Their mother was reading a novel, and took it very easy; reclining on a comfortable sofa, she left her old mother all the fatigue of taking care of the children, and waiting upon herself.
— from Life in the Clearings versus the Bush by Susanna Moodie

Not a tree is visible, except the thin fringe of cottonwoods on the margin of the river, all of which upon the south bank, where the road runs, were hewed down and burned at every convenient camp, during the great California emigration.
— from The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 03, No. 17, March, 1859 A Magazine of Literature, Art, and Politics by Various

The mistake of the writer, who is a lay Catholic and not a theologian, is very excusable.
— from The Catholic World, Vol. 17, April, 1873 to September, 1873 A Monthly Magazine of General Literature and Science by Various

After "namely," "viz.," etc. —Place a dash after namely , as , that is , viz. , etc., when introducing an example or an illustration.
— from News Writing The Gathering , Handling and Writing of News Stories by M. Lyle (Matthew Lyle) Spencer

The Waal continues its course toward the west by Nymegen, and through its vast estuary, by Dordrecht, to the sea.
— from The Cathedrals and Churches of the Rhine by M. F. (Milburg Francisco) Mansfield

Now all this is very easily performed with a little practice, but will be very difficult if the learner have not coolness and self-possession.
— from The Book of Sports: Containing Out-door Sports, Amusements and Recreations, Including Gymnastics, Gardening & Carpentering by William Martin

Suddenly round the corner of the tenement, into the open square, came a strange thing: a human being, crawling upon hands and knees along the brick pavement, halting now and then in visible exhaustion, but displaying also a nervous eagerness in its movements; and all the way behind it as it came was left a deep, red trail.
— from Istar of Babylon: A Phantasy by Margaret Horton Potter