The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 17, 1901, Page 4

f maniac. He nto three parts akness in itself. The x are supposed to have rit b mother by adoption Contessa di Rimint autobiographic ac- nd tis a se econd he in genius ¥ bt over the authors f th hinting that it w of the diseased brain T k lies in part t pictures in known as the scchesi is a - ' the present a ¥ ini, who plays 80 to do by a sh » s who s him that in « and rule t . o does nothing ex t i n and allows his emo- t £ 10 8 e aim that at times he half-crazed and unconscious and fore: then re- play the weird com- floated through his as a man Is thoroughly u and irresponsible. His le specimen, though a ts and holds him in check m the god of the for his moral sal- work his own way handsome an ed mu- ractive to the falr sex, interesting affairs of rked by his extreme an Italian, inherit- al and passionate tells his story nce of expression southern clime. His f his first appearance in in Frauce and then in Eng- the varying effects of his music are dramat- e author at her ription of his debut. the mervous excitement and, after his acceptance lience as = musical marvel, the te vanity of the man—for it must rbered that this is from the view- azy artist himself—that it f the best bits of its kind: Milan, where my first con- ¢ ut the Theater La Scala, upon September, 15— As the eventtul ched 1 was consumed with an e nervous excitement, which increased to insanity upon the night of my 1 became wild with ansuish over the bis and fears which assailed me, and to y exaggerated fancies I drank huge of wine; my nerves became numbed, but my excitement increased. Sarcl chided me upon my weaknbess, childishness, and, upon evening aporc inte Ge A 5 ey ,t"t‘vX WYL sk ot Teaching the theater, escorted me to a huge. dimly lighted space with a curtain stretched across one side. Upon a table in the center of this space rested the violin. “Now come,” he sald, leading me toward the curtain, “take a peep at the house.” Pointing to'an opening in the cloth he bade me look. I did so, gasped, peeped again, then staggered away. “I cannot!” I cried, shaking my head apd waving my arms frantically. *1 cannot o before such a multitude of faces, With their round, curious eyes leveled upon me. In- epiration will mnot come. I ehall make & flasco. God forgive me!” “What would you have?’ dragging me aw: ‘an empty house? " ] @14 mot expect this,™ I cried distractedly, crased with fear. ‘‘My wildest moments r.w\nr pictured & house such as this. I eannot play— hissed Sarci, Surely 1s , 1 know I shall. They will hiss AR, 1 would rather dle!” Fright had worked me to & state of frenzy Ralucct came ng toward us, surmising at there was gomething Wrong, & I cont:nued to frantically slash the air with s. Sarci gazed at me in dismay g = My dear Gaetan he said, endeavoring o soothe. believe everybo s the first ing; but had I your talent I he least uneasiness. You g0 on. Such an action would Play you must. These countenance being brought ake off this womanish Such actions 1 the curtain rises and vast multitu ¢ your auditors; concentrate ragine yourself s; the faces con- the strange, ime rather uld stra began tuning dragged me from ng in a glass d It was liquor me sort, and to a harml tie. I began becile tears between my sobs and begged to be let off. air, and thought fr: and by the great light he stage I knew the curtal sald Sarci, grasping his hair aiting. Gaetano,” airingly ¥ hands and implored gaze more upon. again.” T gasped. T rage 1o & ing © ' scene. emanded a_fa.r thing occurred 1 what, nor have I tried ded between my shoul- xt ins 1 was upon I glare of the lights, and ming me with thunder- was impossible. I oward the treacherous greeted my ears n, with knees knock- c front of the ause with a 4 the vio- paralysis had apparently ould not raise the instru- and thers I stood, stark and piratd anced to A the app then 1 gras a mortal. Then, he curious faves vanished, . before my terrified eves, ampened my fevered brow and 4 the heated brain within. A hand gently 4 my shoulder; the huge, dark shadow, ompanion of my childhood, stood before e electric power contained within this the magic of hij touch, caused the nt biood to rush like quicksilver through velne. Cowardice vanished; I seemed to with confidence and self-importance. I this was the event of my life, and er stood strong and mighty to meet realized like & 8 uds rolled away: the lights, the hot umed alr, the curious faces of the thou- who had collected to hear me became b bax helght; my