The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 19, 1896, Page 22

| | autumn “grainfiel | 8 year and six days. The author dishes up a dozen sonnets to spring. Here is one fractional example: Has summer such a loveliness? or fall? Or autumn with his hoary ficlds of grain? It is possible that Mr. Walker is color- blind. In this part of the world the is as yellow as Mr. ‘Walker’s poetry. Mr. Walker is original, however, in having the fall come between summer and autumn. If Horace Eaton Walker threatens to rint any more volumes of the sort we have partially reviewed, Sir Galahad will be doing a very kindly thing, in a literary sense, 1f he complies with the poetaster’s v and gives him a cupful—aye, a etful if need be, of the X Mr. Walker hankers after in strain: O, what is life that I can be so_sad? 0. what is death that [ am_comfortless? 0, let me drain thy cup, Sir Galahad— Dare let me drain it, in my love’s distress. H. George I. Putnam TRAVELING AT SMALL EXPENSE. “Around the World on Sixty Dollars” | is Robert Meredith's account of extensive travel for little money. The title is rather misleading, however, as some $225 was spent on the trip, “all but about $60” of which the traveler earned on the road at common labor. The time consumed was Four months and a half was spent in work on the Sandwich Islands and in the Holy Land at wages ranging from 40 cents to $2 50 a day, the rest of the time being devoted to travel and sightseeing. The distance covered was 30,000 miles. The principal thing to be learned from the book is this: If (like Mr. Meredith) a man is willing to suffer discomforts with- out number, live on rations that would not satisfy the average Chinaman, mingle with the lowest classes everywhere as a rule, sleep in the worst hovels or in the open air, affect direst poverty and let no chance of alms-getting slip by, then he may see the world without the expenditure of much money. There are very few men who will care to emulate Mr. Meredith’s example. When he started out he had three objects in view, so he states: First, to prove that an American can live on as poor rations and endure as many hardships as any other | human being; second, that he can earn his living in any country; and third, that a poor man need not bé deprived of the “‘collar the swag.” Butlet us pursue the conversation : EATON WALKER is | of the latest aspirant for ho the realm of poesy. If wej . Mr. Walker isa man of wealth and leisure; of wealth e no publisher could be so lost to his interests as to issue a volume of Mr. Walker's poems ulation; wh or a man of me ord the pensive plea: his literary shortcomin vle of the | t must le amount of into so many a mes and pages |y ORACE the Hardspur—King or prince, his money’s ours. <er—For we need money more than we need ige correctly b The first declaration sounds like a choice passage from a Bowery-dive version of Robin Hood; but the admission by Bras- The author ague doubt at this point. ows no ray of light on the purpose -h the money was needed. It may however, that the villains ary fare and were re- , at all hazards, to wrest from their zn the price of a pie. i o of wet. | The wicked twain approach the King ot e | hdrawn swords; the monarch’s purseis ied up, and then in a conversation his Majesty declares him- 1f, shows his signet-ring and pardons the offending pair on their promise to do his bid The viilains are then employed to the Kin daughter from the palace and imprison her in the brass cage, | that she may starve to death. 1n plotting the destruction of his daugh- @, the King makes his offense ous by ruthlessly slaughtering on spe ns cc osed, enough to make s The most ker's v a * ntitled “The King of logical stories are t: in the mo characters up-t com me is prays vai to him the that the da who will n tongue: does decree that L b= a father, and decrees e shait become a mother, and This son of hers shall slay the King of Argos. The brass cage is built; the villains seize aughter and rush bLer into the death- ust then an earthquake takes place. 