Datasets:

casey-martin

/

CommonLit-Ease-of-Readability

like 1

Katherine Mansfield

The Young Girl

The Garden Party, and Other Stories

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1429/1429-h/1429-h.htm

Lit

Lit

mid

PG

The ancient, withered creature, wearing a green satin dress, a black velvet cloak and a white hat with purple feathers, jerked slowly, slowly up the steps as though she were being drawn up on wires. She stared in front of her, she was laughing and nodding and cackling to herself; her claws clutched round what looked like a dirty boot bag. But just at that moment there was Mrs. Raddick again with—her—and another lady hovering in the background. Mrs. Raddick rushed at me. She was brightly flushed, gay, a different creature. She was like a woman who is saying "goodbye" to her friends on the station platform, with not a minute to spare before the train starts. "Oh, you're here, still. Isn't that lucky! You've not gone. Isn't that fine! I've had the most dreadful time with—her," and she waved to her daughter, who stood absolutely still, disdainful, looking down, twiddling her foot on the step, miles away. "They won't let her in. I swore she was twenty-one. But they won't believe me. I showed the man my purse; I didn't dare to do more.

?

ELECTRIC POWER.

Scientific American Supplement, No. 303

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8296/8296-h/8296-h.htm

Info

Lit

mid

G

No one at this moment knows what electricity is; but for our present purpose we may regard it as a fluid, non-elastic, and without weight, and universally diffused through the universe. To judge by recently published statements, a large section of the reading public are taught that this fluid is a source of power, and that it may be made to do the work of coal. This is a delusion. So long as electricity remains in what we may call a normal state of repose, it is inert. Before we can get any work out of electricity a somewhat greater amount of work must be done upon it. If this fundamental and most important truth be kept in view it will not be easy to make a grave mistake in estimating the value of any of the numerous schemes for making electricity do work which will ere long be brought before the public.

wikipedia

Decolonization

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decolonization

Info

History

mid

CC BY-SA 3.0

PG-13

Significant violence was involved in several prominent cases of decolonization of the British Empire; partition was a frequent solution. In 1783, the North American colonies were divided between the independent United States, and British North America, which later became Canada. The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a revolt of a portion of the Indian Army. It was characterized by massacres of civilians on both sides. It was not a movement for independence, however, and only a small part of India was involved. In the aftermath, the British pulled back from modernizing reforms of Indian society, and the level of organised violence under the British Raj was relatively small. Most of that was initiated by repressive British administrators, as in the Amritsar massacre of 1919, or the police assaults on the Salt March of 1930. Large-scale communicable violence broke out after the British left in 1947, turning India over to the new nations of India and Pakistan. Cyprus, which came under full British control in 1914 from the Ottoman Empire, was culturally divided between the majority Greek element (which demanded "enosis" or union with Greece) and the minority Turks.

Oscar Wilde

The Happy Prince

The Happy Prince, and Other Tales

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/902/902-h/902-h.htm

Lit

Lit

mid

PG

One night there flew over the city a little Swallow. His friends had gone away to Egypt six weeks before, but he had stayed behind, for he was in love with the most beautiful Reed. He had met her early in the spring as he was flying down the river after a big yellow moth, and had been so attracted by her slender waist that he had stopped to talk to her. "Shall I love you?" said the Swallow, who liked to come to the point at once, and the Reed made him a low bow. So he flew round and round her, touching the water with his wings, and making silver ripples. This was his courtship, and it lasted all through the summer. "It is a ridiculous attachment," twittered the other Swallows; "she has no money, and far too many relations"; and indeed the river was quite full of Reeds. Then, when the autumn came they all flew away.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

FDR's First Inaugural Address

CLD

https://www.commonlit.org/texts/fdr-s-first-inaugural-address

Info

Lit

mid

PG

Recognition of the falsity of material wealth as the standard of success goes hand in hand with the abandonment of the false belief that public office and high political position are to be valued only by the standards of pride of place and personal profit, and there must be an end to a conduct in banking and in business which too often has given to a sacred trust the likeness of callous and selfish wrongdoing. Small wonder that confidence languishes, for it thrives only on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection, on unselfish performance; without them it cannot live. Restoration calls, however, not for changes in ethics alone. This Nation asks for action, and action now. Our greatest primary task is to put people to work. This is no unsolvable problem if we face it wisely and courageously. It can be accomplished in part by direct recruiting by the Government itself, treating the task as we would treat the emergency of a war, but at the same time, through this employment, accomplishing greatly needed projects to stimulate and reorganize the use of our natural resources.

Captain Marryat

The Children of the New Forest

http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/6471/pg6471-images.html

Lit

Lit

mid

G

As we have before said, the orphans were four in number; the two eldest were boys, and the youngest were girls. Edward, the eldest boy, was between thirteen and fourteen years old; Humphrey, the second, was twelve; Alice, eleven; and Edith, eight. As it is the history of these young persons which we are about to narrate, we shall say little about them at present, except that for many months they had been under little or no restraint, and less attended to. Their companions were Benjamin, the man who remained in the house, and old Jacob Armitage, who passed all the time he could spare with them. Benjamin was rather weak in intellect, and was a source of amusement rather than otherwise. As for the female servants, one was wholly occupied with her attendance on Miss Judith, who was very exacting, and had a high notion of her own consequence.

Charles H. Sylvester?

Ringrose And His Buccaneers

Journeys Through Bookland Vol. 8

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24532/24532-h/24532-h.htm#RINGROSE_AND_HIS_BUCCANEERS

Lit

Lit

mid

G

It was my misfortune to have a canoe which was very heavy and consequently sluggish. Because of this we were left behind the rest a little way, there being only four men beside myself in the boat. As the tide fell it left several shoals of sand naked, and hence we, not knowing the location of the channel amongst such a variety of streams, steered for over two miles into a shoal where we were forced to lie by until high water came. As soon as the tide began to turn, we rowed away, but in spite of all our endeavors, we could neither find nor overtake our companions. At ten o'clock, when the tide became low, we stuck an oar in the sands and by turns slept in our canoe, where we were pierced to the skin by the showers that fell in the night.

Sir George W. Dasent

The Lad Who Went to the North Wind

Junior Classics Vol. 1

http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/3152/pg3152.html

Lit

Lit

mid

G

"Good day!" answered the North Wind, for his voice was loud and gruff, "And thanks for coming to see me. What do you want?" "Oh!" answered the lad, "I only wished to ask you to be so good as to let me have back that meal you took from me on the safe steps, for we haven't much to live on; and if you're to go on snapping up the morsel we have there'll be nothing for it but to starve." "I haven't got your meal," said the North Wind; "but if you are in such need, I'll give you a cloth which will get you everything you want, if you only say, 'Cloth, spread yourself, and serve up all kinds of good dishes!'" With this the lad was well content. But, as the way was so long he couldn't get home in one day, he stopped at an inn on the way; and when they were going to sit down to supper, he laid the cloth on a table which stood in the corner and said: "Cloth, spread yourself, and serve up all kinds of good dishes."

?

The Iron Casket

Tales of Wonder Every Child Should Know

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/19461/19461-h/19461-h.htm#The_Iron_Casket

Lit

Lit

mid

G

The three brothers left the empty house, and went each to seek his fortune in his own way. Ali Haitam bought a piece of muslin, folded it into a turban, sewed the lapis lazuli inside, and fixed it firmly on his head. Then he went to the bazaar and waited for an influx of wisdom, and see! The power of the stone set to work and his mind was filled with knowledge! He knew the origin of all things, and his eyes could see through walls five feet thick! He passed the Caliph's palace, and he could see that in the recesses of the cellars were hidden 9,000 sacks of gold, and that Fatma, the daughter of the Caliph, was the most lovely maiden in the East; and an idea occurred to him that dazzled him. "How would it be," he thought, "if I placed my wisdom at the Caliph's disposal, became his first adviser, and finally married the lovely Fatma?" But together with this dream came the longing to display to an admiring crowd some proofs of his wisdom.

N. Robertson

How to Plant Trees

Scientific American Supplement, Nos. 324

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8483/8483-h/8483-h.htm#14

Info

Lit

mid

G

For years, I was much against this system of cutting trees into poles, and fought hard against one of the most successful tree planters in Canada about this pole business. I have trees planted under the system described that have many strong shoots six and eight feet long--hard maple, elm, etc., under the most unfavorable circumstances. In planting, be particular to have the hole into which you plant much larger than your roots; and be sure you draw out all your roots to their length before you put on your soil; clean away all the black, leafy soil about them, for if that is left, and gets once dry, you will not easily wet it again. Break down the edges of your holes as you progress, not to leave them as if they were confined in a flower pot; and when finished, put around them a good heavy mulch, I do not care what of--sawdust, manure, or straw. This last you can keep by throwing a few spadefuls of soil over; let it pass out over the edges of your holes at least one foot.