heart swelled so with triumph I thought it would burst. I staggered from the stage, to be recelved behind the scenes with exultant cries and embraces from Sarci and Salucel. Yes, I had made a success; the ap- plause and yells of “Bravo! bravo! encore! encore!” told that but too plainly. Back to the stage I went; again and again did I play to the infatuated public, who, no doubt, would bave remained the entire night had not Sarci insisted when the time came that the theater CUBAN PLOM. visible. The expression of those nearest to me was one of alarm, uneasiness, at my strange behavior. Quickly I raised the violn, nd as 1 did the figure beside me turned its face, and as though from afar, in faint wrings, 1 heard the words, “In thee, Gaetano, 1 triumph again! Play on; give full rein to thy passion; failure does not exist for thee." The shadow evaporated, but 1 knew, though invisible, that Genius hovered guardingly. sing the bow I drew it across the strings of the violin, and a sweet, divine melody as of angel volces issued forth; I charmed my audience with this sweet strain, then pro- ceeded to test the power I was endowed with. T became alarmed with my success; the mul- titude and 1 were one, completely under the speil; 1 was In absolute control. Thelr imagination traveled . as I dictated, and the befogged intellects followed as I com- manded. Before their dazed eyes the theater disap- peared in the conjurer's vapor. Presented to them was the wild scenery of a great ocean, which bounded and raged amid a terrific storm. They saw & huge ship crash upon jagged, treacherous rocks, and go to de- struction in the mighty billows. They heard the despalring wshricks of the unfortunates aboard; they heard the terrific roar and thun- der of the clouds as they crashed together, and they were terrified yet fascinated by the angry music of the raging elements. From thence I carried them to gorgeous climes, where it is summer always, and the romances are ms thick as the treacherous reptiles which mbound in those countries. The music became sweet, languid, passionate, then died away in a sensuous wall. The vioiin fell to my sid In silence 1 gazed at this mighty multitude which before had filled me with such dread. In silence they gazed back—then sighs were heard; women fell back almost fainting In thelr seats, men mopped their brows, and gazed at one another; then as though awak- ening from a dream, with one accord, the burst into applause—applause which shook the house to the foundation. From the gallery the name of Paganini was hurled down at me, Again and again did I bend an acknowledg- ment of the honors they showered upon me; inches and inches seemed to be added to my m shouia be cleared, the lights extinguished and I taken home and put to bed. The first part of Mrs. Blagi's work is of the weakly, prosaic, melodramatic order and would lead the reader to belleve he was about to encounter the usual story of the malden wronged and an ultimate vengeance wreaking itseif on the head of the base deserting father. It serves its purpose of throwing some doubt on the true parentage of Gactano, but might well be shortened to the advantage of the story as a whole. Those who get over this first stumbling block will, however, feel well repald by Lhe strong character portrayal in the paxes which follow. Mrs. Blagl, by the way, is a San Francisco woman. -If her book can be given the en- ergetic advertising which the big Eastern publishers accord volumes which they wish to make ‘““‘ths books of the year,” and can be put through the usual course of editions customary In boom cases In the book world, there is a good chance of its rising to prominence. (Published by F. Tennyson Neely, New York. Price §1.) B. G. LATHROP, P B Constitutional History of the United States. “Tn 1898 {here was published by Harper Bros. a splendid work on “Constitutional History of the American People, by Francis Newton Thorpe, Ph. D., some- time fellow and professor of American constitutional history in the University of Pennsylvania. This history was printed in two volumes and narrated the origin and development of the State govern- ments.. Professor Thorpe now appears as the author of a more extensive work of the same nature, whose theme is the biog- raphy of the national system. This last #7 —ublished in three volumes with a co- —ols index. The present work is probably the best of its kind in existence. It represents twenty years of hard and careful research on the part of the author. With pains- taking care he traces the