The Portland daily press., 1877-11-10

ltS DETAILS, with which the D00k market Is at
present flooded. A word is due to the espec-
any pretty style of binding. Boston: Lee &
Shepard; Portland: Loring, Short & Harmon.
Lorlng, Short & Harmon send In q little vol
ume called The Telephone" written by Prof.
a e. Dolbeare, of Tufts College, and publish
ed by Lee q Shepard, Boston, which explains
the principles of that new instrument and how
to construct it. 1t commences with an excel
lent and clear description of electricity and
magnetism, and then explains the nature
OF sound. Our young people who are tr ying to
construct strin. telephones will be pleased to
know that their difficulties can be overcome, and
mimic telephones made to work five hundred
or even one thousand feet by stretching fine cop
per wire supported at intervals in loops of
thread, and making the speaking tubes four
inches deep and four inches in diameter. These
speaking tubes should be covered with tightly
stretched parchment or vellum, and the wire
attached to button in contact with the mem
brane. The wire can be stretched tighter than
string, and is not affected by rain For the ex
planation of the telephone itself the reader
must be referred to the book. 1t is clear enough
to one familiar with the ordinary telegraph, but
may be difficult to the uninitiated. Prof, Dol
beare says that Prof.. Bells telephone is not
practical. In this he is mistaken, for they are
In common use in this city Not stones
throw from our Office coal merchant has one
connected with his wharf. 1t not only works
to perfection, but is much simpler than Prof.
Dolbeare's. The instruments resemble stone
cutters msllet in miniature. Up through the
handle runs bar magnet, and in the head is a
coil OF nifty feet OF fine wire in which the FIX
ed magnet induces electricity. Almost touch
ing this is bit of timed iron as large as a
large watch crystal, and that is all. With one
of these connected at either end the line works
without battery. The simplicity of this and its
efficiency indicates that it will take the lead
Just as the Morse telegraphic register took the
lead OF the Balm and other competing instru-
ments.
Another volume Of the tasteful Wayside Ss-
Iies Boston: Lockwood and Brooks Portland:
Dresser & McLellaD,) is Harry Holbrooke, by
Sir Randall 81. Roberts, baronst 1t is Jolly.
out-of-doors novel, by a man evidently moro
used to the cry of the hounds, the social pleas
ures of London, and to the sports of cricket
rowing and the English amusement of the
box than to pen and ink. The literary merit
of the book is not great, but it is at least an
honest and fresh endeavor in the line of novel
writing.
he and I, by the writer of the Annals of a
Baby New York: G. W. Carleton g. 20. Port
land: Bailey & Noyes,) is not at all the domes-
tic duet that its name might imply-but is real
ly powerful, ingenious and well written story
in which the Wandering Jew plays an import
ant part. The interest and mystery are very
well sustained, and the action is man aged with
with good attention to Uraisem6lance, 1t is a
novel evidencing much talent, and giving prom
Use of excellence in the future of the author.
That Girl of Mine, (Pbila1elphia; T. B. Pet
erson & Co.. is of the class of fiction to be ex-
pected from an author who would be likely to
call the young person of ones affections his
girl. 1t is the story of a rustic belle who, on
her entrance into Washington society, makes Q
profound sensation. and is possessed of that as
surance that nothing but experience or Unborn
stolidity can impart. Well known personages
it is said, figure in these pages; among them
one recognizes preposterous caricature Of Mr.,
Joaquin Miller.
Toms Wife, or How He Managed Her, New
York; G. w. Carleton & Co. Portland; Bal
ley & Noyes,) suggests in. its very title q para
dox, or at least wantof verbal accuracy IN u
writer who treats its terms as synonymous. 1t
Is very realistic story of very common place
people, but antiquarians of ages in the far fu-
ture will probably reconstruct from these sto-
ries OF every day life types Of our present civil
ization, and will have the enjoyment in them
| which we have not.
L All for Him hu 4 q 4 orc w I'll.
ton & Co.; New York. Portland; Bailey &
Noyes,) is disgusting, dreary and wholly OBJ
jectionable novel, Its principal interest is; the
murder of young woman, whose remains are
distributed by express to different fashionable
summer resorts, but are finally collected to the
confusion OF her murderer and are All for Him.
The remainder of the book, save for certain dis
agreeable episodes, is made up of detective bus
mess consequent upon the murder The autho
of this novel has also written one entitled All
for Her, which was but little less Objectionable
| than the present work, and very coarse and
| incoherent book upon the New York insane
Asylums. There is tohe of excitement and of
brutal and degraded love of the repulsive in
these works that shows plainly that the authors
mind is in very great danger Of insanity-a
more charitable way of accounting for his lite
rary peculiarities than that brain iu its nor
NAL health would originate such work. 1t
matter of surprise that any publisher is willing
| to print such books.
Wait and Hope, is included in Mr.. Algee's
Brave and Bold series, and is an entertaining
| and in every way excellent book for boys.
1t relates the story of a boy who by honesty
and attention to business, and by aid of bis
cheerful temper and encouraging watch-word
earned and enjoyed success. 1t may be fully
| commended to those in search of good books
for the rising generation.