Mrs. Craddock

Mrs. Craddock PDF Author: William Somerset Maugham
Publisher: GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 178

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Example in this ebook Chapter I This book might be called also The Triumph of Love. Bertha was looking out of window, at the bleakness of the day. The sky was sombre and the clouds heavy and low; the neglected carriage-drive was swept by the bitter wind, and the elm-trees that bordered it were bare of leaf, their naked branches shivering with horror of the cold. It was the end of November, and the day was utterly cheerless. The dying year seemed to have cast over all Nature the terror of death; the imagination would not bring to the wearied mind thoughts of the merciful sunshine, thoughts of the Spring coming as a maiden to scatter from her baskets the flowers and the green leaves. Bertha turned round and looked at her aunt, cutting the leaves of a new Spectator. Wondering what books to get down from Mudie’s, Miss Ley read the autumn lists and the laudatory expressions which the adroitness of publishers extracts from unfavourable reviews. “You’re very restless this afternoon, Bertha,” she remarked, in answer to the girl’s steady gaze. “I think I shall walk down to the gate.” “You’ve already visited the gate twice in the last hour. Do you find in it something alarmingly novel?” Bertha did not reply, but turned again to the window: the scene in the last two hours had fixed itself upon her mind with monotonous accuracy. “What are you thinking about, Aunt Polly?” she asked suddenly, turning back to her aunt and catching the eyes fixed upon her. “I was thinking that one must be very penetrative to discover a woman’s emotions from the view of her back hair.” Bertha laughed: “I don’t think I have any emotions to discover. I feel ...” she sought for some way of expressing the sensation—“I feel as if I should like to take my hair down.” Miss Ley made no rejoinder, but looked again at her paper. She hardly wondered what her niece meant, having long ceased to be astonished at Bertha’s ways and doings; indeed, her only surprise was that they never sufficiently corroborated the common opinion that Bertha was an independent young woman from whom anything might be expected. In the three years they had spent together since the death of Bertha’s father the two women had learned to tolerate one another extremely well. Their mutual affection was mild and perfectly respectable, in every way becoming to fastidious persons bound together by ties of convenience and decorum.... Miss Ley, called to the deathbed of her brother in Italy, made Bertha’s acquaintance over the dead man’s grave, and the girl was then too old and of too independent character to accept a stranger’s authority; nor had Miss Ley the smallest desire to exert authority over any one. She was a very indolent woman, who wished nothing more than to leave people alone and be left alone by them. But if it was obviously her duty to take charge of an orphan niece, it was also an advantage that Bertha was eighteen, and, but for the conventions of decent society, could very well take charge of herself. Miss Ley was not unthankful to a merciful Providence on the discovery that her ward had every intention of going her own way, and none whatever of hanging about the skirts of a maiden aunt who was passionately devoted to her liberty. They travelled on the Continent, seeing many churches, pictures, and cities, in the examination of which their chief aim appeared to be to conceal from one another the emotions they felt. Like the Red Indian who will suffer the most horrid tortures without wincing, Miss Ley would have thought it highly disgraceful to display feeling at some touching scene. She used polite cynicism as a cloak for sentimentality, laughing that she might not cry—and her want of originality herein, the old repetition of Grimaldi’s doubleness, made her snigger at herself. She felt that tears were unbecoming and foolish. “Weeping makes a fright even of a good-looking woman,” she said, “but if she is ugly they make her simply repulsive.” To be continue in this ebook

Mrs. Craddock

Mrs. Craddock PDF Author: William Somerset Maugham
Publisher: GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 178