1s, the pagan god, having witnessed the to the tragic deed, cracks the 1 in his rage. After hurling a furrow across the face of Argos, Zeus up- braids Hardspur in most undignified and this gem of a prayer from the robber: I He has concluded to build “a brazen O A oA eeds L mraY, tomb for li: g corpses,”” and starts out to ¥ @ Id hied to Sistine Chapel, find the b » bears the familiar 1in the earthquake had my pater noster | name of . Two h villains, 11 waded through. | bent on robbery, dog the K teps. Thiz is exceedingly rich. The Lord’s | “Where went he, Brasker?” asks Hard- | prayer, according to the New Testament, spur, the first vill. *Just through spur,”’ is the the wretch n the mouth of a pagan Greek a thousand vears before the Christian era. Zeus rescues Dane, wooes her, makes her his queen; a son’ is born to her, and mother and child miraculously escape the King's wrath, and flee to a strange land. Arrived at the gate of manhood, the son performs feats of strength like another Theseus or Hercules. He returns to Argos, | where, n throwing quoits, he accidentally hits and kills the King, and then himself takes hold of the monarchy. In turning over the pages of Mr. Walk- | er's book oneis almost sure to recall the | couplet of Byron: | Sir Hard- taste of modern nobility in titles from ancient s piain, too, that the ven to Harry Percy, of Snakespeare's simply an idea borrowed an name of Hardspur. rs it, lord or_beggar, if he have the stuff?” queries Brasker. The Togues of Arzos were very much addicted to the use of slang, according to Mr. Walker. Perhaps he can also trace to an origin with Brasker and his fellow-rascals such e xpressions as “‘dowse the glim” and "Tis pleasant sure to see one's name in print! A book’s & book, although there's nothing in t. Witness this assault | thunderbolt, which plows | commonplace terms and then listens to | pleasures of travel and of seeing and en- | Joying more than the rich. |~ The'second proposition was never very much in doubt with the genuine Yankee, but it is hard to reconcile the first and third. The average poor man would | bardly find pleasure in seeing how wretched he might become, or much | enjoyment in traveling on the strength of one short meal a day. From a close | scrutiny of the book one is led to the conclusion that Mr. Meredith’s “objects’ were after-considerations of his tramp, | and that they were formulated simply 1n order to furnish the semblance of a pur- | pose for the publication. |~ Here is the way the writer adapted him- seif to the ‘‘manners and customs” of the people of the various countries: I would eat poi with my fingers with the Kanakas, eat rice with the chopsticks of the China- man, dip bread in the same sop with the Bedouin, of the desert and practice swal- lowing the long, slimy sticks of macaroni with the descendants of the Ceesars.”” Mr. Meredith started from Kansas City, and journeyed toward the sunset. Ho thinks California a wonderful State in | every respect, and declares that “when the | people there, like the people in Iowa, learn that no sohd wealth ever comes except by the slow process of hard knocks and dili- gent labor, they will have one of the best | States in the Union.” Had Mr. Meredith remained longer in Califo; , or had he traveled half as much in our valfeys as he did in the valleys near Jerusalem, he would have discovered that solid wealth is abundant here; that it comes by quicker process than Iowans are able to realize, and that comfort and good living are obtained here with fewer “hard knocks” than in any other part of the globe. Why, California plays second fiddle to no State in the Union for re- sources, advantages and opportunities. It is only the innate modesty of our people tnat keeps back the boast which conscious merit urges—that California, among the States, is to-day unqualifiedly “the best.” A hard saving man is Mr. Meredith. Ar- riving in San Francisco be put aside $ for traveling expenses and cut hi: self down to one meal a day. This single meal and a bed cost him 50 cents. Ashe { songht the commonest fare he might have gotten three or four meals and a room for that 50 cents if he had not been too hasty in selecting a boarding-place. | Working_ his way to the Hawaiian Isl- | ands Mr. Meredith obrained work on one | of the sugar plantations. There in keep: |ing bachelor’s hall he outrivaled the | Chinese in the cheapness of his fare, and | be makes it apparent that the Celestials | were more particular than he in their | mode of living. In Australia, where other Americans have made money, Mr. Meredith was the victim of a cold frost and heleft on the first vessel bound for England, via the Suez canal. The Holy Laud interested him 7 / 4'/ i1 /// 7 i i Ui HENRY NORMAN, AUTHOR AND JOUR [Mr. Norman has recently been prominently before the publi Venezuela incident threatened to bring on immediate host Lo intervicw prominent public men in Washington on the subject. duly cabled to his journal. In 1888 Mr. Norman visited