The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-03-02
Magazine Notices.

The four weekly numbers of the Conti-
nent issued during February contain nearly
| one hundred illustrations, accompanying ar
ticles which cover wide range of artistic
and literary enter prise at home and abroad.
One of the newest and most promising de-
partments of dec orative art is treated by
Hester M. Poole, in two lavishly illustrated
papers entitled Terra Gotta in Architecture
1t is only few years since there has grown
up home industry giving employment to
hundreds of skillful hands, and utilizing the
vast clay deposits of New Jersey in thous-
and ways previously unthought of. In these
beau tiful engravings the work of medi@val
maste rs is placed side by side with the prod
uct of American dlns, and no one who
keeps his eyes open can have failed to note
the re cent appearance on walls, arcades and
cor niees, of imperishable forms of beauty
destined TO break the monotony of all the
di fferent types in our modern architecture.
Among the most noteworthy buildings thus
decorated are the New York Produce Ex-
change, the Pennsylvania Railroad Station
in Philadelphia, the Grand Arcade in Cleye-
land, and the Historical Society building in
Brooklyn, New York.
The Bettering- House and some other
Oh arities, is the quaint title Of an article by
Louise Stockton, on the many benevolent
institutions of Philadelphia, and certainly
on would far rather find ones self an in
mate of ''Bettering House," as the kindly
hearted Friends of the Quaker City termed
their generous establishment, than to be an
Alns-House or a Poor-House pauper. The
article contains many curious instance of
the ingenuity brought to bear to protect the
improvident classes against the results of
their own Incompetence.
Ferd. @. Valentine, M. D., in an article
on Central American Women, presents GER
tain singular aspects of social life In the
Southern republics, which may tend to strip
of its romance the story of life beneath the
tropics, as 1t has been drawn by less vera
cious travellers.
Another descriptive article is Kentucky's
Birthplace, by Henry Cleveland Wood, of
Harrodsburg, who, in charming series of
sketches, tells the story Of those perilous
early times when few hardy pioneers, like
Daniel Boone, penetrated the since famous
Blue Grass region of Kentucky, and laid the
foundations of society which has made its
mark in the country's history.
The richly illustrated poems of these num-
bers deserve especial mention as we'll for the
artistic designs and engravings, as for the
graceful verses which accompany them
The Lesson Of the Flowers, by G. G. Rhys,
Valentine, by Mary Ainge de We're, and
taking fancy, entitled Cupid in Custody, by
Mary A. Barr. Other poems are by George
W. BungaY, Alice Wellington Rollins, Eben
E. Rexford, and Philip Bourke Marston.
Hot Plowshares, Judge Tourgee's serial
story, reaches striking crisis in the devel-
opment of its plot, and poor Hilda finds
herself suddenly conspicuous in way which
must arouse strange memories in the minds
of readers North and South. The other se-
rial now running in these pages, Belinda,
by the ever popular and ever unaccountable
Rhoda Broughton, still continues to pique
public curiosity, as 1t will no doubt do to
the very end. It may safely be said, even at
this stage of the story, that 1t will prove to
be one of the most powerful Of this brilliant
writer's novels.
Old soldiers will read with enjoyment, to
which the seasoning of personal reminis-
cence will lend spice, Edward Coggswelps
Recollections Of Army Life, illustrated as
it is by Edwin Forbes realistic etchings Of
| incidents sketched on the field during the
four years of civil strife.
Short stories are contributed by Elizabeth
P. Allan, Philip Bourke Marston and Lizzie
W. Champney; essays by Louise Chandler
Moulton and others.
In the different editorial departments,
household affairs, literature, politics, cur
rent events, the drama and science are treat
ed by different pens, while the concluding
page of each number adds farce, in one or
more acts, of prose, poetry and Illustration to
the already charmingly varied contents of
the magazine.