The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 28, 1901, Page 4

JEROME has a certain peculiar humer all his it is not so much in evi- st production—"The “Three Men in always stand for Jerome at large, and also his ed, but “The Ob- so peculiarly romish in flavor as we all could wish. be that we expect too much from norist on the merits of past work, < of his under the signa- author could just- a work of merit. The kes the reader 1s that ie of what we have been from Jerome. 1 waiter, an English waiter— but ation: will public the of some ynsidered him Mr. Jerome says: story, among others, of waiter—or, as he now prefers Henri—told to me in the a of the Riffel Alp Hotel, L for a melancholy .’ sharing the echo- the place with two talked all day to one ned whispers. Henry's have discarded for Iits his method being gener- a story at the end, and ackward to the beginning, i up with the middle.” has five good stories to tell and f ‘them together will only take an r to read. Under the simple guise of walter there is in Henry's make-up the deeper vein of observer and philosopher of the world. firs ng the Henry story is concerned with that period of his life spent in the *coffee- <h, the Mile End road.” That was before Henry changed his name to title which he earned through 's and his own efforts, which fin- ed him as garcon in a leading ur A recital of Henry's he purpose of the book, but it t through the lines as he tells stories of other persons’ doings Young Kipper” is the hero of his first fine day Kipper walks into with a oung imp of That was in the days Kipper was a newsboy. sarsong,’ he calls out, ‘what’s the “Henri his wif ally pl e menoo to-day.’ T says, °‘is that re I clip you over the you take that back and put vou found it,” meaning, o' course, the kid “She was a pretty little thing, even spite of the dirt, with those eyes 1d red hair. It used to be ‘carrots’ in those days. Now all the swells have taken it up—or as near as they t to it—and it's auburn. .’ he replied to me without so a hair, ‘I'm afraid you're tting your position. When I'm on curb shouting ‘Speshul!” and you s to me with yer 'a’penny in yer 'and, e mester an’ I'm man. When I into your shop to order refresh- and to pay for ’em, I'm boss. You can bring me a rasher and and see that they're this sea- r's. The lidy will have a full-sized had- dick and a cocoa.’ “Well, there was justice in what he said. He always did have sense, and I took his order.” Kipper” and “Carrots” grew up_ to- gether and finally Kipper becomes a prosperous journalist and Carrots becomes “Miss Caroline Trevelyan,” with the finest kind of ancestry—but all dead. he interest of the story centers in a double sacrifice. Kipper gives up his old chum sweetheart and goes to Africa in order that he shall not interfere with her chances of marrying and becoming the Marchioness of Appleford. The girl's husband finally dles and the property is left to her for life. Henry knows that she still loves Kipper and can- not see why she does not send for him ‘I _suppose you'll be bossing t bar in Cape Town now be- ““Talk sense,’ she answers, ‘How can Marchioness of Appleford marry a hotel keeper?’ “ “Why not,’” I says, “if she fancies him? What's the good of being a Marchioness if you can't do what you like? e t it she snaps out: ‘you d not be doing the straight i .Eleve 2N e v thing by the family. No,’ she says, ‘T've spent their money, and I'm spending it now. They don’t love me, but they shan’t say as I've disgraced them. They've g their feelings—same as I've got mine. Rut although the “Marchioness of Ap- pleford” does not marry the hotel keeper of Cape Town, *Carrots” does marry her old friend and sweetheart, “Kipper.” Mr. Jerome's second story as told by Herry is an interesting account of “The Uses and Abuses of Joseph.” In it he follows the history and adventures of a good young man who turns burglar and then, after meeting a woman who Is more than his match, is changed back to an honest man and a missionary. It may sound rather improbable for a consistent metamorphosis of this kind to be made in the limited space of a short story, but the tale is plausible enough when read and but reflects the more credit upon the art of the writer. “The Surprise of Mr. Milberry” Is a humorous sketch irvolving the mixing of two baskets on the platform of a rail- road station. A young husband carries oif a spinster’s pet dog that she is taking to a dog show for exhibition and the lady proceeds on her way with the basket and the baby—all unconscious of the change. The consternation of both parties upon finding out their loss and gain is very 1 told. The Probation of James Wrench” deals with the temporary ruin of a walter, who falls heir to money and then begins to feel ashamed of his chambermaid wife. He finally drives her from the house and she is obliged to make her own living. The man soon runs through all of his morey and then seeks for a reconcilation with his wife, who