The Wild Karroo. A solitary horseman—a youth in early manhood—riding at a snail’s pace over the great plains, or karroo, of South Africa. His chin on his breast; his hands in the pockets of an old shooting-coat; his legs in ragged trousers, and his feet in worn-out boots. Regardless of stirrups, the last are dangling. The reins hang on the neck of his steed, whose head may be said to dangle from its shoulders, so nearly does its nose approach the ground. A felt hat covers the youth’s curly black head, and a double-barrelled gun is slung across his broad shoulders. We present this picture to the reader as a subject of contemplation. It was in the first quarter of the present century that the youth referred to—Charlie Considine by name—rode thus meditatively over that South African karroo. His depression was evidently not due to lack of spirit, for, when he suddenly awoke from his reverie, drew himself up and shook back his hair, his dark eyes opened with something like a flash. They lost some of their fire, however, as he gazed round on the hot plain which undulated like the great ocean to the horizon, where a line of blue indicated mountains. The truth is that Charlie Considine was lost—utterly lost on the karroo! That his horse was in the same lost condition became apparent from its stopping without orders and looking round languidly with a sigh. “Come, Rob Roy,” said the youth, gathering up the reins and patting the steed’s neck, “this will never do. You and I must not give in to our first misfortune. No doubt the want of water for two days is hard to bear, but we are strong and young both of us. Come, let’s try at least for a sheltering bush to sleep under, before the sun goes down.” Animated by the cheering voice, if not by the words, of its rider, the horse responded to the exhortation by breaking into a shuffling canter. After a short time the youth came in sight of what appeared to be a herd of cattle in the far distance. In eager expectation he galloped towards them and found that his conjectures were correct. They were cattle in charge of one of that lowest of the human race, a Bushman. The diminutive, black-skinned, and monkey-faced creature was nearly naked. He carried a sheepskin kaross, or blanket, on his left shoulder, and a knobbed stick, or “kerrie,” in his right hand. “Can you speak English?” asked Considine as he rode up. The Bushman looked vacant and made no reply. “Where is your master’s house?” asked the youth. A stare was the only answer. “Can’t you speak, you dried-up essence of stupidity!” exclaimed Charlie with impatience. At this the Bushman uttered something with so many klicks, klucks, and gurgles in it that his interrogator at once relinquished the use of the tongue, and took to signs, but with no better success, his efforts having only the effect of causing the mouth of the Bushman to expand from ear to ear. Uttering a few more klicks and gurgles, he pointed in the direction of the setting sun....

This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.

CHAPTER I. GRADUATION: BUT WHAT NEXT? "Heigh-ho! I wonder what comes next?" sighed Cabot Grant as he tumbled wearily into bed. The day just ended marked the close of a most important era in his life; for on it he had been graduated from the Technical Institute, in which he had studied his chosen profession, and the coveted sheepskin that entitled him to sign M.E. in capital letters after his name had been in his possession but a few hours. Although Cabot came of an old New England family, and had been given every educational advantage, he had not graduated with honours, having, in fact, barely scraped through his final examination. He had devoted altogether too much time to athletics, and to the congenial task of acquiring popularity, to have much left for study. Therefore, while it had been pleasant to be one of the best-liked fellows in the Institute, captain of its football team, and a leading figure in the festivities of the day just ended, now that it was all over our lad was regretting that he had not made a still better use of his opportunities. A number of his classmates had already been offered fine positions in the business world now looming so ominously close before him. Little pale-faced Dick Chandler, for instance, was to start at once for South Africa, in the interests of a wealthy corporation. Ned Burnett was to be assistant engineer of a famous copper mine; a world-renowned electrical company had secured the services of Smith Redfield, and so on through a dozen names, no one of which was as well known as his, but all outranking it on the graduate list of that day. Cabot had often heard that the career of Institute students was closely watched by individuals, firms, and corporations in need of young men for responsible positions, and had more than once resolved to graduate with a rank that should attract the attention of such persons. But there had been so much to do besides study that had seemed more important at the time, that he had allowed day after day to slip by without making the required effort, and now it appeared that no one wanted him. Yes, there was one person who had made him a proposition that very day. Thorpe Walling, the wealthiest fellow in the class, and one of its few members who had failed to gain a diploma, had said: "Look here, Grant, what do you say to taking a year's trip around the world with me, while I coach for a degree next June? There is no such educator as travel, you know, and we'll make a point of going to all sorts of places where we can pick up ideas. At the same time it'll be no end of a lark." "I don't know," Cabot had replied doubtfully, though his face had lighted at the mere idea of taking such a trip. "I'd rather do that than almost anything else I know of, but——" "If you are thinking of the expense," broke in the other. "It isn't that," interrupted Cabot, "but it seems somehow as though I ought to be doing something more in the line of business. Anyway, I can't give you an answer until I have seen my guardian, who has sent me word to meet him in New York day after to-morrow....

