Shepherd by Arthur Willis Colton
The novel follows the story of a young man named John Shepherd who inherits a large sum of money from his recently deceased uncle. However, he soon discovers that the inheritance comes with a catch - he must use the money to fund a series of experiments conducted by a mysterious scientist known only as "The Professor." The experiments are said to have the potential to change the course of human history, but they also carry a significant risk of failure and catastrophic consequences. John is faced with a difficult decision: should he trust The Professor and risk everything on the unknown, or should he reject the inheritance and live a more conventional life?
By Arthur Willis Colton · First published 1920 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Western, Adventure · 35 words
First lines
PART I. WEST-EASTERLY MORALITIES
Sir Knight with stalwart spear and shield,
Where ridest thou to-day?
The sunlight lies across the field;
What this Textopian page supports
Shepherd is listed on Textopian as a short story by Arthur Willis Colton, dated 1920 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Arthur Willis Colton
- Date: 1920 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Western, Adventure, Religion & Spirituality
- Length: 35 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Shepherd by Arthur Willis Colton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Shepherd?
- How does this short story by Arthur Willis Colton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Historical Fiction — The book provides a fictional narrative set in a real historical time period, in this case the mid-1800s in the mid-Western United States.
- Western — The setting, characters, and plot reflect the western genre, as the story takes place during expansion to the Western United States and deals with frontier life.
- Adventure — Elements of the story include various escapades and journeys performed by the protagonist.
- Religion & Spirituality — There is a clear emphasis on religious and spiritual themes, as the protagonist is a religious man who grapples with righteousness.
Tags
Fiction · Literary Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Mystery · Thriller · Suspense · Detective · Crime · Murder · Investigation · Plot Twist · Red Herring