by this time has es- tablished herself as the owner of a small hotel. He thinks that all that is neces- sary is for him to present himself at her. deor and be recelved with open arms, and that a comfortable home and ready money will be waiting for him. “But they weren't exactly. The Married Wemen's Property Act had altered things a bit, and Master James found himself greeted without any suggestion of tender- ness by a business-like woman of thirty- six or thereabouts, and toid to wait in the room behind the bar until she could find time to talk to him. “She kept him waiting there for three- quarters of an hour, just sufficient time to take the side out of him; and then she walks in and closes the door behind her. ‘I'd say you hadn’t changed hardly a ay. Susan,’ says he, 4f it wasn’t that you'd grown handsomer than ever.' I guess he'd been turning that over in his mind during the three-quarters of an hour. Tt was his fancy that he knew a bit about women. iy name's Mrs. Wrench,' says she; ‘and if you take your hat off and stand up while I'm talking to you it will be more what I'm accustomed to.' o that staggered him a bit; but there didn't seem anything else to be done, so he just made as if he thought it funny, though I doubt if at the time he saw the full humor of it. ‘*And now, what do you want? says seating herself in front of her desk, leaving him standing, first on one and then on the other, twiddling his is his hands. ‘I've been a bad husband to you, Su- san,’ begins he. “‘I eould have told you that,’ she an- swers. “What I asked you was what you wanted “‘I want for us to let bygones be by- go! ' says he. ‘That's quite my own idea,’ says she, ‘and if you don't allude to the past, I shan't.’ “‘You're an angel, Susan,’ says he. “‘I've told you once,’ answens she, ‘that my name’s Mrs. Wrench. I'm Susan to my friends, not to every broken-down tramp looking for a job." * *‘Ain’t I your husbana? says he, trying a bit of dignity. “She got up and took a glance through the glass door to see that nobody was there to overhear her. ““For the first and last time.’ says she, ‘let you and me understand one another. T've been eleven years without a husband, and I've got used to it. I don't feel now as I want one of any kind. and if I did it wouldn't be your sort. Eleven years ago I wasn’t good enough for you, and now you're not good enough for me.’ ““I want to reform,’ says he. ‘I want to see you do it,’ says she. ‘Give me a chance,’ says he. “‘I'm going tc,” says she, ‘but it's going to be my experiment this time, not yours. vears ago I didn’t give you satlis- faction, €0 you turned me out of doors.” “ ‘You went, Susan,’ says he; ‘you know t was your own idea.’ “*Don’t you remind me too much of the circumstances, replied she, turning on him with a look in her eyes that was probably new to him. ‘I went because there wasn't rcom for two of us; you know that. The other kind suited you better. Now I'm going to see whether you suit me,’ and she sits herself again in her landlady's chair. “In what way?' says he. ‘In the way of earning your living,’ says she, ‘and starting on the road to be- coming a decent member of society.’ ‘He stood for awhile cogitating. ‘Don’t you think,’ says he at last, ‘as I could manage this hotel for you? *“Thanks,’ says she; ‘I'm doing that myself." “ “What about looking to the financlal side of things,’ says he, ‘and keeping the accounts? It's hardly your work.’ “ ‘Nor yours either, answers she drily, ‘judging by the.way you've been keeping your cwn.' “*You wouldn't waiter, I suppose? says he. a bit of a come-down." *“You're thinking of the hotel, I sup- pose,’ says she. ‘Perhaps you are right. My customers are mostly an old-fashioned class; 1t's probable enough they might not like you. You had better suggest some- thing else.” “‘I could hardly be an under-waiter,” says he. “ ‘Perhaps nol,’ says she; ‘your manners and leg like me to be head ‘It would be strike me as a bit too familiar for that.’ “Then be thought he'd try sarcasm. “ Perhaps you'd fancy my beirg the boots,” says he. ““‘That’s more reasonable’ says she. “You couldn't Jo much harm there, and I could keep an eye on you.' “ “You really mean that?' says he, start- ing to put on his dignity. “But she cut him short by ringing the bell. “‘If you think you can do better for yourself,’ she says, ‘there’s an end of it. By a curlous coincidence the place is just now vacant. I'l! keep it open for you tll to-morrow nigkt; you can turn it over in THE SUNDAY CALL. wife. It is a case of love again at first sight, but the woman is anxious to find out if this new lover, in spite of the fact that he s her husband, is still true to the wife he married so long ago. This quaint conceit of a plot is well worked out and the story is bound to prove in- teresting to all readers. (Published by Dodd, Mead & Co., New York. Price §125) B. G. LATHROP. A i Of Interest to Educators. Tt 1s not often that a novel serves the double purpose of