The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 1, 1900, Page 6

H OW very fortunate it is that the literary folk were not all created with similar talents—what dry reading they would make for their Jess gifted brethren. The well-balanced mind requires relaxation. It cannot keep up the eonstant strain of ever following deep thoughts and learned sayings, no matter how interesting-the subject. Wit- ¢ of vaudeville upon the aters. The busi- is day of tolling and ds rest in & good laugh at the of horse play and pleasure g & performance that requires hought to follow, but m along without mental exer- It s eimply the matter of variety g of “all work,” “Jack™ tration of and So with the the heavy novel reading publie, it enjoys with its wealth of his- torical fact and involved plot; it appre- clates om the pen of the mas- ter; bu: 0 have by way of in- nooent fiction in pure narra- tive so_absorbing that 1 aside until finished forth pre-eminent- iterature. He always to tell and he has & e telling that keeps the mid- mand. The charm of his dfalogue—it 1s 8o sparkling, nd then his tales are always obable that they attract v ery extravagance. He can get ters into the worst dllemmas [ m again by the most un exr ns of the pen in & way quite pe’s latest romance is a long ovel reciting the most res of one “Captain e book is one of those crs forementioned. vou have time to finish r ghort it ' will when once be- 5 \e adventures of Cap- t rench solder of fortune, wh st 50,00 francs through a rely escaped ¢ cret service. h gallant cap- e inclemency of itive filght and the house of & st er a pecullar having agreed separate parts of n erected to of each en- s greeted most i d9n4™¢ A Do ow Women Atay Earn o Living.” work. By th pages he will come to the conc fon that he has every disease mentioned in the book, for he will certa he has all the symptoms. S0 it is with the book un- ie fair reader who wants to work but is in doubt as to which par- ticular s the best returns and whick would be most congenial will fird herself lost in this sea of “work symp- toms.” (The Macmillan Company, York. $L) A Historical hovel. der discussion: t Antwerp,” h & most interesting period—the El n e Fairfax Flamsteed, the has a mission to perform for the lthough this alone is the & t h the story centers, it is ®o replete with thrilling adventures, and the ing through it is so o , that it is not Jacking in Intense Flamsteed is more than a type; e 1= an Individual whose determination < admires that his undertakings are « followed—the reader is in sympa- th, with him throughout. At this time of the sixteenth century the plots of the par- Stuart against Elizaoeth of incidents for a thriiling one’s attention is held tul the A ast page. Fairf msteed is 2 young courtler, abeth’s bodyguard, and s sent t rd Hunsdon with a most important Jetter t the outset he is in danger of missive taken from him, and dden in a most ingenious way in t of mail. All sorts of machina- s are employed against him, some of ous nature that it seems impoa- Flamsteed to outwit the spies and But he does so, and arrives be- Lord Hunedon, to whom he delivers But fhis does not close the far he must still play a part in the ration of the unhappy Mary. She come to England to implore the pro- 1 of her cousin Elizabeth from her ous lords. Advised to throw herseif ut reserve upon the generosity of her 1 e . she finds herself a prisoner, is & strong scene whereMary pleads the 1 of Shrewsbury, in which goes on her knees to him. begging for and liberty in her very despair. She Lylores him to save her, not because she Mary is & Queen, but a broken woman—one who has been made a scapegoat rather than a scheming sinner. Flamsteed plays an important part in Mary’s removal to Coventry, in her at- tempted escapes—which he frustrates— end finally In the arrival at her prison. He then returns to Windsor, arriving on the approach of a procession, in which he recognizes the Queen on her way to St. George's Chapel. Seeing Flamsteed she ches 2 man to tell him to come to s she leaves the chapel. He re- ntly obeys, for his mud-bespattered clothes but hide a body even worse from nds and igue. eers Elizabeth by his good news— onment of the Queen of Scots & of the rebelllous factions th—and she returns to the chapel to give thanks. The romance closes with the happy ending of a pretty love story which runs through it. Irene Repyngdon, whom Flamsteed leaves at the beginning of their court- ship to execute the Queen's orders, lost