Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-11-07
Letter from boston.

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BosToN, Oct. 27, 1879.
The book publishers are growing busy,
getting ready for the holidays, and sending
out new books for reading during the long
winter evenings that are already nearly at
hand. Every week from this until the New
Years festival is past there will be fresh
temptations put before readers. There isn't
much that is absolutely new as compared with
some years, but there will be many reprints
and the new works that are announced prom
Use well. What we lack in quantity we shall
make up in quality. The children will be de-
lighted to hear that Houghton Il Osgood
have issued a new "Bodley Book" This
time it is "The Bodleys Afoot, and tells of
a pedestrian trip to New York, through his
torical New England As usual Mr.. Scudder
has introduced interesting events of history,
pictures of old-time New England life and
several exquisite poems. know of no books
so well calculated to cultivate in children
taste for the finer literature than these, nor
any which convey so much unobtrusive infor-
nation their very eXteriors give an uncon-
scious lesson in art. Why parents will buy
nNhoaNlphhl' Aihhhg bp'hN' NAibAtu III - bhA
style, in worse English, when they have such
books as these to select from, l confess I can
not understand. 1t is culpablo carelessness.
No book should be placed in chid's hands
which the father or mother has not read most
carefully, and which they feel will not only
be not harmful but will in some way be help
full Children appreciate good things much
earlier tbn1, ig uaparully et,t tppgp1 lbara 10
a little maiden of four years who sits by my
side, with big blue eyes grown bigger over
the pictures in the new Bodley book, who
dearly loves Tennyson's' MAY Queen" and
who has taken the greatest fancy in the
world to Nelly Hutchinson's dainty little po-
EN- of "Nagrant Pansies," so great fancy
that she will beg me to repeat it to her daily,
although she knows every word of it by heart,
and tells it to her family of dolls very often.
Apropos of this little poem, I can never
thank Harper Bros. enough for publishing
that book of poetical selections "Our Chill
drens Songs" 1t has been source of nov
er ending delight to one family at least.
Houghton Il Osgood have also published a
book of characteristic stories by Elizabeth
Stuart Phelps under the title of the Leading
story Sealed Orders" Most of them have
been printed in the leading magazines, but
there is not one which will not bear n second
reading. simultaneously with this the same
house has issued group of sketches by Miss
Sarah O. Jewett, called "Old Friends and
New" two or three at least of which are ia
miliar to the readers of the Atlantic Anoth-
er recent book sent out by this house | rec
ommend most he artily to all hOusekecpers,
young and old, who have not fully penetrated
all the mysteries of their daily avocations. 1t
ia by AIioo Maria Parloa thu teacher Of cook
cry, who has proved an apostle of good living
to many household, and is entitled First
Principles of Household Management and
Cookery" 1t is one of the most practical
and common sensible books of its kind that
ever l have seen, treating of the sanitary CON
ditions of the house simplifying the routine
of domestic lAbors, giving abundant general
rules for cooking and ending with a large
number of excellent well proven receipts
The volume is small and inexpensive, but it
contains deal of valuable information be-
tween its unpretending covers and will prove
an invaluable kitchen companion to any
housekeeper, whether she does her own work,
or is mistress of an army of servants. 1t is
am using to contrast the simplicity and direct
ness of Miss Parloa's style, with the prolixity
of the old cookery book makers, Mrs. Leslie,
for instance, whose book is absurdly stlted
and complicated. l wonder how any one
could ever have had the patience to attempt
to make anything by one of her rules; but
/ suppose they had to they had no Miss Par
loa in those days.
Roberts Bros. send out useful little vol
ume from the pen of May Alcott Nieriker,
which will be heartily welcomed by all art
students who are projectinga trip to Europe,
since it tells them just what they want most
to know, and what no one ever has thought
of telling before Under the title of Study
| ing Art Abroad" it tells how to go, what to
| do, and gives a list of the hotels, lodging
houses, shops and teachers, which 'it is best
to patronize." The student should be very
| grateful to Mrs Nieriker for having made
such kindly use of her knowledge gained by
much experience. But that's the "Alcott
way" The same house has also issued
"Blanid," q legendary poem by Dr. Robert
| d. Joyce, author of "Derdre" Although
have not read it thoroughly, the snatches
which have taken from it, indicate that il is
both strong and exqusitely beautiful There
are very fine descriptions in it, and several
lovely songs are interpolated.
The season of fairs is upon us just now
comes the Cathedral fair, which will be fol
lowed by the Old South fair, and the fair foi
the benefit of the North End Mission. Al
the Cathedral fair, which opens to-day in the
| Pro Cathedral, there are several very elegant
things from distinguished givers. Among
them is bas relief in marble, set in broad
mat of rich velvet, also an exquisite locket,
| from His Holiness, the Pope. There is q
| magnificent album full of fine steel engrav
ings, bound in Turkey morocco and sur
mounted with the royal arms of Austria ii
silver and gold, the gift of the Emperor OF
Austria The King of Italy sent ring ant
| brooch of turquoise and diamonds, There
never has been fair in the country that haC
the assistance of SO manyroyal personHges.
l wonder if any of you have ever heard
anything about the Boston North End Mis-
sion? 1t is similar to the famous Five
Points Mission in New York, and does the
same kind of work. Established twelve year,
ago in the worst part of North street, in tho
yery midst of the ''Black Sea, as it was call
ed where the worst forms of poverty anC
crime found a refuge, it has done wonder
full work in that wretched locality. The pres
ent Mission House was at one time the mos
notorious resort on North street, and its pro
prietor "Joe Clinch, one of the most notet
desperadoes in the whole of the wretchet
quarter. 1t was a den of thieves and aban
doned women of the worst sort. There wer'
whispers of terrible crimes committed there
but the worst will probably never be known
The work of humanizing these creatures wa
i. - l.....i. .....l..r. ~ d.