Transcribed from the 1905 edition by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk THE LAZY TOUR OF TWO IDLE APPRENTICES CHAPTER I In the autumn month of September, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, wherein these presents bear date, two idle apprentices, exhausted by the long, hot summer, and the long, hot work it had brought with it, ran away
The Holly-Tree Inn by Charles Dickens
This etext was prepared from the 1894 Chapman and Hall “Christmas Stories” edition by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk THE HOLLY-TREE–THREE BRANCHES FIRST BRANCH–MYSELF I have kept one secret in the course of my life. I am a bashful man. Nobody would suppose it, nobody ever does suppose it, nobody ever did suppose it, but I
The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain by Charles Dickens
Transcribed from the 1907 J. M. Dent and Co. edition by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk THE HAUNTED MAN AND THE GHOST’S BARGAIN CHAPTER I–The Gift Bestowed Everybody said so. Far be it from me to assert that what everybody says must be true. Everybody is, often, as likely to be wrong as right. In the
The Frozon Deep by Wilkie Collins
THE FROZEN DEEP by Wilkie Collins First Scene–The Ball-room Chapter 1. The date is between twenty and thirty years ago. The place is an English sea-port. The time is night. And the business of the moment is–dancing. The Mayor and Corporation of the town are giving a grand ball, in celebration of the departure of
The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens
Transcribed from the Charles Scribner’s Sons “Works of Charles Dickens” edition by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH CHAPTER I–Chirp the First The kettle began it! Don’t tell me what Mrs. Peerybingle said. I know better. Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn’t say
The Chimes by Charles Dickens
Transcribed from Charles Scribner’s Sons “Works of Charles Dickens” edition by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk THE CHIMES CHAPTER I–First Quarter. Here are not many people–and as it is desirable that a story- teller and a story-reader should establish a mutual understanding as soon as possible, I beg it to be noticed that I confine this
The Battle of Life by Charles Dickens
The Battle of Life by Charles Dickens Scanned and proofed by David Price email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk The Battle of Life CHAPTER I – Part The First Once upon a time, it matters little when, and in stalwart England, it matters little where, a fierce battle was fought. It was fought upon a long summer day when
Sunday Under Three Heads by Charles Dickens
Transcribed by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk SUNDAY UNDER THREE HEADS DEDICATION To The Right Reverend THE BISHOP OF LONDON MY LORD, You were among the first, some years ago, to expatiate on the vicious addiction of the lower classes of society to Sunday excursions; and were thus instrumental in calling forth occasional demonstrations of those
Speeches: Literary and Social by Charles Dickens
Transcribed from the 1880 Chatto and Windus edition by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk SPEECHES: LITERARY AND SOCIAL BY CHARLES DICKENS SPEECH: EDINBURGH, JUNE 25, 1841. If I felt your warm and generous welcome less, I should be better able to thank you. If I could have listened as you have listened to the glowing language
Somebody’s Luggage by Charles Dickens
This etext was prepared from the 1894 Chapman and Hall “Christmas Stories” edition by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk SOMEBODY’S LUGGAGE CHAPTER I–HIS LEAVING IT TILL CALLED FOR The writer of these humble lines being a Waiter, and having come of a family of Waiters, and owning at the present time five brothers who are all
Some Christmas Stories by Charles Dickens
This etext was prepared from the 1911 Chapman and Hall Christmas Stories (Volume 1) edition by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk Some Short Christmas Stories by Charles Dickens Contents: A Christmas Tree What Christmas is as we Grow Older The Poor Relation’s Story The Child’s Story The Schoolboy’s Story Nobody’s Story A CHRISTMAS TREE I have
Sketches of Young Gentlemen by Charles Dickens
Transcribed from the 1903 edition by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk SKETCHES OF YOUNG GENTLEMEN TO THE YOUNG LADIES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND; ALSO THE YOUNG LADIES OF THE PRINCIPALITY OF WALES, AND LIKEWISE THE YOUNG LADIES RESIDENT IN THE ISLES OF GUERNSEY, JERSEY, ALDERNEY, AND SARK, THE HUMBLE DEDICATION OF