The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 8, 1901, Page 14

THE SUNDAY CALL Ray Stappard Baker, ip His New Book, Writes a Vivid Aeeount of the German Student Du el — - HE extract below is taken from a .pter, “A Glimpse of German Life” in Ray Stannard book. just published by Mec- Phillips & Co., New York Mr. Baker's name is so well hrough his excellent work ap- g from time to time in the maga- his book cannot fail to attract ention or made a trip to Germany re- cer ccompanied by George Varian, the Mr. Varian sketched and studie le Mr. Baker “saw” and wrote “Seen in Germany,” his present book, Baker was provid him t. Mr itials that permitted to much that is denied to the see anc nary traveler. A glimpse at the pter headinge of his book will give 2 of its contents. Mr. Baker is & e hand at gathering facts and under following headings he has placed many that would have escaped the ord- traveler entirely unless hie atten- 4 been especially called to them person of the author's experience: n Things Seen in Germany,” he Kaiser,” “The German Private Sol- A View of the German Working- A German Professor,” “A Typi- jentific Institution,” “How the Germans Created a New Industry,” “A German Venture in Practical Philanthro- Py How the Germans Bulld Ships.' “Eome New Educational Ideas in Ger- r “A Glimpse of German Student The New Germany.” following extract describes a corps t Wolinitz. Read it and you will fini that you have had a very a concerning these German hall was a long, low-raf- bout with tables and ter there was a strip well sanded, on which to stand. Blood was everywhere, on the white- ng above, on the walls and t each side, and there was fresh c e the last duel on the floor. The rs formed a ring about a sword's the k canvas reliste were pattered m the place where the con- were 1o stand, those behind the benches and tables. until room was walled in with hu- 1d most of those faces bore e gashes and scars of just such con- flicts as the one we were now to see. Two came in bringing a bowl of solution, a roll of absorb- and a bundle of bandages. th aprons to their ses. A student in a ged a chair at each end e canvas strip, the backs facing. And now came the duelists themselves with their seconds. An American uni- ersity crowd would have cheered madly, corps for its favorite fighter: but no sign of excitement or en- here. although every .eye was he combatants. They were both men. that when was so tall ords the points bare- 1y built aised their d uching the ceiling. Both scars of past duels,” and both e reputation of being hard fighters. The seconds and other attendants looked arrowly to the adjustment of the ar- And such armor as this was. A the old crusades could hardly more completely protected. k leathern stocks or -collars covered combatant's throat, holding his chin place and preventing the pos- ering of the jugular vein. Thick- ~d pads covered the shoulders. of the body. from just above downward, was protected by a not unlike that worn by an Ameri- seball catcher. only much heavier cer. The shields wern by both duelists had a peculiar bronzed which we took at first glance natural shade of burnished On closer examination, however, discovered that this color was the re- e blood of many battles—the doing service in the duels of jutting spectacles protected duelist: They were held stout straps, which, in pass- the head, bound the ears ck. We observed, however, that the ears protruded above and w the straps, a fact accounting satis- orily for the fashion among advance e the we rman students of wearing their ears ared either at top or bottom or both All the combatants’ heads, therefore, ex- ept the eves and part of the ears. were tected. although, as we terward learned, in some duels there eement to permit the covering e, some students preferring to r noses intact. It is the sole of each duelist to cut his oppo- t somewhere in the face or head, else will not show and much good to waste. This is the chief thorough protection of the e of the face. se o ach cond gave spe the covering of his « € sword arm, which consisted of a oth pad extending from the s lder down to the wrist. The stress of many duels had cut the portion of each picturesque and i now the opponents ‘mor of this into B looking squarely into each ot and yet making no sign of re and saying nothing, not even 1 It is a point of honor re must be no show of emotion Each wore the gay cap of his corps, t ed behind. As they raised