The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, October 23, 1904, Page 6

THE SAN FRANCISCO SUNDAY CALL and which tion made Rather a be m may se ¢ the boyhood and early youth C great commander, cast in the dlogy of the hero himself. from fact and fancy alike, Dr. 11 has brought to our eyes a liv- icture of Washi on, made more ent of the per- by the employ form in its telling eiving it to be the desire of the eral 10 set down for his own the » had significant bearing upon the , the author his narrative upon Washington e retirement of Mt. Vernon, feel- relief that comes with the su aged g icatic events of his early life wh course of later activities cease from political vexations and cast- ing bLack over the record of his young manhood to draw therefrom pleasant store of reminiscence. *I shall do this for alone,” writes the auto- her of Dr. Mitchell's conjuring. Liog: 5 confine my attention to re- calling the eveuts of my youth, and as 1 hate deception even where the imag- inatic only is concerned, I shall try, for my own satisfaction, to deal mere- ly with facts That Weir Mitchell is a close and sympathetic student of the life and character of the great Virginian is manifested by the characteristic air of reservé that he brings to cover aM of the narrative put into the mouth of that character. All the excessive modesty and unselfishness of action that is reflected throughout the pages of Washington's bona-fide diary and his voluminous correspondence is re- produced in this book with a fidelity which adds to the charm of deception. Carefully selected phrases, the cer- tainty in every fact's correctness ex- pressed, the restraint exercised in all Judgments of other men’'s actions—all these characteristics of the scrupulous- 1y correct and unswervingly just Wash- ington Mitchell has caught and re- flected in this imaginative _memoir. The illusion is complete. By the grave communings of an old man with the memories of an hogored lifetime there are brought out delicate shadings of characters such as cannot be reproduced in the formal eulogies of historians. These we feel must be wvery close to truth, very near what ‘Washington kept locked up wunder guard of his impenetrable reserve. For example, as to this very character- istic aloofness itself, Mitchell has his ‘Washington say: “It has often happened to me to learn that I am thought to be a cold man, but this I believe to be untrue; for though I am as concerns social in- tercourse and freedom of speech a man reserved by nature, I discover in my- ®self a great freedom to express my- self affectionately on paper—nor do I conceive that I am uniike others in feeling the loss of the many friends whom distance or death have separated from me.” The real George Washington was known to be & man possessed, seem- ingly, of but one great fault and that an occasional ungovernable temper. Of this the imagined autobiographer makes ready admission: “Dr. Franklin has wisely said that no examples are so useful to a man as those which his own conduct af- fords and that he was right in his opinion I have reason to believe. This I bave observed to be true of anger, to which I am. or was, subject. I flat- ter myself that I have now learned to command my temper, although it is still on rare occasions likely to become mutinous. I do not observe that mere abuse troubles me long, but in the presence of cowardice or ingratitude I am subject to fits of rage.” Thus are we able to glean from these reconstructed pages of the life of ‘Washington intimate glimpses of the great soul of the man; glimpses which strike into us more tellingly than the rounded phrase of a panegyrist or the sounding period of a historian. This clothing of the spirit of Washington with the tangible form of his own thoughts has about it something fas- cinating. All of the time, too, we are in a puz- zle over the book. What is true? What is fancy? Letters there are in the text POLITICS and Love Mingle ARK LEE LUTHER'S latest story, “The Mastery,” is far from being stereotyped, likewise far from dull. As a mnovel of politics it thrums with swift incident and the play of great forces. As a tale of love it is as unhackneyed as such a story could be in all these years since “Sappho.” Together, the two elements bresent a forceful study of American character, a vivid reflection of the rushing tide of men’s affairs in this work-a-day age. Unhackneyed is “The Mastery” by these tokens, if no others: The candi- date for Governor of New York sits him down to a dinner of hash—even though it was “the