woods and pastures new," or, while the sun wassetting, made my supper of huckleberries and blueberries on FairHaven Hill, and laid up a store for several days. The fruits do notyield their true flavor to the purchaser of them, nor to him whoraises them for the market. There is but one way to obtain it, yet...　

The Spirit of Place and Other Essaysby Alice MeynellContents:The Spirit of PlaceMrs. DingleySolitudeThe Lady of the LyricsJulyWellsThe FootHave Patience, Little SaintThe Ladies of the IdyllA DerivationA CounterchangeRainLetters of Marceline ValmoreThe Hours of SleepThe HorizonHabits and ConsciousnessShadowsTHE SPIRIT OF PLACEWith mimicry, with praises, with echoes, or with answers, the poetshave all but outsung the bells. The inarticulate bell has found too...　

THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBERTHE TAPESTRIEDCHAMBERby Sir Walter Scott1- Page 2-THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBERINTRODUCTION.This is another little story from The Keepsake of 1828. It was told tome many years ago by the late Miss Anna Seward, who, among otheraccomplishments that rendered her an amusing inmate in a country house,had that of recounting narratives of this sort with very considerable effect-...　

PREFACE OF WILLIAM CAXTONAFTER that I had accomplished and finished divers histories, aswell of contemplation as of other historial and worldly acts ofgreat conquerors and princes, and also certain books of ensamplesand doctrine, many noble and divers gentlemen of this realm ofEngland came and demanded me many and oft times, wherefore that Ihave not do made and imprint the noble history of the SaintGreal, and of the most renowned Christian king, first and chiefof the three best Christian, and worthy, King Arthur, which oughtmost to be remembered among us Englishmen to-fore all other...　

Tarzan and the Jewels of Oparby Edgar Rice BurroughsContentsCHAPTER PAGE1 Belgian and Arab2 On the Road to Opar3 The Call of the Jungle4 Prophecy and Fulfillment5 The Altar of the Flaming God6 The Arab Raid7 The Jewel-Room of Opar8 The Escape from Opar9 The Theft of the Jewels10 Achmet Zek Sees the Jewels11 Tarzan Becomes a Beast Again12 La Seeks Vengeance13 Condemned to Torture and Death...　

Chapter X of Volume III (Chap. 52)ELIZABETH had the satisfaction of receiving an answer to her letter as soon as she possibly could. She was no sooner in possession of it than, hurrying into the little copse, where she was least likely to be interrupted, she sat down on one of the benches and prepared to be happy; for the length of the letter convinced her that it did not contain a denial.``Gracechurch-street, Sept. 6.MY DEAR NIECE,I have just received your letter, and shall devote this whole morning to answering it, as I foresee that a little writing will not comprise what I have to tell you