The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 15, 1895, Page 21

Tue Carl’s book-reviewer has received an invitation from the Society of the Phil- istines to meet Stephen Crane, author of “The Black Ridersand Other Lines” and “The Red Badge of Courage,’’ at a dinner ) the Philistines propose to give him st Aurora, N. Y., on the eyening of December 19. East Aurora is a suburb of Buffalo, N. and is noted as being one of the leading ry centers of the Empire State. It is o the home of Mambrino King, a very celebrated horse. The cheeses of East Aurora and the fast-trotting offspring of Mambrino King are disseminated over a wide range of these United States. o G 00 9 Physicians will be likely to cry out against Ouida’s last novel, ““Toxin,” which being interpreted means poison, and they will be justified in their remonstrances. The book is not strong in its denouement, and the improbability of the “poison’ scene is so great that the volume will fail of its purpose, which seems to be to cast aspersions upon men in the higher walks of physiological research. * k k Kk & Of late East Aurora has sprung into note as the birthplace of that very lively, somewhat anomalous little periodical, the Philistine, whose selfeappointed task it has been to camp upon the trail of I humbuggery, cant and pedantry of eve sort, and to harry the soul thereof with ex- ceeding industiy. This is a greatness to which Ea Aurora was not born, and which she never achieved; it was thrust upon her, no voice from out her citi- zens has yet been heard to say how she re- gards it. Now, to the chees to Mam- b-ino King and to the Philistine is to be added the ineffable glory of this banquet to Stephen Crane, auther of “The Black Riders, and Other Lines.” Verily, the cheese presses of East Aurora run over! * ok Kk K * Thede are inany reasons why we shounld to'attend this banquet. Like the great , we are fond of cheese. We ad- great horses. We love the Philis. s. and there is that which we would ask of Stephen Crane. We should know why, among the “‘other lines” recent volume of fin-de-siecle verse, ) in some places as many as £ words to a_ line when three would have sufficed and would have been more eco- mieal of ink; why, on some. pages, he commits the wild extravazance of thirteen lines when one, printed very black, could have been made big with mieaning (think of the impressive, pregnant silence of that ) and the book had thereby ; and why, on certain several crass sc More drawing to its convivial heizht; when, big and little, the Philistines were in genial mood, we would propound, * walnuts and the wine,” that vexed ques- tion of tke mch, “Why Philistines?” T3 kik X But certain impediments—the fact that our own few and feeble lines have not fallen upon affiuent places, and the absence of a competing reilroad to East Aurora— render our attendance of dubious probabil- ity. However, on the evening of Decem- ber 19, we shall turn our eyes away from the Golden Gate and search the sunrise skies for a roseate linge suffusing the cir- cumambient ether at about the meridian of East Aurora. JUDE THE OBSCURE. After running its serial course in Har- per’s Magazine under the title of *‘Hearts Insurgent” Thomas Hardy’s latest novel now makes its appearance in permanent form and takes, from 1ts principal char- acter, the less felicitous but juster title, “Jude the Obseure.” A casual glance through the pages of the book reveals the fact that the praning which the manu- script had to undergo, in adapting it for magazine publication, was vigorous. The present volume is as Hardy originally wrote it, and in it he has handled certain facts and experiences of human life,with a plain directness of English that has not | been excceded by any modern writer. There are probably few critics who will question Hardy’s place as the greatest of living novelists. art, and it is a question whether he has ever produced a greater novel than “Jude the Obscure.” It is not a story to be given carelessly into the hands of young people. The author never designed it for such, but as a seriesof impressions of life recorded for the reading of men and women of full age the book is certainly one of the most remarkable that the pres- ent century has prodnced, In it Hardy presents for consideration certain phases of the matrimonial situation that are of application as wade as civilization, and, in their influenee upon individual humanity, as minute and gearching as the still, small voice. In Jude, the obscure hero of the tale, we have a sufferer who m\»fll,‘,,h“{: hoped, through very ~minu )y eac’:epe annjhilation f?:r disobedience of the dictates of Established Order. He has his exits and his ehtranceson a stage so bumble that it were small cause for sur- prise had he and his sordid troubles es- caped observation altogether, but the story of his life is a tragic studyin the entire inevitableness of human relation- ships. He is an unimportant atom of hu- manity in an_unimportant Wessex town, but he is touched with the desire to hold and have as his own some of the facts of human knowledge. He toils and studies, alone and unaided, up to the point where the langed-for opportunity for education seems within bis grasp.. Then he iatls under the influence of an, ex- erienced girl of hisown order of life and THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1895 h have already been accepted as classics in juvenile literature, is “The King’s Ankus.” DESSERTS FOR THE TABLE. The Dodge Book and Stationery Com- pany has issued a neat little volume of OOk receipts under the titie of *‘Desserts It contains the for Everybody’s Table.” | culinary formul@ for many dainty dishes furnished by famous chets. Housewives will find it a useful book. Asasample of | its condensed practical information the fol lowing is quoted: Things well to know— Water or milk, a pint is a pound; one cup of butter 1is’ half & pound; lone cup of flour is four ounces; one cup of sugar 18 seven ounces; one cup of molasses is twelve ounces; two cups of sugar weigh one pound; two cups of butter weigh one pound; two tablespoonfuls of melted butter is one | | ounce; two tablespoonfuls of sugar is one | ounce; two tablespoonfuls of flour is one | ounce; butter size of an egg weighs one- balf ounce; one tablespoonful of liquids | | weigh cne-half ounee; one quart of sifted He goes to a university | flour weighs one pound; ten eggs weigh | soul's ambition. | one pound; five cups of sifted flour equals | town and there meets the other woman | whose inflaence upon his life is crucial. | one pound; eight tablespoonfuls are one The pair love esch other, but the girl has | gill; one wineglass is half a gill. [Dodge | a morbid dread of the deadening effect of | Book and Stationery Company, 107 Mont- | matrimony on love. She is by nature de- | gomery street, San Francisco.] cross the | He is past-master of his | | signed to be a man’s friend, rather than | | his wife, one of those women by no means | | ormal ascertain critics would ‘ S0 rare or a | bave us think, with whom, as with man, | sexual love is an incident of life, rather | | than_1ife itself. She loves Jude, but is led by circumstances into marriage with a | man for whom she has an intense physica | repugnance. She leaves him, finally, | with~ his permission, and takes up |with Jude. In time she grows re- morseful, and eventually leaves her lover and returns-to her husband. Jude’s early wife turns up, and, after sundry | matrimonial vicissitudes, being again dis- engaged, retraps the man, who 1s, fortu- | nately, soon released by death from her toils.” 'The whole story is a com prehensive | summary of the sordid disasters that | follow <o often in the wake of human passion and are usually the subject of court record rather than of art. There is | a wonderful subtlety in the way the im. | | pressionist has recorded the workings of | | hereditary conscience in two such unlike | women as Sue and Arabella—the one an | educated. cultivated woman, emancipated from the thralls of orthodoxy; the other | |an ignorant village lightheart, whose dense brain was never touched by a knowledze thereof. Yet both these | women suffer, each in her own way, from the consciousness of having acted con- trary to the tenets of conventional moral- ity, and each seeks, in her own way and | with equal ignorance, to undo the wrong ne deems herself to have done. Any criticism of a novel like “Jude the | Obscure’” must of necessity appear as a | | criticism upon cvilization itself. The nov- | elist obtrudes no purpose, hydra-headed, | | from amid the pages of his story—Hardy | is too complete an artist for that. To quote | | his own woras, he has simply sought to | | give shape and coherence to a series of hap- | penings, “‘thequestion of their consistency | or their discordance, of their permanence | or their transitoriness, being regarded as | | not of the first moment.”” Writing for men | nd women he has produced an impression | life in which honest men and women | | must recognize truth. That there are other | impressions equally true, from other points | | of view equally effective, need notenterinto | this consideration. Whatever ethical prob- | | lems arise in the reader’s mind as an out- | come of the book must be settled as most | of us settle those of life, according to indi- vidual enlightenment, and it is probable | most honest ones among us, under similar | circumstances, would find ourselves forced {to echo the words of poor, bewildered | | Phillotson, the husband of Sue: “I was | |and am the most old-fashioned man in | the world on the question of marriage—in | | fact, I never thought critically about its | i ethics at all. But certain facts stared me in the face and 1 couldn’t go against | | them.”” [New York: Harper & Bros. For ‘ le by Payot, Upham & Co., San Fran- cisco. Price $1 CORRUPTIO, | i of | Those who read Percy White's first | | novel, “Mr. Bailey-Martin,” will recognize | {the same types and scenes in this new | | story of his, “Corruption.” The issuance | of such a book as this by a reputable | 1l)o|;se gives rise to the question as to! | whether the sponsors of our literature | | have no responsibility. The majority of | | people who buy books are guided in a | measure by the imprint on the title vage. | | “New, Type & Co., Publishers,”” says the | | would-be purchaser. ‘At least, the book | i is bound not to be trash.” And, judged | from literary standards, Mr. White’s latest | novel is not trash. It would be less dis- | | pleasing if it were. The writer and pub- | lisher have at all events been honest in | the