New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-06

welcome gave them a homely supper, ana eNplalheu
that she did not expect her husband who was chophg
,Vood few miles Of to come home till late. She then
told ner guests to take her bed In the corner ana that
she and her husband would sleep in the chamber ana
desiring the Chancellor let her husband In on bis re-
turn she took candle and climbed up ladder through
tra1door into the chamber The guests then went to
bed but the Chancellor uneasy He observed 10 MS
wife Bessy that the door did not lock- that he iesred
the chopper coming home in the dark, and hnding
another man in ms bed and apparently with DIS ~iie'
would begin TO chOp and that he thought he Woul get
mn and put table against the door, as to gain time
for explanation while the good man was opening the
door lie got up accordingly, and was in the act Of
pushing the table against the door, when tall stalwar
figure in red flannel shirsleeyes. with big, black cat
sldn cap upon his head. pushed upon the door. lie
looked like q thunderelOud for an instant but was met
with this address by the guest in his shirt MY name Is
James Kent am Chancellor of the State Of Hew-York
The woman in that bed is my wife, Betsoy Your wife
IS upstairs There Is your supper The explanation
which certainly was not constructed on the theory OF
pleading in the Chanceors court made everything har
moniOus."
FERNS OF KENTUCKY. By JOHN WILLIAMSON, l2mo, PIP
I54. John 2. Morton & Co, Louisville, KY
We are acquainted with no American work
OF convenient size in which any considerable group OF
plants so fully usratedas are the ferns OF Kentucky
in this little volume The contains eredtabe etch
incs of forty-one species, besides plate for each
genus showing its microscopic structure, and
few additional plates Illustrating the verna-
ton fertilization and general structure OF the
order comparison Of Of the etchings with spec
linens at hand proves them to be accurate in outline
yenation and arrangement OF fruit-spots except IN
single instance where tue difference may be accounted
for by local variation For careful study the black lines
are preferable to the cOlOred plates in more complete
and systematic treatises, and the authors plan OF
folding ana cutting away portions Of the plant
so as TO give, in the main, illustrations OF
natural size instead of reducing them to suit the lin
is OF the page altogether be commended or course
the Illustrations supply the place Of much technical
writing but each plate is accompanied bv short de-
seription which gives the needful supplementary de
tails which is always fresh and often shows close inves-
tgation as for instance the paragraph at page 1O9
concerning occasional variation in OROeea Sensbis
Although no plants are figured which not found in
Kentucky and although this strictly local character Is
intensified by the careful record OF localities in the State
IN which the various species have been discovered the
usefulness OF the book need not be confined within
such narrow geographical limits. Besides the rare
Trichomanes radicans, PolypOdium ncaDum and chill
antilles omentosa all the species described are found In
the East the ferns to be found north Of the Caro-
Das and east Mississippi all but eleven species are
here figured. Indeed, ordinary collector in the
Northern or Eastern States would rarely find more than
three or four species which Mr. Williamson has not illus
traed The book will be widely useful to persons who
are making study of this order, while its hints in re-
gard to the cultivation Of ferns and its other popular fea
lures without detracng from its scientific value will
make it attractive and instructive to the much larger
class who have only general interest in plants and
plant life.
PLAYDAY POEMS Collected ana edited by RossITER
JOHNSON. I2mO PIP 800. Henry Holt a Co.
Mr. ROssiter johnson has not aimed in the
preparation of this volume at producing complete col
lection Of the humorous poems in English language
His book is rather choice nosegay Of the most excel
lent specimens in that kind than an extensive flower
garden. He may have omitted many fayoTite pieces,
which will excite the wrath Of Of his readers who
take for granted that such work predestined to
chow of thor own pOetca proves or to atter their
vanity by making their personal tastes the standard Of
selection. No doubt many funny writer's whose
comic illusions are thought moro Of by them
selves than by the public will miss the spark
ling creations of their brain, and even they
might have stood better chance II the book had been
on a larger scale. There can be little difference Of
opinion however regard to the merit Of those pieces
10 which MI johnson has given place In his fragrant
anthology. He has adhered ngdiy to the wholesome
rule Of taking good thing wherever you can get It,
and Of rejecting poor thing wherever 1t comes from"
In consequence most OF his selections of superior
character His book Is siDgularly free from anything TO
offend the taste or to njure the health by unsuccessful
attempts to produce laugh. You are not obliged to
throw away a multituds Of worthless, mediocre
specimens before you light upon poem which you can
truly enjoy In work with the purpose OF the present
this is an uuspeakablc advantage The Of tas
ing number OF unsavory dishes before YOU come to
tempting Wand is both disgusting to the appetite and
ripous TO the digestion. Mr.. Johnson has made large
use Of the recent humOrsts and Of the later pieces
OF the old favorltes His admirable selections from
Thackeray. Calyery, Austin DobsOn, William g. Gilbert
George T. Lanigan, SAKE, Lowell, o. W. Holmes, Henry
A. Beers Bret Harte John Hay stamp the character Of
xvil1 a NJ IN
library OF wit aud humOr The brief notices Of the
authors from whom specimens have been taken have
evidently been compiled with great care, and form
valuable appendage to the poems
THE CHINA HUNTERS CLUB By THE YOUNGEST MEN
12mo pp 274 Harper brothers.
Under the pleasant fiction of village club
devoted to the collection OF odashioned pottery, the
writer Of this volume has not only presented mass Of
interesting information the subject OF ceramics but
series Of sketches Of NewEngand life and character
with choice specimens Of the vernacua which for deli
cate and racy huor have rarely been surpassed in the
lighter literature OF the day The laid in Little
ve which, though not easily found on the latest maps
was certainly commonplace, humdrum town. The
young ladies all appear 20 have spoken Latin natur
ally as the duck takes TO the water 1t was arena
where brave souls grapple fearlessly with the dar
ing views OF advanced thinkers and wrest
the truth from nature and revelation kettledrums
sewing societies. sOeiabes dances receptions dinners
and such sublunary recroatiOns had no charms for
fhe people OF Littevile; everything must have a
high transcendenta purposes there shakespoarean
readings with oysters and coffee Goethe clubs with tea
and sandwiches Herbert Spencer dinners and evolution
Germans Kant skating parties and stuart Mil pcnics
The serene philosophers Of Littlevlle mingled their
salads with Greek roots, sprnkled their strawberries
with Hebrew vowel points, and Favored their icecream
with sanscrit and Arabic. In discussing the question
about Winters amusement ceramics carried the day,
and IL IN form ub for IA
ancient crockery. The members engaged in the pur-
suit with the greatest sacrty and the results Of tho
chase which here described IL stated byno less e
eeent an authority than MrW. c. Prime who furnishes an