parents when but & babe in a most tragic manner, and was brought up in Flamsteed's home. His enemies kidnap her, and she is incarcerated with him, under threat of torture, that her fears ¥ make him give up the letter; but he is finally rewarded en Elizabeth, msteed’'s re- irpriges him In a 1 he has > returns s father gam- her birth and cre- lon. When he t, as she sayr, (D. Apple- paper, 50 History of the People of the United States. slume Professor John Bach s with a perfod of our hi: d 1830, ‘which in many s received but scant at- ntion e of Monroe's term, the Adam vears of Jackson, form illar interest in view t of the mocratic t w inter- rents in vements hang- g presen- f the coun e opens ettlement fipitators, emporary for interference 1-American colc 11 condidates, npaign, end- s to elect, ims marked the end ry of the republic. are, therefore, n or review of rary and in- rose during the r the triumph nd Laber the politi movement of : the beginning. and the early sm. full mnt of from 182 to 1829; early probl en- of cities; of ous, strug- Following o Prob- t chapter, under the Revolution,” is an and development of nditions which led 1 1528; their pecu- icters; the violent opposition of and assertions of the State » of Calhoun and his party. lowed by an account of our literary efforts, which is singularly informing and interesting. There is a chapter on “The Common Schools During the First Half Century,’ and an- other, quite timely now, o cism of the United Statés,” setting forth very fully why our fathers hated Great Britain so heartily. Then follows an elab- orate review of political {deas; a chapter on foreign complications; the Panama Congr the prevention of the indepen- dence of Cuba by the United States in the “British Criti- interest of the slave-holding States; the dispute with Great Brit- greement of 1527; and a chapter on he Triumph of Democracy,” detailing the famous strug- gle ending in the election of Jackson, the removals from office, the attempt to buy Texas, and the risc of guestions concern- ing the Indian, the surplus, the public lands and the right of nullification. Many phases of our history treated in this vol- ume are now adequately presented for the first time, and several of them are of pe- cullar and timely interest. & Co., New York; $2 50.) To Prepare for Civil Service Ex- aminations. To enter the employ of the Government has been the earnest desire of many a ung Californian. Countless numbers have tried the examinations--some have sycceeded, many have failed. Uncle Sam has always been considered the best of employers. He pays reguiarly, gives falr compensation, offers steady positions and requires service not too severs and hours not too long. The great difficulty lies in obtaining civil ‘service appointment, not in holding the office after having once been duly installed. San Francisco and vicinity, with Its (D. Appleton - THE SUNDAY OALL. ECENT TALES FROM THE PENS OF STORY-TELLERS AND FINER SIFTINGS FROM THE LITERARY FLOUR-BIN. Mint, Custom-house, = Postoffice, navy- vard, life-saving service, lighthouse serv- ice, marine hospital service, and, in fact, nearly every branch under thé United States civil service law, offers a particu- larly attractive field for the civil service aspirant. Frequent notices are posted of examinations to be held for determining the eligibility of competitors for positions in the different departments. Of course, the mere fact of passing a successful ex- amination does not insure a place on Uncle Sam’s payroll. It means that the candidate is placed upon the list of eligibles for one yvear—after which time he must take another examination to again have an opportunity for appoint- ment. It means that if a vacancy should occur in the class for which he stood trial his name will have a chance according to the percentage to his credit. On the other hand, while a successful examination does not necessarily mean appointment, a fail- ure to pass certainly means no appoint- mcut. Many a young person has failed in th exami fons simply for the reason that he did not know upon what particular studies he should devote his time par understand the rules and tech- nicalities governing a competition. v to Prepare for a Civil Service Ex- with Recent Questions and s a work upon this subject that will prove of invaluable ald to those who intend to make an attempt in this directic It is written so plainly and nd the different points are pre- sented so systematically that any person reading it