title they have given the book. It is | @s appropriate as the old scriptural cry of arning, “Unclean! Unclean!” |w | Toereis nota pleasantcharacter in the | book. The virtues of Mr. White's saints |are as detestable as are the misdeeds of | his sinners. In fact the only one of the | | author’s people with whom one can get up ; ! the least bit of sympathy is Beatrice, the | wronged. Beatrice the temptress, who be- | comes finally the scapegoat for ali the | rest. It is a mystery where Mr. White | conld ever have made the acquaintance of | such an insufferable mob of cads as are the men of his romance; such very unpleasant { women. The book is full of political | slang and the jargon of the hustings. { We can only draw from it the inference | that British politics of the higher order jare but a step removed from the ward variety of the same thing in England, and | the prineipal impression left by the book, | clever as it is, is that the anthor has taken | advantage of his position to introduce |among us a number of people who in { real life we wounld go far to avoid meeting. New York: D. Appleton & Co. For sale by Doxey, San I'rancisco. Price $1 25.] {BOUND VOLUMES OF ST. NICHOLAS. To put into the hands of a boy ora girl the to handsome bound volumes of St. Nicholas, which coatain the numbers for the past year, is equal to a gift of a half- dozen story books. In factsome of thejmost popular books of the year for children have first seen the light in these pages. Here one will find Palmer Cox’s irrepressible Brownies on their tour through the Union; Howard Pyle’s brave ‘‘Jack Ballister,” who got the best of Blackbeard’s piratical crew; Albert Stearns’ “Chris and the ‘Wonderful Lamp;” Napoleon's dashing page in Elbridge 8. Brooks’ *‘A Boy of the First Empire;” *The Quadrupeds of North America,” of all sorts and conditions, de- scribed by W. T. Hornaday, and a number of famous borses, historical and legendary, that are very lovingly written about by James Baldwin. There are a series of sketches in a simple and systematic_vein of “Famous American Authors,”” by Bran- der Matthews, and Theodore Roosevelt's inspiring “Hero Tales from American His- oy her is seduced and entrapped into mar- riage. This means ruin to his immediate rospects, butin time he is relieved of the incubus that such a wife was bound to be, and makes another. effort, to astain his tory.” Aside from these serial .features the volumes are crowded with sturies, sketches and verses that will help as well as amuse childish readers, One of the best of Rudyard Kipling's jungle stories, which | erence to the large and | the subject it treats. | his finai battie. THE GRASSHOPPERY' PARTY. Among the host of dainty, tasteful | Christmas: stories in verse that crowd our | table, none is sweeter than the very cleverly illustrated story of *“The Grasshoppers' Party,” by Helen E. Wright. One hardly knows which to praise most, the sly, deli- cate humor of the verse, or the exquisite beauty of finish of the illustrations by A. E. H.” Nothing of the kind from Eastern publishers surpasses this work of local talent. Itisto be regretted the name of the publishers is not given, for their share in the work is excellently done and is a credit to the typographical profession in San Francisco. That the gnats and beetles, and the bugs and the bumbiebee had a good time; that the grasshoppers’ notes of invitation on blue and white violets were welcomed wherever the breezes blew, bringing thronzs of gaudy fireflies and sober-suited crickets; the wonderful sun- flower supper table, the cooling drinksand toothsome cakes; how tired the man in the moon became of lighting the merry is all happily told in unbalting 3y Children of 7 to_70 will be de- lighted with Helen E. Wright's pretty book. Price 75 cents. PARK COMMISSIONERS' REPORT. The twénty-fourth »nnual report of the Board of Park Commissioners of San Ftan- cisco is being distributed from the State Printing Office at Sacramento. It contains a concise record of the work done by the Commissioners during the year ending June 30, 1895. A nandsome tribute is paid to the late W. W. Stow, president of the Commissioners at the time of his death last spring, and a carefully prepared account is given of the improvements carried out uring the year. Itis handsomely illustrated and contains cuts of nearly all the points of interest. While Commissioners Joseph Aus- tin, John Rosenfeld and Irving M. Scott disclaim ail credit to themselves of the good work that has been carried on under their supervision during the last year, S8u- Yerinlm\dem John McLaren and Secretary V. V. Bloch are deserving of much praise. Each in his respective capacity has served the Commissioners, the City and the State well. [State Printing Office, Sacramento.] —_————— ELEMENTS OF HIGHER CRITICISM. This is not only a book for students, but is designed as a work for the intelligent general reader, on what is called *“The Higher Criticism’’ as a method of Biblical study. The author is Andrew C. Zenos, professor of Biblical theology in Mec- Cormick Theological Seminary, Chicago. | The scope of the book, the author tells us, is not to advocate or oppose any set of re- sults, but to explain the principles and methods of the higher criticism with ref- rowing periodical and book literature