M. Elisabeth Koopman-Verhoeff & Jared M. Saletin

A Good Night’s Sleep: Necessary for Young Minds

https://kids.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/frym.2020.00077

Info

Lit

mid

CC BY 4.0

G

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that school-aged kids (6–13 years) sleep between 9 and 11 h a night. Teens are recommended to get 8–10 h a night and adults about 7–9 h. If you are a student, particularly in the United States, you may find it difficult to get this amount of sleep on school nights. As you go through puberty, your body wants to go to bed later and sleep later. But school (particularly in the U.S.) often starts too early! This makes it hard for teenagers to get enough sleep on school nights. By the weekend, you probably have missed so much sleep that you feel particularly sleepy, and you may dramatically oversleep as your sleep homeostat works hard to recover the sleep you need. If you oversleep all weekend, however, this can make waking up on Monday morning a miserable experience.

Cunninghame Graham

Flaw's in Shaw's Logic

The New York Times Current History of the European War, Vol 1, Issue 1

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/13635/13635-h/13635-h.htm

Info

Lit

mid

PG

Literature is a nice thing in its way. It both passes and gives us many weary hours. It has its place. But I submit that at present it is mere dancing on a tight rope. Whether the war could have been avoided or not is without interest today. In fact, there is no controversy possible after Maximilian Harden's pronouncement. In it he throws away the scabbard and says boldly that Germany from the first was set on war. Hence it becomes a work of supererogation to find excuses for her, and hence, my old friend, Bernard Shaw, penned his long indictment of his hereditary enemy, England, all in vain. We are a dull-witted race. Although the Continent has dubbed us "Perfidious Albion," it is hard for us to take in general ideas, and no man clearly sees the possibilities of the development of the original sin that lies dormant in him. Thus it becomes hard for us to understand the reason why, if Germany tore up a treaty three months ago we are certain to tear up another in three years' time. All crystal gazing appeals but little to the average man on this side of the St. George's channel.

simple wiki

Crusades

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades

Info

History

start

CC BY-SA 3.0 and GFDL

PG

The Crusades were a series of religious wars fought between Christians and Muslims over control of the Holy Land. Traditionally, they took place between 1095 and 1291. The Holy Land was and still is a place that is very important for the three major monotheistic religions: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. There are many important religious sites in the Holy Land. This is the land now called Israel or Palestine. Jerusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem and other religious sites fell under the control of Muslims during the Caliphate of Omar (634-44). There were many different crusades. The most important and biggest Crusades took place from the 11th century to the 13th century. There were 9 large Crusades during this time. They are numbered 1 through 9. There were also many smaller Crusades. Some crusades were even within Europe (for example, in Germany, Austria and Scandinavia). The smaller Crusades continued to the 16th century, until the Renaissance and Reformation.

A. B. Mitford

THE ADVENTURES OF LITTLE PEACHLING

The Junior Classics, Volume 1

http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/3152/pg3152-images.html

Lit

Lit

start

G

Many hundred years ago there lived an honest old woodcutter and his wife. One fine morning the old man went off to the hills with his bill hook to gather a faggot of sticks, while his wife went down to the river to wash the dirty clothes. When she came to the river, she saw a peach floating down the stream; so she picked it up and carried it homeward with her, thinking to give it to her husband to eat when he should come in. The old man soon came down from the hills, and the good wife set the peach before him, when, just as she was inviting him to eat it, the fruit split in two and a little baby was born into the world. So the old couple took the babe and brought it up as their own; and because it had been born in a peach, they called it Momotaro, or Little Peachhing! By degrees Little Peachling grew up to be strong and brave, and at last one day he said to his old foster parents, "I am going to the ogres' island, to carry off the riches they have stored up there.

COLONEL MAITLAND

Modern Ordnance

Scientific American Supplement, Nos. 324

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8483/8483-h/8483-h.htm#2

Info

Lit

mid

G

From among a cloud of proposals, experiments, and inventions, two great systems at length disentangled themselves. They were the English construction of built-up wrought iron coils, and the Prussian construction of solid steel castings. Wrought-iron, as you are all aware, is nearly pure iron, containing but a trace of carbon. Steel, as used for guns, contains from 0.3 to 0.5 per cent of carbon; the larger the quantity of carbon, the harder the steel. Since the early days of which I am now speaking, great improvement has taken place in the qualities of both materials, but more especially in that of steel. Still the same general characteristics were to be noted, and it may be broadly stated, that England chose confessedly the weaker material, as being more under control, cheaper, and safer to intrust with the lives of men; while Prussia selected the stronger but less manageable substance, in the hope of improving its uniformity, and rendering it thoroughly trustworthy. The difference in strength, when both are sound, is great. Roughly, gun steel is about twice as strong as wrought iron.

Mamma

PET, THE CANARY

The Nursery, No. 106, October, 1875. Vol. XVIII. A Monthly Magazine for Youngest Readers

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16522/16522-h/16522-h.htm#PET

Lit

Lit

end

G

The little fellow has become so tame, that he is allowed to stay out of his cage as long as he wishes, always going to it of his own accord when bedtime comes. One day I found no pins on my pin-cushion; and, seeing them scattered around on the bureau, I wondered who could have done the mischief. I soon found, by watching, that it was Pet's work. Every day he took his stand on the pin-cushion, in front of the glass, to pull out all the pins. I saw him once work a long time trying to stick one back by tipping his head, first one side and then the other, holding the pin tightly in his bill; but he soon gave it up. Little Fannie, Agnes's two-year-old sister, often shares her lunch with him; he sitting on the edge of the saucer, and helping himself while she is eating. As I write, he is sitting on the tassel of the shade, looking out of the window. Some day I'll tell you more of Pet's pranks.

AUNT ANNE

THE ROMAN PIGEON

The Nursery, December 1881, Vol. XXX A Monthly Magazine for Youngest Readers

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/42161/42161-h/42161-h.htm#Page_366

Lit

Lit

mid

PG

One night, after spending the day in the Catacombs, which are nothing more than cities of the dead, under ground, and after tumbling over my companions, and treading on the heels of the guide, I came home hoping for a quiet, peaceful evening. Finding, however, an invitation to spend that evening with a lady who lived at the other end of the palace, I felt bound to accept it. As I passed along the dark, narrow entry, which seemed like going through the Catacombs again, I heard a patter, patter, patter, on the brick floor. I supported myself by putting my hands out until they touched the sides of the tube, for I was just the least bit frightened. The sound was approaching me; but I dared not turn my back. It echoed from the walls and the high ceiling, and the whole air seemed filled with a weird noise. I tiptoed along, when suddenly my foot came down directly upon a pigeon.

Dar Meshi, Carmen Morawetz, & Hauke R. Heekeren

Facebook, Being Cool, and Your Brain: What Science Tells Us

https://kids.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/frym.2013.00004

Info

Lit

mid

CC BY 4.0

G

A key brain structure in the reward system is the nucleus accumbens (pronounced: uh-'kuhm-benz), which is a very small but critical structure located deep in the center of the brain. The nucleus accumbens is activated by things that make us happy, such as eating good food or winning money. Recent research has demonstrated that if we show pictures of food to hungry people, the response of their nucleus accumbens will predict how much food they will eat later. That is, the more sensitive a person's nucleus accumbens is to a reward in the laboratory, such as seeing food, the more likely the person is to try to obtain that reward in the real-world (eating food). With this in mind, we decided to investigate if a person's individual sensitivity to discovering that the person has a good reputation could predict a real-world behavior aimed at obtaining a good reputation.

W. O. C.

THE SPECKLED HEN

The Nursery, November 1873, Vol. XIV. No. 5

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24942/24942-h/24942-h.htm#Page_154

Lit

Lit

whole

G

The speckled hen walked all around the house, and saw the front-door open. So she walked right in, and went up stairs. She peeped into the front-chamber, pecked a little at the carpet, and clucked with surprise when she saw herself in the looking-glass. By and by she saw a wash-bowl standing on the top of the bureau. She thought this would make a nice place for a nest. So she flew up to see; but the bowl tipped over, and fell upon the floor. When the people came up stairs to see what was the matter, they found that the wash-bowl was all broken in pieces, and the hen had made her nest in the band-box in the corner of the room. They thought this a very saucy thing for a hen to do; but they did not drive her out: they waited to see what she would do next. By and by the hen came off, and flew up on the window-sill. Then she began to cackle very loud. I suppose she meant to say, "Go and look in the band-box."