their b second stepped quickly for- fitted his chief's gloved hand o ket handie of the sword. A ble weapon is this sword. rter than a fencing rapier nd thinner. square at the nd as sharp as a razor. ants step deliberately to- her of ct) ht the black canvas un- a sword’s length most have touched s . Optimistic, Inspiring, Helpivl - = - Into the Light By EDWARD ROBESON TAYLOR. Brilliant quatrains o! cxquisite poztic beavty. An attraclive volume jor the holidays. =» = 75¢ Cider and Shepard, I 238 POST STREET. I the other ‘with his hand; they were so near, indeed, that we who were uniniti- ated could hardly understand how with such swords they could escape cutting each other all to pleces. Without ceremony the umpire mounted a bench at one side with a schoolboy’'s slate In his hand. The two seconds, both of whom were armored almost as effect- ively as their chiefs, especiaily about the eyes and shoulders, lifted their hats and bowed. The umpire lifted his hat. The duelists said nothing at all, but looked into each other's eyes. At a word from the umpire the seconds removed the corps’ hats from the duelists. so that they stood barcheaded. This is the sign that there is no withdrawal. The seconds now spring to their places with feet widespread, each just at the left of hie chief. The spectators crowd back a pace, for sometimes the points of those swords fly far. Each duelist clenches his left hand behind him iIn the lacings of his armor. Up go the swords with a flash, the points nearly touching the ceiling. There is a moment's pause, distressing enough to one not iiured to duels. Then one second shouts: “Rind swords. lnstantly each of the seconds rests the point of his sword behind that of his chief, so that he may not strike until the final word is given. “Bound,” comes the reply, followed immediately by the shout- ed word, “Los” (loose). There was a downward rush of black- padded arms, a flash of swords, a din of clashing steel, and then, before the battle seemed fairly begun, there was a shouted “Hal,” and the seconds rushed in with thetr swords and threw up the blades of the fighters. So gquickly was it-ever with that one imagined there must have been some mistake, but this was merely the first round. It had lasted perhaps five sec- onds, and there had not been to exceed four swift strokes and narries of each Auelist’s sword. The chief surgeons came up and examined the duelist's heads in the most matter-of-fact and businesslike manner. There were no wounds. A fel- low-corpsman lified the sword arm of each fighter, holding it out horizontaliy. and ancther supported each sword. A duel fmposes a hard strain on the fighter's sword arm, heavily padded as it is. and it must be thus held up between rounds. erything had been done with so much serfousnese and formalty, especially the examination of the surgeons, and the round had been so short and so bloodless, that an outsider could not help feeling that a German student duel had its frre- sistibly humorous side A moment sufficed .for the rest. Again the swords went up. again the second shouted, and again at the word “Los” the clashing of swords began. this time more swiftly and flercely. Suddenly we saw a lock of hair shoot from ‘the head of one of the fighters, instantly followed by the shouted | “Halt” of the seconds and the upward sween of the swords. The hair had fallen from the purple—Bavarian; the umpire marked down credits for the green —Tyrolean. Again the surgeons made an examination. There were no wounds, but there needed no other evidence as to the keenness of the blades than the smooth- ness ‘and closeness ‘with which that lock of hair had been clipped. We could see the bare place above the Bavarian's ear where it had been. The Tyrolean corps- man was slightly taller than his oppo- nent, though not so powerful of bulld, He wore a heavy black mustache. The Bavarian had been slightly pale from the first, but absolutely unwavering. The third round was already beginning with that peculiarly shrill “Los?”’ Appar- ently there were only two fierce flashes of the swords before the shouted “Halt" of the onds. But this time the sur- geons hurried forward more eagerly Across the Bavarian's cheek. from the ear nearly to the corner of the mouth, there was a long, livid line. just begin- ning to drip. The sword had cut almost through the cheek. Both duelists step- ped back, and the chairs were advanced £0 that they could Jean against the backs: a duelist’s armor is too stiff for him to sit down comfortably. We saw now where all the blood came from. The doc- tors were busy with cotton, but they did not attempt to put on bandages. We were just beginning to feel relieved that blood had at last been shed and that the duel was well over with. when the com- batants again advanced, measuring sword’s distance between them and lift- ing their blades. Again there were the ted signals, and the fourth round be. gan with the din of parried blows. We had quite mistaken the nature of a Ge man student duel in thinking that first blood counted in any way except on the umpire’s slate. In the fifth round the Bavarian returned the cut, slashing the Tyrolean across the scelp, so deeply that the blood instantly gushed down over his forehead and from his spectacies to the floor. Again there was a rest on the chairs. This wound was so deep that not only was cotton ap- plied, but a narrow leather disk was nassed across it and fastened down to the ear straps on each side. This did not seem, however, to stop the flow of blood. Indecd. the surgeons in these duels never attempt to cuench the wounds, for the cxcellence of the performance depends on & liberal flow of blood. After cach wound the swords were wiped with cotton dipped in the antiseptic solution, for the German duelist is noti ing if he is not scientific. As the rounds progressed we saw more clearly how the fighting was done. There was none of the movement and activity of the ordinary swordsman's conflict, ncne of the splen- did clash and parry, or advance and re- treat. The duel 3 stood stock sti'l; it was dishonor to give way by an inch; it w dishonor to move the head in the least or to dodge a blow, no matter how severe the wound. The entire contest consisted in hclding up the sword arm, and in so using the hand and wrist that the point of the sword would slash the opponent’s head. Much depends on the strength and endurance of the right fore- arm, for upon it fall most of the blows, and if it gives way a ‘wound almost cer- tainly follows. An old fighter becomes exccedingly strong and dextrous with both wrist and forearm; and yet one can- not but refiect that all this training would go for nothing if one of these duel- iste were called upon to defend himself from an ordinary sword attack such as a soldier might have to meet. The whole training iz special, an outgrowth of the student duel. It wes plain that the Tyrolean was the better fighter of the two. The longer the duel progressed the flercer became his on- slaughts, and in nearly every round he struck the Bavarian somewhere on the head or face. Blood was spattered everywhere. on the floor. on the clothing of the seconds. and on the surgeons. As fer the duelists themselves, they were literally bathed in it; it even ran down their bare backs under their armor lac- ings. Once the Bavarian removed a bit of tooth which had been broken off as the Tyrolean's sword ripped through his cheek. These things arg not pleasant to relate, nor pleasant to see, but without tiem one cannot arrive at an understand- ing of what a student duel really is. Nor were the wounds and the blood the least distressing features of the fight. It was a warm morning. The room was packed to suffocation with students. and, astonishing as it may seem, not one of the windows was open, and the singic small door was blocked with spectato Add to the stifiing atmosphere much to- bacco smoke and the rank smell of beer and blood, and a faint eonception of the condition of the room may be formed. The spectators sufferéd enough from the heat and bad air, but it must have been nothing as compared with the torture of the duelists. For both of them were muffled in thick padded armor, especially at the throat, where its effect would be most painful, and at the same time they were exercising violently under Intense excitement. Both dripped with perspiration and there were frequent calls for water. The Bavarian was ashy pale where the blood had not blurred out all view of his face, and it seemed at the close of every round that he must certainly drop, but he came up cheerfully at each cry of “Los!” and went at the Tyrolean with vigor and sometimes with effect. The swords flew with incredible swiftness, and the range of the duelists was by no means confined to each other. After one of the rounds we saw the Bavarian's second clap his hand to the back of his head, and when he took it away again out