of the subject, and for use as a textbook for the interested lay reader. For this latter pur}aosc it is very well adapted, and will be found a very useful compendium of information upon [New York and Toronto: Funk & Wagnalls Company, Price $1.] it THE RED BADSE OF COURAGE. “The Red Badge of Courage,” by Stephen Crane, is a book which will be best appre- ciated by those who passed through the bap- tism of fire of our Civil War. It isastrong and realistic portrayal of the life of the soldier from the day he entered the army as a raw recruit until the time when as a scarred and experienced veteran he fought The author’s descriptions of camp life, of marches and skirmishes and general engagements are vivid, while his recitals of the bluster and badinage of the camp in the dialects of the various sections which had suppled soldiers to the regiment are true to the life and lan- guage of the time. [D. Appleton & Co., vublishers. For sale at Doxey’s; price $1. — THE KNIGHT OF LIBERTY. There is no writer in America who knows better how to make history inter- esting to young people than does Heze- kiah Butterworth. The historical worthies who move through his pages live and breathe and have their being, for the young reader, almost as truly as they did for their contemporaries 1n the yvears gone by. In the present volume Mr. Butter- worth has told a tale of the fortunes of Lafayette and told it in such a way as to bring the hero of the Revolution very clearly before the eyes of his readers. Tne boys and girls into whose hands this book abundant evidence, gleaned altogether by prophecy, that we are living in the old age of the world, and the Ancient of Days is already upon us. Although, as he says, God has given him a spiritual gift for this purpose, he admits that he may be in error in some of his applications, but asserts that he is in the main right. The lectures deal with Unitarianism in the churches, Antichrist, the Turkish empire and vari- ous of the topics dealt with in Revelation. San Jacinto, Cal. Published by the author. et TOXIN, A new story by Ouida, in her most Ouida- esque style. The principal character is a scientist, a physician wko, with the logic that always characterizes Ouida’s crea- tions, is a fiend by virtue of being a scien- tist. He calmly asserts that while there are some men of science and surgeons whose desire isto console, to amend, and who care for the pcor human material on which they work, they are not in the front ranks of their profession, nor will science ever owe much to_them. He becomes at- tracted by a beautiful woman, kitls his sue- cessful rival in her affections by scientific means—inoculating him with the toxine of diphtheria—and hypnotizes the stricken lady into marrying himself. [New York: F. A. Stokes Company. For sale by Doxey, San Francisco. Price $1.] AUNT BILLY, AND OTHER SKETCHES, A number of sketches by Alyn Yates Keith which have appeared from time to time in different periodicals are now gathered within the covers of a book. The best things in the collection are the chap- ters devoted to the Desultory Club, a society of women in a college town which met once a week to gather up and discass the loose ends of subjects left by the Mon- day Morning Club, the Monday Night Club, the Paleontological Club and the various other organizations that swept the inhabi- tants before them through the hours of the week. Some of these desultory discus- sions are full of practical common-sense, and each of them is interesting reading. NOTES FROil A NUWNERY, “Broken Notes From a Gray Nunnery” is the singular title of a charming volnme of sketches by Mrs.J. 8. Hallock. The gray nunnery was not a convent of clois- tered nuns, but a pleasant old .country house so named by the author, who spent several months within its confines. And there it was she gathered the material for the series of interesting word-paintings in- cluded . in_this volume. There is no plot or story, simply a collection of beautiful pen pictures by a sincere and ardent lover of nature. [Lee & Shepard, Boston. For sale by William Doxey.] —— LITERARY NOTES. Tue FLy Lear is the name of a little pamphlet-periodical of the Chap Book order, hailing from Boston and got up in an attractive form. Itis conducted by Waiter Blackburne Harte, a journalist whose work is well known to readers of | current iiterature, and it is devoted to_the ; new—to new men, new women, new ideas, whimsies and things. The first number |is very promising and filled with spicy | and amusing writing. 