James Branch Cabell

Beyond Life

"Modern Essays SELECTED BY CHRISTOPHER MORLEY"

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/38280/38280-h/38280-h.htm

Lit

Lit

mid

PG

And I want beauty in my life. I have seen beauty in a sunset and in the spring woods and in the eyes of diverse women, but now these happy accidents of light and color no longer thrill me. And I want beauty in my life itself, rather than in such chances as befall it. It seems to me that many actions of my life were beautiful, very long ago, when I was young in an evanished world of friendly girls, who were all more lovely than any girl is nowadays. For women now are merely more or less good-looking, and as I know, their looks when at their best have been painstakingly enhanced and edited. But I would like this life which moves and yearns in me, to be able itself to attain to comeliness, though but in transitory performance. The life of a butterfly, for example, is just a graceful gesture: and yet, in that its loveliness is complete and perfectly rounded in itself, I envy this bright flicker through existence.

Lucy Maud Montgomery

Rilla of Ingleside

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3796/3796-h/3796-h.htm#chap02

Lit

Lit

mid

G

Rilla was the "baby" of the Blythe family and was in a chronic state of secret indignation because nobody believed she was grown up. She was so nearly fifteen that she called herself that, and she was quite as tall as Di and Nan; also, she was nearly as pretty as Susan believed her to be. She had great, dreamy, hazel eyes, a milky skin dappled with little golden freckles, and delicately arched eyebrows, giving her a demure, questioning look which made people, especially lads in their teens, want to answer it. Her hair was ripely, ruddily brown and a little dent in her upper lip looked as if some good fairy had pressed it in with her finger at Rilla's christening. Rilla, whose best friends could not deny her share of vanity, thought her face would do very well, but worried over her figure, and wished her mother could be prevailed upon to let her wear longer dresses. She, who had been so plump and roly-poly in the old Rainbow Valley days, was incredibly slim now, in the arms-and-legs period.

Henry Farquhar

Experiments in Binary Arithmetic

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT NO. 421

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16353/16353-h/16353-h.htm#art12

Info

Lit

mid

G

It is easy to prove that the most economical way of reducing addition to counting similar quantities is by the binary arithmetic of Leibnitz, which appears in an altered dress, with most of the zero signs suppressed, in the example below. Opposite each number in the usual figures is here set the same according to a scheme in which the signs of powers of two repeat themselves in periods of four; a very small circle, like a degree mark, being used to express any fourth power in the series; a long loop, like a narrow 0, any square not a fourth power; a curve upward and to the right, like a phonographic l, any double fourth power; and a curve to the right and downward, like a phonographic r, any half of a fourth power; with a vertical bar to denote the absence of three successive powers not fourth powers.

Mirre Stallen; Nastasia Griffioen; Alan Gerard Sanfey

Why Are We Not More Selfish? What the Study of Brain and Behavior Can Tell Us

Frontiers for Young Minds

https://kids.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/frym.2017.00047

Info

Lit

mid

G

People generally are pretty cooperative, or as scientists often call it, prosocial. However, an interesting question for scientists is: Why are we not more selfish, especially when we can get away with it? Why do we often help others and invest energy in tasks, when instead we could do nothing and let others do all the work? Finding an answer to this question is important, because the success of our society depends a great deal on citizens' decisions to be prosocial instead of selfish. For instance, think about separating trash into different bins: it is important that we do this in order to make recycling possible, but the sorting does take some effort for us. Also, buying a train ticket instead of sneaking on the train for free is another example of prosociality. When everyone buys a ticket, society ends up with more money, which can then be used to keep the trains safe and affordable for everyone.

Olaudah Equiano

The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African Written By Himself

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15399/15399-h/15399-h.htm

Lit

AutoBio

mid

PG

Our tillage is exercised in a large plain or common, some hours walk from our dwellings, and all the neighbours resort thither in a body. They use no beasts of husbandry; and their only instruments are hoes, axes, shovels, and beaks, or pointed iron to dig with. Sometimes we are visited by locusts, which come in large clouds, so as to darken the air, and destroy our harvest. This however happens rarely, but when it does, a famine is produced by it. I remember an instance or two wherein this happened. This common is often the theatre of war; and therefore when our people go out to till their land, they not only go in a body, but generally take their arms with them for fear of a surprise; and when they apprehend an invasion they guard the avenues to their dwellings, by driving sticks into the ground, which are so sharp at one end as to pierce the foot, and are generally dipt in poison.

wikipedia

Internet_of_things

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_of_things

Info

Technology

start

CC BY-SA 3.0

G

The internet of things (IoT) is the network of physical devices, vehicles, buildings and other items—embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity that enable these objects to collect and exchange data. In 2013 the Global Standards Initiative on Internet of Things (IoT-GSI) defined the IoT as "the infrastructure of the information society." The IoT allows objects to be sensed and/or controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure, creating opportunities for more direct integration of the physical world into computer-based systems, and resulting in improved efficiency, accuracy and economic benefit. When IoT is augmented with sensors and actuators, the technology becomes an instance of the more general class of cyber-physical systems, which also encompasses technologies such as smart grids, smart homes, intelligent transportation and smart cities. Each thing is uniquely identifiable through its embedded computing system but is able to interoperate within the existing Internet infrastructure. Experts estimate that the IoT will consist of almost 50 billion objects by 2020.

UNCLE SAM

THE BASKET OF APPLES

The Nursery, No. 169, January, 1881, Vol. XXIX A Monthly Magazine for Youngest Readers

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17536/17536-h/17536-h.htm#Page_25

Lit

Lit

mid

G

One day, John the gardener left a basket of apples at the top of the garden-steps. Albert saw it, and knew it was meant for the house. "I will take it in," said he. "I am strong." But the basket was not so light as he had thought. Indeed it was quite heavy. Perhaps this was because it was full of apples. The gardener had just picked them from a fine old tree in the orchard. Albert was a stout little fellow; but the basket was too much for him. In trying to lift it, he upset it; and some of the apples rolled out down the steps as fast as they could go. Perhaps they saw it was a good chance to run away. Albert did not cry. He knew that crying would do no good. What was now the first thing to be done? Albert thought for a while, and said to himself, "The first thing to do is to set the basket upright." He did not find it hard work to do this. All the apples had not run out. Some were still in the basket.

Martha Finley

Elsie's Girlhood

http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/9963/pg9963-images.html

Lit

Lit

mid

G

Mr. Horace Dinsmore was quite remarkable for his conversational powers, and Rose, who had always heretofore found him a most entertaining companion, wondered greatly at his silence on this particular evening. She waited in vain for him to start some topic of conversation, but as he did not seem disposed to do so, she at length made the attempt herself, and tried one subject after another. Finding, however, that she was answered only in monosyllables, she too grew silent and embarrassed, and heartily wished for the relief of Elsie's presence. She had proposed summoning the child to accompany them as usual, but Mr. Dinsmore replied that she had already had sufficient exercise, and he would prefer having her remain at home. They had walked some distance, and coming to a rustic seat where they had often rested, they sat down. The moon was shining softly down upon them, and all nature seemed hushed and still. For some moments neither of them spoke, but at length Mr. Dinsmore broke the silence.

Angela Brazil

Monitress Merle

http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/7820/pg7820-images.html

Lit

Lit

mid

G

The first day of a new term always seems intolerably long, and with such an interesting event as a ballot before them most of the girls felt the hour and a half to drag, and turned many surreptitious glances towards wrist watches. Merle in especial, who hated French translation, groaned as she looked up words in the dictionary, and made several stupid mistakes, because her thoughts were focussed on the election instead of on the matter in hand. Once she yawned openly, and drew down a reproof from Mademoiselle, whereupon she heaved a submissive sigh, controlled her boredom, and went on wearily transferring the flowery sentiments of Fénelon into the English tongue. At precisely five minutes to four the big bell clanged out a warning, dictionaries were shut, exercise-books handed in, pencil-boxes replaced in desks, and the class filed downstairs to the big schoolroom. Miss Pollard was not there: she was busy in the hostel; and Miss Fanny, looking rather flustered and nervous, had evidently given over the conduct of the meeting to Miss Mitchell, and was present merely as a spectator.

President Abraham Lincoln

The Emancipation Proclamation

CLD

https://www.commonlit.org/texts/the-emancipation-proclamation

Info

Lit

mid

PG

And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons. And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self­-defence; and I recommend to them that, in all cases when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages. And I further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service. And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

wikipedia

Age_of_Discovery

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Discovery

Info

History

start

CC BY-SA 3.0

G

The Age of Discovery is an informal and loosely defined European historical period from the 15th century to the 18th century, marking the time in which extensive overseas exploration emerged as a powerful factor in European culture and globalization. Many lands previously unknown to Europeans were discovered during this period, though most were already inhabited and from the perspective of many non-Europeans it marked the arrival of settlers and invaders from a previously unknown continent. Global exploration started with the Portuguese discoveries of the Atlantic archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores, the coast of Africa, and the discovery of the sea route to India in 1498; and, on behalf of the Crown of Castile (Spain), the trans-Atlantic Voyages of Christopher Columbus between 1492 and 1502, and the first circumnavigation of the globe in 1519–1522. These discoveries led to numerous naval expeditions across the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, and land expeditions in the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Australia that continued into the late 19th century, and ended with the exploration of the polar regions in the 20th century.