came the blood. Tt sometimes happens that the seconds are as - seriously wounded as the duelists themselves. Indced, a student, may thus obtain a very conspicuous and honorable scar without having to go to the trouble and pain of a regular duel. At last, at the end of fifteen rounds, the duelists were led back and their armor was loosened so that they could sit down. We were just congratulating ourselves that it was well over with, when we were informed that this was only the first haif. There were fifteen rounds more to fight. The surgeons were very busy now for a time. and the fellow corpsmen of each duelist crowded up to give him advice as to how he could best defend himself or overreach his opponent. The intermission lasted only a few minutes, and then, at the cry of the umpire, the men came back to their posts. Both walked steadily; it is a dishcnor to waver or flinch. And then the hacking began again. One of the oddest phases of the duel was the' nonchaiant attitude of the students who came as spectators. At no time was there a cheer, or protest, or any other -— BOOK OF VERSE BY R YOUNG CALIFORNIAN.- OME time ago Lione! Josephare, a young San ranciscan, made his appearance in the literary world as the author of a poem, “The Lion at the Well"” His verses were daring, original and bizarre. They gave promise of something much better. for, in the fantastic at least, they showed that this young man could write with the touch of genius and not with the labored strain of studied. effort. With the holidays comes from the pen of Mr. Josephare a volume of twenty- four poems under the title of “Turquoise and Iron.” In this book there is the same promise of better things—but then the reputation of a poet cannot thrive on promises alone. It is to be regretted that in the case of Mr. Josephare he does rot cultivate a little more of the “labored strain’” in his work. He writes with a youthful enthusiasm that is charming at i ., but in the undertaking of’serious < proves disastrous. He has enough disregard for conven- tionality and enough good ideas to he benefited by a thorough course in logic, mathematics and Engils!l. It might be said by the unthinking that work of such prosaic character would kill the divine genius of poesy. Michel Angelo was the most expert stonecutter of his day, yet it did not kill his genius. You cannot do zood work, wnether you are a brick- layer, a sculptor, a painter or a poet— from the lowest to the highest—unless you understand the perfect use of the tools that go to make your craft or pro- fession. True, a poet must be born, not made. So is the eagle born an eagle and not a clumsy pigeon; but he must learn to fly for all that before he attempts to soar to empyrean heights. tried to soar too young. He has all the temperament of the poet. His form is good, and, best of all, he has that ear for music that gives to his lines a cuphony of sound so delightful to the reader—that faculty so highly cultivated by the old Greeks, who selected and placed their words to the hest possible advantage to impress the musical ear. ‘All of this can never be taken away from him, for it is inbprn. But more is required of the poet than the mere musical arrangement of words. Svch. writing might please the ear g % : Impréssions Calendar 1902. » e Beautiiul, Practical, Origmal. .. ...... Geod Whin {he Year Is Done 100 Tostpald Anywiters e Clder and Shepard, 238 DOST STREET. Lem Mr. Josephare has- Lionel Josephare. of a foreigner who undérstands. not one word of the language, but wishes it read to him for its melodious sound; but to those who seek their pleasure in the metrical expression of beautiful thought, the thought must be there and it must be evident and clear to the reader. In his simpler verses Mr. Josephare is ofttimes pcculiarly happy in his writing, but in lofty flights his ideas seem so hazy that the reader is given to grave suspicions that the young man has lost all thread of reason and is attempting to make up with mere words and rhythm * what is lacking in meaning. At times his ‘case reminds one very much of “the old lady who de- cided to read the dictionary from cover to cover, but finally gave it up, with the re- mark that the language was very fine, but the plot was most confusing. Mr. Josephare’s work is uneven. for example, his poem *“The Statue.” In that you find some of his best efforts ruined by the outrageous abuse of words and figures of speech that are worse than