1t contains “The Stir in Literature,” **Ihe New Mysticism,”’ “The Yellow Girl,” “The Jealous God” and an interesting department of sharp and witty editoriai comment. For sale by all booksellers. e sl A BUBBLE. “A Bubble,” by Mrs. Walford, is a small | book of elegant workmanship, containing a sweet, pathetic story of the love of a poor medical student for a beautiful young girl, in station far above his own, who had encouraged his attentions during a lonely winter in Edinburgh. The story tells of his shattered hopes and despair, when, after returning to Lon- don society, she denies him her presence, and he realizes that “'she is not for him.” {Frederick A. Stokes Company. New York, publishers. For sale by William Doxey, San Francisco. Price 50 cents.] HALF ROUND THE WORLD. This is the title of the latest number of the “All Over the World Library,” by Oliver Optic (William T. Adams), and is out just in time for Christmas. No writer of juvenile fiction is better known to the boys oi the land than Oliver Optic, and his youthful readers are legion. Young Belgrave, the youthful millionaire who figures as the hero of the story, cannot fail to entrance the boy readers. “The book is handsomely bound and will make a choice Christmas gift, [Lee & Shepard. Boston. Forsale by William Doxey, San Francisco.] gt A BUD OF PROMISE. “A Bud of Promise” is a well-told, pathetic little story of two schoolboys, one of whom was a precocious child stimulated and urged to unusual mental effort, the other a very ordinary companion who finally came out all right, while *‘Bud,” the family hope and pride, early succumbed to the too severe and trying ordeal of final examinations, the injustice of which and the injurious effect of school exhibitions being the.motive of this tale of New Eng- land school life. [The Popular Book Store, 10 Post street, Price 50 cents.] —_—— A LIEUTENART AT EIGHTEEN. This is another of Oliver Optic’s delight- ful boys’ stories of the “Blue and the Gray” series, just issued from the press of Lee & Shepard, Boston. Many of the in- cidents related in the story of the youth- ful lieutenant’s military career are not contrary to the facts set forth in the official records of the States. It is an inspiring tale of courage, true manhood and loyalty, and the lesson taught is wholesome. " [Lee & Shepara, Boston. For sale by William Doxey, San Francisco.] FIFTY THOUSAND.DOLLARS RANSOM. David Malcom, the author of “A Fiend Incarnate,’ has written a thrillingly interesting novel under the title of “Fifty Thousand Dollars Ransom.” Tt is a study in morals and temptations, with plenty of dramatie incident. The story is well written; the English is good, and some of the descrintive work is powerful. [J. Selwin Tait & Sons, New York]. e BOHEMIA INVADED. The latest volume of short stories by may fall may be sure of a treat while liv- | James L. Ford bears the title quoted in ing amid the scenes.it revives. [New York: D. Appleton & Cu. For sale by Doxey, S8an Francisco. Price $150.] —_— THE BOY OFFICERS OF 1812, Another volume in Lee & Shepard’s 1812 Series.” In this, as in the preceding books of the series, the author, Dr. Everett F. Tomlinson, has set himself the task, not mereiy of telling a story, but of pre- serving ‘the characteristics and historical values of the time and places dealt with. the caption. Mr. Ford has earned popu- larity by his grace and elegance of style, and his “Hypnotic Tales” and “The Lit- erary Shop” have been widely read. The stories are short without being too much curtailed, and the author’s grace of diction characterizes them all, [Frederick A. Stokes Company, New York and London.] THE NABOB OF SINGAPORE. A highly improbable yarn, by 8t. George Rathborne, which isappropriately inclosed This he has succeeded in doing toa very [in a bright yellow cover. The story is interesting degree. The volume is the third in the series, and takes its young he- roes through a thrilling succession of real istic and historic events, [Boston, Mass, Lee & Slxepard. For sale by Doxey, Sa rancisco. Pgice $150.] SEVEN LECTURES O POPHECY. In these seven lectures the author, H. Farnsworth, of San Jacinto, Cal., deems, ridiculous in conception, and the author entertains peculiar ideas, wholly his own, it is to be hoped, regarding the grammat- ical construction of the English language, that render his style incoherent and un- pleasant in the extreme. [New York: Street & Smith. Price, 50 cents.] NUMBER 49 TINKHAM STREET. A rather tame story for young peovle, as he says in his preface, that he has given | by C. Emma Chenev. who has also written markable truly, 15 Art! See— Elliphcal Wheels-on-a Cart! 1t looks very_ fair In the Picture up there: But tmagne the Ridé when you start! 21 et V.G S b Y - GELETT RS a ‘““Young People’s History of the Ciyil War.” Her present essay into the realm of juvenile fiction is rather heavily freighted with moral for the carrving-power of the narrative itself. [Chicago: A. C. McClurg & Co. For sale by Doxey, San Francisco. Price $1.] STAFR FOR LIFE'S PATHWAY. “A Daily Staff for Life’s Pathway” is the title of a small volume of selected poems and prose quotations from the clas- sical and standard authors. They are ar- ranged with reference to their application to the season, and each day in the year has a page to itself. Itis an odd conceit, but Mrs. C. 8. Derose has shown taste, judgment and critical discrimination in the selection and arrangement of her quotations. [Frederick A. Stokes Com- pany, New York and London.] COURTSHIP BY COMMAND. This is what the author, M. M. Blake, terms a ‘“Story of Napoleon at Play.” Business insight is shown in the selection of his theme, for the literary world is in the midst of a universal revival of Napo- leonic interest. Everything written about the *Petit Caporal” is read with avidity, and this ably constructed combination of fiction and historic fact is certain to have a host of readers. There is not a dull chapterin the book. [D. Appleton & Co., New York.] NEAL, TIIE MILLER. Ths book is one of a series for young readers, dealing with American