?

DETECTION OF MAGENTA, ARCHIL, AND CUDBEAR IN WINE

Scientific American Supplement, No. 385

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8950/8950-h/8950-h.htm

Info

Lit

start

G

These colors are not suitable for converting white wine into red, but they can be used for giving wines a faint red tint, for darkening pale red wines, and in making up a factitious bouquet essence, which is added to red wines. The most suitable methods for the detection of magenta are those given by Romei and Falieres-Ritter. If a wine colored with archil and one colored with cudbear are treated according to Romei's method, the former gives, with basic lead acetate, a blue, and the latter a fine violet precipitate. The filtrate, if shaken up with amylic alcohol, gives it in either case a red color. A knowledge of this fact is important, or it may be mistaken for magenta. The behavior of the amylic alcohol, thus colored red, with hydrochloric acid and ammonia is characteristic. If the red color is due to magenta, it is destroyed by both these reagents, while hydrocholoric acid does not decolorize the solutions of archil and cudbear, and ammonia turns their red color to a purple violet.

Charles Dickens

Dombey and Son

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/821/821-h/821-h.htm

Lit

Lit

mid

G

Miss Tox's dress, though perfectly genteel and good, had a certain character of angularity and scantiness. She was accustomed to wear odd weedy little flowers in her bonnets and caps. Strange grasses were sometimes perceived in her hair; and it was observed by the curious, of all her collars, frills, tuckers, wristbands, and other gossamer articles—indeed of everything she wore which had two ends to it intended to unite—that the two ends were never on good terms, and wouldn't quite meet without a struggle. She had furry articles for winter wear, as tippets, boas, and muffs, which stood up on end in rampant manner, and were not at all sleek. She was much given to the carrying about of small bags with snaps to them, that went off like little pistols when they were shut up; and when full-dressed, she wore round her neck the barrenest of lockets, representing a fishy old eye, with no approach to speculation in it.

G. Harvey Ralphson

Boy Scouts in Mexico; or On Guard with Uncle Sam

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2191/2191-h/2191-h.htm

Lit

Lit

mid

PG-13

It was weirdly lonely in the dark little dent on the side of the mountain after the departure of the two boys, and Jimmie drew closer to his companion. The wind which swept the heights was chilly. The two lay close together in silence for a long time, each, doubtless, thinking of the Great White Way and the lights which would now be glittering there, of the bay, of the East River with its shipping, and of the hundred things which make New York a city, once seen, to be remembered forever. Then a rumble as of a stone crashing down came to their ears and they sprang to their feet. "There's some one coming," whispered Jimmie, and they listened, but the only sound they heard was made by a bird winging its way through the dim upper light. Then, in a moment, signals flashed out again.

Anna Kopf, Julia Schnetzer, & Frank Oliver Glöckner

Understanding Marine Microbes, the Driving Engines of the Ocean

https://kids.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/frym.2016.00001

Info

Lit

mid

CC BY 4.0

G

All the information about a microbe, or any kind of cell, exists in the cell's DNA. DNA is the molecule that contains the genetic code of organisms and, thus, can be described as the "blueprint" of the cell, since it tells the cell what to do and when to do it. In can further be divided in small subsections called genes. There are thousands of genes in the DNA of an organism and each gene has a specific function. For example, the human DNA contains about 25,000–35,000 genes, but only a very few genes are responsible for the color of your eyes. The NGS technology allows scientists to "read" the DNA from a whole microbial community without the need for pure cultures of the microbes. This approach is called "Metagenome sequencing" and it provides the scientist with a list of the genes of all the microbes living in a particular area.

Emily Carter

CAPTAIN BOB

The Nursery, No. 107, November, 1875, Vol. XVIII. A Monthly Magazine for Youngest Readers

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16524/16524-h/16524-h.htm#CAPTAIN_BOB

Lit

Lit

mid

G

Nobody had taught Captain Bob to swim. How he learned he could not explain. He was always ready to venture into a boat. He took to sculling and rowing quite as naturally as a duck takes to swimming. One morning, we were all made sad by the report that Captain Bob was missing. He had not been seen since noon the previous day. Messengers were sent in every direction to make inquiries after the captain. Several persons said, that, the last they had seen of him, he was standing by the big post on the wharf, with a little boat in his hand that an old sailor had made for him. Two days were at an end, and still there was no news of Captain Bob. His parents and friends were greatly distressed. But, on the morning of the third day, there was a shout from some of the gentlemen on the piazza; and, on hastening to find out what was the matter, whom should I see but Captain Bob, borne on the shoulders of two young men, and waving his cap over his head.

A.C.A. Thiebaut

PAPER NEGATIVES.

Scientific American Supplement, No. 401

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8742/8742-h/8742-h.htm

Info

Lit

start

G

the paper has the following advantages: First. The sensitive coating is regular, and its thickness is uniform throughout the entire surface of each sheet. Second. It can be exposed for a luminous impression in any kind of slide as usually constructed. Third. It can be developed and fixed as easily as a negative on glass. Fourth. The negative obtained dries quite flat on blotting paper. Fifth. The film which constitutes the negative can be detached or peeled from its support or backing easily and readily by the hand, without the assistance of any dissolving or other agent. Thus this invention does away with all sensitive preparations on glass, which latter is both a brittle and relatively heavy material, thus diminishing the bulk and weight of amateur and scientific photographers' luggage when traveling; it produces photographic negatives as fine and as transparent as those on glass, in so much that the film does not contain any grain; and, lastly, it admits of printing from either face of the film, as regards the production of positives on paper or other material, as well as plates for phototypy and photo-engraving, which latter processes require a negative to be reversed.

?

THE LIFE OF A SPARROW

The Nursery, May 1873, Vol. XIII. A Monthly Magazine for Youngest People

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24478/24478-h/24478-h.htm#Page_154

Lit

Lit

mid

G

My parents fed me constantly with tender worms; and it is no wonder that the feathers began to grow on my naked little body, or that my father soon thought me able to fly. So one fine day I stood on the edge of the nest, fluttered my wings, and flew out of my father's house. With many fears and a beating heart I at last alighted on an acacia-tree. While I sat there, I saw many large birds walking about, and also a cat, against whom my mother had already warned me; and, directly over my head, I heard the scream of a hawk. In my fright, I cried out bitterly; but when the cat ran away, and the hawk flew into the woods near by, I grew calm again. My cry soon brought my mother to my side; and my father came, bringing a delicious worm to comfort me.

Linda Liphondo

Secret agent

African Storybook Level 3

https://www.africanstorybook.org/

Lit

Lit

mid

CC BY 4.0

PG

One dark night, Dr. Devious sent her accomplice Dan Diabolical to kidnap Kay's parents. Dan got the parents. He almost got Kay, but she was small and fast. She managed to slip through his fingers. Kay ran like a lightning bolt. When she stopped running, Kay found herself in a dark forest surrounded by trees. As she looked up to see the sky, Kay tripped and fell! She fell down, down, down, and bumped her head. When Kay woke up, she was in a nice room with a big TV. "Hello Kay," said the man on the TV. "I am a secret agent for World Good! You are our newest secret agent!" With those words, Kay grew as brave as a wolf. Agent Kay left the tree through a door in the trunk. She ran to where Dr. Devious lived and dared her to a duel. They fought for two days, until Kay was victorious! After her parents returned home, Kay went to the tree to find the man on TV. She found the tree, but there was no door. Kay sat down and looked up into the trees.

Gianluca Esposito, Keegan B. Coppola, and Anna Truzzi

How Can I Make My Younger Sibling Stop Crying?

Frontiers for Young Minds

https://kids.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/frym.2016.00028

Info

Lit

mid

CC BY 4.0

G

When babies are picked up, there are natural reactions in their bodies that help them calm down. Generally, babies will relax into their mothers' arms, making them easier to hold. When babies are picked up by their moms, their heart rates drop—a sign of relaxation. Any time a person becomes panicked, the heart rate speeds up. A crying baby has a high heart rate because he wants his mom. But when mom picks up the baby, these signs of panic decrease. Researchers noticed that babies being carried have lower heart rates than before they were picked up, which means that they are calmer than they were before. In other words, when a mom picks up her baby, the child cries less, moves less, and relaxes more. Of course, this will work for your little sister or brother, but it does not just happen in humans. This pattern has been studied in other animals too, and it is called the transport response (TR). Healthy young animals relax when they are being carried. This is a normal TR.

