Quick Excerpts, from a Library of 492 Titles

Generated 2022-07-28 13:25:45

Excerpt #1, from Tales of an Old Sea Port, by Wilfred Harold Munro

…epicures, and so lived to be rescued. He was also a most profane man. One day after a long attack of fever, which had wasted him almost to a skeleton, he ventured out for a walk. Unfortunately, he had not noted the wind. He wore a long cloak and the wind was fair and heavy. Having once started before it, he was not able to stop, but went on, gathering speed and scattering profanity, until friendly arms at last rescued him, entirely exhausted except as to his supply of oaths. Depraved boys when caught smoking sometimes brought forward his case in extenuation of their own crime. Boyish sports before the introduction of baseball in the “early ’60s” were largely nautical. As a matter of course every boy learned to swim almost as soon as he learned to walk. Before his anxious mother had really begun to worry about him he was diving from a bowsprit or dropping from a yard arm. One man whom I know still regards a forced swim of about half a mile which he took from an overturned skiff, at the age of nine, as the most delightful episode of his career. (He forgot to tell his mother about it until a considerable time, i.e., the swimming season, had elapsed.) One of the amusements of that olden time was unique. When we were about ten years old we were wont, as soon as school was dismissed, to hasten down to the wharves, “swarm” up the rigging of some of the vessels lying there, and having…

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Excerpt #2, from My Man Jeeves, by P. G. Wodehouse

…to see you on business, and wouldn’t give his name. I didn’t like the look of him from the first. It’s this fellow Sturgis. It must be.” “No!” “I feel it. I’m sure of it.” “Had he a hat?” “Of course he had a hat.” “Fool! I mean mine. Was he carrying a hat?” “By Jove, he was carrying a parcel. George, old scout, you must get a move on. You must light out if you want to spend the rest of your life out of prison. Slugging a Serene Highness is lèse-majesté. It’s worse than hitting a policeman. You haven’t got a moment to waste.” “But I haven’t any money. Reggie, old man, lend me a tenner or something. I must get over the frontier into Italy at once. I’ll wire my uncle to meet me in——” “Look out,” I cried; “there’s someone coming!” He dived out of sight just as Voules came up the companion-way, carrying a letter on a tray. “What’s the matter!” I said. “What do you want?” “I beg your pardon, sir. I thought I heard Mr. Lattaker’s voice. A letter has arrived for him.” “He isn’t here.”…

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Excerpt #3, from Anne of Green Gables, by L. M. Montgomery

…“I’m Anne of Green Gables,” said the small visitor tremulously, clasping her hands with her characteristic gesture, “and I’ve come to confess, if you please.” “Confess what?” “That it was all my fault about jumping into bed on you last night. I suggested it. Diana would never have thought of such a thing, I am sure. Diana is a very ladylike girl, Miss Barry. So you must see how unjust it is to blame her.” “Oh, I must, hey? I rather think Diana did her share of the jumping at least. Such carryings on in a respectable house!” “But we were only in fun,” persisted Anne. “I think you ought to forgive us, Miss Barry, now that we’ve apologized. And anyhow, please forgive Diana and let her have her music lessons. Diana’s heart is set on her music lessons, Miss Barry, and I know too well what it is to set your heart on a thing and not get it. If you must be cross with anyone, be cross with me. I’ve been so used in my early days to having people cross at me that I can endure it much better than Diana can.” Much of the snap had gone out of the old lady’s eyes by this time and was replaced by a twinkle of amused interest. But she still said severely: “I don’t think it is any excuse for you that you were only in fun….

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Excerpt #4, from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, by Washington Irving

…of a cock, accidentally awakened, would sound far, far off, from some farmhouse away among the hills–but it was like a dreaming sound in his ear. No signs of life occurred near him, but occasionally the melancholy chirp of a cricket, or perhaps the guttural twang of a bullfrog from a neighboring marsh, as if sleeping uncomfortably and turning suddenly in his bed. All the stories of ghosts and goblins that he had heard in the afternoon now came crowding upon his recollection. The night grew darker and darker; the stars seemed to sink deeper in the sky, and driving clouds occasionally hid them from his sight. He had never felt so lonely and dismal. He was, moreover, approaching the very place where many of the scenes of the ghost stories had been laid. In the centre of the road stood an enormous tulip-tree, which towered like a giant above all the other trees of the neighborhood, and formed a kind of landmark. Its limbs were gnarled and fantastic, large enough to form trunks for ordinary trees, twisting down almost to the earth, and rising again into the air. It was connected with the tragical story of the unfortunate André, who had been taken prisoner hard by; and was universally known by the name of Major André’s tree. The common people regarded it with a mixture of respect and superstition, partly out of sympathy for the fate of its ill-starred namesake, and partly from the tales of strange…