history, by James Otis, who is recognized as one of the best juvenile writers of the day. The story cannot fail to be both interesting and instructive to every patriotic youug Amer- ican. [Estes & Lauriat, publishers, Bos- ton. 75 cents.] A DAUGHTER OF THE KING. “A Daughter of the King,” by Alian, is an answer to “The Story of an African Farm.” Itisa powerfully written novel, and, while upholding the sacredness of marriage—the true union of souls—gives a picture of the wedded state without love, F. Tennyson Neely, Chicago and New ork.] HILL CREST, This is a readable tale of love and the usual incidents and episodes which enter so largely into all histories of the grand passion.” Mrs, Julia Colliton Fiewellyn is a graceful writer, and her transcripts are of the human heart. [Arena Publishing Company, Boston.] YOUXG MASTER KIRKE. Miss Penn Shirley’s latest effort in juve- nile fiction, titled ' Young Master Kirke,”’ is in her nsual pleasant style, and reminds one very much of the writings of her sister, Sophie May. The story is well told and contains_a good moral. [Lee & Shepard, Boston. For sale by William Doxey.] DESIRE OF THE NOTH. Capel \Iane has taken a line from Shel- ley for title of his lutest novel, “The De- sire of theé Moth for the Star of the Night for the Morrow.” It is asimple, pretty story, well written and the sentiment is of a healthy tone. [D. Appleton & Co., New York. For sale by William Doxey.] e WILD ROSE. This is a tale of the Mexican frontier by Francis Francis, and is one of the best written and most interesting stories of pioneer mining days that has ever been gn—en'to the reading pubiic. The book is eautifully bound. [Publishea by Mae- millan & Co., New York. IFor sale by William Doxey, San Francisco. Price §1.] THE PURPLE HYACINTH. A beautiful little fairy story by Juniata Salsbury. The story is simple, natural and well told, and the illustrations, by Will Phillip Hooper, add greatly to the charm of the lovely volume. [New York and London: The Transatlantic Publish- ing Company.] CHROXICLES OF COUNT ANTORIO. After having been syndicated throughout this country and England, this (atest romance of Anthony Hope's is now issued by the Apple- tons in a handsome book, pierced from cover to cover by a redoubtable blade, presumably the sword of Count Antonio himself. It isa question among the critics as to just what place in the world of lettersshould be accorded Anthony Hope. At all events, he has at the present’ moment a verfihlgh place in the pop- ular faney, and it is rather more than probable that he will have lived his day and been su- persedea by some other popular favorite before the crities have solved the problem of classify- ing him. Nevertheless, while helasts, Anthony Hope is capital. He is what the ycunger of “Helen's Babies” would call 8o “lovely bluggy." He cuts heads off and sends sword thrusts through hearts and rescues his bioodthirsty heroes from such creepily rilous positions, with such enthusiasm and mnnuny,u to be altogether delightful. There is nothing complicated about Anthony Hope's peopie, nothing fin de siecle, and, in fact, nothing really human. When he assays to draw real, live. modern folk he is as tiresome asthe best of us. But on hisown particular stamping ground. the realm of romautic hm’f he is 50 restiul and delightful tha there should really be some sort of & literary police soldiery with discretionary powers to keep him on his reservation. The ‘“‘Cbronicles of Count An- tonio” isaromantictale of the days of chivalry. The Count is a sort of robber-bandit-Lancelot who has taken to the hills with a troop of fol- lowers, who are able to rout whole armies and make l%rml with the rulers of church and state. There are no politics and no problems in the book.and about the whole hangs such i & delightful air ot improbability that one fo % lows the doughty hero from first to last of hiy sanguinary edventures, with no more though of weariness than he has himself. [New York: D. Appleton & Co. For sals by Doxey, San Francisco. Price $150.] PEOPLE WE PASS. There are problems enough in this volume of short stories by Julian Ralph to satisfy the most insatiate of literary college settlementers. They are stories of the street and the tene- ment; of courtships on the roofs and in the doorways of those great rookeries of humanity that tower in certain districts of New York and other great cities. The problems, how- ever, are not of Julian Ralph's raising. He simply tells his stories in true newspaper-re- porter, touch and go fashion that gives one the impression of listening to the execution of a popular melody. Onecan predicate to & hair just when Mr. Ralph will push in the sto) marked pathos, and just when he will pull out that labeled humor. Most of his stories are either overdone or underdone. In only one Instance—the story of “Love in the Big Barracks”—does his work arise to the dignity | ot art, or become anything better than excep- tionally good newspaper reporting. But the stories are there and the problems are there, and Mr. Ralph’'s newspaper instinct serves us more usefully, perhaps, in this particular line than a higher order of artistic perception could do. It enables hi to gives us a vivid, hard icture of “how the other half lives” in New York tenements, and while his stories