He was more at ease than that first night at dinner, nearly a year before, and his shyness and modesty even commended him to Mrs. Morse, who was pleased at his manifest improvement.
— from Martin Eden by Jack London

Thus perished the 'Dead Man,' a villain so stupendous, so bloodthirsty and so desperate that it may well be doubted whether such a monster ever could have existed.
— from City Crimes; Or, Life in New York and Boston by George Thompson

Von Taer was doubtless solvent, for he controlled large means; but unless a saving hand was extended at this juncture his losses were sure to be severe, and might even cripple him seriously.
— from Aunt Jane's Nieces in Society by L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum

The coracles were so small a man easily carried his boat on his back to transport it over dry land, looking, one would think, very much like a huge turtle walking on its hind legs.
— from Things Worth Doing and How To Do Them by Lina Beard

And he appointed a king to guide aright in the heart what his hand upholds; Cyrus, king of Elam, he proclaimed by name for the sovereignty: all men everywhere commemorate his name.
— from Fresh Light from the Ancient Monuments A Sketch of the Most Striking Confirmations of the Bible, From Recent Discoveries in Egypt, Palestine, Assyria, Babylonia, Asia Minor by A. H. (Archibald Henry) Sayce

Florence was heard talking to someone, and Mrs. Elbridge called her, and at this the old man brightened.
— from Judge Elbridge by Opie Percival Read

Nor should a man ever carry his amusement to excess, and catch too much at one time; this is to destroy his future pleasure and to interfere with that of his neighbours.
— from A Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle Being a facsimile reproduction of the first book on the subject of fishing printed in England by Wynkyn de Worde at Westminster in 1496 by Juliana Berners

A bountiful harvest, which has been vouchsafed to Oregon while many Eastern States and many European countries have had to mourn because of drought or excessive rain and consequent scarcity, has again proved how highly favored by position and climate is this Western nook.
— from Two Years in Oregon by Wallis Nash

Excavations should be made during the dry season to determine that water does not stand within 1½ meters of the surface, a more essential condition, however, when planting is made “at stake” than when nursery reared trees are planted.
— from Cacao Culture in the Philippines by William Scrugham Lyon

As I stooped to raise him and to give him some aid, my eyes caught his; they were fixed but still clear, despite approaching dissolution.
— from The Casque's Lark; or, Victoria, the Mother of the Camps by Eugène Sue