R. A. Van Middeldyk

The History of Puerto Rico

http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/12272/pg12272-images.html

Info

Lit

mid

G

Few islands of the extent of Puerto Rico are watered by so many streams. Seventeen rivers, taking their rise in the mountains, cross the valleys of the north coast and fall into the sea. Some of these are navigable for two or three leagues from their mouths for small craft. Those of Manati, Loisa, Trabajo, and Arecibo are very deep and broad, and it is difficult to imagine how such large bodies of water can be collected in so short a course. Owing to the heavy surf which continually breaks on the north coast, these rivers have bars across their embouchures which do not allow large vessels to enter. The rivers of Bayamón and Rio Piedras flow into the harbor of the capital, and are also navigable for boats. At Arecibo, at high water, small brigs may enter with perfect safety, notwithstanding the bar. The south, west, and east coasts are also well supplied with water.

Nina Orange

Africa Unity Race

African Storybook Level 4

https://www.africanstorybook.org/

Lit

Lit

mid

CC BY 4.0

G

Kadogo and Juma are friends who love running. They run together every day. One day they were reading maps at school. Juma said, "Let's run across our continent. Let's race, together with Africans from many countries!" "Let's go, we can do it! African unity!" cheered Kadogo. They decided to carry a unity torch on their journey. They lit the torch and began to run. The race started at the southern tip of our continent, in Cape Town, South Africa. From South Africa they headed along the west coast. They ran through Namibia, Angola, DRC, Congo and Cameroon. Runners quickly joined them from these countries. The growing group of people rested in Nigeria, in Abuja. More runners from West Africa joined the friends as they passed through Nigeria. They continued together, following the River Niger. A sandstorm in Mali made it difficult to run. Juma was the strongest of all of them. He led the way safely, holding the unity torch high. At Guinea's coast in Conakry the dusty runners washed in the sea. Then they decided to race to Morocco through Senegal and Mauritania. All the way, more people joined them.

Judge Parry

SANCHO PANZA'S STORY OF HIS VISIT TO THE LADY DULCINEA

THE JUNIOR CLASSICS: A LIBRARY FOR BOYS AND GIRLS VOLUME FOUR: HEROES AND HEROINES OF CHIVALRY

http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/6323/pg6323-images.html

Lit

Lit

start

G

The curate rode first on the mule, and with him rode Don Quixote and the princess. The others, Cardenio, the barber, and Sancho Panza, followed on foot. And as they rode, Don Quixote said to the damsel: "Madam, let me entreat your highness to lead the way that most pleaseth you." Before she could answer, the curate said: "Towards what kingdoms would you travel? Are you for your native land of Micomicon?" She, who knew very well what to answer, being no babe, replied: "Yes, sir, my way lies towards that kingdom." "If it be so," said the curate, "you must pass through the village where I dwell, and from thence your ladyship must take the road to Carthagena, where you may embark. And, if you have a prosperous journey, you may come within the space of nine years to the Lake Meona, I mean Meolidas, which stands on this side of your highness's kingdom some hundred days' journey or more."

Emily Carter

THE LITTLE RECRUIT

The Nursery, April 1877, Vol. XXI. No. 4 A Monthly Magazine for Youngest Readers

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/28132/28132-h/28132-h.htm#Page_107

Lit

Lit

mid

PG

General Tommy felt a weight of responsibility upon his shoulders, and, like a prudent soldier, he resolved not to go into battle until his army was large enough to make victory certain. So he enlisted Queen Lucy the First as a recruit. Queen Lucy looked very grand in her paper cocked hat, with a feather at the top. She carried a gun; and General Tommy taught her how to fire it off. When all were ready for the onset, he blew a trumpet. The army marched in excellent order along the entry, into the play-room; and not a soldier drew back as they came within sight of the enemy. "Halt!" cried General Tommy. The army halted. The traitor, "Dandy Jim," stood pointing his sword, and the dolls all kept still. One long blast of the trumpet, and then the brave General Tommy cried out, "Now, soldiers, on, on to victory!" On they went. The tin soldiers were soon swept down. The dog and the elephant were handsomely beaten; and, rushing into the fort, General Tommy seized the traitor, "Dandy Jim," by the throat, and said, "Now, sir, your doom is a dungeon!"

Bruce K. Kirchoff & Riva A. Bruenn

How Do Banana Flowers Develop?

https://kids.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/frym.2018.00060

Info

Lit

mid

CC BY 4.0

G

One of the mysteries of banana flower development is how the plant first forms its flowers. Banana flowers form deep within the stem of the plant and get hidden within the bases of the leaves. By the time the stem appears above the leaves, the flowers have nearly finished growing. You cannot see the first stages of flower development without cutting apart the banana plant. In 1953, one of my scientific teachers, Dr. Abraham Fahn, described how flowers form in the Dwarf Cavendish banana plant, a plant with bananas very similar to the type you eat. Dr. Fahn described how each group of flowers forms. In bananas, these groups are called "hands," because the bananas resemble fingers. The first flower is formed on the right side of the hand. The rest of the flowers form in a zigzag pattern, back and forth between the top and the bottom rows. Similar patterns have been described in related banana species.

R.M. Ballantyne

Under the Waves Diving in Deep Waters

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/23493/23493-h/23493-h.htm

Lit

Lit

mid

G

A few strokes of the oar soon placed them on the deck of a large clumsy vessel which lay anchored off the entrance to the harbour. This was the diver's barge, which exhibited a ponderous crane with a pendulous hook and chain in the place where its fore-mast should have been. Several men were busied about the deck, one of whom sat clothed in the full dress of a diver, with the exception of the helmet, which was unscrewed and lay on the deck near his heavily-weighted feet. The dress was wet, and the man was enjoying a quiet pipe, from all which Edgar judged that he was resting after a dive. Near to the plank on which the diver was seated there stood the chest containing the air-pumps. It was open, the pumps were in working order, with two men standing by to work them. Coils of india-rubber tubing lay beside it. Elsewhere were strewn about stones for repairing the pier, and various building tools.

Edith Wharton

Ethan Frome

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/4517/4517-h/4517-h.htm

Lit

Lit

mid

G

The next morning, when I looked out, I saw the hollow-backed bay between the Varnum spruces, and Ethan Frome, throwing back his worn bearskin, made room for me in the sleigh at his side. After that, for a week, he drove me over every morning to Corbury Flats, and on my return in the afternoon met me again and carried me back through the icy night to Starkfield. The distance each way was barely three miles, but the old bay's pace was slow, and even with firm snow under the runners we were nearly an hour on the way. Ethan Frome drove in silence, the reins loosely held in his left hand, his brown seamed profile, under the helmet-like peak of the cap, relieved against the banks of snow like the bronze image of a hero. He never turned his face to mine, or answered, except in monosyllables, the questions I put, or such slight pleasantries as I ventured. He seemed a part of the mute melancholy landscape, an incarnation of its frozen woe, with all that was warm and sentient in him fast bound below the surface; but there was nothing unfriendly in his silence.

?

COMPRESSED OIL GAS FOR LIGHTING CARS, STEAMBOATS, AND BUOYS.

Scientific American Supplement, Nos. 324

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8483/8483-h/8483-h.htm#17

Info

Lit

mid

G

The Pintsch gas is prepared by the distillation of heavy oils in a furnace composed of two superposed retorts. The oil to be volatilized is contained in a vertical reservoir, which carries a bent pipe that enters the upper retort. The flow of the oil is regulated in this conduit by means of a micrometer screw which permits of varying the supply according to the temperature of the retorts. In order to facilitate the vaporization, the flow of oil starts from a cast-iron trough, and from thence spreads in a thin and uniform layer in the retort. The residua of distillation remain almost entirely in the reservoir, from whence they are easily removed. The vapor from the oil which is disengaged in the vessel goes to the lower retort, in which the transformation of the matter is thoroughly completed. On leaving the latter, the gas enters the drum at the lower part of the furnace. To prevent the choking up of the pipe, the latter is provided with a joint permitting of dilatation. The gas on leaving goes to the condenser, where it is freed from its tar.

