I remained another week at Laura’s house, which I left only after my dear C—— C—— had requested me to do so in a letter of four pages.
— from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova

Some of the miscreants leapt into the sea; others hid in dark recesses, where they were found by Slightly, who did not fight, but ran about with a lantern which he flashed in their faces, so that they were half blinded and fell as an easy prey to the reeking swords of the other boys.
— from Peter Pan by J. M. (James Matthew) Barrie

To place him in the cave for present rest: And when, at last, he open'd his black eyes, Their charity increased about their guest; And their compassion grew to such a size, It open'd half the turnpike-gates to heaven (St. Paul says, 't is the toll which must be given).
— from Don Juan by Byron, George Gordon Byron, Baron

For when my passion first began, Ere that, which in me burn'd, The love, that makes me thrice a man, Could hope itself return'd; To yonder oak within the field I spoke without restraint, And with a larger faith appeal'd Than Papist unto Saint.
— from The Early Poems of Alfred Lord Tennyson by Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson, Baron

Supper, too, must be eaten before the letters were read; and when, at last, they were brought out, they all got round any one who had a letter, and expected to have it read aloud, and have it all in common.
— from Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana

Now, though it is not my present purpose to burden this subject of regional anatomy with any lengthy inquiry into the comparative meaning of the facts, why a common innominate trunk should occur on the right of the median line, while separate arterial trunks for the carotid and subclavian arteries should spring from the aorta on the left of this mid-line, thus making a remarkable exception to the rule of symmetry which characterizes all the arterial vessels elsewhere, still I cannot but regard this exceptional fact of asymmetry as in itself expressing a question by no means foreign to the interests of the practical.
— from Surgical Anatomy by Joseph Maclise

My wife ran away with a lover on the day after our wedding, because my exterior was unprepossessing.
— from Uncle Vanya: Scenes from Country Life in Four Acts by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

He had already begun to use the only effectual argument, and to treat for the Imperial dignity; but the more prudent of the Praetorians, apprehensive that, in this private contract, they should not obtain a just price for so valuable a commodity, ran out upon the ramparts; and, with a loud voice, proclaimed that the Roman world was to be disposed of to the best bidder by public auction.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Table of Contents with links in the HTML file to the two Project Gutenberg editions (12 volumes) by Edward Gibbon

At 11.20 a.m. rations and water at last reached 125 the Gold Coast Regiment, but the 350 chaquals sent were only half-full, and this was all the water available for a force of 1400 men, who had not had a drop beyond the issue made to them on the night of September 18th before they left the camp at Liwinda Ravine.
— from The Gold Coast Regiment in the East African Campaign by Clifford, Hugh Charles, Sir

Peternot felt the force of the remark, and with a long face took from his pocket-book a bank-note, which he handed to Hank.
— from A Chance for Himself; or, Jack Hazard and His Treasure by J. T. (John Townsend) Trowbridge

Just the bare facts are recorded, and we are left to guess the means by which they were accomplished.
— from The Gates of India: Being an Historical Narrative by Holdich, Thomas Hungerford, Sir

Macnamara took Faiz-Ullah, a handy, short-backed little red Arab with a long tail, and Hughes mounted Benami, an old and sullen brown beast, who stood over in front more than a polo-pony should.
— from The Day's Work - Volume 1 by Rudyard Kipling

It appeared as if the chaise would never cease to lung and swagger over rough, unused roads, and when at last it did mend its way, Katherine had ceased thinking and fallen fast asleep, nor did she wake during hours of travel, until the great coach came to a sudden halt.
— from Mistress Penwick by Dutton Payne

Marie looked at them, her mouth round with surprise, for they were real and worth at least ten thousand francs.
— from A Son of the Sahara by Louise Gerard

cried the least of the boys, and ran away, whilst Archer leaped up, and seizing hold of Fisher with a powerful grasp, sternly demanded 'What he meant by this?'
— from The Parent's Assistant; Or, Stories for Children by Maria Edgeworth

Why, she's been improving all winter; I've learnt her to read and write a little, and to pick out a number of cities on the geographical atlas."
— from Kentucky in American Letters, 1784-1912. Vol. 2 of 2 by John Wilson Townsend

This gentleman made all possible exertions to stem the current of the mob, not only by declaring repeatedly, and with a loud voice, that he was a magistrate, and commanded the people, by virtue of his office, and in his Majesty's name, to desist from all riotous proceedings, and to disperse, but also by assisting in person; but the people not only made him a return, of insulting and reproachful words, but prevented his endeavors by force and blows, to get our doors shut, upon which Mr. Hatch, with some other of our friends, retreated to our counting room.
— from The Loyalists of Massachusetts and the Other Side of the American Revolution by James Henry Stark

It was distinctively a downstream craft, and in the early days rarely ascended with a load any river of current.
— from Waterways of Westward Expansion - The Ohio River and its Tributaries by Archer Butler Hulbert