origin, progress THE SUNDAY CALL. and development of constitutional govern- ment in America from the close of the French wars in 1765, the time of the stamp act, to the year 18%, and the principles on which our natlonal civil system is founded are {llustrated from the course of events. Professor Thorpe is himself a lawyer and records his facts with legal clearness, brevity and judiclal impartial- ity. His is the only work which deals with the period 1861-95. The first volume the author divides into two books. The first book discusses the new nation and the second the formation of the national constitution. He shows that our national system was evolved from colonial conditions and was in no sense a sudden inspiration or creation. He narrates the history of the country from the time of the stamp act to the completion of the constitution by the Federal convention. Volume two shows that while the sys- tem proposed by the Federal convention was approved by the people, still there was a demand for its amendment and that in 1804 this demand was complied with and the first twelve amendments wers ratified. After this there was a long period of compromises and contests which arose under the attempt to carry out the system. The volume concludes with the account of the last effort at compromise, the proposed amendment of 1861 Of the period 1789-1860, or from the adop- tion of tha constitution to the civil war, much historical matter has been written, notably by Dr. von Holst in his great Constitutional History, and by Tucker, But there are marked differences which distinguish Professor Thorpe's from these other great works. His view point is of events as they occurred and of public opinion, crystallized into forces express- ing themselves In the work of congresses, conventions and public assemblages, thus illustrating the development of govern- ment. Dr. von Holst's mind led him to treat this perjol of our history with ref- erence to the motives of political action as manifested by popular leaders and by the great political pariics, while Tucker's view was directed largely to its legal phases and problems. The varfations in the treatment of their theme by these great authors indicate strong differences in their works. Thorpe's books present in logical array the facts, showing an orderly development of our constitutional system. Von Holst's work s 2 master's series of studies of po- litical motives and actions, whiléTuck- er's work presents a great study in the law of the constitution. In the third volume, Professor Thorpe's treatment of the period from 1860 to 189, embracing the history of the adoption of the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendments and the readmission of the rebellious States, after reconstruction, iato participation in the Federal Govern- ment, is new. No work, save Thorpe" has yet attempted to cover this period. Of this important epoch ini our history the author shows wherein the compromise «of 1861 failed with the result of the civil war and the reorganization of the Ameri- can system of government. He says: The supreme law, that fs. the general plan of American government, was amended, and many causes of irritation, and the principal cause of contest. were removed. The vast change caused by this reorganization is nar- rated In the third volume. Its great theme 1s emancipation and the extension of suffrage. Professor Thorpe has carried out his 4 narration chronologically and without di gression or Interruption, so that the con- nected facts of our history can be easily remembered. His style is easy and fluent and he tells his story with consecutive- ness, clearness, amplitude and unity. (Published by Lallaghan & Co., Chicago. In three volumes, price 7 50.) The Great Boer War. Although the struggle between Great Britain and the Boers is by no means at an end, still the “histories” of the war are already among the number legion. Of course, the great battles of the war are over, but still the tight Is on. Up to date one of the most interesting histories that has been presented for our notice is that by A. Conan Doyle of “Sherlocs Holmes"” fame. Dr. Doyle is too well known as a novellst to waste paper in singing his praises as a writer of fiction. He now ap- pears as a historian, and from a careful perusal of his pages on “The Great Boer ‘War” we must concede that he is entitied to laurels in this line also. From the data at hand when his book went to press he has given a most creditable showing. He has conformed to fact throughout, and vet his work