should, if at all qualified, be able -to pass successfully. It supplies everything necessary except actual brain power. The book gives first a minute discussion of all branches of the service, with the necessary qualifications, probable cash returns, chances of promotion, specimen examination papers, and the fullest de- tails regarding proper forms of applica- tions for entry as .a candidate. for any particular department. There is an interesting table presented showing the number examined during the past three years in the different depart- ments, those who have succeeded and those who have failed, together with the salaries at which the successful one were appointed. The United States civil ser- vice law is also given, and in addition some 200 pages are devoted to a *Ten Weeks' Course of Study,” with typlcal questions and answers, which themselves have been presented to civil service candi- dates. The book includes a helpful index. (Hinds & Noble, New York. $2.) @ Story by Helen Mather. “The Lovely Malincourt” s the name of an exquisite creature who goes to Lcndon to pay her aunt an unexpected and unso- licited visit. She has many scalps dang- ling at her waist and is thonght to be In- vulnerable, but after a three weeks' visit ehe has to steal away from her aunt’s, as she discovers she has given .her heart t« her ‘stepcousin, Ronny, who, unfortunate- ly, is loved by another beautiful creature Lesley ‘Malincourt nobly gives up her chances to the girl whose heart is break- ing for this much sought after hero and returns home, where her faithful swains hover around, finding her sadly changed, however. She hears that Ronny has fought a duel in_her behalf ‘and is -wounded, but her promise to the lovely Cynthia, who loves him, forbids her going to him, though her heart is almost broken. He recovers and is about to marry Cynthia, after. having learned through a mistake that Leslcy is engaged. This news almost prostiates her and she is quite disconsolate, when a summons reaches her that her aunt 1s dy- ing. On her arrival there she meets Ron- ny, who immediately takes her in his arms, despite the presence of the lovelurn By B. G. Lathrop. Cynthia, The latter then returns the lover to Lesley, realizing he will never cease to love her, and =0 it ends. Lesley’s heroic sacrifice in giving up the man she loves when the learns another has loved him longer is made ridiculous by her hasty acceptance of him a few pages later on. The book affords an after- noon's reading perhaps—not much more. (Charles H. Sergel Company, Chlcago, $125.) The Overland Monthly. The bound Overland Monthly is a vel- ume that should recelve a welcome in the library of every Californian. Volume XXXIV, containing the numbers from July to December, 1899, i3 now ready for circulation. In addition to its short storfes; poems and critical articles of a general nature, it contains many papers upon iocal subjects or matters directly pertaining to the interests of the people of this coast. Its half-tone work is most creditable and adds materially to_the lifa a@nd value of the text. Overland Monthly Publishing Comvany. San«Francisco. Brotijer Officers. R. H. Russell of New York has issued at 25 cents per copy a pictorfal souvenir of the Empire Theater stock company in their comedy, “Brother Officers.” The edition contains twenty-one half-tone re- productions of Mr. Faversham and Miss Margaret Anglin and the members of the company in different scenes from the play, some of which are shown on this page. Mr. Russell Is to be complimented upon the excellent finish of his work. “Klipling Note Book."’ A. Wessels Company has just issued the twelfth number of a “‘Kipling Note Book," which completes the volume of this unique little periodical. In the twelve numbers will be found a .collection of Kipling's fugitive pleces which are not to be found elsewhere, together with many personal and blographical anecdotes not generally known; also a bibliography having special reference to the earlier and rarer Indian and English editions. (A. Wessels Com- pany, New York. $150.) Home Reading for the Children. “Stories From the Arabian Nights,” se- lected by Adam Singleton, and appearing as one of the series of Appleton’s “Home Reading Books,” will prove popular with the young people. It contains four rep- resentative tales, somewhat abridged, from the ‘book of the “Thousand Nights and a Night,” together with coplous foot notes of an explanatory nature calculated to make the reading instructive as well