poetry of hash”— and calmly discusses the question of kitchen help while the counting of re- turns is in progress a hundred miles away. A street gamin in a college set- tlement gives the magic word that saves the destinies both of Philip Drew, bachelor, and Philip Drew, head of a ticket. A cloutish State Assemblyman misconstrues the phrase “a thousand reasons” into the offer of a thousand- dollar bribe, and comes nigh upsetting the programme.of a nominating con- vention by so doing. These are only some of the incidents in Mr. Luther's story of the political game that differ- entiate the novel from the ninety and nine others of the same genre, which have been first holding and then pall- ing the tastes of readers since Ford wrote his “Honorable Peter Sterling.” It seems to have been the tendency of many of our writers who turn their eyes to politics for plots to paint the political boss with colors approximat- ing angelic whiteness, and from this Luther does not veer. Though he does give us the reverse side of the picture in the character of Maddox. the city boss of New York, the author seeks, through his hero, to exemplify the true organizer of forces and dictator of events in the American political field whom we have invested with this suz- gestive term. “The political engine minus its engineer is junk,” quotes one of the shrewd politicians in the book. and “bossism—which is the creature of its environment, as were its fore- runners—will drop iInto perspective, and history assay its output impar- tally.” ‘With a model boss, then, holding the largest thread of the story, the author proceeds to narrate the detalls of his struggles after supreme power over the heads of all opponents and only draws his story to a close with that hash eating incident which precedes the announcement of the hero's elec- ticn to the Governorship of New York, Though it seems to the reviewer that no better insight into the wheels with- in wheels of political machinery has ever been given than that in Brand Whitlock’s “Thirteenth District,” Mr. Luther's knowledge of these clock- works seems to be adequate for a very absorbing narrative of party con- vention legislative caucus and Sena- torial election deadlock. The incident of the nominating convention which serves as the climax to the story is handled with a keen eye to the ef- fectiveness of suspense and dramatic denouement. Even those whose knowledge of the devious paths of politics is meager can find in this " passage a bracing bit of excitement. In chafacter delineation the author seems to be equally skilled at clear- cut outline. His man, Phillp Drew, is an embodiment of the nervous energy of the present day striver after success, resourceful, indomitable in energy and perseverance. In many ‘ways it impresses that in the creation SWING-TT3 FICTION 8 / £ of this character Mr. Luther has tak- en for his medel one who but recent- lv exchanged the guberpatorial chair of New York for a higher office. The heroine has not so many distinguishing traits as her politician lover and de- velops a certain mulishness at criti- cal moments which aggravates the reader mightily. We do not readily apprehend why it is that the worthy future Governor of the Empire State is content to put up with some of her pettishness, being election year it is ob- viously more than a coincidence that “The Mastery” should make its ap- pearance. But with its bid for read- ing by those who have an eye to poli- tics it offers a wholesome substantial- ity. Women—save only those who be- long to women’s rights clubs—may not understand or appreciate the book, but there are few men that will lay it aside unfinished. (The Macmillan Company, York; price $1 50.) LETTERS Breathing Love O one but the most confirmed bibliolater can claim acquaintance with the quaint antiquarian bit, “Letters From a Portuguese Nun,” which Brentano's of New York have just brought out in exact duplication of the English edition of 1817. This, the first American edition of a book that was famous with the lovers of two centuries back, will probably not be 80 moving to the modern heart as to the romantic one of long ago, but the reading of it brings up, as in a picture, all of the exaggerated sentl- mentalism of the romance days when lovers sighed over lutes beneath la- dies’ bowers and the tender passion melted the heart to a limply gelatin- ous state, According to the overburdened and stilted “historical introduction” to these letters, which is reproduced ver- batim in the present edition from that of 1817, Marianne, the Portuguese