is enlivened with the dra- matic style of the novelist, which im- presses with double force its points on the mind of the reader. He writes with great falrriess, and no one can possibly take exception to the work because its author is an Englishman to the core. Dr. Doyle served under the Britlsh flag and was consequently In a position to know where- of he speaks. This, combined with his literary ability, makes his book one of the most valuable on the subject of all those which have as yet appeared. He has a way of impressing his pictures on the mind of the reader that is not soon to be forgotten. Dr. Doyle realizes fully the narrow es- cape his country has had from a great fall, and there is no effort on his part to minimize in the least the almost fatal mistakes which are in evidence on the part of the British military authorities, He also gives the Boers full credit for their remarkable campaign, which far sur- passed anything that the civilized world believed they were capable of putting into execution. On the first page he says: “They are one of the most rugged, virils and unconquerable races ever seen upon the face of the earth' and furthermore states that “Napoleon and all his veterans never treated us so roughly as these hard- bitten farmers, with their ancient the- ology and their inconveniently modern rifles.” He opens his story with the usual and necegsary preamble of the causes which led up to the war and the exact relations between the Boers and Ultlanders which caused the trouble. All of which is quite necessary to make any history complete, but at this time so well known to the ‘average reader as to reeeive merely a glance. In his descriptions of the various engagements Dr. Doyle is at his best, for here the pen of the novelist can have full sway. His pictures are virile and force- ful, and convey a better idea of a modern battle, with its improved weapons of war, than those of any of the more matter of fact historlans who have endeavored to depict these scenes. Moreover, Dr. Doyle is himself a warrior, and having been on Illustrations From Norton’s Handbook of"Havana o and Cuba. i the scene and an active participator in the drama he is able to give just the right touch of detail to carry conviction. His comparison of the trained and wooden discipline of the English troops with the mobility of the Boers is most in- teresting. and his figures, shoWing the really unneces loss of life through “military diseipline” and a close observ- ance of ‘‘tactics,” are certainly instrue- tive. (Published by McClure, Phil ips & Co., New York. Price’sl #.) About Dante. “There was never a better time than the beginning of the twentieth century for the study of Dante, the ‘Divine Poet.’ The eve of Good Friday of the year 1901 A. D, completes the seven hundredth year since he started, as he tells us in his im- mortal poem, ‘The Divine Commedia,’ on a journey to the land of spirits, soon find- ing as his guide his beloved Virgil, who conducted him through the Inferno and the Purgatorio until he met his early love, Beatrice, who led him on to the Par- adiso.” 8o says Frances Fenton San- born in an introduction to a recently pub- lished book, “Abolit Dante and His ‘Be- loved Florence.’ " ‘This book is intended merely as a help to those who would study the works of the great Florentine writer and would wish to know = little of his life and writ- tings. It contains many opinions of him from the greatest minds of modern days, eulogistic poems composed. in his “honor, as well as sketches of the man himself. The pictures of him by great artists, which are made a part of the book,, are well reproduced, and add much to the value of the work as a handbook to be used in making the acquaintance of Dante and his work. (Published by the Whit- aker & Ray Company, San Francisco. Price $1.) Norton’s Handbook of Havana and Cuba. At this time when so much interest cen- ters in our colonial possessions, all books concerning them are acceptable. One has been recently published ‘as a *“Complete Hand-book of Havana and Cuba” by AJ- bert J. Norton, which is of more than passing interest. Mr. Norton is a.mem- ber of the Chicago bar and the present work Is the result of a visit to Cuba and careful study in the early part of 1%00. Its author has evidently had access to many valuable records and official docu- ments which he has incorporated in his book, and his legal training has stood hjm in good stead toward giving a concise ac- count of just those points which we of America should know. The volume