The clock was in ill humor; so was the vase. It was all on account of the little shoe that had been placed on the mantel-piece that day, and had done nothing but sigh dolorously all the afternoon and evening. “Look you here, neighbor,” quoth the clock, in petulant tones, “you are sadly mistaken if […]

Durin’ war times the gorillas hed torn up most uv the cypress ties an’ used ’em for kindlin’ an’ stove wood, an’ the result wuz that when the war wuz over there wuz n’t anythink left uv the Han’bul ‘nd St. Jo but the rollin’ stock ‘nd the two streaks uv rails from one end […]

A mother came to the gateway of Heaven. She was aged and weary. Her body was bowed and her face was wrinkled and withered, for her burden had been the burden of care and trouble and sorrow. So she was glad to be done with life and to seek at the gateway of Heaven the […]

The name we meant to call her was Annette, for that was a name I always liked. ‘Way back, before I got married, I made up my mind that if I ever had a daughter I should call her Annette. My intention was good enough, but circumstances of a peculiar nature led me to abandon […]

A soldier, who had won imperishable fame on the battlefields of his country, was confronted by a gaunt stranger, clad all in black and wearing an impenetrable mask. “Who are you that you dare to block my way?” demanded the soldier. Then the stranger drew aside his mask, and the soldier knew that he was […]

The discussion now going on between our clergymen and certain unbelievers touching the question of Cain and his wife will surely result beneficially, for it will set everybody to reading his Bible more diligently. Still, the biography of Cain is one that we could never become particularly interested in; in short, of all the Old […]

The name was singularly appropriate, for assuredly Felice was the happiest of all four-footed creatures. Her nature was gentle; she was obedient, long-suffering, kind. She had known what it was to toil and to bear burdens; sometimes she had suffered from hunger and from thirst; and before she came into the possession of Jacques she […]

Many years ago a young composer was sitting in a garden. All around bloomed beautiful roses, and through the gentle evening air the swallows flitted, twittering cheerily. The young composer neither saw the roses nor heard the evening music of the swallows; his heart was full of sadness and his eyes were bent wearily upon […]

All who knew the beautiful and accomplished Aurora wondered why she did not marry. She had now reached the mature age of twenty-five years, and was in full possession of those charms which are estimated by all men as the choicest gifts a woman can possess. You must know that Aurora had a queenly person, […]

An old poet walked alone in a quiet valley. His heart was heavy, and the voices of Nature consoled him. His life had been a lonely and sad one. Many years ago a great grief fell upon him, and it took away all his joy and all his ambition. It was because he brooded over […]

There was a maiden named Liliokani whose father was a fisherman. But the maiden liked not her father’s employment, for she believed it to be an offence against Atua, the all-god, to deprive any animal of that life which Atua had breathed into it. And this was pleasing unto Atua, and he blessed Liliokani with […]

Whilst the noble Don Esclevador and his little band of venturesome followers explored the neighboring fastnesses in quest for gold, the Father Miguel tarried at the shrine which in sweet piety they had hewn out of the stubborn rock in that strangely desolate spot. Here, upon that serene August morning, the holy Father held communion […]

There was none other in the quiet valley so happy as the rose-tree,–none other so happy unless perchance it was the thrush who made his home in the linden yonder. The thrush loved the rose-tree’s daughter, and he was happy in thinking that some day she would be his bride. Now the rose-tree had many […]

It is to tell of Harold, the son of Egbert, the son of Ib; comely was he to look upon, and a braver than he lived not in these islands, nor one more beloved of all people. But it chanced upon a time, while he was still in early manhood, that a grievous sorrow befell […]

My quondam friends, Flail, Trask, and Bisland, are no more; they are dead, and with them has gone out of existence as gross an imposition as the moral cowardice of man were capable of inventing, constructing, and practising. When Alice became my wife she knew that I was a lover and collector of books, but, […]

Old Abel Dunklee was delighted, and so was old Abel’s wife, when little Abel came. For this coming they had waited many years. God had prospered them elsewise; this one supreme blessing only had been withheld. Yet Abel had never despaired. “I shall some time have a son,” said he. “I shall call him Abel. […]

Daniel was a very wretched man. As he sat with his head bowed upon his desk that evening he made up his mind that his life had been a failure. “I have labored long and diligently,” said he to himself, “and although I am known throughout the city as an industrious and shrewd business man, […]

Ezra had written a letter to the home folks, and in it he had complained that never before had he spent such a weary, lonesome day as this Thanksgiving day had been. Having finished this letter, he sat for a long time gazing idly into the open fire that snapped cinders all over the hearthstone […]

Once upon a time there were two youths named Herman and Ludwig; and they both loved Eloise, the daughter of the old burgomaster. Now, the old burgomaster was very rich, and having no child but Eloise, he was anxious that she should be well married and settled in life. “For,” said he, “death is likely […]

Bill wuz alluz fond uv children ‘nd birds ‘nd flowers. Ain’t it kind o’ curious how sometimes we find a great, big, awkward man who loves sech things? Bill had the biggest feet in the township, but I’ll bet my wallet that he never trod on a violet in all his life. Bill never took […]