nun in question, lived in the latter half of the seventeenth century and un- fortunately met Noel Bouton de Cha- milly, the object of her affections, in Lisbon during the year 1663. This particular French = gentleman, St. Simon tells us, was gross of body and small of mind and far from being the ideal Adonis who could be thought to irspire such emotions as Marianne has penned. He was, moreover, a cool lover and a vain; with incomparable boorishness he showed the amatory epistles to a friend of his in Paris and through that channel they were given to a world of lovers. Poets seized upon them for their inspiration, gay ladies of the court, both in France and England, attuned their own ten- New | COURTESY O 7778 caxTLRY Ca a6 the finest complexion, and I should thigk myself hateful if being deprived of the sight of you for three days had not disfigured me.” Thus reads this passionate correspondence. ~Whim- sically amusing it is to us of this age of bluff materialism, but what an ap- peal it had to the quivering romanti- cism of a past age may be gathered from the criticism of a Louis Quinze poet, Dorat, who says: “These letters will excite those de- ficlous tears which relieve the heart, not that agony of grief which op- presses it; they breathe the most ten- der, the' most impassioned, the most generous love; they paint the passion in all its nice gradations of shade and all its interesting details; you behold its storms, its agitations, its momen- tary resolutions, its fond relapses, the delicacy of its fears and the heroism of its sacrifices.” Perhaps all this is to be found in “Letters From a Portuguese Nun,” but it would require an efghteenth century poet to discover the same. (Brentano's, New York; price 75 sents.) SRR B MADIGANS ° Deserve SpanKing ISS MIRIAM MICHELSON has distinetly “arrived,” in the par- lance of the bock people. Of the very few new writers of the year whose work hes received the sanction of the readers and, through that, the publish- ers’ favor, this San Francisco woman is one. By the daring and the origin- ality of her first novel, “In the Bishop's Carriage,” which was published last March and which commanded instant success, Miss Michelson found herself suddenly emancipated from the ano- nymity of journalism and endowed with the distinction that hedges about the charmed circle of the writer folk. Now comes her second book, “The Madigans,” franked with the potent stamp of The Century Company, and Miss Micheison is securely ensconced in the writers’ temple of fame. All this within a year. In her breezy book about the adven- tures of Nance Olden, Miss Michelson . reveals in every chapter the hall mark of the clever journalist. The news- paper worker’s Instinct for the salient points of a ‘“story” is manifested throughout; the atmosphere of the world of graft, sensed so intimately by those whose business makes them rub elbows with every type of “les miser- ables,” is reproduced with photographic clearness; all of the many little jour- nalistic tricks for the pointing of em- phasis and the sudden rounding of a climax are employed effectively. In her first novel Miss Michelson is the skill- ful newspaper writer, little else. “The Madigans” discloses the writer en- dowed with an appreciation for higher literary values. Lacking not a whit of the wit and sharp observation of the former book, this second story is more firmly grounded in that which s indic- ative of serious literary work—a strong heart interest, the analysis of char- acter and the significance of some as- pects of life. In the superficial first reading given “The Madigans” it appears that there is set forth therein nothing but the amusing recital of the many comedies and little tragedies attending the dally round in the Madigan household, over in Virginia City. A disappointed, world-soured old father, his maiden sister and his people the story. Out of the battles the richest humor apd interprets to a dot the promptings of the childish mainspring of action. But it is in the delicate under-hint, suggested rather than exploited, of the somber tragic note in the disharmony — in uthh‘.'