The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-12-07

RECENT PUBLIcATIoNs.-Lee & Shepard
seem determined to keep up with the process
sion," and have added to their catalogue a
book for boys bearing the mysterious title of
"The b. o. w. c. The fact that il is writ
ten by the author of the dodge Club will be
sufficient guarantee that it is all il should be 4,
and a perusal of it will show it to be one
of the most humorous and entertaining
books ever devised to keep our "youpg hope
fuls'' out of mischief and make them willing
to stay at home. Unless boys have wonderful
ly changed since that far away time when We
were young, the fortunate possessor of the b
o. w. Q. will be in no danger of breaking
through the ice or getting into a sclape while
the book remains unread. For sale by Loring
Short s. Harmon and just the thing for Christ
mas or New Years. FL. .-.
The same House send out Sabbath Songs
for Chidren's Worship, collection made up
by judicious and experienced hands and sps-
cially adapted for the wants of Sabbath Schools
throughout the country. In addition to many
old and we'll known hymns and tunes are ma
ny new ones which have been publicly tested
with great success. 1t has paper covers and
sold low. For sale by Lo.ing Short & Hsr
mon.
"THE LITTLE NoRToNs. This pretty story
for children, Just published in this city by Lor.
ing, Short 6 Harmon, is deserving of some
thing more than a mere passing notice. 1t il
written by Mrs. Clara Barnes Martin, whose
charming "Story of Muff" will be fresh in the
memory of many readers, and who would
seem to have special vocation in this direc-
ton To write ,oeu for children is rare art
or rather, gift; for it is faculty which, as
Dogberry says of reading and writing in gen
eral, "comes by nature" OF making of books
there is no end, and especially of the kind
classed as ''juveniles;" and we are apt to con-
gratulate ourselves upon the fact as an advan-
tage But when we think of all the coarse
and bad books, the ineffably stupid books, and,
worst of all, the "goody-goody" books in
which poor children are condemned by i'll
judging parents to find their mental food, it
becomes a question whether after all the pres
ent generation of little folks are better OH than
those who went before. The Lsfffe N0rtons Is
| a book of n different sort. The writer knows
children well. their little engaging ways, their
| small rorgbtinesses, and queer sayings, and
| .,.;- .r,,ess revelations of their own and
otber peoples motives. In this little book she
ss,ates the adventures. the sayings and doings,
Of five lively young people from May-day to
Christmas, "a Summers Life" Their story
is told in graceful and natural manner, with
faithfulness to life which suggests the idea Of
personal recollection. A slender thread of
"grown-up" romance runs through il, which
will catch the fancy of older hildren, and the
incidents are interesting without being unDsu-
al or exciting. The whole is fresh, simple and
childlike, sweet and pure in tone, though with
out any overstrained attempt to point moral
1t ought to have large sale. The publishers
have brought out the book in manner at
once attractive in itself and extremely credita-
BILE to their enterprise. 1t is beautifully print
| ed (from the press of Brown Thurston & Co,)
with tasteful head-piecees, finals and initial
letters; the illustrations and the rnDrica'su
title-page are pretty and well execu.eu' auu
the binding is rich and handsome. Inc pooA
is the first essay of the kind wnich 'hese pup,
,sbars have made, and it is to be hoped that it
viii ,rove as successful as it deserves, and that
.hor nav be encouraged to bring out other
Us There is room for fiourishing ousi5
,,ess of this kind in Portland, and we desire to
see it in progress. ~ d. -