San Franc which paper he was then connected. He remained here some ti wkich the above engraving is made was taken at that time.) /. NALIST. s the correspondent of the London Chronicle in this country. When the s between this country and Great Britain Mr. Norman was commissioned He succeeded in gaining numerous expressions of amity, which were i5co on his way to Japan on a mission for the Paill Mall Gazette, with me and took part in several social functions. The photograph from JOHN KENDRICK BANGS. ment i3 not to be congratulated. There is relief in the reflection that ‘A Man of Two Minds” is altogether fiction. This is a fact which the author kindly impresses upon the reader from the first page to the iast. Some authors adroitly clothe their charac- ters with such human qualities and such natural proclivities that the reader seems to know them asif they existed in veritable flesh and blood. Not so with Francis Til- lou Buck. His characters are mere shad- ows that seem to pass across the disk of an obscurely lighted magic lantern, and that atlast disappear into airy nothingness, like a will-o’-the-wisp or the phantom of a dis- solving view. EPublished by the Merriam Company, 67 Fifth avenue, New York. Price $1.] CHAINED TO EARTH. This is the age of novels, and every cause, creed and controversy produces its story with a moral as regularly as it pro- duces its arguments and polemics. It is in the nature of the age, therefore, that tbe present war on the church of Rome waged by the A. P. A. has inspired the writing of a romance to teach the doctrines and conceptions of the attacking party. The story is by a California author, Jane ‘Wooaworth-Bruner, and bears the title “Chained to Earth.” It is more of an extravaganza than anything else. Three spirits dwelling in another planet came to this one in order to lead an earth life. Two of them became Protestants and the third a Catholic. The incidents of the tale are of the character that are generally at- tributed to the Catholic priesthood by their opponents of the most decided type. The work can’ hardly be called literature. It was intended %0 present the Papal church as an_infamous institution, and to the extent of the author’s powers this has | been done without rezard to anything else. most of all. as he had studied the Bible | considerally, and he took great pleasure in | camping where he imagined Abrabam, | Isaac and Jacob camped and fed their flocks by the River Jordan. The author visits Egypt and climbs the pyramids; goes to Athens, and muses on | the Acropolis; journeys to Rome, where the wonders daze him; tramps to Naples, and then takes a “twg days’ trip to Vesn- | vius and Pompeii, which cost bim only 40 | cents’’; got glimpses of the darker quar- | ters of Paris and Loudon, and returned home seemingly with as much satisfac- tion as might be entertained by one gifted to view in classic light the vast history- breathing monuments of ancient glory, | near which the scholars of the world have | loved to linger. Mr. Meredith’s descriptions of cities and | places are hardly worth the reading. He | has learned something about the foreign pauper classes and not much else of conse- | quence. Nevertheless, the book, as a Americans. It is also warranted to cure the sharpest known 1t of the blues. THE NURNBERG STOVE. A new edition of ““Ouida’s’ charming little story, published by R. F. Fenno & Co., New York. It is got up in a very dainty style, yellow and silver prevailing in the binding. A feature is made of the illustrations, some of which are really exquisite. The pictures are half-tone reproductions of wash drawings, and serve to illuminate the text in a very satisfactory manner. [New York: R. F. Fenno & Co.] CAPE OF STORMS. The doctrine that the Jaws of morality are the same for men as for women has been the keynote of many a novel in these later days, and various have been the methods of expounding it. In a new story, A\ AN\ | “I AM THE PRINCESS OF (From *‘The Nurnberg Stove,” by Ouida.) SAXE-ROYALE,” SHE SaAlD. whole, may prove interesting as a hiterary curiosity. ~[Chicago: Laird & Lee. Price, 75 cents.] JOHN K DRICK BANGS. John Kendrick Bangs, whose portrait may be found on this page of THE CALL, is best known as theauthor of that laughable travesty, “A Houseboat on the Styx.” His reputation as a writer is quite of recent date, though he has been known for some years as the editor of and an occasional contributor to New York Life. Mr. Bangs was born in Yonkers, N. Y., in 1862. 