is filled with valuable statistics, maps and illustrations. He has endeavored to cover the field thoroughly for the tourist, settler and investigator. Mr. Norton divides the treatment of his subject into two parts. In part one ae ~ gives a general ide: vana, its harbor, fortifications, buildings, clubs, hospitals, drives and other points dear to the heart of the sight-seer. He devotes some space to the social life of the city and the feeling of the Cubans toward Americans. The appendix to this first part contains many facts and flgures of interest with regard to the rallroads, street railroads, steamshlp companies, distances from Havana, census of 1399 and educational facilities. Part twp is taken up with a description of Cuba; its resources, area and popula- tion, topography, climate, minerals, tim- ber, agriculture and investments. The author gives a chapter on the administra~ tion under the Spanish, and then devotes considerable space to the military occu- pation by the Americans. This .last in- cludes a detailed accoupt of the present condition and affairs political of the island under the military governorship of General Leonard Wood. The book is all that it professes to be and the subject is one that concerns every American. The public at large should take every opportunity to inform itself upon matters connected with a country and people whose affairs have be- come a part of our own. (Published by Rand, McNally & Co., Chicago. FPrice 31 50.) My Boys in the Tropies. There has just been published by the My Boys' . Publishing Company of San Francisco a very interesting souvenir book of engravings showing scenmes and incidents relative to the war in the Philippines. Its contents comprise sixty-three halt-tone reproductions 6x8 inches, done on excellent paper and markably well printed. ‘The name ftself —“My Boys in the Tropic: uggests what an excellent present the book wiil make for any one having a friend in the army corps who has seen active service at or around Manila. The press work has been done by Sanborn, Vail & Co. i Literary Notes. In the February Atlantic Gerald Stanley Lee prints a characteristic essayon “Mak- ing the Crowd Beautiful.” It is a corollary to his widely read paper on “The Dom- inance of the Crowd,” in the December number. The Overland Monthly for February has rather a departure from its usual illustra- tions in some impressionistic washes by C. Leslie Hunter. One of these, depleting the fishermen at work mending their nets on the whart, an excellent compo- sition. The magazine contains its quota of bright verse and Interesting stories— notably one by Edward F. Cahill, “With Whips and Scorns.”” The half-tone repro- ductions of photographs showing scenes of “The Land of Willam Tell” are re- markably good. Henry Norman, M. P., has recently r turned from another visit to St. Peters- burg, and as a result has written for the March Scribner’s an article on the most powerful political man in the empire, M. de Witte, the Minister of Finance. The new economic and industrial Russia is a creation of this man, and a recent di patch adds: “His love of peace, his de- termination to develop Russla’s internal resources and his pronounced American sympathies are sufficfent reasons why the world, and especially America, should con- gratulate Russia. The Century = to have a serial story by Irving Bacheller, the author of that popu- lar novel “Eben Holden.” It is a border tale of 1812. Two types of the men who have helped to make America are set forth in it—one, a Northern Yankee, quaint, rugged and wise; the other a man who has the hardy traits of a Puritan with the romantic temperament of a cava- lier. The scene of the story is in the neighborhood of Lake Champlain, and the title is “D'ri and L" Tt will begin in the March Century and run for six months. A novel of Western life that has made a success this season is “With Hoops of Steel” by Florence Finch-Kelly. a third edition of which has just been issued. Florence Finch was born in Macoupin County, Hlinols, but most of her early life was passed in Kansas, and she is-a graduate of the Kansas State University. Some years ago she began mewspaper work and soon won the plice of a regular editorial writer on the Boston Globe. She became the wife of one of the editors, Allen Kelly, and has since been engaged in work with him in New York, San Fran- cisco and other cities, besides contribut- ing stories and sketches to various news- papers and magazines. The familiarity with the outdoor life of the West shown in “With