as interesting. A valuabje introduction is given on. the history of the Arabs and their way of life: also something about Sir Richard Burton, the translator of the “Arabian Nights" from its original lan- guage, and how the “Tales of the Thou- sand and One Nights" came to be told. The book is clearly printed upon good pa- per and is filled with excellent photo- gravures. (D. Appleton & Co., New York. 65 cents.) History of Spanish-American War. It is only recently that the completion ot the’ official reports and the collection of adequate testimony from the Spaniards, as well as the Americans, has made It possible to prepare an authoritative his- tory of the Spanish-American war. Rich- ard H. Titherington has compiled a his- tory of the war of 1898 which shows a careful study of a vast amount of first- hand evidence in addition to the official reports. It is written In a dispassionate spirit and presents an unprejudiced view of various matters which have been in controversy. The author first gives a brief sketch of Cuba and the island's relations to the United States; then a brief acoount of the events leading up to the war; an inter- esting chapter upon the resources of the combatants, followed by a full account from the beginning of actual hostilities to the conclusion of peace. The work Is necessarily concise, and no space Is wasted in descriptive “fine writing’" or ex- tended critical disquisitions. As an au- thoritative work for reference it will be found of exceptional merit, and its value is materially enhanced by many excellent sketch maps and a very thorough index. Although nothing of moment Is neglected, every event Is compressed into the small- est number of words consistent with its importance. Matters that have been the subject of serious contention and citation of authorities for the fixing of credit and responsibility are dealt with more fully, as, for instance, the discovery and de- struction of Cervera's fleet, the inade- quacy of our commissary department as shown at Santiago, the evil conditions of our hospital transports, and our relations to the Philippine insurgents. The narra- tives of the gaflant fights at Caney and San Juan and the magnificent naval vic- tory at Santiago are spirited and effect- fve, without verbosity. The book Is filled with citations of au- thority. of which the reader may avall himeelf if he desires to go deeper into th subject or wishes to inform himself more at length upon the detalls of some par- ticular event. (D. Appleton & Co., New York. $150.) “Terence. Bertha M. Croker has brought out an- , other novel, not as good as “‘Pretty Miss , Neville,” but very readable. She has for- saken her favorite playground, India, for \ the moment and lays her scene in Ire- land, where she paints a pretty picture, full of color, with Terence and Maureen the (wo interesting characters well brought out. The family of Terence have become ruined, and in order to satisfy the ex- travagant notions of a selfish old grand- mother he gets a place as driver of a coach. Maureen and her party go on a fishing ; expedition to-the scene of his labors and instantly Maureen recognizes that he is a gentleman, and it isn't long before she has lost her heart. There are many excitements in which Terence is the hero, and ultimately he is rewarded by her love. The book ends with the restoration of his estates and his return to society. (F, M. Buckles & Co., New York. $125.) Overheard by the Boskworm. Among the features of Scribner's Mag- azine for April the animal story by Ernest Seton-Thompson, illustrated by him, will attract the large audience which has been fascinated by “Wild Animals I Have Known.” In this story is given the life and adventures of a curious little animal of the southwest, known as the kangaroo rat. Henry Van Dyke has another out- door story, the scene of which Is laid in a lighthouse on the St. Lawrence. The title is **The Light That Failed Not.” H. J. ‘Whigham, who is following the Modder River column, contributes to this number an account of the British defeat at Ma gersfontein. This brings the narrative up to the time when General Lord Roberts took command of the column. Mr. Whig- ham has had good fortune with his photo- graphs taken on the fleld of battle, a num- ber of which appear in this article. The tide of travelers which has already turned toward Paris will find much to interest. them in Miss Tarbell's article on *“The Charm of Paris,” which conveys with sin- gular success the characteristics