L. T. Meade

A Little Mother to the Others

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17506/17506-h/17506-h.htm

Lit

Lit

mid

G

About a week after the events related in the last chapter, on a certain lovely day in June, a hired fly might have been seen ascending the steep avenue to Delaney Manor. The fly had only one occupant—a round, roly-poly sort of little woman. She was dressed in deep mourning, and the windows of the fly being wide open, she constantly poked her head out, now to the right and now to the left, to look anxiously and excitedly around her. After gazing at the magnificent view, had anyone been there to look, they might have observed her shaking her head with great solemnity. She had round black eyes, and a rather dark-complexioned face, with a good deal of color in her cheeks. She was stoutly built, but the expression on her countenance was undoubtedly cheerful. Nothing signified gloom about her except her heavy mourning. Her eyes, although shrewd and full of common sense, were also kindly; her lips were very firm; there was a matter-of-fact expression about her whole appearance.

?

THE FRENCH SCIENTIFIC STATION AT CAPE HORN.

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT NO. 433

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/9076/9076-h/9076-h.htm#32

Info

Lit

mid

G

From September 26, 1882, to September 1, 1883, night and day uninterruptedly, a watch was kept, in which the officers took part, so that the observations might be regularly made and recorded. Every four hours a series of direct magnetic and meteorological observations was made, from hour to hour meteorological notes were taken, the rise and fall of the sea recorded, and these were frequently multiplied by observations every quarter of an hour; the longitude and latitude were exactly determined, a number of additions to the catalogue of the fixed stars for the southern heavens made, and numerous specimens in natural history collected. The apparatus employed by the expedition for the registration of the magnetic elements was devised by M. Mascart, by which the variations of the three elements are inscribed upon a sheet of paper covered with gelatine bromide, inclination, vertical and horizontal components, with a certainty which is shown by the 330 diurnal curves brought back from the Cape.

Elinore Pruitt Stewart

Letters of a Woman Homesteader

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16623/16623-h/16623-h.htm#XIV

Info

Lit

mid

G

Every log in my house is as straight as a pine can grow. Each room has a window and a door on the east side, and the south room has two windows on the south with space between for my heater, which is one of those with a grate front so I can see the fire burn. It is almost as good as a fireplace. The logs are unhewed outside because I like the rough finish, but inside the walls are perfectly square and smooth. The cracks in the walls are snugly filled with "daubing" and then the walls are covered with heavy gray building-paper, which makes the room very warm, and I really like the appearance. I had two rolls of wallpaper with a bold rose pattern. By being very careful I was able to cut out enough of the roses, which are divided in their choice of color as to whether they should be red, yellow, or pink, to make a border about eighteen inches from the ceiling. They brighten up the wall and the gray paper is fine to hang pictures upon. Those you have sent us make our room very attractive.

Khothatso Ranoosi and Marion Drew

Thoko's FantaPine seed

African Storybook Level 4

https://www.africanstorybook.org/

Lit

Lit

mid

CC BY 4.0

G

Thoko was sitting on his father's wagon. It was piled high with mielies. There were many children on the wagon. They were going home after spending the whole day in the fields. They had all worked hard that day. Thoko was very lucky. He worked the hardest of all the children. So, his father had bought him a FantaPine drink from M'e Pontso's shop. "Mmmmm, mmmmm it is delicious," said Thoko. It was Thoko's favorite drink. He sipped it slowly. He wanted it to last him until they got to the top of the hill. At the top of the hill his father stopped to give the oxen a rest. "What a beautiful valley we live in children," he said. "We are lucky to live in such a clean, fresh place." He smiled. On they went. The sun was warm. The wagon was rocking gently from side to side as the oxen walked. The children were chatting softly to each other. Thoko felt sleepy. He wanted to lie down on the mielies and sleep a little. He looked at the empty FantaPine tin in his hand. "I am tired of holding this empty tin," he thought to himself.

Vincent Afeku, Wiehan de Jager

Fox and Rooster

African Storybook Level 3

https://www.africanstorybook.org/#

Lit

Lit

mid

CC BY 4.0

G

Rooster wanted to be king. So he lied to the other animals. He told them, "The red comb on my head is fire! Don't touch the comb on my head!" The other animals believed Rooster. They decided to elect Rooster as their king. The animals hoped that Rooster's fire would help them in cold weather. Then came a day when it rained. And rained. And rained. It was cold. Everything was wet and cold. "Where can we get fire to warm our bodies?" Rabbit asked the other animals. "We can get fire from the comb on Rooster's head," replied Monkey. "Rooster is our king because he has fire on his head," said Monkey. The animals agreed with Monkey. They sent Fox to collect fire from king Rooster. Fox found Rooster in a deep sleep. So he decided to take fire without asking Rooster. Fox collected some dry grass. He put the grass next to the comb on Rooster's head. Nothing happened. The grass did not catch fire. "Wake up king Rooster!" yelled Fox. "We need fire now." But Rooster could not give fire to Fox.

Percy Keese Fitzhugh

Pee-wee Harris Adrift

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17767/17767-h/17767-h.htm

Lit

Lit

mid

G

On Saturday morning the Silver Foxes went into the city to buy some camping things and to see a movie show in the afternoon. The Ravens went off for a hike. A Saturday spent alone was more than the soul of Pee-wee could endure, so he conquered his foolish pride and went up to Connie Bennett's house to find out what the Elks were going to do. He would not join in with the Elks, he told himself, but he would pal with any single Elk, or even with two or three. That would be all right as long as he did not foist himself upon a whole patrol. "Eight's a company, nine's a crowd, gee whiz, I have to admit that," he said to himself. "It's all right for me to go with one feller even if he's a scout but a patrol's different." It was a wistful and rather pathetic little figure that Mrs. Bennett discovered upon the porch. "Connie? Oh gracious, he's been gone an hour, dear," she said. "They all went away with Mr. Collins in his auto. I told him he must be back for supper. How is it you're not with them, Walter?"

Ilia Lvovich Tolstoi

Reminiscences of Tolstoy

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/813/813-h/813-h.htm

Info

Lit

start

G

In one of his letters to his great-aunt, Alexandra Andreyevna Tolstoy, my father gives the following description of his children: The eldest Sergei is fair-haired and good-looking; there is something weak and patient in his expression, and very gentle. His laugh is not infectious; but when he cries, I can hardly refrain from crying, too. Every one says he is like my eldest brother. I am afraid to believe it. It is too good to be true. My brother's chief characteristic was neither egotism nor self-renunciation, but a strict mean between the two. He never sacrificed himself for any one else; but not only always avoided injuring others, but also interfering with them. He kept his happiness and his sufferings entirely to himself. Ilya, the third, has never been ill in his life; broad-boned, white and pink, radiant, bad at lessons. Is always thinking about what he is told not to think about. Invents his own games. Hot-tempered and violent, wants to fight at once; but is also tender-hearted and very sensitive. Sensuous; fond of eating and lying still doing nothing.

Henry Cuyler Bunner

THE NICE PEOPLE

The Best American Humorous Short Stories

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/10947/10947-h/10947-h.htm

Lit

Lit

mid

G

We looked off from the brow of the mountain over fifteen miles of billowing green, to where, far across a far stretch of pale blue lay a dim purple line that we knew was Staten Island. Towns and villages lay before us and under us; there were ridges and hills, uplands and lowlands, woods and plains, all massed and mingled in that great silent sea of sunlit green. For silent it was to us, standing in the silence of a high place—silent with a Sunday stillness that made us listen, without taking thought, for the sound of bells coming up from the spires that rose above the treetops—the treetops that lay as far beneath us as the light clouds were above us that dropped great shadows upon our heads and faint specks of shade upon the broad sweep of land at the mountain's foot. "And so that is your view?" asked Mrs. Brede, after a moment; "you are very generous to make it ours, too."

?

The Woods of America

Scientific American Supplement, Nos. 360

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8559/8559-h/8559-h.htm#24

Info

Lit

mid

G

Among the many curious specimens in the collection now being prepared for exhibition, one which will excite the greatest curiosity is a specimen of the honey locust, which was brought here from Missouri. The bark is covered with a growth of thorns from one to four inches in length, sharp as needles, and growing at irregular intervals. The specimen arrived here in perfect condition, but, in order that it might be transported without injury, it had to be suspended from the roof of a box car, and thus make its trip from Southern Missouri to this city without change. Another strange specimen in the novel collection is a portion of the Yucca tree, an abnormal growth of the lily family. The trunk, about 2 feet in diameter, is a spongy mass, not susceptible of treatment to which the other specimens are subjected. Its bark is an irregular stringy, knotted mass, with porcupine-quill-like leaves springing out in place of the limbs that grow from all well-regulated trees. One specimen of the yucca was sent to the museum two years ago, and though the roots and top of the tree were sawn off, shoots sprang out, and a number of the handsome flowers appeared.

