Publisher: Charles River Editors
James Stephens (1880 – 1950) was an Irish novelist and poet. Among Stephens’ most famous novels are The Charwoman’s Daughter and The Crock of Gold. This edition of The Charwoman’s Daughter includes a table of contents.
Mary Elizabeth Braddon was born in London on the 4th October 1835. At age 5 her parents separated but her ambition to succeed was not daunted. After being privately educated she took to acting, and the minor roles she obtained where enough to support both her and her mother. This potential career waned as soon as she began writing and secured an income from it. In 1860, she met John Maxwell, a publisher of periodicals, and moved in with him the following year. At the time Maxwell was already married with five children but his wife was confined to an Irish mental asylum. On her death they married and she had six children by him. Braddon was prolific and wrote over 80 novels, perhaps the most famous is ‘Lady Audley's Secret’ (1862), which won her both sales and a fortune as a bestseller. She also wrote a number of historical fiction novels which again increased her reputation. She was equally prolific as a short story writer, primarily supernatural and ghost stories, all of which continue to be anthologized to this day, such is the high regard they are kept in. Braddon founded Belgravia magazine in 1866, its fare being serialised sensation novels, poems, travel narratives and biographies, along with essays on fashion, history and science, all lavishly illustrated. She also edited Temple Bar magazine. Mary Elizabeth Braddon died on 4th February 1915 and is buried in Richmond Cemetery. In this story Colonel Benyon returns from service abroad on sick leave to find that England is very much changed. He accepts a friend’s invitation to take a short recuperation at his home in Cornwall, which has lain empty for some time. The Colonel takes up the offer, but things do not go quite as planned.Show book
"The Adventure of the Devil's Foot" is one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. It is one of eight stories in the cycle collected as His Last Bow. Doyle ranked "The Adventure of the Devil's Foot" ninth in his list of his twelve favorite Holmes stories. Holmes and Dr. Watson find themselves at Poldhu in Cornwall one spring for the former's health, but the holiday ends with a bizarre event. Mr. Mortimer Tregennis, a local gentleman, and Mr. Roundhay, the local vicar, come to Holmes to report that Tregennis's two brothers have gone insane, and his sister has died. Tregennis had gone to visit them in their village ('Tredannick Wollas'), played whist with them, and then left. When he came back in the morning, he found them still sitting in their places at the table, the brothers, George and Owen, laughing and singing, and the sister, Brenda, dead. The housekeeper had discovered them in this state, and fainted. The vicar has not been to see them yet. Tregennis says that he remembers one brother looking through the window, and then he himself turned to see some "movement" outside. He declares that the horrific event is the work of the devil. Mortimer Tregennis was once estranged from his siblings by the matter of dividing the proceeds from the sale of the family business, but he insists that all was forgiven, although he still lives apart from them. The doctor who was summoned, reckoned that she had been dead for six hours. He also collapsed into a chair for a while after arriving.
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The facts of the following narration were communicated to me by Mr. Burton, the head gardener at Teddesley Park, in Staffordshire. I had previously been told that he had been for a year or two in the service of the Shah of Persia; and this induced me to question him concerning the motives which took him so far from England, and the kind of life which he led at Teheran. I was so much interested in the details he gave me, that I made notes at the time, which have enabled me to draw up the following accountShow book
A novel of the life of the defender of medieval France by the celebrated author of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. She saved France when she was fourteen . . . She was burned at the stake for her efforts . . . Meet the girl who captured Mark Twain’s heart. A forgotten masterpiece from one of America’s greatest authors—and the last full-length novel he ever wrote—Joan of Arc follows the Savior of France from her childhood in Domrémy, to her campaigns throughout the French countryside, to her demise at the hands of the English and Burgundians. Mark Twain was sarcastic, witty, and oft-irreverent, but he had a soft spot for the Maid of Orléans. (As will you after you read this book!) He spent twelve years in research, two in writing, including multiple visits to the National Archives in Paris, and proclaimed Joan of Arc the “best of all my books!” If you love well-written classics of stunning historical figures, then this is the book for you.Show book
"Rainbow Valley" centers around the adventures of the Blythe children - Jem, Walter, Nan, Di, and Shirley - and their imaginative play in the enchanting Rainbow Valley. Living with their father, the new minister of Glen St. Mary, the Blythe kids befriend the Meredith children, whose father is a widower and often absent. Together, they create a world of fun and mischief, while also navigating the challenges of growing up. Lucy Maud Montgomery's exquisite storytelling and her vivid portrayal of childhood innocence and imagination have endeared "Rainbow Valley" to readers of all ages. Lucy Maud Montgomery, born on November 30, 1874, in Clifton, Prince Edward Island, Canada, was a prolific and cherished Canadian author best known for her novel "Anne of Green Gables." Drawing inspiration from her own experiences and rural upbringing, Montgomery created the spirited and imaginative character of Anne Shirley, who quickly became an iconic figure in children's literature. Montgomery's enchanting storytelling, vivid descriptions of Prince Edward Island's landscapes, and her ability to capture the nuances of human emotions endeared her to readers across the globe. Throughout her career, she wrote numerous novels, essays, and short stories, leaving an indelible mark on the literary world. Her timeless works continue to resonate with readers of all ages, inspiring generations to find wonder and beauty in the simplest of things.Show book
A suave baron takes a fancy to twelve-year-old Edgar's mother, while the three are holidaying in an Austrian mountain resort. His initial advances rejected, the baron befriends Edgar in order to get closer to the woman he desires. The initially unsuspecting child soon senses something is amiss, but has no idea of the burning secret that is driving the affair, and that will soon change his life for ever.Show book