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Excerpt #5, from Uncle Wiggily’s Travels, by Howard Roger Garis

…What it was I’ll tell you soon, when, in case the boys who go in swimming don’t duck my typewriter under water and make it catch the measles, I’ll tell you about Uncle Wiggily and the toadstool. STORY XXIII UNCLE WIGGILY AND THE TOADSTOOL “Were you much frightened when you were in the bear’s den?” asked the prickly porcupine as he and Uncle Wiggily went along the road next day. They had slept that night in a hole where an old fox used to live, but just then he was away on his summer vacation at Asbury Park, and so he wasn’t home. “Was I frightened?” repeated the old gentleman rabbit, as he looked to see if there was any mud on his crutch, “why I was so scared that my heart almost stopped beating. But I’m glad you happened to come along, and that you stuck your stickery-ickery quills into the bear’s nose. It was very lucky that you chanced to come past the den.” “Oh, I did it on purpose,” said the porcupine. “After you got me out of the trap, and I scurried away, I happened to think that you might go past the bear’s house, so I hurried after you, and–well, I’m glad that I did.” [Illustration] “So am I,” said the rabbit. “Will you have a bit of my carrot sandwich?”…

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Excerpt #6, from The Airship “Golden Hind”, by Percy F. Westerman

…cat: ‘/home/marc/Dropbox/Marc/books/Unsorted/pgbooks-for-excerpts/The Airship Golden’: No such file or directory cat: ‘Hind by Percy F. Westerman-39488-0.txt’: No such file or directory

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Excerpt #7, from Familiar Quotations, by John Bartlett

…Laurel and myrtle, groves are of, 803. bough, Apollo’s, 41. greener from the brows, 623. Lavinia, she is, 104. Law and the prophets, 839. and to the testimony, 833. as adversaries do in, 72. but is this, 143. Cantilena of the, 527. crowner’s quest, 143. eleven points in the, 296. ends where tyranny begins, 364. fulfilling of the, 845. good opinion of the, 440. higher than the constitution, 595. ignorance of the, 195. in calmness made, keeps the, 476. is a sort of hocus-pocus, 350. is good, the, 847….

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Excerpt #8, from Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell

…with the whip, though I was fairly off. There had been a good deal of road-mending going on, and even where the stones were not freshly laid down there were a great many loose ones about. My driver was laughing and joking with the lady and the children, and talking about the country to the right and the left; but he never thought it worth while to keep an eye on his horse or to drive on the smoothest parts of the road; and so it easily happened that I got a stone in one of my fore feet. Now, if Mr. Gordon or John, or in fact any good driver, had been there, he would have seen that something was wrong before I had gone three paces. Or even if it had been dark a practiced hand would have felt by the rein that there was something wrong in the step, and they would have got down and picked out the stone. But this man went on laughing and talking, while at every step the stone became more firmly wedged between my shoe and the frog of my foot. The stone was sharp on the inside and round on the outside, which, as every one knows, is the most dangerous kind that a horse can pick up, at the same time cutting his foot and making him most liable to stumble and fall. Whether the man was partly blind or only very careless I can’t say, but he drove me with that stone in my foot for a good half-mile before he saw anything. By that time I was going so lame with the pain that at last he saw it, and called out, “Well, here’s a go! Why, they have sent…

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Excerpt #9, from Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight, by Richard Morris

