
TALES OF THE WONDER CLUB. - BY DRYASDUST.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
CHAPTER I. - Buried Alive.—The Landlord's Story.
CHAPTER II. - Der Scharfrichter.[1]—The Artist's Second Story.
CHAPTER III. - The Three Pauls.[7]—The Artist's Third Story.
CHAPTER IV. - The Waxen Image.—The Hostess's Story.
CHAPTER V. - In which occurs Mr. Parnassus' Ballad—The Chieftain's Destiny.
CHAPTER V. - A Tale of the French Revolution.—The Barber's Story.
In this collection, a small circle of eclectic raconteurs gathers around a fire, each taking turns to spin a tale that blurs the line between the ordinary and the uncanny. The opening story is told by a landlord who recalls his fevered youth, a forbidden love with the miller’s daughter, and a sudden epidemic that threatens to swallow both heart and hope. The narration is steeped in the cadence of a Victorian drawing‑room, where humor and melancholy walk hand in hand.
The volume continues with a variety of episodes—a condemned artist’s desperate second attempt, a waxen portrait that seems to breathe, a chieftain’s fated ballad, and even a barber’s perspective on the French Revolution. Illustrated scenes punctuate each story, adding visual texture to the spoken word. Listeners will find a blend of folklore, gothic suspense, and sly wit that invites the imagination to linger long after the fire dies down.
Language
en
Duration
~9 hours (531K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2011-01-02
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1838–1914
Best known for the eerie story collection Tales of the Wonder Club, this Victorian writer hid behind the pseudonym M. Y. Halidom for years. His tales mix gothic chills, fantasy, and old-fashioned fireside storytelling.
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