appealing to the liter- ary palate as a readable story and being of practical use and importance. Joy Lichtenstein, a young Californian, is for- tunate in having written a book that en- tertains while it instructs. His recent story, “For the Blue and Gold,” has awakened the interest of edu- cators all over the State to such an ex- tent that it is only a matter of time when his book will receive a place on the shelf of every school library. And a better work could not be put in the hands of voung students whose ultimate alm is matriculation at one of our universities. While his book is devoted to life at the University of California, college living and work is very much the same the United States over, and this story of a young man who carved his own way to an education presents a key that cannot fait to prove serviceable to ambitious young men and women. The author has been fortunate not only in holding his readers’ attention by capital fictlon but in giving every detail of college’ life as it really is. His book cannot fall to be Major Gzneral Jamgs Barrison —— Wil- son’s Beck on “China—Travels and Tmvestigations 1n the Middle Ringdorm.” James Harrison Wilson’s book “China: Travels and Investiga- tions in the Middle Kingdom—A tudy of Its Civilization and Possi- bilities,” made its appearance in 1887. This work now appears in a third edition. It has been much en- larged and brought up to date in re- gard to the recent troubles with the Boxers and the relief of the legations. It will rank with the best books on the subjsct which have been present- ed to the public. General Wilson’s first idea in bringing out this book was to show the Chinaman as he was before for- eign invasion and with that idea in view the general spent a year in thoroughly investigating Northern, Central and Southern China. The main idea of the book is to show the progress made in China dur- ing recent years and also the possi- bilities of future development both from int:rnal efforts and the co-ope- ration of foreign business men. The second edition of the work was published in 1894, when the Chinese- Japanese war changed existing con- ditions sufficiently to warrant furthex investigations. At the time of the breaking out of the Boxers General Wilson was in Cuba commanding the departments of Matanzas‘and Santa Clara. A man so familiar with Chin- ese affairs could naturally have his services put to much better use in China than in Cuba, so at his owm TKE first edition of Major General a hunter who loses his gun in & chasm and himself on a desert, where, choking of thirst, he finds a difficulty accessible well and is planning how he may get to the water, when— While thus I sat engaged thereat, T saw before me on the flat, A beastly scare, With frichttul stare; 2 A lion. ¥ Bwwly and draggle-talled, he crawled hi ground, Lifting to bay deflance at the skies, With all the bankrupt strength he owns. Bhag-necked and drouthy-skinned he moans, Dishonorable crate of bones, Unlionlike he creaketh towards the well. His head holds low; he sees the flow; His eyes with double anger grow, . The curb he rakes; The craz he breaks, And roars. I knew not how to run or stay. But while He gazed below I solved my thoughts as these: To flee was daring miles of thirst; To etay I must the lon durst. I stald, still guessing which the worst. And then he saw me. Still, still, scill, stood T. There .is rather more liberty taken Wwith Enclish than custom warrants and a heavier draught for rhyme than reason upon the rarer words of the dictionary. There is both experience of life and imagination shown . jun the whimsical short plece called ‘“The Grasshopper and the Butterfly,” which tells of the loves of an unmatable pair. It is worth learn- ing for recital, as it would always amuse young or old, and perhaps make some Who saw deeper feel sad. The swing of its words are as good all the way through as in the following verses, which end the tale: Like a swirling sirocco In panting Morocco, His passion at rampant, devasted his soul. He neglected his rations And usual vocations; At the gateway of love he pald heavy toll. Thoug®his love was cyclonie, 'Twas needly platonic; Her soul was as pale as a gleam of the moon. Then he svat out brown juice, And exclaimed, *‘O, the deuce!" While she wished she had died in her silken - @ eoon 8o their pathos was short. There's no more to report; Save that she Is dead, she is dried, she 1s stricken, y Collected with flies, With a pin through her thighs, And her hero was nabbed and gulped by = chicken. - Northern California. A pamphlet that is certain to attraet much attention is one just issued—a re- print from the Overland Monthly of April, 1901 It has for ‘ts title. “Northern Califor- nia—6€000 Square Miles That Will Grow Anything Man May Plant.” The descrip- tions of the different counties and their industries are clearly and graphically handled by Genera! N. P. Chipman. pres- Ident of the California State Board of Trade. This 