of Paris, which make those who know it well love it. The {llustrations are by a number of the best known French artists. Governor Roosevelt continues his monograph on “Qliver Cromwell,” with an account of the Irish and Scotch wars. Mrs. W"P!u- ton's short rovel, “The Touchstone,” i3 concluded. W. C. Brownell, the eminent art critic, gives a brief estimate of John Ruskin as a writer and critic of art, and Russell Sturgis touches on the same sub- ject in the Fileld of Art. Professor W. M. Flinders Petrie, the distinguished Egyptologist, contributes the leading article to the April number of Appleton’s Popular Science Monthl His subpject is ‘“‘Recent Years of Egyp- tian' Exploration.”” “The Gold Sands of Cape Nome” is the title of an llustrated article from the pen of Professor Angelo Hellprin, the well-known geographer and author of an important work on Alaska and the Klondike. Professor John Trow- bridge of Harvard has an {llustrated ar- ticle giving an account of “Recent Work With the X Rays,” whose remarkable qualities were not, it seems, by any means exhausted during the popular flurry im- mediately following their discovery. Pro- fessor F. W. Clarke, whose work has played an’' important part in the rece:x( advancement of atomic chemistry, is the author of an able article giving a history of the chemical advance of the nineteenth century. An Interesting and instructive article by D. Cady Eaton gives a brief outline of *“The Science of Art Form. A number of diagrams help very much in bringing out the author’s points. “Steam Turbines and High Speed Ve: is the title of an article by Hon. Charles A. Parsons, the designer of the steam vacht Turbinia, which last year ran at the rate of nearly forty miles an hour. A descrip- tion of the engine and a number of illus- trations give one a very good idea of its construction and operation. The conclud- 9ng chapter of Professor Evans’ papers on “Modern Survival of Medieval Credulity is published in this number. Professor B. D. Halsted is the author of an article en- titled “Genuine Starch Factorfes,” which tells in a popular way the story of plant growth. A number of good drawings ac- company the text. ‘Trade Corporations in China” is the title of an interesting paper by Maurice Courant, which closes the body articles. Titles in the “Editor's Table” are “Sclence and Dogma” and “A More Excellent Way.” The April Century is rich in pictorial fl- lustration, its special art features includ- ing a frontispiece engraved by Cole, a full-page painting of Dr. H. O. Tanner's painting, ““The Annunciation’: Castaigne’s Parls pictures and Du Mond’s decorative treatment of “The Groves of Pan” a poem by Clarence Urmy. Frem the “Talks With Napoleon,” in this number it appears that the Empercr was so fully resolved to make his home in America, ‘n the event of defeat at Waterloo ° had bills drawn upon this country for whatever sums he chose to take. “Fash- fonable Paris” Is brought vividly before the reader by Richard Whiteing’s pen and Castalgne's_pencil. M. Worth's explana- tion of how fashions were started, under the Second Empire, {5 one of the titk of this paper. Lovers of travel and ad- venture will turn to Miss Scidmore’s count of “The Greatest Wonder in Chinese World,” the bore of Hang-Cha a tidal wave that sweeps up the Tsien- tang River thrice every year; to R. Tal- bot Kelly's ““Out-of-the-Way Places in Egypt,” with straticns by the a; and to the first installment of Ben Wood's true tale of e Ha fa Reptiler” engaged In turtle- ng, for profit, on the Caribbean coast of Central America. The same class of readers will be drawn to “The Kentuckian,” a tir study of a type, by John Gilmer Speed, a native of Kentucky, and In some re- spects a typlcal representative of Grass State. Lovera of letters other hand, will find their a “Browning in Asolo,” by Kath Bronson, an American friend of the poet the loggla of whose summer perhaps the one spot In Ita attracted him. Of kindred interest unpublished letter of Tennyso a bricklayer in a Western Sta known the Laureate in his ck Morley treats chiefly, this mont of 1647, and Cromwell therein. In Dr. Weir Mitchel North and His Friends,” the herolne fis introduced—a beautiful young woman with a beautiful voice but a slightly de- formed body. “The Dulce-Piji Family” g a sympathetic study of marmosets, by . who crisis Justine Ingersoll, with pictures arawn from life. W, 8. Harwood writes of “The Success of the Government Telegraph in England,"” and Charles Barnard