Many years ago, on my way from Hongkong to New York, I assed a week in San Francisco. A long time had gone by since I had been in that city, during which my ventures in the Orient had prospered beyond my hope; I was rich and could afford to revisit my own country to […]

It was a singularly sharp night, and clear as the heart of a diamond. Clear nights have a trick of being keen. In darkness you may be cold and not know it; when you see, you suffer. This night was bright enough to bite like a serpent. The moon was moving mysteriously along behind the […]

If you had seen little Jo standing at the street corner in the rain, you would hardly have admired him. It was apparently an ordinary autumn rainstorm, but the water which fell upon Jo (who was hardly old enough to be either just or unjust, and so perhaps did not come under the law of […]

The friends who stood about my bed Looked down upon my face and said: “God’s will be done–the fellow’s dead.” When from my body I was free I straightway felt myself, ah me! Sink downward to the life to be. Full twenty centuries I fell, And then alighted. “Here you dwell For aye,” a Voice […]

When Pickering, distressed by an “attack,” Has the strange insolence to answer back He hides behind a name that is a lie, And out of shadow falters his reply. God knows him, though–identified alike By hardihood to rise and fear to strike, And fitly to rebuke his sins decrees, That, hide from others with what […]

Hearing that the Birds in an aviary were ill, a Cat went to them and said that he was a physician, and would cure them if they would let him in. “To what school of medicine do you belong?” asked the Birds. “I am a Miaulopathist,” said the Cat. “Did you ever practise Gohomoeopathy?” the […]

John Jackson, once a soldier bold, Hath still a martial feeling; So, when he sees a foe, behold! He charges him–with stealing. He cares not how much ground to-day He gives for men to doubt him; He’s used to giving ground, they say, Who lately fought with–out him. When, for the battle to be won, […]

A Fox, seeing some sour grapes hanging within an inch of his nose, and being unwilling to admit that there was anything he would not eat, solemnly declared that they were out of his reach.

A Lamb, pursued by a Wolf, fled into the temple. “The priest will catch you and sacrifice you,” said the Wolf, “if you remain there.” “It is just as well to be sacrificed by the priest as to be eaten by you,” said the Lamb. “My friend,” said the Wolf, “it pains me to see […]

A Lion and a Boar, who were fighting for water at a pool, saw some vultures hovering significantly above them. “Let us make up our quarrel,” said the Boar, “or these fellows will get one of us, sure.” “I should not so much mind that,” replied the Lion, “if they would get the right one. […]

A Wolf passing a Shepherd’s hut looked in and saw the shepherds dining. “Come in,” said one of them, ironically, “and partake of your favourite dish, a haunch of mutton.” “Thank you,” said the Wolf, moving away, “but you must excuse me; I have just had a saddle of shepherd.”

Lord, shed thy light upon his desert path, And gild his branded brow, that no man spill His forfeit life to balk thy holy will That spares him for the ripening of wrath. Already, lo! the red sign is descried, To trembling jurors visibly revealed: The prison doors obediently yield, The baffled hangman flings the […]

A Dog passing over a stream on a plank saw his reflection in the water. “You ugly brute!” he cried; “how dare you look at me in that insolent way.” He made a grab in the water, and, getting hold of what he supposed was the other dog’s lip, lifted out a fine piece of […]

A Truthful Man, finding a musical instrument in the road, asked the name of it, and was told that it was a fish-horn. The next time he went fishing he set his nets and blew the fish-horn all day to charm the fish into them; but at nightfall there were not only no fish in […]

Having heard that the State was about to be invaded by a hostile army, a War-horse belonging to a Colonel of the Militia offered his services to a passing Miller. “No,” said the patriotic Miller, “I will employ no one who deserts his position in the hour of danger. It is sweet to die for […]

An Eagle was once captured by a Man, who clipped his wings and put him in the poultry yard, along with the chickens. The Eagle was much depressed in spirits by the change. “Why should you not rather rejoice?” said the Man. “You were only an ordinary fellow as an eagle; but as an old […]

I dreamed I was dreaming one morn as I lay In a garden with flowers teeming. On an island I lay in a mystical bay, In the dream that I dreamed I was dreaming. The ghost of a scent–had it followed me there From the place where I truly was resting? It filled like an […]

A Man finding a frozen Viper put it into his bosom. “The coldness of the human heart,” he said, with a grin, “will keep the creature in his present condition until I can reach home and revive him on the coals.” But the pleasures of hope so fired his heart that the Viper thawed, and […]

A Herdsman who had lost a bullock entreated the gods to bring him the thief, and vowed he would sacrifice a goat to them. Just then a Lion, his jaws dripping with bullock’s blood, approached the Herdsman. “I thank you, good deities,” said the Herdsman, continuing his prayer, “for showing me the thief. And now […]

Death-poet Pickering sat at his desk, Wrapped in appropriate gloom; His posture was pensive and picturesque, Like a raven charming a tomb. Enter a party a-drinking the cup Of sorrow–and likewise of woe: “Some harrowing poetry, Mister, whack up, All wrote in the key of O. “For the angels has called my old woman hence […]