Best Short Stories eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 175 pages of information about Best Short Stories.

Best Short Stories eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 175 pages of information about Best Short Stories.

“Me and that off horse has been workin’ for the company seventeen years, sir.”

“Just so, Winterbottom, just so,” said the treasurer, and he cleared his throat and added:  “Both treated well, I hope?”

The old teamster looked dubious.

“Wall,” he said, “we wus both tooken down sick last month, and they got a doctor for the hoss, while they docked my pay.”

COMPREHENSIVE

There is nothing like taking precautions.

In the following colloquy Mr, Casey, so far as we can judge, neglected nothing.  Mrs. Casey said to him: 

“Me sister writes me that every bottle in that box we sent her was broken.  Are ye sure yez printed ‘This side up with care’ on it?”

“Oi am,” said Casey emphatically.  “An’ for fear they shouldn’t see it on the top Oi printed it on the bottom as well.”

BITING REPROOF

During a dust-storm at one of the army camps, a recruit sought shelter in the cook’s tent.

“If you put the lid on that camp kettle you would not get so much dust in your soup.”

“See here, my lad, your business is to serve your country.”

“Yes,” replied the recruit, “but not to eat it.”

DISCRIMINATIVE

On a road in Belgium a German officer met a boy leading a jackass and addressed him in heavy jovial fashion as follows: 

“That’s a fine jackass you have, my son.  What do you call it?  Albert, I bet!”

“Oh, no, officer,” the boy replied quickly.  “I think too highly of my King.”

The German scowled and returned: 

“I hope you don’t dare to call it William.”

“Oh, no, officer.  I think too highly of my jackass.”

NOTHING TO LOSE

An author has favored us with the following anecdote, which is taken from the opening of a chapter in a forthcoming book dealing with the war.  It is another example of the pioneer character of ministerial service with us.  The varieties of opportunity are constantly changing, but out in the front, according to the needs of our day and generation, there stands the Unitarian with the equipped mind and the ready hand.  “A year ago, in London, a man originally from New York State came up and spoke to me as a fellow-American.  He wore the garb of a Canadian officer.  After I had answered his query as to what I was doing in England, he said:  ’My work is rather different.  I am looking after the social evil and venereal diseases in the Canadian Army.’  ’Then you are a medical man?’ ’No, said he, ’I tried to get my English medical friends to take hold of the work, but they said that they had their reputations to look after.  I have no reputation to lose. I am simply a Unitarian clergyman.’”

BAIT

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Project Gutenberg
Best Short Stories from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.