Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive/American Libraries. See https://archive.org/details/itnevercanhappen00demoiala Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). IT NEVER CAN HAPPEN AGAIN * * * * * * BY WILLIAM DE MORGAN JOSEPH VANCE An intensely human and humorous novel of life near London in the '50s. $1.75. "If the reader likes both 'David Copperfield' and 'Peter Ibbetson' he can find the two books in this one."--_The Independent._ "The first great English novel that has appeared in the 20th Century."--_New York Times Review._ ALICE-FOR-SHORT The story of a London waif, a friendly artist, his friends and family. $1.75. "If any writer of the present era is read half a century hence, a quarter century, or even a decade, that writer is William De Morgan."--_Boston Transcript._ "It is the Victorian age itself that speaks in these rich, interesting, overcrowded books.... Will be remembered as Dickens's novels are remembered."--_Springfield Republican._ SOMEHOW GOOD A lovable, humorous romance of modern England. $1.75. "A higher quality of enjoyment than is derivable from the work of any other novelist now living and active in either England or America. Absolutely masterly."--_Dial._ "A book as sound, as sweet, as wholesome, as wise, as any in the range of fiction."--_Nation._ HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY PUBLISHERS NEW YORK * * * * * * IT NEVER CAN HAPPEN AGAIN by WILLIAM DE MORGAN Author of "Joseph Vance," "Alice-for-Short" and "Somehow Good" [Illustration] New York Henry Holt and Company 1909 Copyright, 1909. By Henry Holt and Company Published November, 1909 CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGE OF LIZARANN COUPLAND, HER FATHER AND HER FAMILY. OF HIS PREVIOUS STORY, AND LIZARANN'S BIRTH 1 CHAPTER II OF JIM'S MATCH-SELLING, AND HOW HE CAME TO TAKE TO IT. HOW HE WALKED HOME WITH LIZARANN 11 CHAPTER III OF ROYD HALL, AND ITS LITERARY GUEST WHO HAD AN IMPOSSIBLE WIFE 24 CHAPTER IV OF MISS ARKROYD AND HER AVIARY. HOW MR. CHALLIS WALKED IN THE GARDEN WITH HER. OF MR. TRIPTOLEMUS WRAXALL. AND OF HOW MR. CHALLIS WROTE TO HIS WIFE 37 CHAPTER V OF A RAINY DAY AT ROYD. HOW A MOTOR-CAR CAME TO GRIEF. HOW MISS ARKROYD'S MOTHER WENT TO THANES CASTLE AND SHE HERSELF DIDN'T 46 CHAPTER VI