The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Volume 01

THE LAND BEYOND THE BLOW THITHER SONS OF THE FAIR STAR AN INTERVIEW WITH GNARMAG-ZOTE THE TAMTONIANS MAROONED ON UG THE DOG IN GANGEWAG A CONFLAGRATION IN GHARGAROO AN EXECUTION...

To this somber picture of American "prosperity" in the nineteenth century nothing of worth can be added by the most inspired artist. Let us simply inscribe upon the gloomy canva...

Another precedent which the companies cited with particular emphasis related to an unfortunate occurrence at a famous millionaires' club in London, the capital of the renowned k...

The harder industrial conditions generated by woman's irruption into a new domain of activity produced among laboring men a feeling of blind discontent and concern. Like all men...

The whole country is infested by a class of criminal vagrants known as _strambaltis_, or, as we should say, "tramps." These persons prowl about among the farms and villages begg...

The adult male population of the island divides itself into two or more _seitrap_[1] Commonly there are three or four, but only two ever have any considerable numerical strength...

"Sir," he replied, courteously shaking his fist under my nose in sign of amity, "know that when Ug needs soldiers she enlists them. At the end of the war they are put to death."

"My skyship, which had been driven for six moons before an irresistible gale, passed over a great city just at daylight one morning, and rather than continue the voyage with a l...

I have called the political contests of Tortirra struggles of interests. In nothing is this more clear (to the looker-on at the game) than in the endless disputes concerning res...

"_Sire:_ I have the honor to report that I have made a startling discovery. The primeval region into which I have penetrated, as I informed you yesterday--the ichthyosaurus belt...

It was after this, when the nights had acquired a trick of biting and the morning sun appeared to shiver with cold, that we moved up to the summit of Cheat Mountain to guard the...

I suppose the country lying between Corinth and Pittsburg Landing could boast a few inhabitants other than alligators. What manner of people they were it is impossible to say, i...

I was an officer of the staff of a Federal brigade. Chickamauga was not my first battle by many, for although hardly more than a boy in years, I had served at the front from the...

Early in my military experience I used to ask myself how it was that brave troops could retreat while still their courage was high. As long as a man is not disabled he can go fo...

A half-hour later I rose quietly to my feet, particularly careful not to disturb the blackguard at my side, and moved as silently as possible to the door. Despite my care the la...

Of course the better class of the people were not accountable for this state of affairs, and I do not remember that I greatly blamed the others. The country was full of the "ele...

"We feel a comfortable sense of satisfaction in the thought that _The Lantern_ will never fail to shed the light of its loyal approval upon any unworthy act by which our country...

One of the most grotesque and least comfortable of my experiences with the magicians of the air occurred near the forks of the Platte. There had been a tremendous thunder-storm,...

In a few weeks these chaps had put the road agents out of business and out of life, for they attacked them wherever found. One sunny Sunday morning two of them strolling down a...