mixed. Follow closely the picture that the following lines bring to your mentul vision: Take, The room and I, with her own voice propelled, Through earth and air extended: And like a boat, with onward prow unquelled Glided when she had ended. In the first line the word propel gives the idea of motion and you expect both the room and the man to move at any moment, but you are not prepared for the most remarkable phenomenon indi- cated in the second line. You can hardly believe that even the brain of a magic- working poet can accomplish the feat of “extending’” the room and the man through both earth and hir. Think of the stratching involved in continuing the length of that man and his room through the earth, to say nothing of continuing the elastic figyre of speech t6 take in an infinity of miles of air. The third line brings them back with a snap and starts them out “like a boat with onward prow unquelled.” ‘‘Boat” goes very well with the “propel” of the first line, and it is not beyond compre- hension, forgetting the ‘“extended,” to imagine the man and his room sailing away; but there again we have the “prow unquelled.” You can quell an insurrec- tion, or a tumult\of your soul, or a fire; but “quelling” the prow of a boat is a new one in the generally accepted sense of the word. It rhymes beautifully with propelled and is fine reading, but ‘“the plot is most confusing.” The last line changes the figure in the twinkling of an eye and tells us that after all possibly the man and his room were not “extended,” and the prow of the boat did not even need to be ‘‘unquelled,” but merely “glided” safely into port. s L iwiri It is hardly fair in this review of Mr. Josephare's book to bring in a verse from the master pen of Shelley, but some lines geeur to me from “Prometheus Unbound” that are quite apropos—lines that express beautifully that thought which Mr. Jos- ephare mangles: My ‘soul is an enchanted boat, ‘Which like a sleeping swan doth float Upen the silver waver of thy sweet singing; And thine doth like an angel sit Beside the helm conducting it, Whilst all the winds with melody are ringing; It seems to float ever, for ever, Upen that many winding river, Between mountains, woods, abysses, A paradise of wildernesses! Till, like one in slumber bound, Borne to the ocean, I float down, around, Into a sea profound of ever-spreading sound. « e Here is another bit from the same poem: no—zshe , she who had lately sung— A3 Ky -ProTo , With fertilizing grief thou art combined, And thence thy vision sprung. With too much world our faces are unkind; Art is the countenance of a lovely mind. And thy courageous mind hath wildly hung To heaven's ever-swinging chandelier. But now from it are thy poor fingers wrung, And thou art here. Read it and see {f* vou can get any sense out of it. The figure of the mind personified and hanging to a chandeller is so absolutely silly and in such bad taste in a poem of serious character that one wonders how on the same page and from the same hand we can find verses as pleasing as the ones immediately preced- ing this poetical daub. Here are the lines referred to: Once mére away! No more, with gaudy sound, my soul betray; No sound shall kiss or kill my sin to-day My obstinate regret Still does desire to fret Music with it provokes a gentle fray That makes tge soul forget. It tells the soul that sorrow Is no debt; ‘With sound for prayer, the soul forgets to pray. Thereat, again 1 found myself at home; The singer sang no more, But told me not to let my fancy roam Beyond the human door. She told me heaven had no bluer skles, No gladder golden floor, # Than I may see with still my earthly eves, And might have seen before. But' oh, while we are learning The meaning of our yearning, Who has not wept while heaven did refute His statue’s claim to godly attribute? Since not with entire godliness \Did God the human visage knock, Can human hammers, thinking to excess, Inscribe upon a roek Divinity which they do not possess ‘Within their 'own diviner God-made stock? That line, “With sound for prayer, the soul forgets to pray,” is good. The thought is well expressed, and in the thought itself there is meat for consid- eration. The idea is not a new one, for we find in “Hamlet” the prayer of the King and his closiug words: My words fiy up, my thoughts remain below; Words witholit thoughts never to heaven go. I am not accusing Mr. Josephare of plagiarism. It would be difficult to find any thought