The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-10-22
Juvenile Literature.

One of the pleasant premGnitons which tfAa
Autumn season brings with it, Is the supply %
holiday volumes which come with the yeSlow
leaf to make ready pleasure for the Wssssr
holidays. Among these, The Cats ArabiAA
Nights, by Mrs. A. M. Disz, (Boston: d. LsSsa-
rop & Coz is most ingenious in fancy, dshgtk-
full in the telling Of its stories, and attractive
in its appointments of illuminated cover, ss&
innumerable pictures Of cats and kittens whieh
crowd.its pages. Nothing could be mozs orig
inal or more delicious than the plan OF the
book and Mrs. Diaz has carried out heg der
sign to perfection. The story begins with tha
announcement of the honorable dsath from
wounds received in hunting, OF the yepscable
and warlike King OF the Cats. TomnehaA Te
his empire succeeds the tyraAt GrimalknHz,
black cat without white hair, and heart ~
devoid of pity His first edict was 10 tho sfsess
that black, maltese and gray fur was tho onlz
wear for cats; and that all cats and ki4seEs
which, after measurement OF their Spots By apr
pointed judges, should be found to have mere
white or yellow fur than dark, should be eoA-
demned TO death. This distinction OF cslof
seemed likely to cause untold tragedies ssaong
the cats,-who, like the larger felines, could
not change their spots. Among the cats Bsought
to judgment was the lovely Pussyanits q kit
ten whose white fur had but here and there .
dark beauty spot. She was so mach beloved
by all that no cats blackness extended deep
enough under his fur to darken his heart via
the will to execute her-so the tyrant ordered
her brought before him that his royal pav
might give the blow With grost presence Of
.-,sn Dua tn iy,aid tal1 aIl11ad
history of some long and nine-fold deceased
ancestor. The tyrant, moved by curiosity, de-
manded the story, and this led to another and
yet another-till for sake Of the fair Passy-
anita all the cats of dubious color wsSe pss-
doned from the sentence that do0ned them 10
the everlasting night wherein all cats are grsg.
Thus runs the tale; and Mrs. Diax has been
exceedingly apt in the degree of resemblance
between this and the original Arabian Nights
The Oriental element is not at all fasisted up
on-only one story, that of Mouseroun al Bat
child, king of the Cats, recalls the style Of tho
Thousand and One Nights; and the delicate
parody upon the mousing-around manner IN
which the good Haroup in his golden Prime
used to inspect peoples domestic affairs viii
please older readers. And not the least charm
of these stories is that the cats are everyday
cats, the dogs, rats, mice and other minor char
aeters do nothing impossible and the entire
impression left by the story is natural. MIRA.
Diaz's sympathy fer animals is SO genuine and
her understanding Of the way to write for chtk
dren so perfect, that she never becomes over
fanciful, or on the other hand, uninteressing.
Under the United States Constitution which
70 avaru oiti1a,, a hirthricht ttha
pursuit of happiness''-the Press holds that
every American child has the right to look in.
his or her Christmas stocking for the Gsts'
Arabian Nights. And may good luck rewAkd.
the quest.
Nanny Tittleback and her Family. By II.
FL. Illustrations by Addie Ledyard. Boston:
Roberts Brothers; Portland: Loring, Short 8
Harmony is another story about kitties, who
seem to be the prominent psrsonages in the
literature of this season. 1t is not difficult to
understand that the history Of seventeen Cats
is a varied and lively recital; and Miss Led
yards pictures are very spirited. The sssns
where the kittens are brought to Nanny Tit
tleback for adoption is cspitally drawn.
Mrs. Overtheways g Remenbrances. By MEs.
Juliana f. Ewing, Boston: Roberts Brothers;
Portland Loring, Short s. Harmony is dainty
and imaginative ssory by one Of the best witt
ers for children. Mrs. Ewing's appreciation
of the troubles and delights Of childhood Ia
fresh and subtlsi fine poetic quality runs
through her work, which is OF the same time
simple and without effort. Her stories carry
with them fragrance; and have q tons at
once womanly and childlike which is Singular,
ly attractive. Her eyes seem yet open With
the new wonder of child, while through
them shines the woman's wisdom. Her work
has delicate, high bred air Of simple, unais-
turbed grace which will commend itself 10 elde
~er readers; and these stories told to amuss lit
tie Ida. by her neighbor known BY the honssr
ry title of Mrs. Overtheway, will delight youRg
girls, who will also be made glad by the kxpSy
ending of Ida's pathetic waiting for the fathes
wrecked at sea.