Leacock | shortsonline

The Awful Fate of Melpomenus Jones

shortsonline — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 23:59:10 +0000

Quick Read by Stephen Leacock. A young clergyman visits a friend but is too shy to insist when it's time to leave and the over-polite host says things like: “Can’t you stay a little longer?”, “You must stay the night.” Six weeks later, he finds a perfect excuse to go.

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The New Food

shortsonline — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 21:26:11 +0000

Quick Read by Stephen Leacock. Although published way back in 1910, this story is surprisingly relevant to today’s world. It is a wonderful satire of heavily processed convenience foods and the contribution they make towards child obesity, culminating in the gruesome death of an imaginary baby.

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Borrowing a Match

shortsonline — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 22:49:16 +0000

Quick Read by Stephen Leacock. All he asked of a stranger was the loan of a match. In the process of looking for one, the stranger destroys his overcoat and the parcels and letters he is carrying, then threatens to beat his young son when he gets home.

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With the Photographer

shortsonline — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:43:14 +0000

Quick Read by Stephen Leacock. A professional photographer humiliates a customer during his sitting by criticizing and trying to manipulate every aspect of his facial features and posture. Later, when the customer views the developed product, his face has been so digitally altered as to be unrecognizable.

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