Hoops of Steel” was gained by Mrs. Kelly through per- sonal experience. Long hunting trips in Califorr:ia, Oregon, Washington and in the Rockies gave her unusual opportunities for observation, and during the two years when Mr. Kelly was State Forester of Californfa she frequently accompanied him on hdrseback journeys through the high Sierras, traveling with no outfit other than such as could be tied behind the saddle, ignoring roads and tralls and relying upon the compass for guidance, and camping without shelter wherever night overtook them and grass and water were found. * Although In no sense masculine or “mannish,” this slight, quiet little woman is perfectly at home in the wilderness, ab- solutely without fear, and almost an ex- pert with revolver and rifle. Her knowl- edge of the conditions of life In the South- west and the character of the men of the frontier was acquired during a resi- dence of more than three years In New Mexico, and the persons and incidents de- picted ini her book are essentially studies from life. The characteristic truthfulness of her treatment in “With Hoops of Steel” of the peculiar and picturesque conditions in “Las Plumas” is instantly recognized by those who know New Mexico and fits people. It 1s a fine tribute from one poet to an- othe: which Mr. Carman gives in the “Last Songs From Vagabondia”'to the late Philip Savage, whose complete poems have just been issued in a single memorial volume by Small. Maynard & Co. This volume contains all the poems in the two volumes published during Mr. Savage's life, as well as a number found in his portfolio after his death. There is also a frontispiece portralt of the author, of the city of Ha- and an admirable critical and blograph- feal introduction by his intimate friend, Danfel Gregory Mason. Those who are interested in colonial fur- nishings will find a valuable article in the March issue of the Delineator deseribing “House Furnishing at Mount Vernon.” Owing to the splendid work done by the Mount Vernon Ladles’ Association the ap- pearance of George Washington's home has been remarkably restored ard re- tained. There s therefore nothing merely fanciful in the description of Mount Ver- non as it was. It {s a matter for congratulation that the late Stephen Crane should hav to complete the projected series of Battles of the World™ (published by J. Lippincott Company), which. having been written just before his death, represents at its latest and ripest development the peculiar genfus that. delighting n the at- mosphere of the battlefield, even though but imaginary, produced the “Red Badze of Courag Mu of Mr. s work is being published Iy, t most of that Is un imma Y it having been wri his earller The Internatio February containe a carefn inter- esting account of “Amer n Interests in the Orient.” by Charle: Cona The apportunities for American commerce In the Far East are worthy of careful study. The account of “Mountain Structurs and Tts Origin,” by the eminent Scottish geol- ogist, James Geikle, 1= concluded In this number. The essay gives reader a vivid insight Inte the wonderful, trans- formations this earth of ours has under- Most interesting essays are by Ca- gone. mille Mauclair, the French critie, on “Auguste Rodin and His Decorative Sculpture,” and by William Archer, the great English literary and dramatic eritic, on “The Real Ibsen.” Mr. Archer is un- doubtedly the greatest authority om Ib- sen. Alfred Foulllee, the eminent French thinker and scholar, writes on “Nletasche and Darwinism. The World Almanac compiles a long st of the “largest editions” of new books published in the United States during 1 0. The titles of the tweive most pular books in the list, arranged in the order of thelr popularity, w David Harum,” “Richard Carvel,” ‘When Knighthood Was in Flower,” “To Have and to Hold,” “Janice Mered “Eben Holden,” “The Relign of Law,” “Alice of Old Vincennes.” “The Day's Work.