of “The Industrial Revolution of the Power-Tool Fiction in the form of short stories bears the familiar names of Cornelia Atwood Pratt, Abble Carter Goodloe and Ellis Parker Butler. The frontisplece is T. Cole’'s engraving of Constable’s “The Thames." Winter lingers In the lap of spring in the April St. Nicholas in the form of a paper on “Snowplows,” by George E. ‘Walsh, who describes the process of “bucking” a snowdrift on a railroad ir Dakota In the days before the rotars steam snowplow was invented. The d- scription 1s fllustrated from photograps. “A Boy of Galatia” is the winner of an old Olympian race, and the event j=elf is described with animation by Sanuel Scoville Jr., who has witnessed m:ny a contest of a similar kind, albeit (n soil less world renowned. Tudor Jerks, in “Papa Dragon's Tale,” makes hS hero sigh for the good old times when men did not have to be picked out of meal shells before being eaten, as the gallaxt knights of a later generation did. ‘“‘Au Through Gravitation,” by Mary V. Worstell, is the story of a little girl whose arm was broken by the force of gravtation that caused another little girl to (rip and fall, but who found compensatiod in the same force, which caused a fall of meteorites, some of which she found and sold for enough money to pay for a handsome bi- cycle. Elbridge S. Brooks. in “The Fight for a Language,” treatd In his familiar manner of the early struggle for English supremacy along the coast of Maine. “Are You Going to the Paris Exposition?" asks Margaret' E. Caldwell, and assumiing that you are and that you are a young girl, she tells you how to prepare for the trip by when you get reading, and how to enjoy | to Paris. Mrs. mund Gos contributes a short story and there verses and pictures innumerable. Everybody's Magazine for April con- tains many interesting fe: res. The sec- ond article in the series, * Industries,” treats of the works of Pittsburg, ner this profits excee the series of * up a fascinating s has undoubtedly been a my tenths of the magazine read the method of navigating a ship servation of the sun and stars difficult mathematical subje is explained In a sing and appears to be v A very strong artic Coast Defenses,” whi manufacture, emplacen b huge disappearing guns, the mortar bat- teries and coast defenses in general which are now being pushed to npletion on seadboards. new and in- cor teresting The most striking feature of the April East and West is a poem Caw son ble for its ness of its s y of fate century of emphasize the strange that has compelled our peace and progress primal flare of war and am old clang of arms. The P« tainly attract attentic In Cram’'s Magazine for March Editor Israel Smith Clare o history of the Brit trated), a subject g an excellent do of South Africa. and of the well-k work from Mr. feature praiseworthy An article on the Ca gold flelds, also wit “Trans-Isth Commerce,” W pen, add muct ber of this popu day Evening Post of Apri e first of a series of pa- L Moody,"™ 1 Mr. In the Satv 7 will app pers on “Memor written & Moody father's es of has h a work should preser Books Received and Practice of Taxation, D. Appleton & Co. es We of the People of the United Bach McMaster; v & Co., ame New Paul ng Company, Carus. e Four Inseparabl hitaker & Ray C Again,” Ly Urmy, D.r. Eaton & Mains, San Fran- o and New York. $1 The (viminal—His Personnel and virenm by August Drahms Macmi'an Company, New York. $2. “Mir#-Ann," by Norma Lorimer. D. Appledn & Co., New York. SL “H.ven's Modern Jou n and Gen- era; Literature,” by Curtis Haven. Pub- lished by the author, Philadelphia, Pa. “fhe Seckers,” by Stanley Waterloo. Hertert york. $1 “Two Gentlemen in Touraine,” by Rich- ard Sudbury. Herbert S. Stone & Co., Chicago and New York. $350. A Maker of Nations,” by Guy Boothby. D. Appleton & Co., New York. $L och Willoughby, by James A. Wickersham. Chatles Scribper’s Sons, New York. $130. ‘“Was Savonarola Really Excommuni- cated?” by J. L. O'Neil, O. P. Marller, “allanan & Co.y Boston. ‘Guide to Mexico,” by Christobal Hidalgo. The Whitaker & Ray Co., San Franc $1. “Love's Dream,” by Mrs. Eben F. Champney. J. 8. Ogilvie & Co., New York. 25 cents. “The Absent-minded Beggar,” by Rud- yard Kipling. Brentano New York. 285 cents. “An Ald in the Studying and Teaching of ‘Lady of the Lake. ‘Evangeline’ and ‘Merchant of Venice." Published by The Whitaker & Ray Co., San Francisco. 25 cents. “A Golden Autumn,” by Mrs. Alexan- der. J. B. Lippincott Company, Phila- delphia. 30 cents.