18 a pamphlet that every true Californian shouid send to his doubt- ing friehds in the East, for if General Chipman’'s clear statements and figures are rot sufficient to bring conviction that the title is not overdrawn. the numerous half-tones of refual photographs which serve to {lluminate the text are certalnly proof positive. Some persons may labor under the im- rress'on that the orange is found in Northern Californ’a only In the box of the fru!t seller, but there are photographs Falore to show that not only the orange tut the lemon, olive and palm thrive in the northern part of the State, as well as in the southern. The photographs have been well selected end fully fllustrate climatic conditions, end all tha Jead'ng ang varied industries— raining. the fruit, wine and brandy indus- tries, lumbering. irrigating. manufactur- ing, farming and natural scenery. A M=nual of Statistics. COikers besides ‘nvestors and. onerators in the stock markets can appreciate the. econvenience of a relfable and not too " Ppulky guide to the affairs of railroad and request the general was transferred. He went as s:cond in command to General Chaffee andg, rrived in Peking soon after the reliet of the legations. He took part in all the proceedings of any importance and remaincd until the forces were ordered back to ths Philippines. Then he returned to San Francisco, sometime last Dacember. Faving been in such clese touch with army afrairs in China, his az- count of all theee rzcent troubles can~ not fail to be considered as authorita- tive. General Wilson holds Field Mar- shal Count von Waldersee very high ir his esteem. He says the Count is “a wise and masterful man, whose high sense of justice and propriety cannot, while reflecting credit upon his cwn country, fail to be of great benefit to the other powers.” The auther has much to say of in- terest concerning Li Hung Chang, with whom he renswed acquaintance when the great Chinese statesman ar- rived to treat for peace. In the pres:nt edition there are two excellent maps—one showing the city of Peking and the other China as a whole, It is evident that General Wilson’s work is highly regarded, for the first edition was translated into Japanesas, and it is said that it was the first means of calling Japan’s attention to the lack of preparation in China for war. (Published by D. Appleton & Co., New York. Price $1.50.) + * your mind.’ And, one of the page boys coming in, she just says ‘Good-morning,’ and the interview was at an end. “Well, he turned it over, and he took the job. He thought she'd reient after the first week or two, but she didn’t. He just kept that place for over fifteen months and leaint the business.” And so it came to pass that in time Mrs, Wrench, “hotel owner,” made a man of James Wrench *Boots'—and incidentally found the right kind of a husband. 2 The last story of the book is called the “Woolng of Tom Sleight's Wife."” The motif is turned on a curious marriage in which husband and wife are separated immediately after the ceremony, and when in later years they meet again it {s to have the wife recognize the hus- band, but the man fails to remember the of service to those preparing for or who are about to enter a university. The Lion at the Well. Lionel Josavhare !s the name on the front of a little booklet entitled “The Lion at the Well,” published by A. M. Robertson of San Francisco and the name Lionel Josaphare is one that it will be interesting to watch for hereafter. The work shown in the two poems contained gives promise, for it is read- able; so much so that one turns about through the numerous fly leaves to see if there is not anothey little poem hidden away somewhere. The styles of the two are so different that they give hope of a minstrel with more than one string on the harp, and with stops for many keys. “The Lion at the Well” is the story of ndnetrinl cornorations, and to the past course of quotatiops for stocks, honds and commodities. The 1901 editlon of The Mannal of Statistics, which is the twenty- third annual issue, has just appeared. and is the book which best fills these require- ments. In all the facts and figures abcut railroad, industrial and street rail- way corporattons whose securities are known on the various stock markets are «et forth lucidly, intelligently and accur- ately. There are records of prices in the stock, erain and cotton markets. and all the statistics which have any important bearing upon transactions in the latter commodities. The department of the work devoted to raflroad securities cmbraces summaries of the history, organization, capital, bonds, dividends and physical features of the raflroads of the United States, including tabulated statements of their earnings for a serles of vears. A valuable feature is the presentation of the comparative freight traffic statistics of all the principal raflroads, which affords an index to the relative efficiency of their managements, as well as to the