he articulated, making a desperate effort to raise his eyes and to smile.
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of 233 Short Stories of Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

The engagement, however, had been severe; and the enemy's attack, though many times baffled, had been as often renewed, until, at length, the young general Maximilian, seeing that the affair tended to no apparent termination, that the bloodshed was great, and that the horses were beginning to knock up under the fatigue of such severe service, had brought up the very elite of his reserve, placed himself at their head, and, making a dash expressly at their leader, had the good fortune to cut him down.
— from Memorials and Other Papers — Volume 2 by Thomas De Quincey

He again made a desperate effort to free the hand which held the [ 133 ] bolo, but my endeavor to keep him from succeeding was greater.
— from Bamboo Tales by Ira L. (Ira Louis) Reeves

But his glance had a modest, almost devout expression when he gazed into the large blue eyes of the merchant's daughter.
— from In the Fire of the Forge: A Romance of Old Nuremberg — Volume 01 by Georg Ebers

In the evening the class of seventeen persons listened to the reading of selections from the life of Agassiz, poems regarding him, and magazine articles describing events connected with the great meeting in the summer of 1873.
— from Appletons' Popular Science Monthly, September 1899 Vol. LV, May to October, 1899 by Various

Stand fast by “the horse and hound,” and maintain a deaf ear to the tempter that whispers of the gorgeous trappings and luxurious surroundings, which are the death role of genuine sport.
— from Baily's Magazine of Sports and Pastimes, Volume 85 January to June, 1906 by Various

Sir Arthur staggered back against the wall with a dismal groan, the Hindoos fell on their knees begging piteously for mercy, Colonel Carrington seemed dazed, stupefied, Guy clinched his hands and made a desperate effort to bear up bravely, while 50 Melton’s face wore the same pale, hopeless expression.
— from The River of Darkness; Or, Under Africa by William Murray Graydon

Many a poor overburdened slave took fresh heart and strength from the sight of that celestial raiment; many a stubborn, rebellious spirit, whose flesh but lately quivered under the lash, was brought low by its humble teaching; many a worn-out old frame, racked with pain in its last illness, pressed a fevered lip to its hopeful hem; and many a dying eye closed in death peacefully fixed on its immortal pledges.
— from Flute and Violin, and Other Kentucky Tales and Romances by James Lane Allen

One should enter Milan in as happy a mood as did Evelyn who “passynge by Lodi came to a grete citty famous for a cheese little short of the best Parmesan.”
— from Italian Highways and Byways from a Motor Car by M. F. (Milburg Francisco) Mansfield

This had a most awfully depressing effect on us all, and, in addition, Cousin Bob was giving Ginger and me a lot of worry.
— from On Foreign Service; Or, The Santa Cruz Revolution by T. T. (Thomas Tendron) Jeans