The Ride by Night
The story revolves around a young man who returns to his rural hometown after being away for several years. He takes a midnight ride through the woods and reminisces about his past, particularly his childhood and adolescence. During the ride, he reflects on his relationships with family and friends, as well as his experiences with love and loss. The narrative explores themes of nostalgia, identity, and the complexities of human emotions.
By Edward William Thomson · First published 1893 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Adventure, War · 4,352 words
First lines
Mr. Adam Baines is a little Gray about the temples, but still looks so young that few could suppose him to have served in the Civil War. Indeed, he was in the army less than a year. How he went out of it he told me in some such words as these: --
An orderly from the direction of Meade's headquarters galloped into our parade ground, and straight for the man on guard before the colonel's tent. That was pretty late in the afternoon of a bright March day in 1865, but the parade ground was all red mud with shallow pools. I remember well how the hind hoofs of the orderly's galloper threw away great chunks of earth as he splashed diagonally across the open.
What this Textopian page supports
The Ride by Night is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edward William Thomson, dated 1893 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Edward William Thomson
- Date: 1893 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Adventure, War, Drama, Literary Fiction
- Length: 4,352 words
- Structure: 1 section, 92 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Ride by Night by Edward William Thomson
- 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 The Ride by Night?
- How does this short story by Edward William Thomson 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 — Set in a specific historical period with accurate details and events.
- Adventure — Features a journey or quest with significant physical action and challenges.
- War — Centers around military conflict and its impact on characters.
- Drama — Focuses on emotional and relational development of characters.
Tags
Adventure · Canadian Literature · Historical Fiction · Horse Riding · Nighttime · Journey · Travel · Exploration · Wilderness · Nature · Outdoor · Survival