earning power .of the propertfes. By far the most important section of the book is the 300 pages devoted to in- dustrial securities. In this department in- formation is presented In regard to all the manufacturing, industrial, mining and miscellaneous corporations which have assumed importance in the financial and speculative world. This part of the book has been greatly enlarged, embrac- ing data in regard to practically all the compantes whose securities are traded in at New Ycrk, Boston. Philadelphia, Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati. St. Louis, Baltimore, Loulsville and other cities, whether the same are dealt in gzt the stock exchanges or on the so-called “out- side” markets. Street railways constitute another de- partment, furnishing complete accounts of the capital, organization, earnings and so forth of the traction companies and street rallway lines in the important cities of the country. The stock and bond quotations given In the volume cover the transactions In and prices for all stocks and bonds dealt in on the New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Baltimore, Pittsburg, Cleveland, St. Louls, Cincinnati, Loulsville, San Francisco, Montreal, Toronto and other stock markets for the past two years. A unique feature in this connection is a tabulation of the prices obtained at auc- tion sales In New York for all miscel- laneous stocks and bonds not dealt in on the Stock Exchange. A new section Is a_concise but &omplete summary of the bonded debt of the United States and of the various foreign govern- ment bond issues which in the last year or £o0 have been placed on the American market. This includes an exhibit of the financlal position of each country, with other data. The department relating to the produce Something About the Number of Books Published in 1920. HE year 150 maintained the reputa- tion of the century whose tale of vears is completed, by producing the largest crop of books recorded tn America. Besides its size, the crop aver- aged high from a literary point of view, and the publishers’ year was successful as a whole. In the United States 635 books were published as against 5321 put out in 1899, This was the highest number reached in the history of American publishing. The next greatest number of books was turned out in 189, when the total was 5703, a number 653 below that of the last vear. The Publishers’ Weekly, the “trade pa- per” of the publishers, in speaking of the books of the year, remarks: The quality of the books gflbll.lhod was @istinctly better than it been for three years past, notably in the depart- ments of fiction, blography, fine arts and history. A special feature of the year was the reissue of celebrated books in fine and carefully edited editions. Almost every author whose name has outlived the copyright restrictions has been put into attractive permanent form, and many American authors have edited their works for their publishers. The wars that marked the closing cen- tury brought forth a long list of books on South Africa, China, the Philippines and the West Indles, and there was a vast number of books of which the keynots was social problems, the wonderful inven- tions, and the great spread of educational privileges which have marked the cen- tury. Of 'more than &00 volumes published in 1000, 4490 were new works, and 1866 new editions. In!1900 the figures had been 4749 and 572 respectively, showing a slight de- crease in the production of new books, and a very large increase in the relssue of old works. In fiction, there were 616 new books and 662 new editions: in 1899 the figures were 749 and 183 respectively. Of educational books, 431 new volumes ‘were issued and 210 old ones reissued, a remarkable change from the 357 and 32 in the corresponding classes in 1899, Almost every department shows a similar change, those departments which do not show as decided a change in another direction. For instance, in 1889 there were 288 new and 22 reissues of books classed as bi- ography and correspondence; in 1900 the numbers were 225 and 49. Even more strik- ing are the figures regarding ‘‘poetry and dramas”; in 1809 there were 302 new books and 31 reissues: in 1900 there were only 192 new books but 208 reissues. So it was with books classed as “literature and col- lected works": 1890 had seen 304 new vol- umes, and 42 new editions, while the last vear witnessed the production of 187 and 856 respectively. Of the 6255 books issued, 3878 were the new or old work of American authors; 1383 ‘were those of foreign, mostly English au- thors manufactured here, and 1080 were English books imported complete, not printed here. In 1899 there were 1124 En- glish books imported for publication here. Fewer books, by 418, were published in England during 190 than during the pre- ceding year; the figures were 7149 for 1900, and 7567 for 1899. The war is credited with injuring the publishing business in Eng- land. It ig to be noted, however, that 