in their art are largely suggestive of the folded pano- ramic collections of “Views in Chinatown,” they do not arouse us to real, humane sym- pathy with that “‘other half” of whose life we cannot know too much. [New York: Harper & Bros. For sale by Payot, Upham & Co., San Francisco. Price §1 50.] skt Al ke A COMEDY IN SPASMS. Readers who remember Iota’s former novel, | “A Yellow Aster,” and who look in the present | volume for a similar series of triangular hys- terics, will be agreeably disappointed by the absence of anything of the sort. Despite its unpleasant and apparently unappropriate title “A Comedy in Spasms” is an entirely sane and not particularly out of the ordinary story of English life. There is & wealthy colonial Tam- ily suddenly leit fatherless and transported to England and poverty. The eldest daughter, to rescue her loved ones from the latter difficulty, marries & man whom_she honors and admires for the thoronghly honorable and admirable | fellow he is. Later she finds that she loves an- other honorable and admiranle man, who lxo | loves her. The two recognize the situation, admit its discomforts, call to mind the various | obligations im;iosca upon them by the facts of | life and do what seems them right—each one | taking'up the tnread of his life and winding it on without compiication, remaining true and steadfast to the duties of existence amid peo- ple who trust them. This unexpected turn of events just when thereader is expecting them to swerve'ln the opposite direction is as refresh- ing as 1t is rare in fiction. One really feels a sense of gratitude to Iota for the unwonted sensation her story affords. The book fairly bristles with epigrams and the impossibly | clever sayings of the people who figure in its pages. (New York and London: Frederick 4. | Stokes & Co. For sale by Doxey, San Franeisco, | Price $1 25.] RED MEN AND WHITE. Under this title Owen Wister has collected the clever sketches of Western life that during the past two or three years have appeared from his pen in sundry of the leading magazines. As a tenderfoot in this wild and woolly region Mr. Wister has seized upon a number of picturesque features of life in the North and South West and has woven them into clever, i semi-humorous narrative. None of thestories | is wholly satisfactory. Mr. Wister is too | wholly aloof from the life which he records and too little in human sympathy therewith to be a finished artist. But he is essentialiy clever and a shrewd observer and more clearly than a more sympathetic onlooker could per- haps have done he has drawn for us his sketches of life in Arizona and the Northwest. In particular he translates the localities with which he deals with a fidelity and an ac- curacy of touch that few writers poszess. He portrays for us the modern Indian as no other modern writer save, perhapsyCharles F. Lum- mis has done, ana his stories, though they leave a certain impression of artistic lack, are interesting and entertaining. The illustra- tions, by Frederic Remington, are full of | spirit. [New York: Harper & Bros. For sale gi o_vim,vphnn& Co., San Francisco. Price NURSERY ETHICS. The author of this book of studies in child life, Florence Hull Winterburn, editor of “The Nursery,” says, justly, in her opening chapter: ““Itisa most difficult and delicate matter to lay down rules for domestic government, be- cause it involves admonitions to the parents concerning their own conduct, and while people acknowledge, reluctantly, that ex- ample is a more potent force than precept in training the voung, they can scarcely be brought to admit that faultiness in them- selves unfits them for the position of dis- ciplinarians.” This very difficult and delicate task she does, however, succeed in doing, if | her helpful and suggestive chapters of counsel upon the aevelopment of childish minds and bodies can be called a laying down of rules. The book isone that will heartily commend itself to thoughtful teachers nnd parents. {New York: The Merriam Company. For sale at the Popular Bookstore, San Francisco. Price $1.] THE STORY OF THE INDIAN. This is the first issue in a series- of “The Story of the West” which Appleton & Co. pur- pose issuing and which are intended to trace the earlier development of the country west of the Missouri River. The author of the present volume, George Bird Grinnell, who has writ- ten one or two other books about Indians, gives us in thisone a very int:mate and real picture of the modern “red man.” The scenes avhich he describes were witnessed by himseli. The stories he tells have been told him by the Indiaas themselves. The book is full of inter- est and the story of the Indian, in his home, of his recreations, his marriage, subsistence, huntlng, wars, beliefs and disbetiefs, is well and_sympathetically told. [New York: D. Appleton & Co. For sale by Doxey, San Fran- clsco. Price $1 50.] DONXA PERFECTA. A translation, admirably done, by Mary J. Serrano, of Goldo's tragic story of life in rural Spain. Donna Perfecta is a great story in the pleture it gives us of the experience of a mod- ern youth in an interior Spanish community, still rooted amid the traditions, bigotry and | superstitions of medievalism. The character of plgonn. Perfecta is drawn with exceedin; skill, and tae whole story, to its