An entertaining collection of classic western short stories by Rex Beach. The other stories are Rope's End, Inocencio, The Wag-Lady, "Man Propose"-The Story of man who wanted to die, Told in the Storm, The Weight of Obligation, The Stampede, When the Mail Came in, McGill and The Brand. In the collection, there were stories about survival on the storm at sea and the storm of life. Stories of adventure, sailing and more. Excerpt The Crimson Gardenia. The fellow was laughing loudly; he assumed a tipsy air and lurched against the girl; then, with a quickness that belied his pose, he snatched at her mask and bared her features. She cried out in terror, and with the sound of her voice Mr. Van Dam flew to action. He knew that until six o'clock disguises were inviolate, and that it was against the strictest of police regulations to unmask a reveler; therefore he yielded to a righteous impulse and struck the man in the domino squarely upon the jaw. Beneath Roly's rounded proportions was a deceptive machinery of bone and muscle that had been schooled by the most expensive instructors of boxing. He had known how to hit cleanly since he was twelve years old, and although he had never struck a man in anger until this moment, his fist went true.

Leopold Classic Library is delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive collection. As part of our on-going commitment to delivering value to the reader, we have also provided you with a link to a website, where you may download a digital version of this work for free. Many of the books in our collection have been out of print for decades, and therefore have not been accessible to the general public. Whilst the books in this collection have not been hand curated, an aim of our publishing program is to facilitate rapid access to this vast reservoir of literature. As a result of this book being first published many decades ago, it may have occasional imperfections. These imperfections may include poor picture quality, blurred or missing text. While some of these imperfections may have appeared in the original work, others may have resulted from the scanning process that has been applied. However, our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades. While some publishers have applied optical character recognition (OCR), this approach has its own drawbacks, which include formatting errors, misspelt words, or the presence of inappropriate characters. Our philosophy has been guided by a desire to provide the reader with an experience that is as close as possible to ownership of the original work. We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic book, and that the occasional imperfection that it might contain will not detract from the experience.

"Words of Feeling" is a sample of the thoughts feelings, and ramblings of my life so far, as a Schizoaffective teen, young adult and adultRaul is a prince and the leader of his father's army. When he attacks an evil wizard he is transformed into a bear. Searching for a way to return to his human form he meets Juanita and falls in love. See what happens next in this short story.

Eliza (Buckminster) Lee (1792-1864) was an American author, the daughter of Joseph Buckminster. She was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; was well educated by her father and brother, Joseph Stevens Buckminster; married a Thomas Lee of Boston; became a writer; and was unusually felicitous in her descriptions of New England life. She wrote, notably: Sketches of New England Life (1837); Naomi, or Boston Two Hundred Years Ago (1848); and memoirs of her father and brother (1849). She translated from the German, wrote a life of Richter (1842), and published an historical novel, Parthenia, the Last Days of Paganism (1858).

Poetry is 30 poems on Christian themes.Poetry is 30 poems on Christian themes: struggling with faith, rejoicing, praising God, parodies of secular culture.

Popular western fiction, written by William S. Hart, one of the first great stars of the motion picture western. "There was no doubt that affairs were rather dull on the Bar O Ranch; at least they seemed so to "Whitey," otherwise Alan Sherwood. Since he and his pal, "Injun," had had the adventures incidental to the finding of the gold in the mountains, there had been nothing doing. So life seemed tame to Whitey, to whom so many exciting things had happened since he had come West that he now had a taste for excitement. It was Saturday, so there were no lessons, and it was a relief to be free from the teachings of John Big Moose, the educated Dakota, who acted as tutor for Injun and Whitey. Not that John was impatient with his pupils. He was too patient, if anything, his own boyhood not being so far behind him that he had forgotten that outdoors, in the Golden West, is apt to prove more interesting to fifteen-year-old youth than printed books--especially when one half the class is of Indian blood."

This is a book about a young girl named Melody. She goes through many troubles, but it's all life. Fantasy. Please enjoy it while it's free (Once 100 copies have been sold. This book is no longer free, the price will go up as more copies are sold.)This book is about a young girl named Melody. She makes a new friend Courtney. And one mean girl, Grace, tries to kill her. Melody and Courtney must aviod, or fight her, and try to survive. Then something terrible happens to the world...