197 books on the Boer war appeared during the year, of which 102 were published be- tween July and January. The chief de- crease in output was in the fiction class, where the figures for 1900 were 1568 new books and 546 1eissues, as compared with 1825 and 736 published in 1899. In France 13,362 books were published, an increase of 577 books over the number issued in 1899; 5910 musical compositions were printed, 149 more than in the previ- ous year, and 352 photographs, engravings and llthogruphs, as against 781 put forth in 1899. Despite ali drawbacks, therefore, the last year of the nineteenth century was successful in the publishing business of three of the four bookish peoples of the world. There would seem to be no reason Hx ¥ St lny'ln’ pl;glllhel‘l should ngf .ewise have enjo; a "0 Tous en ing to the century. e market s intended to meet the demand for statistical and other information cavsed by the increase of speculative in- terest in that connection. It presents in detail all the records relative to cerell-l: and provisions, giving the comparative records of acreage. production, consump- tion and crop_movements in the United States and the world, as well as & romN r: of quotations in both Chicago and Ne York. The cotton statistics are brought up to date. A notable addition in the 1%1 Manual is a complete record of banks and trust companies of the leading citles, covering a period of several yvears. The flgures showing the dividends pald for five years, in connection with an accurate record of stock quotations, which is also given, are an index to the position of the country's great banking Institutions, and an exhi- bition of the standing of a class of secu- rities whose interest to conservative in- vestors 1s constantly increasing with the progress of the country in wealth and accumulated capital. American mineral industries are em- braced in the statistics of mining, with mining stock prices at New York, Boston, Ban Francisco and Colorado Sprins: In addition, the book contains a large amount of general information relating to financlal, corporate and speculative matters. Published by Charles H. Nicoll, 220 Broadway, New York. Price, $5 00. Some Ill-Used Words. Mr. Alfred Ayres has written a valuable and useful work for the use of those who wish to speak and write correctly. 1t is called “Some Ill-used Words."” The title is self-explanatory. There is one thing to be regretted in this book, and that is that a man of Mr. Ayres’ evident learning in matters of correct Ensglish should make the mistake of inserting the following: “We live in a street, meet people in a street and do things in a street, and not on or upon a street. The man, however, that smokes in the street would be likely to insist that on the street is good enough English for him. This is doubly true of the man that smokes a pipe In the street. 'No man can smoke a pipe in the street and have the appearance of being other than a vulgar fellow. He that does it descends—in his manners—to the level of the groom and the hackman.” Whether it is right or wrong for a man to smoke a pipe in the street is not the question, and for the sake of avolding ar- gument with Mr. Ayres on that point let it be said that a man who smokes a pipe in g street is a very vulgar fellow indeed, and should be sent home forthwith, put in a dark closet for a day and not allowed any jam on his bread for a week: but why in the world should Mr. Ayres depart so abruptly from his subject and make an undignified attack upon a point that de- serves discussion only in a book of cheap etiquette? His readers are apt to as- sume, after this tirade, that he is a man of narrow-gauge mind. They may possi- bly think that, after all, Mr. Ayres is raising a tempest in a teapot in some of his discussions on {ll-used words. Here is an example, for instance, where It seems to be a question of Mr. Ayres against all authoritles: “To my surprise, I find that not only the Standard. Worcester and Webste use capable in the passive tense, but the word is used in like manner in the Eneyclope- dic and in the Century and by Johnson and by Murray. Indeed, in all the diction- aries capable is made to do double duty— for itself and for susceptible. “Now, if the dictionary way of using capable be correct, it Is also correct to say that coffee is capable of being ground, that sugar is capable of being dissolved, that lead is capable of belng melted and that iron is capable of being welded. If it be proper to use capable in a passive sense, what use have we for susceptible?’ (Published by D. Appleton & Co., New York. Price $1) An Acting Version of Hamlet. Norman Hapgood. in a recent work on “The Stage in America, 1397-1900," places the version of “Hamlet” acted by E. H. Sothern as near the head in excelldhde and fidelity among Shakespearean produc- tions. Mr. Hapgood is.a New York critic of recognized ability and experience, and with his guarantee it is safe to recom- mend the recent publication of MecClure, Phillips & Co. of New York—“Hamlet—a Tragedy by William Shakespeare—the E. H. Sothern Acting Version.” As far as the dress and printing of the bock is concerned the publishers have done all that could be desired. The cover is a poster scéne taken from the play— well drawn by McLellan, and' done In soft shades of color. The frontisplece 1§ a good half-tone photograph of E. H. Sothern in “To be or nct to be.” The original cast of the play as presented by Mr. Sothern and Miss Harned on the 17th of September, 1000, is given, as well as a great number of excellent half-tones of the leading char- acters and scenes from the play. Books for Boys. Boys who are interested in stirring ad- ventures by sea and land will welcome four books of uniform merit. size and binding that are now being published by The Mershon Company, New York. One of these, by Mark Marline, is “The Luck of a Castaway.” It relates the perils en- countered by a young sailor of s'xteen vears who is cast away on an island in- habited by savages. A second volume by the same author is ‘Lost on Voleano Isi- and.” Tt gives an account of the wreck of the Columbia and is filled with enouth excitement to delight the heart of any youth. “A Schoolboy’s Pluck” recounts the troubles of a little “nobody” who goes forth into the world and after many peril- ous escapes succeeds in making ‘“‘some- body” of himself. The author of this vo:- ume is Roy Rockwood, who wrote the ““Wizard of the Sea.” The fourth book Is by Louis Charles. the auihor of “Fortune Hunters in the Philippines.” Mr. Charles’ latest work is calied “The Land of Fire.” and tells of adventures in undergrouud Africa. The price of each book is 50 cents A Soldier’s Story. A book that can hardly be called a novel, but rather a sketch of army life in Cuba during the recent trouble, is “Tha Nth Foot in War,” by Lieutenant M. B. Stewart, U. 8. A. “Kid.” the hero, lives to have many experiences and finally to win his promotion. The book is interest- ing as a story of army life by an officer and a voung man. Lieutenant Stewart is a native of Virginia, having been born at Culpepper Courthouse, in 1575. At the aga of seventeen he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, gradu- ating from that institution in 189. He served in the West from that time until the outbreak of the Spanish-American war, when he went with his regiment to Cuba, where it took an active part in the campaign around Santiago. It was there that the idea of this book occurred to him, and his lelsure moments while subsequent- Iy on duty in Cuba were employed in writ- ing “The Nth Foot in War.” He Is at present on duty with his regiment abroad. (Published by the Abbey Press, New York. Price §1.) Lee’s Automobile Annual. Last year Laird & Lee of Chicago pub- lished their first volume of an “American Automobile Annual.” Their second vol- ume, which is for 1%1, has just made Its appearance. With the great increase in the number of steam, gasoline and elec-, tric propelled vehicles, this opook will prove of value to many people. A com- parison of the Annual for this year with that of last year shows the advance which has been made in the matter of automo- bile construction and aiso demonstrates that an Annual such as this will soon oc- cupy a very necessary place. It will doubtless Increase in size as the success of the automobile becomes each day mors and more assured. The Annual for 1901 s divided Into six parts. The first is on The Internal-Com- bustion Motor System. Part IT contains chapters on Steam Power Vehicles. Part III is devoted to Flectric Storage Battery Vehicles, Part IV exviams Other Forms of Motor Power: Part V, Steering, Wheels, Tires, etc.; and Part VI gives Rules and Regulations Concerning the Op- erating of Automobiles. s Literary Notes. The beautiful simplicity of the home life of Quakers in America is touched on very sympathetically in the May number of The Delineator by Waldon Fawcett. His article is entitled “Quaker Maids of To-day,” and deals largely with the younger element of the Quaker body. The May Century will be a Travel Num- ber, transporting the reader to many lands and climes—Italy, England and France, India. China and Japan—or drop- ping him down in midocean om an out- ward-bound steamship. Not the sketches only, but even the fiction is cosmopolitan in its appeal. The magazine will appear Wwhen' the “spring fret” is urging its vie- tims strongly to drop routine tasks and fare forth on their travels. The May publications of Little, Brown & Co. include “A Daughter of New France,” by Mary Catherine Crowley, a story dealing with the life of Cadillac and his founding of Detroit: “When the Gates Lift Up Their Heads,” a powerful novel of the South In the early seventles, by Payne Erskine, and Mrs. Anna Bowman Dodd’'s new book, “The American Hus- band in Paris.” “The Heritage of Unrest” is in its third edition. Few recent novels have been bet- ter described