Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-06
LITERARY NOTES.

ASN MIS- OF sASDT q S.sss
more: Cushings Bailey.
There is perhaps no more attractive aRricul-
tural neighborhood in the United States than
that lying some twenty miles northwardly of
this city. whose daily life is measurably indi-
Gated by this little volume. Among other
means Of improvement. it supports lyceum
at whose annual meeting a brief history Of the
year is read. The historian of the community
LOT twenty years past has been Mr.. William
Henry Farquhar, whose yearly budget makes
up the book Naturally there is not much in-
cident, but the record is not without cousidera-
bic interest. especially to those who know any
thing OF the place. and in reading it one cannot
help wishing that there were more neighbor-
hoods following the excellent example of this
one.-bOth in keeping such a record and in af
fording pleasant material for it.
THE KINGS MEN A Tale of Tomorrow. By ROBERT
GRANT: John BOYLE ohFIL-T J. g. OF DALE. and
JOIN ~, MHEELYR5sHT NV York palS: Charles Serb
Cooperative novel writing on a large SCALE
like cooperative store-keeping, rarely succeeds
and this effort may be set down as conforming
to the rule, rather than an exception to it, The
tomorrow of its title is fifty years hence, in
England and the intention Of the quadrilateral
literary combination is to portray that country
with monarchy thing of the past. and the gov
ernment republican in form. 1t is doubtless a
pleasure tor authors TO thus forecast the future
in the guise of fiction or so many of them would
not engage in it; but this pleasure is not usual
ly shared by the reader. The example before
US embOdies. however fairly we'll told story
with occasional touches of refreshing humOr so
that it rises rather above the average of its
kind.
SELF RAISED; Or, From the Depths. By Mrs. E. D
= SouTHwoRTH. Philadelphia: 4. b Peterson
Mrs. Southworth's admirers need only to be
told that she considers this the best novel she
has ever written to awaken in their minds more
than the ordinary desire to read it. Like that
OF all her stories. the moral is good.-the pur-
pose being to show the power of a strong and
noble nature to rise above adverse circun-
stances and base conditions resulting from the
I'M Justice of others. and it abOunds in thrilling
incidents and fine delineationS OF character. A
steel plate engraving Of prospect Cottage"
the authors home in West Washington adds a
local interest to the handsomely printed volume
ON THE FRONTIER. By BRET HARTE. Boston:
Hougnton. MIfhn & Co. Washington: Robert Beall
Under this title is presented in attractive, per-
manent form three of the latest stories by their
author viz: AT the Mission of San Carmel
"A Blue Grass Penelope" and Left Out on
Lone Star Mountain" Those who have not
read them in the several publications in which
they have recently appeared in serial form. will
be glad to find them in one volume suitable to
be put in travelling bag for a railway journey
or reading at summer resort. They are
marked. it may be added. bv all Mr.. Harte's
characteristics, but it is only right to say that
they do not reach the high level Of some of his
earlier efforts.
THE AMAZON. BY Carl. vosMAER tFrontispicce by
Translated by F. j. frvinsJ New York w M s.
Gottsbe,ger Washington: VIM. Bsllantyne & Son.
The average novel reader will hardly be able
to share in the high opinion of this work enter
tanned 10y Mr. Ebers. the distinguished author
but there is much in it to admire and it deserves
popularity because it is above rather than on
lire with the current standard of fiction. in
theme, sentiment and style Its special interest
centers of course. in the career and fate of its
heroine. but its charm lies greatly in it's arch@o-
logical and esthetic features its analysis of char
acter and motive and its descriptive scenes. y
iAZo0; or the Picket Line of Freedom in the South.
p rsonal Narri tive BY 4. I. MORGAN late Sher-
if and Tax-COlleotor, Yazoo county, Miss. Wash
ington: The Author.
Whatever may be the purpose of it's writer,
the effect of this book must inevitably be to dis
suade northern men from changing their resi-
dence to the southern states in the expectation
of leading happy and prosperous lives in their
new home and at the same time exercising the
ordinary rights of citizenship. The narrative OF
the personal experiences of the author Is a
painful one throughout. but it seems to be
truthful, and in literary style it Is graphic and
vigorous.
lHE WORLD WE LIVE IN. A Novel. By OSWALD
etc. (lrans Atlantic Series New York and Lon
don q. z. futnam's Sons. Washington Bren ano
bright and clever story, this, which many
Americans will specially enjoy for the manner in
which it lays bare the snobbery and hollowness
OF what is usually held to be good society in
England. The characters are cleverly drawn
the conversations sprightly. and the action I'M
interrupted and brisk. Reading it is in fact
much like seeing we'll rendered modern So
ciety drama, and it will pleasantly occupy an
idle hour or two.
THE CRIME OF HENRY vANE. A Study with a
Moral. By J. = of DALE. author Of "Guernoale."
New York Charles scribners Sons Washington:
VIII Baliantyne son
Not quite up to the promise of the authors
first effort. this story is one of the cleverest
of the season. despite its sad ending. The
moral does not obtrude itself. but so far as it
appears it may be taken to be q protest against
flirting. The descriptive parts are excellent
but one could get more interested in the prin-
principal characters If the heroine were a
higher type of women. and the hero not so de-
liberate in everything relating to his fate; but
then. perhaps. the moral would have been lost.
Cupples. Upham & CO.
Those who are interested In such an out of the
way place as the Malayan peninsula will find in
this narrative good deal of entertaining infor
nation regarding it. although the author. like
most travellers. dwells too much upon her emo
tions and feelings and not enough Onwhat she
saw and heard. It ought to be stated. perhaps,
that the journal was written for private eyes.
rather than for publication. or the writer's style
would no doubt have been improved
MANUAL. OF THE RAILROADS OF THE UNITED
MILEAGE; Stocks Bonds Debts, Cost. Traffic Earn
ings Lxpe3.sr and Dlvidsndsi Their organzatiSns
York: H. " Il II. W. Poor.
So we'll known and SO highly esteemed is this
annual, Familiarity spoken Of as "PoOr's Man.
ual. that it only needs to be stated that it is
out; Communications Is unnecessary. 1t has
long been recognized the standard pubica-
ton Of its class in this country and the highest
authority upon the subject of which it treats
To investors as we'll as to financiers etc. it is
invaluable.
THE DEVELOPMENT THEORY. A Brief Statement
1or IIenerai teauers by JOSEPH Il BERgEN, Jr
ington: Decker 4 Co.
Students who wish an elementary text book
on the theory of evolution. and those who do
not care to read the extended works OF the
great authors on the subject, will find this con-
venent and useful volume. 1t makes no pre-
tentions to originality. but it very well serves
the purpose for which it is intended.
ANNOUCHKA. ATale. by IVAN SERGHE1sv1rcA TUR-
GENEF. Translated from the French of the Authors
Own Translation. by Franklin Abbott. Boston
Cuppes. Upham Co.