that had not been brought out in some way in the great works of W 101 SandwicheS 101 Eplcurcan Thrills, 101 1 excited anficipations of a well tickled palate. A recipc book invalv- able for Original Teas, Luncheons and Pienics. - 50¢ Elder and Shepard, 238 POST STREE | S manifestation of enthusiasm or excite- ment, although once there was general laughter over the retort of one of the sec- onds as to a charge of foul. Many of the students had brought their wooden beer mugs into the dueling Inn with thera, an:l they could be seen drinking from tige to time, and even prcposing in a loud voice the health of some one across the room. A barmaid was continually pushing her way In and out among the crowd. some- times at the very elbows of the seconds, and once we saw her coming into the room with a plate of sausage, cabbage and rye bread. Some one had actually ordered lunch fa this room of blood. The closing fifieen rounds draggzed themselves slowly along. They were even more bloody than the first. It was diffi- cult to understand how the Bavarian stood it to the end, for nearly every round brought him a new wound or laid open an old one. Toward the end he began to pant with heat and exhaustion, and one of the surgeons examined his heart with some care; and cvidently feeling that there was danger from this source he wet a towel in cold water and placed it over the Reart and just under the edge of the armor, and then the fighting went for- ward again with its usual vigor. At the close of the duel, astonishing as it may seem, both contestants were able to walk upstairs to the dressing-room, al- though the Bavarian looked every mo- ment as if he would go down. His appear- ance is not to be described in this place, An hour later we saw the Tyrolean walk- ing about, unconcernedly smoking a cigar- ette, his colored cap perched op top of his bandages. He had not been seriously ‘wounded except for the single cut on top of his head. The Bavarian did not ap- pear. The duel had lasted in all about forty minutes. Bachelor Bigotries. Any one caring to enjoy a little laughter can indulge himself by reading a small volume called ‘‘Bachelor Bigotries,” by some authoress in this instance unknown to fame. It is a compilation from differ- ent writers, arranged to form a calendar of the year. The selections are short, varying from a sentence in length to a skort paragraph. The subject of most of the selections is either woman, love gr naarriage. Particular stress is laid upon the disadvantages of a personal experi- ence of any of the three. Still the satire Is in humorous vein and some amiable re- flections are mixed with it. The following selections will give an idea of the char- acter of the book: March 19— Who collars all_juy scanty pay And.with my little plans makes ha Who says mamma has come to stay? Who takes away my easy chair Because “‘It has no business there,” And only says she doesn't care? Who says she hasn't any gown And wants to put the horses down And thinks we'd better live In town? Who eommandeers my only hack, Returns him with a bad, sore back, And says the little beast is slack? Who thinks that T must ride a bike, And makes we do what I don’t like, And tells we if I don’t she'll strike? And when I'm feeling sad and low Who symoathizes with my woe hes, “I_told you so?" ~London Punch. April 23—A second marriage is the triumph of hope over experience—Dr. Johnson. June 19— Drink to fair woman, who, I think, Is most entitled to it: For if anything drives men to drink She certainly can do it (Fublished by the Commercial Publish- ing Company, San Francisco. Price 50 cents.) The Golden Chimney. An interesting tale for the young has been written by Elizabeth Gerberding and called “The Golden Chimney.” It ge- counts the adventures of a young bo, Ben Ralston, in his, struggle to lay the foundation of his fortune. Ralston has been left an orphan with only a few hun- dred dollars with which to support and educate himself. One day while he and a young cousin, Beth, are wandering near the ruins of an old smelting works the latter suggests to him the idea of minirg the works for the gold which may be left among the soot and rubbish. Ben acts upon Beth's suggestion and invests all of his money in preparations for seeking the treasure. Ben's venture leads him into difficulties which at first promise to de- stroy all of his hopes of success, but he surmounts them all and the end of the story leaves him the possessor