George Durston

The Boy Scout Aviators

http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/5707/pg5707-images.html

Lit

Lit

mid

PG

It had been hard for Harry, when his father's business called him to England, to give up a all the friendships and associations of his boyhood. Had been hard to leave school; to tear up, by the roots, all the things that bound him to his home. But as a scout he had learned to be loyal and obedient. His parents had talked things over with him very frankly. They had understood just how hard it would be for him to go with them. But his father had made him see how necessary it was. "I want you to be near your mother and myself just now, especially, Harry," he had said. "I want you to grow up where I can see you. And, more-over, it won't hurt you a bit to know something about other countries. You'll have a new idea of America when you have seen other lands, and I believe you'll be a better American for it. You'll learn that other countries have their virtues, and that we can learn some things from them.

John Masefield

Davy Jones’s Gift

Twenty-Three Stories by Twenty and Three Authors by Dawson Scott and Rhys

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/62347/62347-h/62347-h.htm

Lit

Lit

start

PG

"Once upon a time," said the sailor, "the Devil and Davy Jones came to Cardiff, to the place called Tiger Bay. They put up at Tony Adam's, not far from Pier Head, at the corner of Sunday Lane. And all the time they stayed there, they used to be going to the rum-shop, where they sat at a table, smoking their cigars, and dicing each other for different persons' souls. Now you must know that the Devil gets landsmen, and Davy Jones gets sailor-folk; and they get tired of having always the same, so then they dice each other for some of another sort. "One time they were in a place in Mary Street, having some burnt brandy, and playing red and black for the people passing. And while they were looking out on the street and turning the cards, they saw all the people on the sidewalk breaking their necks to get into the gutter. And they saw all the shop-people running out and kowtowing, and all the carts pulling up, and all the police saluting.

wikipedia

Computing_platform

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computing_platform

Info

Technology

start

CC BY-SA 3.0

PG

A computing platform is, in the most general sense, whatever a pre-existing piece of computer software or code object is designed to run within, obeying its constraints, and making use of its facilities. The term computing platform can refer to different abstraction levels, including a certain hardware architecture, an operating system (OS), and runtime libraries. In total it can be said to be the stage on which computer programs can run. Binary executables have to be compiled for a specific hardware platform, since different central processor units have different machine codes. In addition, operating systems and runtime libraries allow re-use of code and provide abstraction layers which allow the same high-level source code to run on differently configured hardware. For example, there are many kinds of data storage device, and any individual computer can have a different configuration of storage devices; but the application is able to call a generic save or write function provided by the OS and runtime libraries, which then handle the details themselves.

W.T.O.

GOING AFTER COWS

The Nursery, No. 106, October, 1875. Vol. XVIII. A Monthly Magazine for Youngest Readers

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16522/16522-h/16522-h.htm#GOING_AFTER_COWS

Lit

Lit

start

G

When Edward was eight years old, his mother told him he might go with John, the hired man, to drive the cows from the pasture. How happy the little boy was! Every day he would be ready as soon as John gave the word; and off they would go, through the woods, over hills and rocks, and gurgling brooks, wherever the ding-dong of the distant cow-bells pointed the way. Sometimes they had a long search before they could find all the cows; for the pasture was very large, and the cows would wander about in every part of it, to find the best feeding-places. On the way home, Edward would run ahead of the cows, and open the bars; and sometimes he would sit on the wall, and pat each cow as she came through. When the cows reached the barnyard, Edward would help milk. There was one old cow which he called his own, and which he named Carrie. She always stood very still while being milked, and that was one reason why he liked her better than any of the rest.

?

PUPPET SHOWS AMONG THE GREEKS

Scientific American Supplement, No. 385

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8950/8950-h/8950-h.htm

Info

Lit

mid

G

According to the Greek engineer, there were several kinds of puppet shows. The oldest and simplest consisted of a small stationary case, isolated on every side, in which the stage was closed by doors that opened automatically several times to exhibit the different tableaux. The programme of the representation was generally as follows: The first tableau showed a head, painted on the back of the stage, which moved its eyes, and lowered and raised them alternately. The door having been closed, and then opened again, there was seen, instead of the head, a group of persons. Finally, the stage opened a third time to show a new group, and this finished the representation. There were, then, only three movements to be made, that of the doors, that of the eyes, and that of the change of background. As such representations were often given on the stages of large theaters, a method was devised later on of causing the case to start from the scenes behind which it was bidden from the spectators, and of moving automatically to the front of the stage, where it exhibited in succession the different tableaux; after which it returned automatically behind the scenes.

wikipedia

Cash_crop

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_crop

Info

History

start

CC BY-SA 3.0

PG

A cash crop is an agricultural crop which is grown for sale to return a profit. It is typically purchased by parties separate from a farm. The term is used to differentiate marketed crops from subsistence crops, which are those fed to the producer's own livestock or grown as food for the producer's family. In earlier times cash crops were usually only a small (but vital) part of a farm's total yield, while today, especially in developed countries, almost all crops are mainly grown for revenue. In the least developed countries, cash crops are usually crops which attract demand in more developed nations, and hence have some export value. Prices for major cash crops are set in commodity markets with global scope, with some local variation (termed as "basis") based on freight costs and local supply and demand balance. A consequence of this is that a nation, region, or individual producer relying on such a crop may suffer low prices should a bumper crop elsewhere lead to excess supply on the global markets. This system has been criticized by traditional farmers.

Frances Browne

The Story of Fairyfoot

Junior Classics, Vol 6

http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/6577/pg6577-images.html

Lit

Lit

mid

G

Stumpinghame had a king of its own, and his name was Stiffstep; his family was very ancient and large-footed. His subjects called him Lord of the World, and he made a speech to them every year concerning the grandeur of his mighty empire. His queen, Hammerheel, was the greatest beauty in Stumpinghame. Her majesty's shoe was not much less than a fishing-boat; their six children promised to be quite as handsome, and all went well till the birth of their seventh son. For a long time nobody about the palace could understand what was the matter—the ladies-in-waiting looked so astonished, and the king so vexed; but at last it was whispered through the city that the queen's seventh child had been born with such miserably small feet that they resembled nothing ever seen or heard of in Stumpinghame, except the feet of the fairies. The chronicles furnished no example of such an affliction ever before happening in the royal family. The common people thought it portended some great calamity to the city; the learned men began to write books about it; and all the relations of the king and queen assembled at the palace to mourn with them.

Martha Finley

Elsie's Vacation and After Events

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18058/18058-h/18058-h.htm

Lit

Lit

mid

G

On leaving the table all gathered upon deck. There was no wind, but the yacht had a steam engine and used her sails only on occasions when they could be of service. Stars shone brightly in the sky overhead, but their light was not sufficient to give an extended view on land or water, and as all were weary with the excitement and sightseeing of the day, they retired early to their berths. Poor Grace, worn out with her unusual excitement, and especially the grief of the parting with Max, was asleep the instant her head touched the pillow. Not so with Lulu; her loneliness and depression banished sleep from her eyes for the time, and presently she slipped from her berth, threw on a warm dressing-gown, and thrust her feet into felt slippers. The next moment she stole noiselessly into the saloon where her father sat alone looking over an evening paper. He was not aware of her entrance till she stood close at his side, her hand on his shoulder, her eyes fixed, with a gaze of ardent affection, upon his face.

Gunpreet Oberoi, Sophie Nitsch, Michael Edelmayer, Klara Janjic, Anna Sonja Müller, & Hermann Agis

Materializing! What Can Dentists Do With 3D Printers?

https://kids.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/frym.2019.00088

Info

Lit

mid

CC BY 4.0

G

A variety of 3D printers are available, mainly differing in the source of light and the material used for 3D printing. There are three main steps of 3D printing. The first step is to obtain a digital 3D image of the object to be printed, using various types of 3D scanners. Then, this digital information must be converted into a form easily understood by the 3D printer, called an STL. This is done using computer software. At this stage, we can design the future object on the computer. The last step is to send this STL file to the printer so that the 3D model can be printed. Keep reading to find out about some ways that dentists have been using 3D printing to provide better oral care for their patients. For surgeries of the face and mouth, the dentist can use 3D imaging and scanning to get the information to make a 3D digital model of the region that will be operated on. These models make it easier to examine all the parts of the face or mouth.

R. G. BROWN

THE ADER RELAY

Scientific American Supplement, No. 358

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8504/8504-h/8504-h.htm#23

Info

Lit

mid

G

The instrument consists of two permanent horseshoe magnets, fixed parallel with each other and an inch apart. A very thin spool or bobbin of insulated wire is suspended, like the pendulum of a clock, between these permanent magnets, in such a manner that the bobbin hangs just in front of the four poles. A counterpoise is fixed at the top of the pendulum bar, which permits the adjusting of the antagonistic forces represented by the action of the swinging bobbin, and two springs, which are insulated from the mass, and which form one electrode of the local or annunciator circuit, while the pendulum bar forms the other. It will be easily understood that as the bobbin hangs freely in the center of a very strong magnetic field (formed by the four poles of the two permanent magnets), the slightest current sent through the bobbin will cause the bobbin to be attracted from one direction, while it will be repelled from the other, according to the polarity of the current transmitted.