A 2,900 word near-future short story.Isabella is away from home when the world around her is consumed by fires from a colliding comet. Stranded on a little island with her best friend, the boy she wants to love her and the boy who's been after her for years, will Isabella find her way back to safety?New Girl (Anti-Heroes Book I) by Louise Bohmer & K.H. KoehlerGet Ready to Root for the Villain...Serena is the new girl in a school that caters to not just "Norms," but the sons and daughters of the world's greatest Superheroes. The problem? She's the daughter of the Night Witch, a cardinal member of the League of Extreme Evil. She'd love to join the other super teens and prove she isn't the villain that her mother was, but it isn't long before she falls in with a group of Supervillains that the school calls the Geek Squad, which includes a biochemically created vampire named Nikki, a genetically altered jock named Isaac, and Jinx, the son of Satan himself!She's immediately attracted to Jinx, but Serena has vowed to do what's right. But there are secrets buried deep within Serena's past that threaten to kill her, and even rock the foundation of Earth itself! An evil decay is reaching out from a distant star, and the Supers and Geeks will need to work together in order to defeat it--if they can keep from killing each other. The Supers thought the greatest battle for control of Earth had been fought and won, but a cosmic war is coming, and it isn't long before it's difficult to tell the difference between hero and villain.Book I in a new online serial!

With allies in adjacent universes facing certain defeat, John Mackinac and Scott uncovers an ancient machine ship, hidden between universes that is intent on destroying all organic life but has recruited humanity to win its Universal War. John and Scott must somehow destroy the ship to save the rest of humanity before the machines can escape. (ver 2.0)Fractime’s story tells of key times surrounding the Universal War, a conflict pitting humanity against machine and itself throughout time.With allies in adjacent universes facing certain defeat, John Mackinac and Scott uncovers an ancient machine ship, hidden between universes that is intent on destroying all organic life but has recruited humanity to win its Universal War. John and Scott must somehow destroy the ship to save the rest of humanity before the machines can escape. (ver 2.0)

Ah, Easter with all the whiff of magic, and smell of the seaside, what better time than this to bring back Duffel! Wonka is once more proud to present our story for Easter, Duffel Again . Sent on a new quest to rescue a beloved cat, Duffel is transported from Level Two down to the seaside, and meets the strange Madame Fortuna, and then has a happy reunion! Do enjoy our new story, big Easter love xEaster time again, and Wonka has allowed another Duffel story! With my illustrations too.... This time round Duffel is to be transported from that magical level two down to the seaside, where he has yet again another easy peasy quest (according to that Mr Watkins) and of course has the magical powers thanks to his coat to assist. The quest is now to rescue a beloved cat living rough at the famous Palace Theatre; will Duffel have enough magic to resist his encounter with the strange Madame Fortuna, and the ever present CPO? and is there to be a happy reunion with Sam, the dog he rescued on his last successful mission? Do read this new story and find out! Happy Easter to you with lots of love from me and Wonka x

We are all so very desperate,Desperate for money,Desperate for all the things We think we need to have.Our desperation is our desolation.What will be when it all ceases to last?Average college student, Patrick Wright, discovers a cave and receives an ancient scroll after which his life will never be the same. He is chosen to be Shadow Star, the final member of the Star People. He is trained in the ways of the Star People while trying to keep up with his college course work. His teacher and mentor with his new talents must return home. The challenges of his new responsibilities make life, as a Shadow Star and as a college student, difficult. He finds a new girlfriend who just maybe the solution to more issues than he first realizes.After a pivotal dream, Patrick knows his life has changed forever and he might not survive the challenge of being Shadow Star.An intergalactic war has begun with Shadow Star as a key player. Patrick must choose as Shadow Star to make the decisions which could determine the future of the universe.Come along with Patrick as Shadow Star and discover the strength which lives deep inside each one of us.

No one understands thirteen-year-old Anastasia Krupnik, least of all her parents and her little brother, Sam, who happens to be a genius. They're such an embarrassment. Why can't they be normal, like Anastasia? Then presto! Anastasia realizes that she has the problem--not her relatives--and she must find help immediately. There's not a moment to lose. Though her parents insist she's normal and won't send her to an analyst, that doesn't stop Anastasia. What will happen if they find out that Anastasia is secretly telling her troubles to the most famous analyst in the world?

Phssthpok the Pak had been traveling for most of his thirty-two thousand years. His mission: save, develop, and protect the group of Pak breeders sent out into space some two and a half million years before... Brennan was a Belter, the product of a fiercely independent, somewhat anarchic society living in, on, and around an outer asteroid belt. The Belters were rebels, one and all, and Brennan was a smuggler. The Belt worlds had been tracking the Pak ship for days -- Brennan figured to meet that ship first... He was never seen again -- at least not by those alive at the time.