Classic Western Literature

"A Convert of the Mission" is about a California minister in need of rehabilitation to regain the health of his body and spirit. He follows the orders of his doctor to go somewhere and change his habits and way of life. And he succeeds in his quest, but in a way that displeases his former brothers in the faith.

From a master storyteller of the Wild West comes Chu Chu, a story about a horse with a fascinating personality who refuses to be tamed.

Francis Bret Harte (1839-1902) was an American short story writer and poet, best remembered for his short stories set against the background of the California gold rush. He himself set off at the age of 15 to become a gold miner and absorbed the rough atmosphere of the mining camps, which he used as a setting against which the interplay of human emotions stands out poignantly. 'Miggles' is an outstanding example of his humorously tender style which made his stories so popular.

Poker Flat is cleaning house. John Oakhurst is allowed to leave of his own accord along with a few others who didn’t quite match society’s ideals. Maybe they got off good. Others had been hung from nearby sycamore trees. Who was good? Who was bad? Who was innocent? Questions to ponder as you listen to this classic short story narrated by Glenn Hascall.

The classic tale in which a drunken cowboy passes out on a barroom floor and to his horror awakes to finds he's on a train bound for hell.

In Agatha Christie’s short story, “The Adventure of "The Western Star,” Poirot investigates the case of a missing diamond, “The Star of the East”, belonging to Lady Yardly. But what is the connection between it and a similar diamond owned by the famous American film actress Mary Marvell? And why does a Chinese man want it returned? This short story originally appeared in the April 11, 1923 issue of The Sketch magazine.