Books with author George Wier

True stories are not often good art. The relations and experiences of real men and women rarely fall in such symmetrical order as to make an artistic whole. Until they have had such treatment as we give stone in the quarry or gems in the rough they seldom group themselves with that harmony of values and brilliant unity of interest that result when art comes in-not so much to transcend nature as to make nature transcend herself. Yet I have learned to believe that good stories happen oftener than once I thought they did. Within the last few years there have dropped into my hands by one accident or another a number of these natural crystals, whose charms, never the same in any two, are in each and all enough at least to warn off all tampering of the fictionist. Happily, moreover, without being necessary one to another, they yet have a coherent sequence, and follow one another like the days of a week. They are mine only by right of discovery. From various necessities of the case I am sometimes the story-teller, and sometimes, in the reader's interest, have to abridge; but I add no fact and trim naught of value away. Here are no unconfessed "restorations," not one. In time, place, circumstance, in every essential feature, I give them as I got them-strange stories that truly happened, all partly, some wholly, in Louisiana.

With a single drop of ink for a mirror, the Egyptian sorcerer undertakes to reveal to any chance comer far-reaching visions of the past. This is what I undertake to do for you, reader. With this drop of ink at the end of my pen, I will show you the roomy workshop of Mr. Jonathan Burge, carpenter and builder, in the village of Hayslope, as it appeared on the eighteenth of June, in the year of our Lord 1799.

The Prophet's Eye - a magical device that empowers those initiated to the 'Guardians of Light' to travel back from their present to the past.Owain Jones, a 12 year old Welsh boy, in the year 1932 finds an old hermit, named Degwr. The boy befriends the hermit and learns of the influence of Magi on various main characters recorded in history. Owain takes a test that shows him to be suitable to receive the gift of the Stone- the Prophet's Eye, he is inducted into a Brotherhood and Sisterhood, those known as the 'Guardians of the Light.' He is carried back in time and saves King Arthur of Camelot's life. Owain is recognized for his skill as a bowman, and together with Welsh villagers from his home, travels to and trains the men of Camelot to use the long bow. The new archers and the Welsh face treachery and a Viking Invasion, but they save the day. Owain meets other members of the Brotherhood and builds friendships that will be strengthened throughout his future adventures. Knights of the Round Table will appear in his own time period and will assist him in his personal and physical development.On return to his own time, in the Christmas school holiday, he wanders to the cave on the mountains looking for the hermit Degwr. He is approached by the monk Trefor, who he met at Camelot. They travel back to ancient Syria, and he joins a caravan of travellers riding horses and camels. His job to tend the camels. In the group of the three Magi, Kings and Magicians, he meets the Arthurian Knight, Theo. Owain assists the Guardians of Light to protect the infant Jesus and his parents from the soldiers of Herod. The boy learns of the special powers invested in the Stone, lodged magically into his chest. He meets young boys of similar age who have travelled from different historical times, he makes friends.His journey completed, he returns to his own home. A new threat is evident in 1933, the rise of the German war machine. Owain and several of his friends are recruited to train in a program initiated by Mr Churchill. The young group travel to the Army Camp at Brecon. They meet the officers, Captain Smith, Lieutenant Edwards and Lieutenant Phillips. Owain recognizes the officers from Camelot. The training is organized by Sergeant O'Reilly and Corporal Harkins, who become friends and leaders to the boys. While camping and orienteering, Owain and two of his friends, Ronald and Paul, enter a portal that takes them to the city of Nicaea. The city is under siege by the Roman army of Emperor Constantine, the Great. Owain saves the life of Constantine's first officer and General, and he is rewarded. In the city, Owain meets Degwr once again, and he learns more of this magical man who has appeared in time as Justin, and Merlin. This is the first time that Owain meets Rachel and Rebecca, Degwr's daughters. They have special powers gained from their father. Owain learns of the origins of the Stone, and what the Prophet's Eye can do.The three friends return to Brecon and continue on their Orienteering and Camping, meeting the two girls living at Rebecca Farm, Their father, Phineas Llewellyn is identified by Owain. Training is completed and the village boys return to their Welsh village. By chance, some of the groups of boys trained at the Army Camp return to Brecon. The adventure continues for Owain. He learns that he has the power of healing, and he helps Corporal Harkins who suffers in the Devil's Cave. The girls Rachel and Rebecca are firm friends, as are Captain Smith and Lieutenant Edwards.A significant snowstorm impacts the trained groups, the Army Camp, and the local villages nearby. Owain and his friends do what they can to help.Eventually Owain receives special training to enable him to take part in Churchill's Secret Army. His friendship with Rebecca prepares him for future adventures and journeys through time.

The gratifying success of a previous volume of “Amateur Dramas,” and the increasing demand for pieces of a light character suitable for representation without the usual costly theatrical accessories, has induced the writer to prepare a second volume for publication. Like the first, it contains pieces which have been specially prepared for occasional exhibitions, society benefits, and parlor theatricals, and which have only been admitted to “the mimic stage” after having stood the test of public approval. For their production, no scenery is required. A moderate-sized room, having folding-doors or hanging curtains to separate the audience from the actors; costumes such as the modern wardrobe will easily supply, with now and then a foray on some good old grandmother's trunks; a wig or two; a few pieces of chalk; red paint; and India-ink,-is all the “extraordinary preparations” and “great expense” necessary.

Once upon a time, so long ago that I have quite forgotten the date, there lived a king and queen who had no children. And the king said to himself, "All the queens of my acquaintance have children, some three, some seven, and some as many as twelve; and my queen has not one. I feel ill-used." So he made up his mind to be cross with his wife about it. But she bore it all like a good patient queen as she was. Then the king grew very cross indeed. But the queen pretended to take it all as a joke, and a very good one too. "Why don't you have any daughters, at least?" said he. "I don't say sons; that might be too much to expect." "I am sure, dear king, I am very sorry," said the queen. "So you ought to be," retorted the king; "you are not going to make a virtue of that, surely." But he was not an ill-tempered king, and in any matter of less moment would have let the queen have her own way with all his heart. This, however, was an affair of state. The queen smiled. "You must have patience with a lady, you know, dear king," said she. She was, indeed, a very nice queen, and heartily sorry that she could not oblige the king immediately.

Marvin Mocking is a bird that is very happy who loves to sing When Marvin's feeling low he will sing about almost anything He sings high or he sings low any season is a reason to sing When the sun's behind a cloud this is a reason to celebrate When he's alone or with someone he sings even on a date While there are others with dark and dour faces who hate Who's principles look for any reason to scowl and frown These unhappy ones seek any reason to be low down Who thinks this is the way life is supposed to be In my life I would prefer to hear a happy song Rather than walk with my Chin on the ground

Vincent Lacour rose at eleven these dark mornings; by half-past twelve he had breakfasted and was at leisure. To begin the day with an elastic interval of leisure seemed to him a primary condition of tolerable existence. From his bedroom windows he had a glimpse of a very busy street, along which, as he hummed at his toilet, he could see heavily-laden omnibuses hastening Citywards; he thought with contemptuous pity of the poor wretches who had to present themselves at bank, or office, or shop by a certain hour. “Under no circumstances whatever,” he often said to himself with conviction, “would I support life in that way. If it comes to the worst, there are always the backwoods. Hard enough, no doubt, but that would be in the order of things. If I stick in the midst of civilisation, I live the life of a civilised man.” A mode of looking at things wherein Vincent was probably rational enough.