of a cap- ital sufficiently large to enable him to obtain the college education which he covets. The book is {llustrated by several fine photographs by Dr. Arnold Genthe. (Pub- lished by A. M. Robertson, San Fran- cisco. Price $1 T | Literary Notes. Book News for December reflects the Christmas spirit as well as the literary spirit of the time. There are ymore pc- tures than usual;'a page is filled with Christmas poetry, and there is an unus- ually full list of the best books of the day, which will be helpful to those in quest of gifts in the book line. Robert W. Chambers is the subject of the month- 2 4 Shakespeare. In this connection it might be mentioned that Mr. Josephare's work shows rather an inattention to the writ- ings of great poets. It is well to be orig- inal, but experience in what has been done before you can do no man harm. Some of his best work in the present volume is found in the more unpreten- tious of his sonnets, take for example this one: TO MY INKWELL. bottle, bottle stained thou gnome, a moody Thou blotty Thou imp, thoy. And yet thyself T would not trade, For golden ink-decanter with a rim Of pearls and decorations wreathed and slim. Now tell me, ugly boy with Inky brow, Of some unwritten thoughts, which allow . To dream awhile within vour tranquil brim. How many black imaginings are there Walting to crawl out for my livelthood? Phantasmas, whims, a poet’s morbid ware, Capricious thoughts, perhaps misunderstood? All liquid yet and blended In thefr well; Some will be born; how many, who can tell? When Mr. Josephare comes down to carth he shows signs of most promise. And he ruins what he intends to be in- spiring. Eagles do not crawl. The things that do crawl are generally more repui- sive than impressive. As can be seen from his picture, Mr. Josephare is still a very young man and therefore the good work that he has done is all the more remarkable. It is also an indication of what we may hope for from him in the future. At present he is try- ing to do too much without the proper groundwork and experience. He should confipe himself to verses like the follow- ing untll his wings have grown enough that he may fly without bumping his head on the ground: MADELINE. Madeline, maiden of dreams, Pale is the face of the moon, What dost thou think of its beams? What is that message that seems Music of mystical tune? and grim, friend art I vow, you Phantoms and pearls from its gleams Over the garden are strewn— Pearls in thy moonlight of June. Madeline. Maiden—with many weird themes Moonlight in summer night teems, Qut of this moonlight are hewn Bodies of intricate schemies, Dreams that thou dreamest too soon, Madeline. Turquoise and Iron” is published by A. M. Robertson, San Francisco. Price $120) B. G. LATHROP. > Life Work of WILLIAM McKINLEY. The alm has been to make this work reliable and authentic, an honor to our beloved President and worthy of a place in every library Special features Invaluable for his- * torical reference. Superbly | trated: tastily bound: large, ¢ type; superfine Dpaber. Over pages. Agents wanted e\erywm-_ ), Spectal library edition. ...... $1.23 Cloth, inlpid cover panel BC ) ‘World's Best Dreverhs Quotations. Geo. H. Arranzed @iphaber ry edition. and Short . M 8 enaravi Cloth edition, a Dijzac’s Comple'e Brama ic Works. Five delightful dramas and come- teeming with intense human tten at the height of brilliant career. Most ex- ite examples of his. inimitable racter creations. Now res Two I trated, Fnglish gold tops, in a vols., fllus- . deckle’ edges, Frolics of the A BC. The most delightful and instructive children’s book published. Teaches the alphabet unconsciously and pleasingly. The quaint antles ot the “lettersprites’ are clever, original and amusieg. * Just the book for | tle tots. Printed in ten col- 75¢ ors. Boards, cioth back.... Babv Go se; His Adventures. By Fanni¢ E. Ostrander, fllus- trated by Hirchert. Fairly bubbling over with clean. wholesome fun for the children. Every page superbly illustrated. Book and cover printed in 12 colors. Bound in boayds, fancy wrapper. $1.25 The Heart «f a Foy. Holiday Edition de Luxe. From the 224th edition of Edmondo de Amiels. 33 full-page balf-tones and 2§ text etchings. Printed on fine half-tone_paper. 