1In 1883 he was graduated a bach- elor of philosophy from the School of Political Science of Columbia College. For a year and a half he studied law—as he puis it—‘‘at long range.” Disliking his legal studies he entered the service of Harper & Bros., in 1888, to take charge of the humorous department of their periodicals, which position he still holds. In 1886, shortly after his marriage, Mr. Bangs made a lengthened siay in Eng- land, where his first book, ‘‘Roger Camer- den,” was written. This was followed by “New Waggings of Old Tales,” “Kather- ine” and " “Mephistopheles,” the latter two of which were successfully dramatized, His first substantial success, however, was with the publication of ‘“Coffec and Re- partee,” ‘which is now in its fortieth thousand. Other books published since that time by Mr. Bangs have been *‘Toppleton’s Client,” brought out by a London house; ~The Water Ghost,” *“The Idiot,” “Mr. Bonaparte of Corsica,” *A Househoat on the Styx,” ‘A Rebellious Heroine,” which will appearin Harper's next issue, and “Three Weeks in Politics.” The “Houseboat on the Styx,” already mentioned, is one of the latest and best of Mr. Bangs’ works. In this he recounts the doings of a select body of immortal ;:‘hosts, who organize themselves into a club for mutual intercourse and social ben- efit. Here we find ola Charon the steward and general manager of an association which generously permits such diverse characters as Demosthenes and Dr. John- son, Confucius and Lord Bacon, Nero and Shakespeare, Emerson and P. T. Barnum to hold sweet converse. ’Io_ get the full benefit of these gentle- men’s conversation it would be well for ‘t‘he reader to take up Marion Crawford's 'With the Immortals.” A perusal of this, followed by a ‘“Houseboat on the Styx,” possesses a sort of educational value, inas- much as it affords a favorable opportunity for comparing the work of two literary i “‘Cape of Storms,” Percival Pollard illuse trates it in the lives of a young man and a young woman who walk the primsose paths of pleasure and acquire equally all the experience that mutable loves can give. The heroine and the hero having been lovers in youth, meet after their various experiences, and finding the old love still strong within them, make a mutual con- fession of their ‘“‘unworthiness” and re- ceive a mutual pardon. Afterward they marry to live happily, according to the example set in the old-time novel, and the moral is made clear that a woman may live as free as a_man lives and suffer no more shock to her womanhood than he does to his manhood. The subordinate characters of the story are mainly artists and journalists of Chi- cago and a fascinating marricd woman who likes to have clever men around her and aspires to have a salon. The book is mainly made up of conversations, and in all these there isan evident effort at wit, satire, cynicism and general brilliancy, but the success achie\'eg is just barely suf- ficient to keep the story entertaining enough to be a pastime.” The incidents are few and there is no attempt to give them dramatic force except in one in- stance. Despite the rather risky nature of the lot there is nothing at all risky in the story as told, and it will have the usual vogue of novels that claim to portray Chi- cago society asitis. [“Cape of Storms.” Percival Pollard, The Echo, Chicago.] A MAN OF TWO MINDS. “Chained to Earth,” Jane Woodwor th- | Bruner. Chicago and San Francisco, | Worth Publishing Company; vrice 50 cents. LITERARY NOTES. A life of Christ is to be published in Mec- Clure’s Magazine. The next volume in Macmillan’s series of Illustrated Standard Novels will be Dis- raeli’s “‘Sybil.” McClure announces that a complete lant has been purchased and that it will installed by the 1st of March. The initial article in Harper’s Magazine for February will be a description of the city of Baltimore, by Stephen Bonsal. Vierge, the illustrator, has furnished a series of illustrations for a Spanish story entitled “Sevillana,” to appear in the February Scribner’s. The first volume in the new series of ‘‘Foreign Statesmen,” published by Mac- millan & Co.. will be “Richelieu,” by Pro- fessor Lodge of Glasgow. Among buyers of copies of limited edi- | tions amusing are those who want the copy numbered one. They think that No. 1 contains first proofs of pictures. Balzac considered that he was wasting time if he devoted more than six months to any one of his longer stories. He fre- quently tinished a novel in less than three. De Quincey commonly wrote one of his essays in