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Book Description
Example in this ebook Chapter I This book might be called also The Triumph of Love. Bertha was looking out of window, at the bleakness of the day. The sky was sombre and the clouds heavy and low; the neglected carriage-drive was swept by the bitter wind, and the elm-trees that bordered it were bare of leaf, their naked branches shivering with horror of the cold. It was the end of November, and the day was utterly cheerless. The dying year seemed to have cast over all Nature the terror of death; the imagination would not bring to the wearied mind thoughts of the merciful sunshine, thoughts of the Spring coming as a maiden to scatter from her baskets the flowers and the green leaves. Bertha turned round and looked at her aunt, cutting the leaves of a new Spectator. Wondering what books to get down from Mudie’s, Miss Ley read the autumn lists and the laudatory expressions which the adroitness of publishers extracts from unfavourable reviews. “You’re very restless this afternoon, Bertha,” she remarked, in answer to the girl’s steady gaze. “I think I shall walk down to the gate.” “You’ve already visited the gate twice in the last hour. Do you find in it something alarmingly novel?” Bertha did not reply, but turned again to the window: the scene in the last two hours had fixed itself upon her mind with monotonous accuracy. “What are you thinking about, Aunt Polly?” she asked suddenly, turning back to her aunt and catching the eyes fixed upon her. “I was thinking that one must be very penetrative to discover a woman’s emotions from the view of her back hair.” Bertha laughed: “I don’t think I have any emotions to discover. I feel ...” she sought for some way of expressing the sensation—“I feel as if I should like to take my hair down.” Miss Ley made no rejoinder, but looked again at her paper. She hardly wondered what her niece meant, having long ceased to be astonished at Bertha’s ways and doings; indeed, her only surprise was that they never sufficiently corroborated the common opinion that Bertha was an independent young woman from whom anything might be expected. In the three years they had spent together since the death of Bertha’s father the two women had learned to tolerate one another extremely well. Their mutual affection was mild and perfectly respectable, in every way becoming to fastidious persons bound together by ties of convenience and decorum.... Miss Ley, called to the deathbed of her brother in Italy, made Bertha’s acquaintance over the dead man’s grave, and the girl was then too old and of too independent character to accept a stranger’s authority; nor had Miss Ley the smallest desire to exert authority over any one. She was a very indolent woman, who wished nothing more than to leave people alone and be left alone by them. But if it was obviously her duty to take charge of an orphan niece, it was also an advantage that Bertha was eighteen, and, but for the conventions of decent society, could very well take charge of herself. Miss Ley was not unthankful to a merciful Providence on the discovery that her ward had every intention of going her own way, and none whatever of hanging about the skirts of a maiden aunt who was passionately devoted to her liberty. They travelled on the Continent, seeing many churches, pictures, and cities, in the examination of which their chief aim appeared to be to conceal from one another the emotions they felt. Like the Red Indian who will suffer the most horrid tortures without wincing, Miss Ley would have thought it highly disgraceful to display feeling at some touching scene. She used polite cynicism as a cloak for sentimentality, laughing that she might not cry—and her want of originality herein, the old repetition of Grimaldi’s doubleness, made her snigger at herself. She felt that tears were unbecoming and foolish. “Weeping makes a fright even of a good-looking woman,” she said, “but if she is ugly they make her simply repulsive.” To be continue in this ebook

The Academy and Literature

The Academy and Literature PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 728

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Heaven's Bride

Heaven's Bride PDF Author: Leigh Eric Schmidt
Publisher: Basic Books
ISBN: 0465022944
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 354

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Book Description
The nineteenth-century eccentric Ida C. Craddock was by turns a secular freethinker, a religious visionary, a civil-liberties advocate, and a resolute defender of belly-dancing. Arrested and tried repeatedly on obscenity charges, she was deemed a danger to public morality for her candor about sexuality. By the end of her life Craddock, the nemesis of the notorious vice crusader Anthony Comstock, had become a favorite of free-speech defenders and women's rights activists. She soon became as well the case-history darling of one of America's earliest and most determined Freudians. In Heaven's Bride, prize-winning historian Leigh Eric Schmidt offers a rich biography of this forgotten mystic, who occupied the seemingly incongruous roles of yoga priestess, suppressed sexologist, and suspected madwoman. In Schmidt's evocative telling, Craddock's story reveals the beginning of the end of Christian America, a harbinger of spiritual variety and sexual revolution.

The Miss Silver Mysteries Volume Seven

The Miss Silver Mysteries Volume Seven PDF Author: Patricia Wentworth
Publisher: Open Road Media
ISBN: 1504058062
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 1061

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Book Description
Four mysteries featuring governess-turned-sleuth Miss Silver, who “has her place in detective fiction as surely as Lord Peter Wimsey or Hercule Poirot” (Manchester Evening News). “Marvelous” retired governess and teacher Maud Silver may seem like a kindly old soul. But with her keen mind and spritely demeanor, she’s Scotland Yard’s secret weapon against crime (Manchester Evening News). Through the Wall: After years of toil caring for her layabout sister, Marian Brand is shocked when her unknown uncle leaves her his entire estate. Now, she can finally be happy. But her uncle made a lot of postmortem enemies when he cut them out of his will, so claiming the riches will make them her enemies, too. Before long someone is dead—and it’s up to Miss Maud Silver to find the killer. Death at the Deep End: Anna Ball was never one to put down roots. For the past year, she moved from one job as a nanny to another, unable to settle or make friends. Then one day she simply vanished. The only one who noticed she was gone is an old school friend who seeks out Miss Silver for help. A lonely girl has disappeared without a trace, and Miss Silver smells a whiff of murder in the air. The Watersplash: Edward Random returns to the town of Greenings after years away, trying to start his life anew. But an old family feud stands in his way, and the situation at the Random manor house grows vicious in the wake of under-gardener William Jackson’s death. Did he drown by accident, or was he murdered? Only Miss Silver can say for sure. Ladies’ Bane: No one has seen Allegra Trent since she got married and moved to the faraway town of Bleake. For years she put off visits from her family again and again, and then stopped writing at all. Then, suddenly, Allegra urges her sister to come visit. At first, Ione is puzzled, but upon her arrival she suspects that ominous forces are at work. When an unexpected death occurs and her worst suspicions are confirmed, Miss Silver is the only one who can uncover the truth. These charming traditional British mysteries featuring the unstoppable Miss Silver—whose stout figure, fondness for Tennyson, and passion for knitting disguise a keen intellect and a knack for cracking even the toughest cases—are sure to delight readers of Agatha Christie, Ellis Peters, and Dorothy L. Sayers.