™ “‘Red Rock,” “The Redemption of David Corson” and “Wild Animals I Have Known.” It is interesting te note that out of this list a Western publishing house issued the greatest number, as three were published in Indlanapolis by The Bowen-Mertill Company; The Mac- milian Company and Charles Seribner's Sons each had two; and D. Appleton & Houghton, Miffiin & Co.; Dodd, Mead & Co.; The Lothrop Publishing Company, Doubleday, Page & Co. each published one of the famous twelve. Though there is a strong spice of op- portunism about the February Critic, still the issue contains much that dates from vesterday as well as of to-day. Notabls among the retrospective articles are the initial installments of Mrs. Richard Rit- chie’s “Blackstick Papers,” which are d voted respectively to Haydn and to Fe- licia Felix, better known as Mrs. Hemans. Mrs. Ritchie's range s not wide nor Is it deep, but the chords she writes are ex- quisite in their simple, engaging lyrictsm in flavor and their fragrance. Similar in kind, though different in spirit, are George Murray Smith's reminiscences, which on this occasion cover the incep- tion of the Cornhill Magazine, and count its early career under the editor- ship of Thackeray. George Murray Smith salts his narrative with capital storfes. the present paper being particularly rich in anecdotes which touch upon Thackeray, Trollope, Tennyson, Sala and other fig- ures, prominent and picturesque, of the day. Henry Kitchell Webster and Samuel Merwin, who write together under the nom de plume of Merwin Webster, hava another story ready for publication this opring by the Macmillan Company. Thelr last stories were “The Short-Line War™ and “The Banker and the Bear.” Their new novel will be the romance of a grain elevator and will be called “Calumet ‘K."” How a two-milllon bushel grain elevator was built “against time” by one Charlie Bannon is the pith of the story. The hero is the kind of a man who says of himself, “I've been working Itke an all-the-year-round blast furnace ever since I could creep.” He has looked for a chance to be quiet, “since I was 13 years old.” But when this chance final- 1y comes, Bannon, with the girl who has consented to share his restless life, ylelds to habit, and the dream of a cozy farm ir forgotten In the stress of new work. The elevator must be done by December 31. There are persons that are Interested in delaying the work, and it is these as well as the “walking delegates,” that Bannon has to fight. The story of how they tried to “tie up”™ the lumber two hundred miles away and of how he out- witted them and “just carried it off" shows the kind of thing that Bannon can do best. In spite of his temptation to brag—he was for two years a “chief wrecker” on the Grand Trunk, and has many stories to tell—Bannon is one of the men without whom American commerce could not get on. Henry Kitchell Web- ster and Samuel Merwin have discovered in the exciting moments of trade and finance a fleld of fiction hitherto over- looked by American writers. but contatn- ing a great wealth of romance. Little, Brown & Co.'s list Includes the “Life of Queen Victorfa,™ by Milllcent Garrett Fawcett. The blography contains two portraits, one taken In 1535 and tha other about 18%. No passage In Mrs. Fawecett's work is more pathetic than the description of the last fliness of the Prince Consort: #At first she was ‘so thankful that the illness was not fever” Then it became clear that it was fever—typhold fever— with its accompanying exhaustion and wandering of mind. She was terribly alarmed, but still clung desperately to ev- ery favorable symptom. Sha tried to gather what the doctors really thought, less by what they said than by how they looked. When they looked grave and sad, ‘I went to my room and feit it my heart must break’ When the doctors spoke frankly to her of (ue course which the fever must run before any mprove- ment could be looked for, ‘my heart was ready to burst. but I cheered up, remem- bering how many people have fever. * % & Good Alice was very courageo and tried to comfort me.' In the earlier days of the Prince’s illness he took pleas- ure in being read to and in hearing music; and the little baby daughter Heatrice was brought in to say her new French verses, and he held her-little hand in his. The Queen recalls with touching minuteness his tenderness and caressing affection constantly manifested toward herself. ‘Liebes Frauchen,' ‘gutes Weibchen' (dear little wife, good little wife), he would call her, stroking her face with his wasted hand. On December 11 the Queen's diary records that she supported him while he took his beef tea. ‘And he lald his dear head (his beautiful face, more beautiful than ever, is grown so thin) on my shoul- der, and remained a little while, sayin “It is very comfortable so, dear child which made me very happy." ™ - Books Received. NELL GWYNNE OF OLD DRURY— By Hall Downing. Rand, McNally & Co., Chicago. A QUAKER SCOUT—By N. P. Runyan. The Abbey Press, New York. $1 3. L'AIGLON—Par _ Edmond Rostand. Brentano's, New York. §1 50. ELIZABETH AND HER GERMAN GARDEN—Published by Laird & Lee, Chicago. Cloth, 7 cents; paper, 35 cents.