The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-25
LIrERATURH.
REVIEW or VIEW Bo0K 8.

Miss Logan having abandoned the stage
she expressly declares in the volume before
ns that it was not because she failed as an
actress. and, of course, we are bound to be-
lieve her-has turned her attention to litera-
ture and the advocacy of womens rights. In
these lines of business she has at least
managed to keep herself before the public,
and to have herself talked about, and this is
apparently glory enough, for in her perform
ances she appears to take little or no pains to
deserve commentator at the hands of those
who are disposed to bestow their praise on
something more than invective, egotism, and
n tendency to pruriency that represents in
literature what the leg drama does on the
stage. Miss Logan's strong point is first Olive
Logan, and then the nude drama, as she
elegantly designates the performances of the
blonde burlesquers Indeed, the violence of
her invectives against a style of not very
praiseworthy entertainments that have been
popular of late is little overdone, as were
some of the so-called criticisms on the Black
CyOob ballet, and it is suggestive of
the idea that Olive may perhaps ulti-
mately claim a 'divvy' with the blondes
for aiding to make them a success with the
public When dilating upon the nude drama
Miss Logan has an evident partiality for her
subject, which induces her to give a minute
analysis of all its prominent features, that
has a certain piquancy coming from a WON an
protesting to write in the interest of virtue
and morality, but which would be considered
as bordering on the verge of indelicacy if
perpetrated by male pen. 1t is the chap
ters on the nude drama, however, that will
make the book sell if anything will, for there
is but little in it that can be praised, whether
as regards substance or literary style. Miss
Logan writes in a pert, jerlly manner that is
particularly unpleasant, and her attempts at
wit are too evidently forced to give much
flavor to her commonplaces. Portions of the
book, however, are entertaining, but not pro-
badly in the way that the author intended.
The following agreeably egotistical chapter
has evidently been written with much unc-
tion, and without much thought Of the queer
ideas it is likely to suggest to the reader
with reference to Olives position as an inhu-
ential member of the Kitchen Cabinet at the
French Court We quote it as an excellent
example of Olive when she is at her BEST
My position was a peculiar one in many
respects when | was i'm my seventeenth year of
life on earth, my first year of life in Paris.
My daily companions were the ladies and gen.
tlemen of Louis NapolcOn's court 1t was erro-
neously believed that to get admitted to the
salons where presided, was equivalent to set
ting foot in the very ante-room of royalty-a be-
lief, the existence of which, l must in justice
say, was at the time unknown TO me, and for
which was in 40 way responsible.
now had my first taste of the power OF
Power or more properly speaking, OF the
power of supposed Power There were all sorts
npOnlp a m ingp-GlntiE a
sorts of fayors, from the sale to the French
government OF patent valued ut million
francs to the securing of seat in the imperial
chapel Mt the Tuilcrics for the coming Sunday
morning, and as | mt that age when one
wishes to please everybody, ! always did my lit
tie best to get everybody's requests granted.
There were French people, and English peo-
pie, and people OF all lands among these haunt
ers of my threshold, but more than all others,
there were Americans.
The generality of these. like truc-born Yam
KEGS as they were, had inventions which they
were anxious TO sell to the government. Gene
rally it was something in the way of firearms,
though sewing machines, brCad-makng ma
chimes, and many other machines, found their
way to my residence in the Faubourg ST. lIo-
more for inspection.
To find an Amercan-these dcluded people
thought-in such very exceptional position,
was something most extraordinary; person who
could look mt your inventions in one minute, and
twenty minutes later stand in the empGrOrs
presence and speak directly to him about them
it was wonderful Such a person must be got
at-must be prOpitatcd, and made to take Il
personal interest in every inventors cause.
Itwas not dinicutsto say asgood word for these
worthy men. Generally however, the inyen-
tions were chimercal Illusions or delUsiOns
whose uselessness it only required practical
test to clearly demonstrate.
One of these, well remember was n bread
baking apparatus, presented by a gentleman Of
Cincinnati, whose cause | espoused with especial
enthusiasmin view of his mailing from the West
ern city where my mother, brother, and sisters
lived. To hear of the operations Of this wonder
tul apparatus was like listening to a fairy story,
or to modern rivalry of the miracle of the
loayes and fishes.
For this inventor permission was obtained to
land his apparatus in Hayrc, free of duty: and
there the matter ended, because the machine
stopped working in America, and refused ever
to resume its marvellous operations.
One OF the Yankees though not one Of the
impecuniOus, was Mr.. Cyrus w. Field. lie
spent much time at my house, in his efforts to
secure a concession from the French government
OF the right to land a submarine cable on the
French islands of St.. Pierre and Miqueon.
My interest in this matter was very strong.
While it was still pending, left Paris for a few
weeks SOJOurn at BiarriU, the imperial sea-
bathing village. NJ. Mocquard was there with
the empress, and | wrote TO him on the subject
urging him, if possible to let me have the con
cession for Mr. Field at once.
Mocquard's position as Napoeon's right-hanC
man. his mOuthpiece, his confidential adviser
was well known. To apply to him was as goot
as, or better than, to apply to the emperor him
self.
With his neyer-failing courtesy, MocquarC
expressed to me his regret at not being able {,
respond to my desire. He wrOte:-
t1 must before writing to Paris, confer abOu
this matter with the Minister of Foreign Aft airs
u In, hoo ,gt ri,fi,