The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-12-02
MAGAZINE Nafices-

st. Nicholas for December whets the appe-
tite for more There is just enough of ante
Christmas flavor ahont IL to lot you know the
merry season Is near, and to assure you that
the real Christmas number of ST. Nicholas Is
yet to come. The December number has
eight extra pages and fifty pictures, and begins
with poem of home-life that sings itself into
the heart 1t is by the editor, and describes
what the frontispiece illustrates "a Scottish
lassie in the cottage doorway watching her
| father rowing across Highland lake, on his
way to home and supper. The pic.nre is .
wood-engraying after q painting by John
Phillip, r. A. There are several short stories.
One of them, illustrated by Sol Eytiuge, tells
of The curious way in which "wild Becky,"a
country Tom-Boy, was tanned. In another.
Lucretia P. Hale faithfully reports how those
well-meaning mudde-heads, ''The Peterkins,"
set about studying the languages. and the drolI
mishaps that attended their efforts. Next
comes fairy story, with a fine drawing BY
Jessie Curtis; this tells how little Lizzie be-
came an enchanted chicken, and describes tha
weird midnight revelry in which she shared.
Laura Winthrop johnson recounts q true
story,-illastrated with striking picture by
kelly,-of how Paul Jones and his friend
struggled through q dreadful snow-srorm
among the Catskills. But the most attractive
stories are those retold by 7. T. Crane from the
versions familiar to Italian children. They
are the dear old fairy tales that every body
knows and loves, but in strange Italian dress,
and delicately illustrated by Alfred Fredrcks.
Mr.. Crane also explains from what ancient
source come these beloved stories. Mary Hal
lnoIx
By herself, about the children of a Mexican
mining camp. There is an account Of Mlstle.
toe Gathering in Normandy, with picture by
W. j. Hennessy. Ernest Ingersoll chats
pleasantly about Snakes and Birds And Mrs.
Treat explains and illustrates some of the
wonders she has seen through the
microscope. Young students tf German
are presented with a short legend in that
language, for them to turn into English; and
Very Little Artists are supplied with white
line pictures to be copied upon their States
The serial story,"A Jolly Fellowship by
Frank R. Stockton, carries its readers through
"jolls" installment of fun ard travel in the
sunny southland. As for the "Half Dozen
Housekeepeis," their winter fun and frolic
| and laughsb.e scrapes continue.
Tne December Scribner contains fiction by
| four of the leading Am srican noveists, viz.
| Mrs. Burnett's Haworth's 1.-THE second INSTALL
msnt, which is full of action and increased
literary strength); The Great Deadwood Mys-
/ terry, by Bret Hsrte; An Irish Heart, q pathetic
Oldport story By T. w. Higgusop, and the
fifth installment of Mr.. Boyesun's Falcopbsrg.
The illustrations of DIR. Brewers fourth paper
| on Bird Architecture (The Humming Birds)
are regarded by the managers Of the Monthly
as among the most exquisite cuts yet published
by the Magazine The drawings are, as usual.
by Mr.. Riodan, the engravings by Mr.. Marsh,
| Mr.. Cole, Mr.. KING and others. The Cliff
Dwellers, by Emma Chamberlain Hardacre,
l embodies the latest discoveries regarding the
ruins OF the San Juan region (soms of which
are situated in ths rock at height of 700 feet),
and is written under the sanction of Professor
| Hayden. Grsphic drawings By Thomas Moran
supplement the text. Caribou Hunting is
described 10 personal narrative by Charles q.
| Ward; the author and Henry Sandman furnish
the drawings. The Douglass Squirrel of Cali
fornia has found q friend in John Muir. Mr..
Bolles draws soma Indian boys using the Doug
lass as target for archery practice. There is
also sketch of "Dora D'Istria, the eminent
philanthropist and social writer of Wallachis,
with portrait after Schiavoni. In public dis /.
cussion there are some timely papers by ex.
perts; The National Bank Circulation, by
Professor W. G. Sumner; Are Narrow-Guags
Railroads Economical? by Lorenzo NJ. John
son, and painters view of Art at the Paris
Exposition. Other papers are Undergraduate
Life at Oxford, by Ainsley Wilcox, My Look
at the Queen, by Treadwell Walden, and He
Playing She, light sketch of college theatri-
calls in former days. Poems are contributed by
"H. H." L. Frank Tooker "a new poet),
Anna Katharine Green, and Henry s. Corn
well. DR.. Holland discussed Tho Prudential
Element, Literary Materials and Tools, Social
Needs and Social Leading. In communication
Mr.. M. s. Beach relates for the first time the
way in which the Treaty of Guadalups Hidalso
originated, and how plot to make the Duke
Of Montpensier Emperor of Mexico was ftus-
trated by President Polk. Home aud Society
has second install nent of Hints TO Youuo
Housekeepers, and an account of The Mater,
nifty Society.