_.h. inner significance of the story T S TR ON T six young daughters. ey had interpreted for us the heart of the sweet little girl of sweet home sur- roundings whose life unfolded day by day like a flower; she was the little girl of a modern social perfection or circumstances if you will. The Madi- gans, every mother's daughter of them, are barbarians, pure and simple; through the hardness and “loveless indifference of home surroundings they have suffered a reversion to type, as the scientists say. The warring and the back-biting indicate something akin to a struggle for moral existence. Throughout all of the sketches Miss Michaelson has shown a remarkably clear perception of the juvenile mind, its workings. “The Ancestors of Irene™ is a perfect little exposition of those youthful imaginings that are made real by dint of the very imaginative force. “Cecilia the Pharisee” reflects the self imposed humility and sanctity which so often wraps about a young- ster in moments of contrition to his great and pious joy. The fears of Bep and Fom -that they will awake some morning to find themselves ““Chemise Twins” js delicious farce. Little devils though these Madigans are, one’s heart goes out to them. Per- haps it is pity, perhaps it is just the compelling child in each of them that calls imperiously to our affections. (The Century Company, New York; illustrated; price $1 50.) JUVENILE Books a Plenty HOUGH Christmas is still at a com- fortable distance and young read- ers have not yet begun to take ac- count of the books they hope to find in the glorified stocking on that holiday, the publishers are beforehand with a new and tempting list of reading mate- rial for young minds to feast upon in delighted anticipation. Already the re- viewer's table is’ heaped high with books of all sorts, that announce their mission from emblazoned cover and highly dramatic illustration. And to drop down from the heights of fiction, history and speculative science to the flowery plane of children’s literature is for the reader of many books in the na- ture of a pleasing diversion. First, and maybe foremost, to assume the judgment of the little folks them- selves, is Palmer Cox's new Brownie book, “The Brownies in the Phillp- pines,” which the Century Company publishes. Of course, every little tot is on easy speaking terms with Mr. Cox's host of queer fairies, and many are the grown-ups who formed with them an interesting acquaintance in the old days of the St. Nicholas. So, needing no introduction, come again these mis- chievous little fellows. They try to ride a “timarau,” they have great times with the snakes on Palawan, they sere- nade & native chief on Romblon, they go monkey hunting on Tawi Tawli, they encounter a typhoon In Albay, they hunt wolves on Bokol, they go down into Manila Bay in diving-bells, they catch a tiger on Leyte, they even find a battle line on Masbate and they play many other pranks, all pictured as only Palmer Cox can picture these quaint and richly humorous little people. There are some new characters in “The Brownies in the Philippines,” notably a Rough Rider and a fisherman. The Bobbs-Merrill Company brings out two books for children which seem to fill nearly every requirement. Bert Leston Taylor, whose “Line-o-Type or Two” on one of Chicago's papers was for several years a of laughter the country round, has turned his com- ic vein into a channel for children with “The Well in the Wood.” This has to narrate the story of a little girl who finds In the woods companions the most delightful. The Laziest Beaver, the Rabbit Who Wiggles His Nose and a score other forest creatures make life merry for the little stranger from peo- pleland. Fanny Y. Corey contributes the i{llustrations, delicately drawn and colored. “Fantasma Land” by Charles Ray- mond Macauley embodies a similar idea, save that In the maglc country where young Dickey finds himself there are such beings as the Jibjaub, the Glubdubgand Gilgoyle—all interesting Deasts and not ® bit harmful 1y at- tempting an imitation of Lewls Car- rol's classics Mr. Macauley has not been as happy in his diction as the creator of Alice. A great deal of his book is over the heads of children be- cause of the many-syllabled words employed, but the illustrations are amusing enough to compensate for this defect. Lee & Shepard of Boston have brought out a great number of books which deserve special mention because of their uniform high grade of excel- lence. Standard fiction for boys girls by writers of accested merit a offered in attractive binding and with adequate illustrations at the net price of $1 25—very good bargains for buy- ers of Christmas books. Edward Stratemeyer, a writer has come to take place with Ki roe as the author of buys” ks, pro- wo this seasgn: “On the Trail of 'y the Wandere The first named volum:e tells of tim in our country immediate! the war with France for the ssion of Canada. In those aays much unrest and a keen sp ry among the French, the