8vo siik cloth. silt top Clotn edition, illustrated. Firesidz 1 autle; By Annie G. Brown. A story for girls. Tells the brave, cheery way to face hard problem: Illustrated by J. C. Leyendecker. Holiday Edi- tion de Luxe. ” #%0. £f O cloth, illumtd. cover. Cloth edition, illustrafed TSe For sale everywhers, or supplied by, ’LAIRD £ LEE, Publistiers, Chicage . o 2 1y portrait and biography; there are short sketches of Reginald Wright Kauffman and Herman K. Viele; a page of wise and witty sayings from the newest books; reviews of the latest publications, together with all the customary depart- ments. December’s contributions to The Cen- tury’s leading feature, the ‘“Year of American Humor,” are “Blackgum Ag'in Thunder,” by Frank R. Stockton; “The Testimonial,” by Gelett Burgess, with pictures by Florence Scovel Shinn; “The Deception of Martha Tucker,” an_aul mobile extravaganza, by Charles Battell Loomis, with pictures by Miss Cory: more of “Policeman Flynn's Adventures,” by Elliott Flower, with pictures by F. D. Steele; “Officer Brady (the Modern Re- cruit).”” a humorous poem, by Robert W. Chambe: author of “The Recruit,” and “Lighter Vein” contributions from Ruth McEnery Stuart, E. L. Sabin, Beatrice Hanscom, Oliver Herford, Carolyn Wells and others. No one who cares for art., and whe chances to read in the December Me- Clure’s Mr. La Farge's first article on the o0ld masters will fail to read the rest as they appear in McClure’s Magazine dur- ing the coming year. The author is both a great artist and a profound student of art, and the series is therefore bound to constitute the most important comtribu- tion toart criticism for some time to come, For the importance of such work is meas- ured by the breadth of its appeal. Other great artists and critics have written on the subject, and what they have said is forgotten, because it was addressed to a limited audience of those who have made a life-long study of the subject. Mr. La Farge knows better than that. No one can fail to understand every word of thes essays, but there Is no shallowness in their simplicity. The form of the essays is the very best as it is also the most difficult; that, name- ly, of the critical short life. Mr. La Farge knows how to steer successfully between the Scylla of barren encyclopedi- cal facts and the Charybdis of critical formulae, detached in their application from biography and history. The person- ality of the artist is projected on the background of his times, and the influ- ence of each on the other is carefully traced in every one of his great paintings and sculptures. Of the tint illustrations which accompany the text it is only nec- essary to say that they are fully worthy of it. —_— Books Received. 365 BREAKFAST DISHES—Published by George A. Jacobs & Co., Philadelphia. d0c THAT GIRL MONTANA—By Marah Ellis Ryan. Rand, McNally & Co., New York. THE PRINCESS CYNTHIA—By Marguerits Bryant. Funk & Wagnalls Company, New York. $1 20 PUSSY MEOW—Bw S. Louise Patteson. George W. Jacobs & Co., Philadelphia. 60c JUNK—By Leon Lempert Jr. C. M. Clark, Beston. OUR FIRST SCHOOL BOOK—By Carrie Sif- yer Ferris. Silver, Burdett & Co., New York. 30e. MARS DISARMED—A play by R. Cunning- hurst. The Whitaker & Ray Company, Saa Francisco. THE REAL LATIN QUARTER—By F. xeley Smith. Funk & Wagnalls Company, New York. $120. BALLADS O phonso Alva Hopkins. York. ie. WHITE'S ART OF TEACHING—By Emer- son E. White. American Book Company, New York. $1 FOLLY IN FAIRYLAND-—By Carolyn Wells. Henry Altemus Company, Philadelphia. 31 AMERICAN BOYS LIFE OF WILLIAM McKINLEY—By Edward Stratemeyer. Lee & Shepard, Boston. $1 2. WILLIAM McKINLEY—By E. T. Roe. Laird & Lee, Chicago. $135. THE PRIDE OF RACE—By B. L. Farjeon. George W. Jacobs & Co., Philadelphia. 3L THE FORTUNE OF CHRISTINA M'NAB— By 8. Macnaughtan. D. Appleton & Co., New York. §1. THE MARCH OF THE WHITE GUARD, By Glibert Parker. R. F. Fenno & Co., Ne B BROTHERHOOD—By Al- The Abbey Press, New York. 0e. THE WASHINGTONIANS — By Pauline Bradford Mackie. L. C. Page & Co., Beston. $1 50. MARK EVERARD—By Knox Magee. R. F. Fenmo & Co., New York. $130. + ““JiNGLES Frow JAPAN" Venses bv Mabe! Hyde. Pictures by Helen hiyde. ‘as set forth by the A UNIQUE HOLIDAY GIFT | “The jingles. are bright and far abov. The Wverage in cleverness. The au- | thor shows a delicate wit. and some of Aer poems are exceptionally good The volume will be a most accept- able holiday souvenir, for its unique style and attractive drawings wili appeal to the public. The pictures. printed in flat blacks and reds, are strikingly artistic.””—The Milwaukee Sentinel. / PRICE 73c NET. A. M. ROBERTSON, Pub isher. 26 Post Street.