Jean de Dieu Bavugempore

Kariza's questions

African Storybook Level 4

https://www.africanstorybook.org/

Lit

Lit

start

CC BY 4.0

G

Kariza loved to ask questions. She got this habit from her parents. They used to tell her, "If you don't ask questions when you are young, you will grow up to be an ignorant adult!" One day, Kariza asked her teacher, "Why do our parents always tell us to wash our hands before eating, even when our hands look clean?" Her classmates liked her question. They didn't like being told to wash their hands! The teacher answered, "Good question! Even when our hands look clean, they can still have germs on them." She explained, "Germs cause illness. We can't see germs using only our eyes, we need something more powerful to see germs." The teacher got a microscope from the cupboard. "A microscope is a tool we use to see things that are too tiny for the human eye to see," she said. The teacher gently scraped Kariza's hands with a stick and then wiped it on a microscope slide. The teacher put the slide on the microscope, and this is what they saw through the viewer. Even though Kariza's hands did not look dirty, there were germs on them!

E. Louise Smythe

THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL

A Primary Reader Old-time Stories, Fairy Tales and Myths Retold by Children

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/7841/7841-h/7841-h.htm#iii

Lit

Lit

mid

PG-13

Gretchen had a lot of matches in her old apron. She had a little bunch in her hand. But she could not sell her matches. No one would buy them. Poor little Gretchen! She was cold and hungry. The snow fell on her curly hair. But she did not think about that. She saw lights in the houses. She smelled good things cooking. She said to herself, "This is the last night of the year." Gretchen got colder and colder. She was afraid to go home. She knew her papa would be mad at her, if she did not take some money to him. It was as cold at home as in the street. They were too poor to have a fire. They had to put rags in the windows to keep out the wind. Gretchen did not even have a bed. She had to sleep on a pile of rags. She sat down on a door step.

Bindu Gupta

Just the Way I Am

https://www.digitallibrary.io/en/books/details/3785

Lit

Lit

start

CC BY 4.0

G

A herd of sheep was coming back home in the evening, happy as usual. Except for Matko. She was too wide to fit through the new farm gate. She had been sleeping outside for over a week. And now she would have to sleep outside again. That darn gate! It wasn't fair. The yogi sheep said, "Do yoga! Yoga will make you thinner. Then you will fit through the gate." The next day, Matko started doing yoga. Many days passed… But Matko was still too wide to fit through the gate. The jogger sheep suggested, "Start jogging! Jogging will make you thinner. Then you will fit through the gate." So Matko went for a jog every day. Days passed, but she was still too wide for the gate. The swimmer sheep advised, "Start swimming! Swimming will make you thinner. Then you will fit through the gate." So Matko began swimming...But she was still too wide to fit through the gate!

Athieno Gertrude and Owino Ogot

Who can count to ten?

African Storybook Level 4

https://www.africanstorybook.org/

Lit

Lit

start

CC BY 4.0

G

A long time ago, deep in the forests, King Leopard began to think about the future. He thought, "I'm getting old and one day, I'm going to die. A wise ruler should pick a successor while still young and healthy." But how could King Leopard choose? He loved all the members of the animal kingdom the same! King Leopard had an idea. He sent his messengers out into the forests. He told them to ask all the animals of the kingdom to come to the palace. He was going to have a big party and he was going to make an important announcement. Away the messengers ran, to all four corners of the forest. On the night of the party, all the animals were at the palace. They sang and they danced and had a great time. After the moon had risen above the trees, King Leopard came and stood in the middle of the clearing. The animals stopped their singing and dancing. They listened quietly as their king began to speak. He cleared his throat and said, "I've been thinking that it's time for me to pick a successor."

P. T. Barnum

The Art of Money Getting; Or, Golden Rules for Making Money

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8581/8581-h/8581-h.htm

Lit

Lit

mid

PG

The foundation of success in life is good health. That is the substratum fortune; it is also the basis of happiness. A person cannot accumulate a fortune very well when he is sick. He has no ambition; no incentive; no force. Of course, there are those who have bad health and cannot help it: you cannot expect that such persons can accumulate wealth, but there are a great many in poor health who need not be so. If, then, sound health is the foundation of success and happiness in life, how important it is that we should study the laws of health, which is but another expression for the laws of nature! The nearer we keep to the laws of nature, the nearer we are to good health, and yet how many persons there are who pay no attention to natural laws, but absolutely transgress them, even against their own natural inclination. We ought to know that the "sin of ignorance" is never winked at in regard to the violation of nature's laws; their infraction always brings the penalty.

original text by Steve Whitt adapted by Jessica Fries-Gaither

A House of Snow and Ice

Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears

http://static.ehe.osu.edu/sites/beyond/penguins/downloads/feature-stories/igloo-23-text.pdf

Info

Science

mid

CC BY-SA 3.0

G

In the past, Inuit people of northern Canada built igloos and lived in them during the cold winter months. How can a house of ice and snow keep you warm? The ice blocks out the cold wind. Ice is also good at trapping heat from a candle, small fire, or even from your body. The heat inside an igloo can make the insides of the walls start to melt. But the outside of the walls is still cold. This makes the walls turn from snow into ice. Ice walls are much stronger. A grown man can stand on top of an igloo without it falling down! How do you build an igloo? An Inuit builder cuts blocks out of well-packed snow and makes a ring of blocks on the ground. Next, he stacks a second row of blocks on top of the first row. The second row is tilted inward just a little bit. This means that he needs fewer blocks for the second row than for the first. He continues stacking blocks and the walls of the igloo grow. He carefully fits the blocks together so they don’t fall. Finally, he places the last block on the very top of the igloo.

simple wiki

Word_processor

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_processor

Info

Technology

whole

CC BY-SA 3.0 and GFDL

G

A word processor is a computer program (often a text editor) or a special computer intended to edit texts with colors and different font sizes and styles, or texts which will be printed. Most such programs now have helpful instruments (tools) to make good texts. Important instruments include spelling & grammar checker, word count (this also counts letters and lines). Moreover, with such programs one can make attractive documents, add pictures into documents, make webpages, graphs etc. Also, they show synonyms (similar words) of words and some can read the text aloud. Many word processors, similar to many new programs, have configurable printing facilities. Some of the more versatile ones are called Desktop publishing programs. Examples include: Microsoft Word, one of the few commonly sold in shops OpenOffice.org Writer, usually downloaded with OpenOffice.org KWord for KDE WordPad is among the simplest and most widespread

USHistory.org

Ancient Greece: The Birthplace of Western Individualism

CLD

https://www.commonlit.org/texts/ancient-greece-the-birthplace-of-western-individualism

Info

Lit

mid

CC BY 4.0

G

The ancient Greeks were polytheistic — that is, they worshipped many gods. Their major gods and goddesses lived at the top of Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece, and myths described their lives and actions. In myths, gods often actively intervened in the day-to-day lives of humans. Greek religion did not have a standard set of morals; there were no Judaic Ten Commandments. Myths were used to help explain the unknown and sometimes teach a lesson. For example, Zeus, the king of the gods, carried his favorite weapon, the thunderbolt. When it rained and there was thunder and lightning, the ancient Greeks believed that Zeus was venting his anger. Many stories about how the Greek gods behaved and interacted with humans are found in the works of Homer. He created two epic poems: the Iliad, which related the events of the Trojan War, and the Odyssey, which detailed the travels of the hero Odysseus. These two poems were passed down orally over many generations.

simple wiki

Cuneiform

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuneiform

Info

History

start

CC BY-SA 3.0 and GFDL

PG

Cuneiform script is one of the earliest known systems of writing. It used wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets, made by a reed stylus. The name cuneiform itself means "wedge shaped", from the Latin cuneus "wedge" and forma "shape". It came into English usage probably from the Old French cunéiforme. It was first used in Sumer in the late 4th millennium BC (the 'Uruk IV' period). Cuneiform writing began as a system of pictographs. In the third millennium, the signs became simplified and more abstract. Fewer characters were used, from about 1,000 in the early Bronze Age to about 400 in late Bronze Age (Hittite cuneiform). The system used a combination of phonetic, consonantal alphabetic (no vowels) and syllabic signs. The original Sumerian script was adapted for the writing of the Akkadian, Eblaite, Elamite, Hittite, Luwian, Hattic, Hurrian, and Urartian languages, and it inspired the Ugaritic and Old Persian alphabets. Cuneiform writing was gradually replaced by the Phoenician alphabet during the Neo-Assyrian Empire.