I bought land and slaves, and built a great house in which I resolved to live happily, and in the enjoyment of all the pleasures of life to forget my past sufferings.
— from The Arabian Nights Entertainments by Andrew Lang

He would make her walk on her hind legs, use her as a bell, that is, shake her violently by the tail so that she squealed and barked, and give her tobacco to sniff . . . .
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of 233 Short Stories of Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

I did the same by another, but Job missed his stroke, and I saw a brawny Amahagger grip him by the middle and whirl him off the rock.
— from She by H. Rider (Henry Rider) Haggard

Amidst his guards; but the brave king Scorned to wear armour, while his men Bared naked breasts against the rain Of spear and arrow, his breast-plate rung Against the stones; and, blithe and gay, He rushed into the thickest fray.
— from Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway by Snorri Sturluson

He also called that pest of his family, and forger of all this vile accusation, Eurycles, his savior and benefactor, and gave him a reward of fifty talents.
— from The Wars of the Jews; Or, The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem by Flavius Josephus

Oh, thou, my squire, pleasant companion in my prosperous and adverse fortunes, fix well in thy memory what thou shalt see me do here, so that thou mayest relate and report it to the sole cause of all," and so saying he dismounted from Rocinante, and in an instant relieved him of saddle and bridle, and giving him a slap on the croup, said, "He gives thee freedom who is bereft of it himself, oh steed as excellent in deed as thou art unfortunate in thy lot; begone where thou wilt, for thou bearest written on thy forehead that neither Astolfo's hippogriff, nor the famed Frontino that cost Bradamante so dear, could equal thee in speed."
— from Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Oh, thou, my squire, pleasant companion in my prosperous and adverse fortunes, fix well in thy memory what thou shalt see me do here, so that thou mayest relate and report it to the sole cause of all,” and so saying he dismounted from Rocinante, and in an instant relieved him of saddle and bridle, and giving him a slap on the croup, said, “He gives thee freedom who is bereft of it himself, oh steed as excellent in deed as thou art unfortunate in thy lot; begone where thou wilt, for thou bearest written on thy forehead that neither Astolfo’s hippogriff, nor the famed Frontino that cost Bradamante so dear, could equal thee in speed.” Seeing this Sancho said, “Good luck to him who has saved us the trouble of stripping the pack-saddle off Dapple!
— from The History of Don Quixote, Volume 1, Complete by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Renouncing the idea of the country, without any other idea to replace it except to keep his companion walking and away from shops and bars and girls, he let himself be led.
— from The Man Who Found Himself (Uncle Simon) by H. De Vere (Henry De Vere) Stacpoole

The Act formerly passed for erecting buildings for this purpose on the "lower parade" was repealed, and that of 1797 was amended in 1799 and the Commissioners were directed to purchase land in the south suburbs, and build a Government House.
— from History of Halifax City by Thomas B. Akins

"He could dance admirably well, but neither in youth nor riper years made any practice of it; he had skill in fencing such as became a gentleman; he had a great love to music, and often diverted himself with a viol, on which he played masterly; he had an exact ear, and judgment in other music; he shot excellently in bows and guns, and much used them for his exercise; he had great judgment in painting, graving, sculpture, and all liberal arts, and had many curiosities of value in all kinds.
— from The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Deuteronomy by Andrew Harper

It quickened in him all holy, devout, and pious affections; gave him a profound reverence, a cheerful submission, a bright and glorious hope,—a hope that crowned every hour with gladness, robbed death of all terrors, and, in his soul, brought heaven down to earth."
— from Extracts from the Diary and Correspondence of the Late Amos Lawrence; with a brief account of some incidents of his life by Amos Lawrence

The woods are wide; let him change the color of his skin, and be a gray head at the council-fire of my nation.
— from The Wept of Wish-Ton-Wish by James Fenimore Cooper

You will stay and be a great huntsman and follow the deer.’
— from Stories of King Arthur's Knights, Told to the Children by Mary MacGregor by Mary Esther Miller MacGregor

"Will you—forgive me and teach me to cook and sew and be a good housewife," she sobbed, as if she were repeating a lesson.
— from The Pioneers by Katharine Susannah Prichard

Suffice it to say that Will and Flora stammered and blushed, and grew hot and cold, and tried to look cool and failed, signally, and then, feeling how very awkward their position was, made a desperate effort to be commonplace, and so began to talk with intense solicitude about “the weather!”
— from Over the Rocky Mountains: Wandering Will in the Land of the Redskin by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne

It was obviously a case for an inquest, and obvious also that Garrett must stay at Bretfield and give his evidence.
— from Ghost Stories of an Antiquary Part 2: More Ghost Stories by M. R. (Montague Rhodes) James

I guess maybe I cried a little, but I didn't stop to do it; I ran back to Swatty and Bony and grabbed hold of Bony's other arm and helped Swatty drag him.
— from Swatty: A Story of Real Boys by Ellis Parker Butler