…556 Alle þis compayny of court com þe kyng nerre, For to counseyl þe kny3t, with care at her hert; [F] Þere wat3 much derue[1] doel driuen in þe sale, Þat so worthe as Wawan schulde wende on þat ernde, 560 To dry3e a delful dynt, & dele no more wyth bronde. Þe kny3t mad ay god chere, & sayde, “quat schuld I wonde, 564 [G] Of destines derf & dere, What may mon do bot fonde?” [Sidenote A: On All-hallows day Arthur makes a feast for his nephew’s sake.] [Sidenote B: After meat, Sir Gawayne thus speaks to his uncle:] [Sidenote C: "Now, liege lord, I ask leave of you,] [Sidenote D: for I am bound on the morn to seek the Green Knight."] [Sidenote E: Many nobles, the best of the court, counsel and comfort him.] [Sidenote F: Much sorrow prevails in the hall.] [Sidenote G: Gawayne declares that he has nothing to fear.] [Footnote 1: derne (?).] IV. [A] He dowelle3 þer al þat day, and dresse3 on þe morn,…

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Excerpt #10, from The Myths and Fables of To Day, by Samuel Adams Drake

…their supernatural powers by his own arts. Indeed, the very word “charms” so innocently given to a bunch of jingling objects dangling from the belt or watch-chain, is itself indicative of a superstitious origin, to say the least. As an example of the change wrought by the tyrant fashion in the supposed attributes of certain gems, the ruby was formerly considered the correct thing for an engagement ring, but that stone is now almost wholly superseded by the diamond for that highly interesting event; though the ruby continues to be regarded as a valuable gift upon other occasions, and if of a fine quality, is much more costly than a diamond. Very possibly the familiar Biblical phrase, “for her price is far above rubies,” spoken of the truly virtuous woman in Proverbs, may have suggested the peculiar fitness of this gem in a promise of marriage. If so, we can only regret the substitution. Perhaps the most plausible explanation given for the present popularity of the diamond–it must, however, be a solitaire of the purest water–is that, as the diamond is the most durable substance known, so it is hoped that it may symbolize an enduring affection between the contracting parties. Though in itself nothing but a symbol or sign, the gift of an engagement ring is considered as evidence in a breach of promise case, thus showing that the very ancient custom in use among…

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Excerpt #11, from The Secret Service, the Field, the Dungeon, and the Escape, by Albert D. Richardson

…till their crimes are punished with death." [Sidenote: A PAIR OF RENEGADE VERMONTERS.] The Rebel authorities were very sensitive to newspaper censure. With unusual rigor, they now refused us permission to go outside the prison for meals, though offering to have them sent in, at our expense, from the leading hotel. They told us that The Confederate was edited by two renegade Vermonters. “I am not very fond of Yankees, myself,” remarked Hunnicutt, the heavy-jawed, broad-necked, coarse-featured lieutenant commanding the prison. “I am as much in favor of hanging them as anybody; but these Vermonters, who haven’t been here six months, are a little too violent. They don’t own any niggers. ’Tisn’t natural. There’s something wrong about them. If I were going to hang Yankees at a venture, I think I would begin with them.” An Irish warden brought us, from a Jew outside, three hundred Confederate dollars, in exchange for one hundred in United States currency. For a fifty-dollar Rebel note he procured me a cap of southern manufacture, to replace my hat, which had been snatched from my head by a South Carolina officer, passing upon a railroad train meeting our own. The new cap, of grayish cotton, a marvel of roughness and ugliness, elicited roars of laughter from my comrades….

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Excerpt #12, from The Awakening, and Selected Short Stories, by Kate Chopin

…and air that there was came through them. From her windows could be seen the crescent of the river, the masts of ships and the big chimneys of the Mississippi steamers. A magnificent piano crowded the apartment. In the next room she slept, and in the third and last she harbored a gasoline stove on which she cooked her meals when disinclined to descend to the neighboring restaurant. It was there also that she ate, keeping her belongings in a rare old buffet, dingy and battered from a hundred years of use. When Edna knocked at Mademoiselle Reisz’s front room door and entered, she discovered that person standing beside the window, engaged in mending or patching an old prunella gaiter. The little musician laughed all over when she saw Edna. Her laugh consisted of a contortion of the face and all the muscles of the body. She seemed strikingly homely, standing there in the afternoon light. She still wore the shabby lace and the artificial bunch of violets on the side of her head. “So you remembered me at last,” said Mademoiselle. “I had said to myself, ‘Ah, bah! she will never come.’” “Did you want me to come?” asked Edna with a smile. “I had not thought much about it,” answered Mademoiselle. The two had seated themselves on a little bumpy sofa which stood against the wall. “I am glad, however, that you came. I have the water boiling back…

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