The Project Gutenberg EBook of Black Beetles in Amber, by Ambrose Bierce

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Title: Black Beetles in Amber

Author: Ambrose Bierce

Release Date: July 21, 2004 [EBook #12977]

Language: English

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[Illustration: AMBROSE BIERCE.]

BLACK BEETLES IN AMBER

BY

AMBROSE BIERCE

1892

THE ORDER IN WHICH THE BEETLES ARE SHOWN

  IN EXPLANATION
  THE KEY NOTE
  CAIN
  AN OBITUARIAN
  A COMMUTED SENTENCE
  A LIFTED FINGER
  TWO STATESMEN
  MATTER FOR GRATITUDE
  THREE KINDS OF A ROGUE
  A MAN
  YE FOE TO CATHAYE
  SAMUEL SHORTRIDGE
  SURPRISED
  POSTERITY'S AWARD
  AN ART CRITIC
  THE SPIRIT OF A SPONGE
  ORNITHANTHROPOS
  TO E.S. SALOMON
  DENNIS KEARNEY
  FINIS ÆTERNITATIS
  THE VETERAN
  AN "EXHIBIT"
  THE TRANSMIGRATIONS OF A SOUL
  AN ACTOR
  FAMINE'S REALM
  THE MACKAIAD
  A SONG IN PRAISE
  A POET'S FATHER
  A COWARD
  TO MY LIARS
  PHIL CRIMMINS
  CODEX HONORIS
  TO W.H.L.B.
  EMANCIPATION
  JOHNDONKEY
  HELL
  BY FALSE PRETENSES
  LUCIFER OF THE TORCH
  THE "WHIRLIGIG OF TIME"
  A RAILROAD LACKEY
  THE LEGATEE
  "DIED OF A ROSE"
  A LITERARY HANGMAN
  AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR
  A CONTROVERSIALIST
  MENDAX
  THE RETROSPECTIVE BIRD
  THE OAKLAND DOG
  THE UNFALLEN BRAVE
  A CELEBRATED CASE
  COUPLETS
  A RETORT
  A VISION OF RESURRECTION
  MASTER OF THREE ARTS
  THERSITES
  A SOCIETY LEADER
  EXPOSITOR VERITATIS
  TO "COLONEL" DAN BURNS
  GEORGE A. KNIGHT
  UNARMED
  A POLITICAL VIOLET
  THE SUBDUED EDITOR
  "BLACK BART, Po8"
  A "SCION OF NOBILITY"
  THE NIGHT OF ELECTION
  THE CONVICTS' BALL
  A PRAYER
  TO ONE DETESTED
  THE BOSS'S CHOICE
  A MERCIFUL GOVERNOR
  AN INTERPRETATION
  A SOARING TOAD
  AN UNDRESS UNIFORM
  THE PERVERTED VILLAGE
  MR. SHEETS
  A JACK-AT-ALL-VIEWS
  MY LORD POET
  TO THE FOOL KILLER
  ONE AND ONE ARE TWO
  MONTAGUE LEVERSON
  THE WOFUL TALE OF MR. PETERS
  TWIN UNWORTHIES
  ANOTHER PLAN
  A POLITICAL APOSTATE
  TINKER DICK
  BATS IN SUNSHINE
  A WORD TO THE UNWISE
  ON THE PLATFORM
  A DAMPENED ARDOR
  ADAIR WELCKER, POET
  TO A WORD-WARRIOR
  A CULINARY CANDIDATE
  THE OLEOMARGARINE MAN
  GENESIS
  LLEWELLEN POWELL
  THE SUNSET GUN
  THE "VIDUATE DAME"
  FOUR OF A KIND
  RECONCILIATION
  A VISION OF CLIMATE
  A "MASS" MEETING
  FOR PRESIDENT, LELAND STANFORD
  FOR MAYOR
  A CHEATING PREACHER
  A CROCODILE
  THE AMERICAN PARTY
  UNCOLONELED
  THE GATES AJAR
  TIDINGS OF GOOD
  ARBORICULTURE
  A SILURIAN HOLIDAY
  REJECTED
  JUDEX JUDICATUS
  ON THE WEDDING OF AN AËRONAUT
  A HASTY INFERENCE
  A VOLUPTUARY
  AD CATTONUM
  THE NATIONAL GUARDSMAN
  THE BARKING WEASEL
  A REAR ELEVATION
  IN UPPER SAN FRANCISCO
  NIMROD
  CENSOR LITERARUM
  BORROWED BRAINS
  THE FYGHTYNGE SEVENTH
  INDICTED
  OVER THE BORDER
  ONE JUDGE
  TO AN INSOLENT ATTORNEY
  ACCEPTED
  A PROMISED FAST TRAIN
  ONE OFF THE SAINTS
  A MILITARY INCIDENT
  SUBSTANCE VERSUS SHADOW
  THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC MORALS
  CALIFORNIA
  DE YOUNG—A PROPHECY
  TO EITHER
  DISAPPOINTMENT
  THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF THEFT
  DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN
  THE LAST MAN
  ARBOR DAY
  THE PIUTE
  FAME
  ONE OF THE REDEEMED
  A CRITIC
  A QUESTION OF ELIGIBILITY
  FLEET STROTHER
  CALIFORNIAN SUMMER PICTURES
  SLANDER
  JAMES L. FLOOD
  FOUR CANDIDATES FOR SENATOR
  A GROWLER
  AD MOODIUM
  AN EPITAPH
  A SPADE
  THE VAN NESSIAD
  A FISH COMMISSIONER
  TO A STRAY DOG
  IN HIS HAND
  A DEMAGOGUE
  IGNIS FATUUS
  FROM TOP TO BOTTOM
  AN IDLER
  THE DEAD KING
  A PATTER SONG
  A CALLER
  THE SHAFTER SHAFTED

THE MUMMERY

THE TWO CAVEES METEMPSYCHOSIS SLICKENS "PEACEABLE EXPULSION" ASPIRANTS THREE THE BIRTH OF THE RAIL A BAD NIGHT

ON STONE

A WREATH OF IMMORTELLES

IN EXPLANATION

Many of the verses in this book are republished, with considerable alterations, from various newspapers. The collection includes few not relating to persons and events more or less familiar to the people of the Pacific Coast—to whom the volume may be considered as especially addressed, though, not without a hope that some part of the contents may be found to have sufficient intrinsic interest to commend it to others. In that case, doubtless, commentators will be "raised up" to make exposition of its full meaning, with possibly an added meaning read into it by themselves.

Of my motives in writing, and in now republishing, I do not care to make either defense or explanation, except with reference to those persons who since my first censure of them have passed away. To one having only a reader's interest in the matter it may easily seem that the verses relating to those might more properly have been omitted from this collection. But if these pieces, or, indeed, if any considerable part of my work in literature, have the intrinsic worth which by this attempt to preserve some of it I have assumed, their permanent suppression is impossible, and it is only a question of when and by whom they shall be republished. Some one will surely search them out and put them in circulation.

I conceive it the right of an author to have his fugitive work collected in his lifetime; and this seems to me especially true of one whose work, necessarily engendering animosities, is peculiarly exposed to challenge as unjust. That is a charge that can be best examined before time has effaced the evidence. For the death of a man of whom I may have written what I venture to think worthy to live I am no way responsible; and, however sincerely I may regret it, I can hardly be expected to consent that it shall affect my fortunes. If the satirist who does not accept the remarkable doctrine that while condemning the sin he should spare the sinner were bound to let the life of his work be coterminous with that of his subject his were a lot of peculiar hardship.

Persuaded of the