the Indiansg on the frontier The plot turns upon the establishing of a trading post upon the Ohio ¥ and many hunting scenes and to Indian villages are depicted. historical setting of the tale is based upon facts, and the Inalans are shown as they actually were—neither wholly good nor wholly bad, and the same may be said of the hunters, trappers and traders. A fight with the Indians and the French in a snowstorm is es- pecially realistic and the entire book carries with it the atmosphere of colo- nial times. The second story is a plain tale of every-day life, written especially for boys and girls who do not care par- ticularly for stories with a historical or geographical background. Larry is a youth who has been knocked around from pillar to post for a number of years. He knows nothing about him- self, where he came from, or where he belongs. He is a bit rough In his ways, but beneath his rude exterior is a heart of gold. By the merest accident he becomes a boatboy, and earns his liv- ing by catching fish. At the lake he meets people who have had much to do with his past, and have likewise much to do with his future: and the unraveling of the curious mystery which surrounds the lad's identity makes reading that no young folks will care to miss. A story of good moral tone, and quite out of the ordinary. ($1). who y after e there wa it of rival- glish and vis In “Stories of Brave Old Times” Helen M. Cleveland has followed up initial successes in The Youth's Com- panion by a series of tales concerned with the romance of history in the days of the American Revolution. Though this has been done before. few have brought to a work primarily for juvenile reading the graphic power of portrayal that Miss Cleveland exhibits. Her book is good reading for those not reckoned as children. ‘The Young Vigilantes,” by Samuel Adams Drake, is a book that shoulid have -especial appeal to San Francisco boy readers, for it narrates some of the most exciting incidents in the history of the city and State at large. The story embraces the old-time voyage across the isthmus, gold-digging scenes in California and incidents in the early days of our own city. Though not a paragon of historical exactness, Colonel Drake’s book may be strongly com- mended. Among Lee & Shepard’s juveniles for girls particular mention may be made of four. “The Taming of Betty.” by G. W. Picknell, relates the amusing incidents surrounding the breaking of a typical tomboy into a perfect young lady—very readable even for older peo- ple. Annie M. Barnes writes “A Lass of Dorchester,” a colonial tale with a thrilling climax. “An Honor GIrL"” by Bertha G. Davidson, is, as the title in- dicates, a school tale, somewhat out of the ordinary. “Randy’s Good Times,” by Amy Brooks, continues the fortunes of the heroine in the popular juvenile, “Randy’s Summer.” A book which must prove most help- ful to mothers and children who find garden life fascinating is Louise Klein Miller's “Chiidren’s Gardens.” In this little manual, plentifully {llustrated, the author seeks to point out the best way for young folks to plant and tend a garden plat or vegetable patch by giving a comprehensive glossary of the most effective wild and cultivated plants and shrubs, advising upon fer- tilizers and cultivation, and eciting cures for the eradication of insect pests. Co-operative gardening as & part of school work occupies a share of the author’s attention. A simple classifi- cation of trees and flowering plants makes a valuable index. (D. Appleton & Co., New York; illus- trated.) NOTES On Things BooKish T was a red hot night for news, says a writer in the Chicago Times- Herald. One after another all the star members of the staff had been sent out on assignments until the city room was practically vacant. A rough, uncouth, queer looking person saun- tered in and asked for a job. The city editor of the Cincinnati Enquirer told “him there was nothing for him and tarned to answer the telephone. Over the wire came the information that evidences of a murder had been discovered at the city gas works. The caller was just shuffiing out of the room when the city editor hung up the receiver and called out, “Wait a minute! Go out to the city gas works and see what is the matter there. Come back as soon &s you can.” The stranger was back again within an hour. “It's a murder,” he said, ana went into tne reporters’ room. A half hour later, when the city editor entered the room, he found the new reporter ly at full length upon the top of a I 1ble, while the blank paper wa eld close