a week. He never hurried him- self, and wrote slowly to avoid what, to | him, was the disgraceful task of revision. | The present interest in the Transvaal has called attention again tothe admirable account of life among the Boers, and of Johannesburg, which is furnished in Frank Vincent’s **Actual Africa.” Professor Sayce’s book on “The Egypt of ithe Hebrews and Herodotus” has just | been published. The travels of Herodotus | in Egvpt are followed for the first time in the light of recent discoveries. Proiesser J. B. cMaster’s new book, which includes a review of the Monroe | Doctrine,” the “Third Term in History,” and other temes of special interest, is to | have as its general title “ With the Fathers.” 1 President Monroe’s famous message of | 1823, containing the statement of the *‘Monroe Doctrine " has been published in | fuil among the Old South Leaflets, being | No. 56 of this valuable series of historical | documents. { Professor James Sully’s delightful | *‘Studies of Childhood,” some of which have | appeared in Appleton’s Popular Science | Monthly during the past year, are now | issued in book formn. They make an ideal popular scientific book. Charles Scribner’s Sons announce that they will soon issue an elegant edition of the works of Eugene Field. It will be in ten volumes and sold only by subscription One hundred numbered sets will be printed | on Japan paper and specially bound. The Critic was born on January 15, 1881. | Its fifteenth birthday was celebrated yes- terday by the publication of an anniversary number, containing a bird’seye review of the literary movement as it has mani- fested itself in America during the past fifteen years, and other interesting feat- ures. ‘Women are taking up the art of book- binding and one of them, Miss S. T. Pri- deau, bas already won the highest distinc- tion in England in its practice, This lends particular interest to the article on *De- sign in Bookbinding’” in the February Scribner’s by Miss Prideau with samples of her best work. Dr. John Williams Palmer will con- tribute a paper to the February Century on “‘Certain Worthies and Dames of Old Maryland.” Many of the famous beauties and brave cavaliers of the colony sat for their portraits to Sir Joshua Reynolds, Kneller, Peale and Sully, and their quaint pictures and miniatures are reproduced. A “book lover” says in the New York Times: 1n Scribner’s old, old bookstore, one saw Samuel J. Tilden often, on the topmost rung of a ladder with books under his arm, books between his legs, and an open book in his hands. Nowadays when a bookseller gets a scarce old work or a lot of scarce books he sends an invitation to lcall, along descriptive letter or a printed ist. In the leading article of the January Monist Professor Mach of Vienna con- siders the large part which chance has played in nvention and discovery. He shows that many of the greatest discov- eries in science and the arts are due to the chance observations of some seemingly in- significant accidental circumstance. His article is a clear and simple philosophical examination of the methods of discovery. A Pretty Good College Yell. Smith College has no ‘‘vell.” Tts presi- dent announced this officially some time ago, but the young ladies of the college are sometimes, in moments of excitement, leaid to utter a cry which runsthus “Rah, rah, rah — Soph-i-ah — Smith.” “‘Sophia Smith” was the founder of the | 2 college, and if this is not a college yell, what is it ?—Hartford Times. Francis Tillou Buck is the author of a little book entitled “A Man of Two Minds.” The book islittle in every way— in plot, in merit, in dramatic interest and in size. This last is its redeeming quality. The story begins as if 1t were intended for a Sunday-school library, but the writer (unconsciously perhaps) before the close of his task ventures upon the borderland of a theme that is permitted only to the masters of literature. The scene between Alfred Sheldon and the notorious Mrs. Mills, for instance, is scarcely to be recom- mended for perusal by impressionable boys and cirls, and the point sought to be enforced is neither true nor healthful. The affection of a simple-hearted maiden, the pure love of a true woman, may not be properly measured by the paroxysms of an amorous woman of the world, who has wearied of her own lawfully wedded mate and is casting about to ensnare the hus- bands and sweethearts of other women. The autior who attempts such a measure- | A Fact Conceded The Big Shoe Factory %wes you hetter returns or