sad finale, is full ‘'of tragic and dramatic interest. The transiation has & preface by W. D. Howells. New York: Harper & Bros. For sale by Payot, pham & Ca., San Francisco. Price $1.] PRANG'S AMERICAN ART. L. Prang & Co. of Boston, Mass., have issued their usual assortment of holiday art pictures and calendars. The American “touch” isgiven to everything turned out from the press of Prang & Co., all their designing, lithographing and painting being done in this country. MAGAZINES OF THE MONTH. Midland Monthly. The Midland Monthly, issued by Johnson Brigham, from the Kenyon Press, Des Moines, Towa, contains a lot of good literature. Its art work, however, is scarcely up to the mark. This is notable o far as the half-tone pictures are concerned. The most characteristic thing in the December number of the Midland is “A Patch of Barbarism,” by Samuel B. Evans. The Cosmopolitan. Israel Zangwill has one of his peculiar pro- ductions in the Cosmopolitan for December under the title, “The Choice of Parents.” Cali- fornians will be nterested in_C. F. Holder's article, “Game Fishing in the Pacific.” Most of the ‘exploits relate to Santa Catalina Island and the waters adjacent. Sarah Grand, Ouida and others afford good amusement. Edited by John Brisbane Walker, New York City. BOOKS RECEIVED. Goop Fur NuTHIN', a Tale of a Christmas Promise, by William R. A. Wilson; vellum illustrated, 52 pages, price 75 cents. The Peter Paul Book Company, Buffalo, N. Y.; for sale by the Popular Bookstore, 10 Post street. HiLy Crest, by Julia Colliton Flewellyn, cloth, 304 pages; Arena Publishing Com- pany, Boston. ¥ A" DaveHrER oF THE KINg, by Alian; paper 276 pages. F. Tennyson Neely, Chicago and New York. CusTODY OF STATE FuNDS, by E. R. Buckley. Published b{ the American Academy of Politi- cal and Social Science, Philadelphia. Paper, 15 cents. RAILWAY DEPARTMENTS FOR RELIEF AND IN- SURANCE OF EMPLOYES, by Emory R. Johnson. Published by the American Academy of Politi- cal and Social Science, Philadelphia. Paper, 35 cents. HEARTS, by R. F. Foster. New York: F. Stokes Company; 50 cents. THE LAUREATES, by Kenyon West. New York: F. Stokes Company; POEMS OF EDGAR ALLAN F. Stokes Company; $1 50. CONSIDERATIONS ON PAINTING, by John La Faye. New York: Macmillan & Co. ’l}fl! INVISIBLE PLAYMATE, by W. Canton. New York: 8. Tait & Co.; 75 cents. M AND CUM, b{ atherine Brooks Yale. Chicago: Way & Williams; $1 25. 'l'lmilmn RooM, by Madeline Chicago: Way & Williams: $1 25 THE SHEIK'S WHITE SLAVE, by Raymond Raife. New York: Lovell, Coryell & Co.; $1 50. Ro THE YULE Log, by P. C. Asbjornsen. Boston: Estes & Lauriat: 50 cents. LAKEWoOD, by Mary H. Norris. New York: F. Stokes Company; $1. THE TRAGEDY OF OTHELLO, with preface and glossary by Israel Collins, M.A. London: J. M. Dent & Co.; 45 cents. IN THE SANCTUARY, by A.Van der Naillen. 8an Francisco: W. Doxey; 50 cents. 1 50. Poe. New York: “Yale Wynne. Anything to Beat the Company. “What station was that?"’ demanded the passenger in the rear seat, suddenly rous- ing himself, straightening up and project- ing his voice through the dimly lighted car. The conductor, who was coming down the aisle, stopped and held his Tantern close to the speaker’s face. +It was Bragdon,” he replied. ‘“Ain’t gou the man that wanted to get off at Smallville?” “I am,” rejoined the passenger. “I asked you to wake me up when we got there, and you said you would,” “Idid wake you up.” “QOh, you did, did you? How far have we gone past Smallville?” “Fifty-five miles.” “And you waked me up? Strange I didn’t know anything about it!” I shook you, called out the name of the station. and you said ‘all right,’ and reached for your hat. I supposed you were wide awake. Several passengers got off there and I took it for granted you were one of them.” “Well, I_wasn’t. I'm Eretty hard to wake up. You onught to have been sure about it. I had friends waitin the station. It'll make an awful mess. wouldn’t have this happen for $1000.” “You can telegraplf them, can’t you?” “1 suppose 1 can. What's the next station?” “Flaxwood.” “goes' the next train back stop there ?"’ “Yes.” “Well, you give me a note to the con- ductor, can’t you tellin’; him to pass me back to Smallville? It's as little as you can do. It wasn't my fault that I got carried past.” ; 2 The conductor scribbled a few lines on a piece of paper and handed it to him, “We're coming to Flaxwood now,” he saidf looking at him sharply. ‘*‘Are you sure you’re awake?”’ “I'll get off here, anyhow,” responded the passenger, grabbing his valise and starting for the door, “‘whether I'm awake or not.” As the train pulled out of Flaxwood the brakeman standing on the rear platform of the last coach heard a voice calling out in the darkness: , “Hello, old fellow! I was afraid you wouldn’t be here to meet me. I came all the way on a 50-cent ticket. There’s more than one way to beat a railroad, b’gosh " — Chicago Tribune. for me at I NEW TO-DAY. Read ANNIE LAURIE'S BOOK The Little Boy Who Lived on the Hill. lllustraled by Swinnerton. Mailed - postpaid on receipt of ONE DOLLAR, by WILLIAM DOXEY PUBLISHER 631 MARKET ST. SAN FRANCISCO ‘The most certain and safe Pain Remedy. Instantly relieves and soon cures all Colds, Hoarseness, Xore Throat, Bronchitis, Congestions and Infamma- tions. 50c per bottie. Sold'by Druggists.