The Man Who Hated Women

The Man Who Hated Women PDF Author: Amy Sohn
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 1250174821
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 252

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Book Description
Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Best History Books of 2021 • "Fascinating . . . Purity is in the mind of the beholder, but beware the man who vows to protect yours.” —Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker Anthony Comstock, special agent to the U.S. Post Office, was one of the most important men in the lives of nineteenth-century women. His eponymous law, passed in 1873, penalized the mailing of contraception and obscenity with long sentences and steep fines. The word Comstockery came to connote repression and prudery. Between 1873 and Comstock’s death in 1915, eight remarkable women were charged with violating state and federal Comstock laws. These “sex radicals” supported contraception, sexual education, gender equality, and women’s right to pleasure. They took on the fearsome censor in explicit, personal writing, seeking to redefine work, family, marriage, and love for a bold new era. In The Man Who Hated Women, Amy Sohn tells the overlooked story of their valiant attempts to fight Comstock in court and in the press. They were publishers, writers, and doctors, and they included the first woman presidential candidate, Victoria C. Woodhull; the virgin sexologist Ida C. Craddock; and the anarchist Emma Goldman. In their willingness to oppose a monomaniac who viewed reproductive rights as a threat to the American family, the sex radicals paved the way for second-wave feminism. Risking imprisonment and death, they redefined birth control access as a civil liberty. The Man Who Hated Women brings these women’s stories to vivid life, recounting their personal and romantic travails alongside their political battles. Without them, there would be no Pill, no Planned Parenthood, no Roe v. Wade. This is the forgotten history of the women who waged war to control their bodies.

Highland Sisters

Highland Sisters PDF Author: Anne Douglas
Publisher: Canelo + ORM
ISBN: 1804361216
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 320

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Book Description
Can they put the past behind them? Lorne Malcolm’s wedding to her handsome suitor Daniel MacNeil is a joyful day much looked forward to by both families. But by the time Lorne’s older sister, Rosa, returns from a trip to the flower shop on the morning of the wedding, Lorne has disappeared. When news arrives that Lorne has run off to Ireland with a wealthy landowner’s son, Rory Thain, their families are shocked. None more so than Daniel. Jilted on his own wedding day, a devastated Daniel turns to Rosa for comfort. Despite her initial misgivings, Rosa's feelings for Daniel grow, and the pair’s friendship blossoms into something more. The two are soon married, but is Rosa truly the sister Daniel loves? A tender family saga set in Scotland, perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin and Annie Murray.

Teddy's War

Teddy's War PDF Author: Robert Webber
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 1800463812
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 408

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Book Description
“…our service operates in the background, and now it appears that there may be lurking in that milieu a malevolent spirit that we need to flush out…” June 1940. The fledgeling Air Transport Auxiliary is rocked by a scandal that could ground the service before it has fully developed its wings. Teddy Carlton is approached by the acquaintance of an old school friend to help resolve the issue and thus embarks on a journey that sees her engaged in some of the most exciting work that a woman could perform in wartime. Her voyage sees Teddy embroiled in the secret world of espionage while exploiting her nascent skills in flying until she becomes one of the country’s top ferry pilots and a respected agent of the Security Service. Heartache and joy are her constant companions throughout her service, but the love for her family and her country keeps Teddy focused on the ultimate goal – the defeat of Nazi Germany... …and her husband only knew the half of it.

The Duchess Countess

The Duchess Countess PDF Author: Catherine Ostler
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1982179732
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 432

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Book Description
This "funny, intelligent, witty, profound" (Andrew Roberts, New York Times bestselling author) look at the stylish and scandalous Elizabeth Chudleigh, Duchess of Kingston--a woman whose adventurous life led to an infamous bigamy trial that was bigger news in British society than the American War of Independence--provides a clear-eyed and fascinating look into the sumptuous Georgian Era. As maid of honor to the Princess of Wales, Elizabeth Chudleigh enjoyed a luxurious life in the inner circle of the Hanoverian court. With her extraordinary style and engaging wit, she both delighted and scandalized the press and public. She would later even inspire William Thackeray when he was writing his classic Vanity Fair, providing the inspiration for the alluring social climber Becky Sharp. But Elizabeth's real story is more complex and surprising than anything out of fiction. A clandestine, candlelit wedding to the young heir to an earldom, a second marriage to a duke, a lust for diamonds, and an electrifying appearance at a masquerade ball in a gossamer dress--it's no wonder that Elizabeth's eventual trial was a sensation. Charged with bigamy, an accusation she vehemently fought against, Elizabeth refused to submit to public humiliation and retire quietly. Perfect for fans of The Duchess and Women of Means, this long overdue and evocative biography reappraises Elizabeth's remarkable story, and out of the past comes an incredibly modern woman who defied society's expectations of her.

American Lawn Tennis

American Lawn Tennis PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Tennis
Languages : en
Pages : 828

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Anna, Where Are You?

Anna, Where Are You? PDF Author: Dora Amy Elles
Publisher: DigiCat
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 234

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Book Description
DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "Anna, Where Are You?" by Dora Amy Elles. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.