The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-03-19
,ERMs $500 PER ANNUM IN ADVANCE

nearly finished. Mr.. Harte has been very busy
all winter with lecture engagements and writ
ing He still lives in Morristown, N j., but
do not think he will stay there very long. He
| does not seem to think much of New jersey
| as place of residence. 1t is New York's loss
| that this brilliant writer and agreeable gentle
man confines himself $50 closely to 1.-THE coun-
try. He ls rare good company. / know of but
few men that can compare with him as din
| ner table companion. L believe that Bret
| Harte has his best work yet to do. He is still
one of our very youngest literary men, as he
| is one of the very strongest He will show US
| in his novel and in his play that he has lost
none of that power which made Tic Lack of
| Roaring Camp and "Mgges" two of the
| greatest stories eveI written in the English
language.-N. Y. Cor. Boston Saturday Ga
| zette.
One of the most successful American novels
published this year is "a Sack of Gold, by
Virginia W. johnson, author of "Joseph- the
jew" and one of our most popular writers of
short stories. In the first-named work occurs
touching episode, in which the heroine of the
story presents poor lad with sewing ma
chine, by means of which he is able to support
his widowed mother and sister in comfort. A
short time since, the manufacturers of popu-
lar sewing machine, who had read the novel,
thought it pity that so touching picture
should not be realized. They therefore pre-
sented Miss johnson with one of their best
machines, to be given at her discretion to some
worthy counterpart in real life of the creation
of her fancy. The machine, we understand,
has already been disposed of in this way. Here,
at any rate, is case in which novel appears
to have done rome good in the world.
Alexander Dumas the elder, had an anus
ing way of deciding the time for his servants
to bring on the inferior wine at his dinners to
commercial men. 1t is told of him that pre-
vious to such occasions he enjoined his SER
wants to put the best wine on the table at the
beginning of the meal, while the guests heads
were clear; "ihen," said he, "watch the con-
versation, and directly you hear any single one
of the company say, Il, who am an honest
man. you may be quite sure that all their
heads have gone astray, and you can serve up
any rubbish you choose"
The Messrs. Appleton are soon to publish o
work of very great interest. 1t is to be me-
moir, written by General W. T. Sherman, OF
the events in which he was so illustrious an
actor. General Sherman, in his dedication Of
the volume ''To his Comrades in Arms, Vol
unteers and Regulars" says that he does not
uesISu u WIlte ulstOfy UI tbo war VI ofou %
complete account of the events of the war
with which he was connected, but merely his
recollection of events corrected by reference
to his own record. General Sherman remarks
that history of the war should not be at
tempted until the government has published
and placed within reach of the students tho
materials buried in the War Department;
though these are in process of compilation, he
believes that they will not be published before
the end of the century.
Julian Hawthorne's Idolatry has Jared bet
ter at the hands of English than of American
critics. The Spectator and AtheDeurn praised
it very highly, and the London Times says is
is shade to fix the attention and interest OF
the reader in very remarkable degree.
His descriptions are very clear, his turns OF
thought original and often striking, as in the
dialogue in the dark on the deck of a steamer;
and he has subtle perception Of moral aud
mental phases of character"