by their titles than this. It {liustrates Miss Gwendolen Overton’s style of the apt phrase that she has put the spirit of her book in four words. The breaking down of the floodgates in the social barriers to marriage with inferior races is the motive of this story, which i€ peculiarly American in its soclal out- look and its plot. Charles Major, the author of ‘“When Knighthood Was in Flower,” will call his second book, “The Bears of Blue River.” In this, the popular author has taken his vivid pictures of historical adventure right into his own State, though, as he says, it Is “away back in the twentles, when Indiana was a baby State.” The stories, which form a continuous narra- tive, are of the real bears and of the sort that will make this book enormously pop- ular. Doubleday, Page & Co. are the pub- liskers, and it is to appear early in the autumn. “Monsieur Beaucaire” is now being translated into the French and the story will appear In book form in France dur- ing the coming season. The story of the French hero, with his many adventures and his love affalrs, ought to prove inter- ing in his native land. The fact that “Beaucaire” was a cousin of one of the French kings will surely add to the at- tractiveness of the tale for French read- ers. McClure, Phillips & Co., the Ameri- can publishers, have also received appli- cation for a German translation. Messrs. Doubleday, Page & Co., pub- lishers of The World's Work, announce that the July number of the magazine will be given almost wholly to an inter- pretation of the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo. A serfes of special photo- graphs will be taken, which are expected to give a better pictorial description than has ever been made of any of the great expositions. Mr. Page, the edltor of The World's Work, will himself write a de- scription of it, showing how it is an index of American industrial and intellectual progress. A special cover of striking de- sign in gold and colors has been made for this number. John Luther Long, author of “The Prince of Illusion,” which the Century Company issued April 17, is a young Phil- adelphia lawyer, who made his first Iit- erary success with ‘“Madame Butterfly.” Bdwin Asa Dix, author of the popular “Deacon Bradbury,” whose new novel, “Old Bowen's Legacy.”” appeared on the same day, is also a lawyer by training. though not by practice. The number of lawyers, or ex-lawyers, on the Century Company's list of authors is noteworthy. It includes: Vice President Roosevelt, author of “The Strenuous Life”"; the Hon. John Hay. Secretary of State, Lincoln's secretary and authorized biographer: the John Morley, whose “Oliver is still on every tongue; the Right Hon. James Bryce, biographer of Mr. Gladstone; the Hon. Oscar Straus, ex- Minister. to Turkey, and biographer of Roger Williams; Joel Chandler Harris and Harry Stillwell Edwards, the Georgla story tellers; David Gray. author of “Gal- lops”; Tudor Jenks, author of “Imagina- Professor Brander Matthews; Ir- win Russell, the poet; Maurice Thompson, whose latest published book s the “Win- ter Garden” group of essays and sketches: and Professor Theodore 8. Woolsey. au- thor of America’s “Foreign Policy.” Gen- eral Schofleld, author of “Forty-six Years in the Army,” made a special study of the law after leaving West Polnt. FROM CLOUDS TO SUNSHINE. OR, THE EVOLUTION OF A SOUL—By E. Thomas Kaven. The Abbey Press, New York. $L THE E. H. SOTHERN ACTING VER- SION OF HAMLET—Published by Mec- Clure, Phillips & Co., New York. WILLIE AND HIS PAPA-Illustrated by F. Opper. Grosset & Dunlap, New York, $1. THE LION AT THE WELL—By Lionel Josaphare. A. M. Robertson, San Fran- cisco. Sle. LOVE'S LABOR'S LOST—Shake: Cassell's National Library, New York. In paper llc. OLD BOWEN'S LECACY-By Edwin Asa Dix. The Century Company, New York. $1.50. THE MANUAL OF STATISTICS—A Stock Exchange handbbok, published by Charles H. Nicoll, New York. $£. NEW EDUCATION READER, VOL. III-By A. J. Demarest and Willam H. Van Sickle. American Book Company, New York. 40c. THE ARISTOCRATSBeing the Im- pressions of the Lady Helen Pole during her sojourn in the Great North Woods, as spontaneously recorded in her letters to her friend in North Britain, the Countess of Edge and Ross. John Lane. New York. THE MASTER-KNOT OF HUMAN FATE—by Ellls Meredith. Little, Brown & Co., Boston, $1.25. A TRAITOR IN LONDON—By Fergus Hume. F. M. Buckles & Co., New York. $1 %5. THE SUCCESSORS OF MARY THE FIRST—By Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward. Houghton, Miffiin & Co., Boston. UNDER THE REDWOODS-—by Bret Harte. Houghton, Miffiin & Co., Boston. 31 25. THE WHITE COTTAGE—By Zack. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. $1 50. A MASTER OF FORTUNE-By Cut- cliffe Hyne. G. W. Dillingham Company, New York. The Books Reviewed ON THIS PAGE Can Be Obtained at ROBERTSON'S, ' 126 FOST STREET, SAN FRANCISCO. Prices are always in the Reading Notices. Postage is free. A. M. ROBERTSON.