…a good deal too solid for me, but which she ate as only a girl in her station can eat; whilst I, looking on, watched the colour slowly creep back to her ashen cheeks, and the raindrops rise in minute vapour clouds from her skirt and boots.” Now,” she said, as she drained the last drop of coffee from her cup, and shook her head when I asked her if she would have any more, ”now, you’ve kept your bargain and I’ll keep mine. You asked me to tell you about him, and so I will. To begin with, by him I mean Jim Bailey — my young man Jim. But, of course, I suppose you’ve guessed that. Journalists know a thing or two — at least, so I’ve always understood. Well, in speaking of Jim I’m not going to beat about the bush; hat wasn’t his wish — not…

…A huge, old-fashioned silver stand, containing one big fruit dish and four small ones, stood in the centre of the table, whilst all round were big silver cake dishes. To each place there were at least five too many forks and spoons, whilst on the sideboard was the most vulgar (you see, sir, I understand the real use of that word) display of silver bowls, cups, entree and bon-bon dishes, knives, forks, and spoons I ever have seen. The sole idea of the hostess seemed to be to impress her visitors with a sense of her wealth — she had, so to speak, purposely made an exhibition of it.”I was so interested in my observations that, quite unconsciously, I left the shelter of the trees, and, stepping up to the railings, leaned over them. I was now close to the window, the lower panes of which were almost on…

…the nature of the dream He sent me. I dreamed I was playing cards in a large, brilliantly illuminated nursery, my adversary being a child of about six years of age, who was seated directly opposite me. In his face and features I had little difficulty in recognising myself — that is to say, myself of long ago, when I was young and pure, without any knowledge save of what was innocent. We played some curious game that was quite new to me and which, strive how I would, I have never been able to recollect since. It was a game of speculation, and the stakes ran high, my opponent winning everything — everything, till at length I had nothing left to risk but my soul, which I staked and lost.I was then so maddened that I sprang from my seat and, seizing a knife, rushed on him and, despite…

…its gleaming surface at a time, and a very few sweeps of the oars sufficed to shoot my skiff from one angle to another.The character of my surroundings changed as I advanced; the banks and trees grew in height until little of the sky could be seen; the rapidity of the stream ceased, and the waters became deep and tranquil; whilst over and above all hung a silence that brought with it an exquisite sense of rest, intermingled with which was a faint suggestiveness of something bizarre and ghoulish. An unusually abrupt bend, round which the boat subtly glided, laid before me a spectacle so extraordinary that for some seconds I was almost dazed. I had emerged into a gigantic circular basin of several miles in diameter, and entirely composed of glittering white marble. All around it were steps that led down, down, down, until they were lost to sight…

…Dreams about pigs are decidedly unlucky, and mean anything from slight accidents to downright calamities.One lady, prior to her youngest child falling down a well and nearly being drowned, dreamed she saw him riding up and down the front lawn on a big white pig, which eyed her with an expression of fiendish malignancy; whilst someone else, shortly before he lost all his money in a brewery, dreamed that he saw a herd of white pigs outside his front door, pawing the ground and uttering the most piteous cries….

…raging rapids; and then, tearing past my hut with the thunder of hell, hurled every tree in the forest to the ground. The effect of the sky was now apparent in everything; the whole landscape — mountains, river, and sands, and even the prostrate forest — shone with a violet glow. So far the rain had held off, but presently a huge hand was thrust out of the sky and shaken menacingly, whereupon a great fissure opened, and a whole sea of bubbling, violet water descended with such terrific force that the earth gave way beneath it; and amidst an inferno of sand, rafters, and water I was borne down, down, till all became suffused in the blackness of hell — and I lost consciousness. On recovery, I was standing knee -deep in an ocean of violet water that seethed and hissed on all sides of me. From time to…