to his face be- = of an affection of the eyes which prevented from turning in the Picking u iseript, v and Ig th then laid writer's heac a snarl like eyeba s pages of the man- beautifully writ ss of copper- t finé y upon the ntly elicited 1d beast. “It's 2ditor. “Keep give us all of d to write un- and his matter It gave all the most horrible of modern official of the who dis- »dy and e a coke fur- descript fascinatic of tf ime had ar Allan e story the became a reportor e, The unknown who v ver had been heard from fo that time, though his name afterward became well known to lovers \m ature. It was the tia in news- paper work o “Miriam, or the Sin of David,” is the correct title of the new play by Mr. s, which was at first David and Bathsheba.” is clearly indicated by the the pla opens in Cromwell's army, id of in Jerusalem, and tuns its course during the English civil war. The late as Nast, the cartoon- hy by Albert Bige- ablished in Octo- iillan Company, died In Ecuador in the service of his coun- try. He was Consul G ral there when y fever broke out and stayed at his when others did, ref g to leave and ok the fever and died. The material for this blog- raphy was confided by him in person to the author and the book wil be illustrated with reproductions of about 400 of Mr. Nast's best cartoons. One of the strangest literary colnet- dences is the appearance of Mrs, Bur- nett's story, “In the Closed Room,” at the same time with Kipiing’s “They.” It is remarkable that two such mnoted writers should have been seized simul- taneously with a desire to express the almost inexpressibie mysteries of child- hold. These two stories of children and the spirit-world naturally invite a com- parison. Individual taste will probably be the only court to decide which story is the better. The general opinion seems, however, to be that Mr. Kip- ling has produced a marvelously wrought cryptogram; while Mrs. Bur- nett has produced a story crystal clear, human and very real, notwithstanding its mystic atmosphere. Four new volumes have just ap- peared in the Macmillan Company's new series of Pocket American and English Classics, intended for elemen- tary schools. These include an edition of “Gulliver’s Travels” and one of “The Arablan Nights,” each with notes and an Introduction by Clifton Johnson, “Hawthorne’s Grandfather's Chalr® and “Old English Ballads.” New Books Received THE MADIGANSMiriam Mishelsen; The Century Company, New York; ileteatedi price $1 50. THE YOUTH OF WASHING ety Mitchell; The Century Company, Tark; price §1850, THE GRAY WORLD—Bvelys H The €entury Company, New !-dl price 1 Db tas MANASSAS—Uptoa e = i SPORTSMAN JOB-— Macmilian Company, New Forks Hiasteetud] price $1 50. THE SIGN OF THN Bar rett; Henry Holt & Co., new Yerks by photographs from play ef same names peies 75_centa. THE LOVE OF AZALBA—Ousts Dodd, Mead & Os, New Yowlt; Gazo Foudit; BRATRIX Dodd, Mead & Co., Now Yarki price §1 50. price §1 50. BEX!‘EATH VIRGINIA AXIDS—Gesrys ; Scott-Thaw Company, New Yerkj 8- JCAN FAMILY—WIith introduction by W. Baxter; The Century Compaay, New Yeek; BETHLENEM—Recen- structed from oid mirsale Charise Mills Gayley; Fox, Duffield 2'&'. L Tork; fllustrated; price $1. POEMS OF WILLIAM Percy R. Colwell; Thomas New York; in_box: THE GREEK Natban Haskell Dole; Co., New York: in box; eclof NATURE AND — Hamiiton ‘Wright Mable: Dodd, Mead & Co, New York; fllustrated; price $2. BALANCE THE FUNDAMENTAL VERITY—Orlando J. Smith; Houghton, Miffin & Co., Boston: price $1 28. VASHTI—John B. Kaye; @ P. Putnam's , New Yorik. STUDIES OF A BOOKLOVER — Thomas Mare Parrott; James Pott & Co., New York: price $1 20, OUR WEST INDIAN NEIGHBORS—Fred- erick A. Ober: James Pett & Co., New York: tllustrated: price §2 80. PRESIDENTIAL Cleve- land: ' The Cen Company, New York: price §1 80. CULTURE PRI = READER—Ellen E. K. Warner; D. Appleton & Co., New York: iilustrated. CAREERS FOR THE COMING MEN (s com- pendium of addresses)—The Saalfield Publish- ing Company. Akron. Ohio: price $1 50, TWENTY-FIVE GHOST STORIES — Com- plled by W. B.‘Hafl;nd: J. 8. tivie Publish- ng Company, New York: pri AROUND THE YEAR WITH _BELLA WHEELER WILCOX—Compiled by Eila Q. Ruddy: The W. B. Conkey Company, Chicago; ustrated. FORTUNES OF A FREE LANCE—Alfred G. Lawrence; The Saalfield Publishing Com- pany.” Akron.’ Oblo: fllustrated; 50 ON A LARK ETS—Frances : The Saalfield Publishing Oklo; lilustrated in price $1 0. BILLY WHISKERS JR. — Montgomery; The Saalield Publisl pany, Alnmhoh;;‘: u];_xa«;-w: dimer . Cox; The Century Company, New York; price §1 50.