your dollars than any other shoe house in this city. i 581-583 MARKET ST. JOHN BOLTON'S CONTEST, He Wants More Than $15,000 From His Grandfather’s Estate. Charges That James R. Bolton Was Unduly Influenced Against His Son. The will of James R. Bolton, which has been probated, and under thc‘tcrmi of which the estate has been distributed, is being contested by John R. Bolmn,_ a grandson of the testator. The grounds for the contest are undue influence and un- soundness of mind. James R. Bolton died on January 28, 1890. He left an estate valued at $500,000. Three days after his death Daniel Rogers and Robert C. Boiton. filed for probate a will dated January 25, 1888. Attached to the will were two codicils, one dated April 6, 1889, and the other October 29, 1839. Rogers and Robert Bolton were named as executors. The will was admitted to pro- bate, the estate was distributed on Jan- uary 22, 1894, and on May 29, 1894, the ex- ecutors were discharged. The petitioner is the 13-year-old son of John M. Bolton, deceased, who was a son of James R. Bolton, the testator, and he has several brothers and sisters, all un- der age. In hnis petition he avers that prior to the execution of his will James Bolton was afflicted with paralysis and paresis, and that he was not in a mental condition to sign any document, much less a will disposing of an estate worth $500,000. Tt is also averred that Bolton was for a long time, while mentally weak, under the influence of Rogers, Robert Bolton, Eutemia Estraca, Mary A. Bolton and Frances P. Melliss. To these the bulk of the property was bequeathed. These bequests, he alleges, were secured by arti- fice and 1nfluence, for they forced him to sign the will and the codicils as drawn. Only a very small portion of the estate, a piece of real estate valued at $15,000, was all that was left to John M. Bolton and his This amount out of a $500,000 es- is claimed, i1s but an 1nsignificant sum, and not at all like what the testator would have left had be not been influenced agamst John M. Bolton and his family. The petitioners pray that the will ad- mitted to probate be declared not to be the last will of James R. Bolton; that its pro- bate be revoked; tbat the order of distri- bution be vacated, and that an adminis- trator be appointed until the estate can be properly distrivuted. ————————— Mrs. Lovell White Appointed. The board of managers of the Woman's Congress Association was augmented et its meeting vesterday by the appointment of Mrs, Lovell White. The ladies spent the atternoon in the task of arranging the programme for the first three days of the congress. They re- ported much enthusiasm in the progress of theirplans. NEW TO-DAY. TORPORATED 5 January Sale oF. Desirable and Seasonable Goods Throughout Every Department AT- Prices Never Before So Low. We only ask an inspection. The price and quality are bound to be irre= | sistible. SPECIALS. Note the prices and be assured that there are others fully as attractive. GLOVES. 1200 pairs Yadies' 4-button English Walking Gloves, In tans, browns and Lnglish reds, a fac-simile of the Dent glove, perfect in every respect and are fitted to the hand. They are spiendid value at $1 25 per pair. For this sale the price is 75c Pair. Ladles’ Imported Swiss-ribbed Wool neck and long sieeves, color w lent garment and never sold at each. For this sale our price is 85c Each. Ladies’ Swiss-ribbed Lisle Thread Drawers, in ecru and black, one of last season’s most popniar sellers at 85c per pair. For this sale the price is 60c Pair. CORSETS. 450 pairs Ladies’ Extra Long Waisted 6-hook N L. Corsets, made of splendid quality of fme ported bl ateen, with two steels on each side and extra bound bust, finfshed with ik embroidered top and handsomely embroidered both top and bottom with colored silks in &'l sizes, 18 t0 30. The bes: vaiue in the world at $1.50 Pair. RIBBONS. 3500 pleces FIRST QUALITY Satin-odge Rib- bons, in all colors, at the following extraordf- v low prices suould not be confounded with infe- lities, as they are perfect goods of the & nari ard....... $50 piece card. | EMBROIDERIES—Never such designs, never such values as are now being show Mail orders promptly filled. NEWMAN & LEVINSON, 125, 127, 129, 131 Kearny Street BRANCH STORE—742 and 744 Market Street. WALL PAPER! JAS. DUFFY & CO. Have REMOVED to No. 20 Geary Street. GREAT REDUCTION TO CLOSE OUT LAST SEASON'S PATTE TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE NEW S WINDOW SHADES! Any Color, Size or Kind. WHOLESALE— AND—RETAIL.