The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-22

Christmas stories the gentle art of seasonable fc-
ton appears almost to have died out Perhaps
public taste has changed in this respect Publish
ers still appear TO have faith what is called the
Christmas number. The most notable of these
publications issued and promised are worthy of
special remark. The Art journal is the fore
with its annual for 1856 1t is devoted to
sketch of the works of Sir J. f.. Milais baronet.
the royal academician whose paintings are more
popular than those of any other modern English
artist. The number contains large engravings
and etchings of three of his best known pictures.
''The Northwest Passage" .'Chill October and
"The Beefeater.' The literary sketch of his life
pays an unconscious tribute to American jour
nasm. 1t contains long quotation from an
interview with Millais, printed some time ago in
the Daily News Some few years ago L elabo-
rated piece of thiscass of journalistic literature.
dealing with the home life of public man, for
Harper's Magazine. Some of the London critics
regretted this introduction of an American
newspaper feature into the higher walks of liter
ature. To-day the Daily News and other lead
ing journals employ their best men to write
occasional interviews of popular workers in
science and art, and a sober Art Journal essay
on the greatest painter Of his time makes
feature OF newspaper interview. Mr.. b. L.
Farjeon is represented in the seasons literature
by christmas Angel Miss Braddon by
THE Mistletoe Bough" Mr.. Besant has
an extra number of Household Words
all to himself and a new hand succeeds
Mr.. Sala as the writer of the Bow Bells
story. Ine OrapHlc ana the illustrated LOnuOu
News both have done wonderful numbers, far in
advance of previous efforts but these do not
come out until Christmas is nearer at hand. The
Pictorial World, in which something like &c.,
900 has been lost. or rather, let say invested,
is just beginning to turn the corner toward sue
cess 1t is the property of Messrs. Clay, print
ers. They bought it from the previous COM
pany, which failed in it. and have themselves
spent ESQ, 900. They promise great things in
their Christmas number, as also does Mr.. Ed
Va+a IF
enterprises which claim book buyers attention
are Sampson Low & Co.'S Pictorial Arts of
Japan" Smith, Elder & Co.'S new STANDARD
Edition of Thackeray," Longman's second part
of the 'Greville Memoirs" Chapman & Halls
Ashburton edition of Carlyle" Macmillan's new
edition of Kingsleys water Babies and the
works of Tennyson, Cassells Royal River: the
Thames from Source to Sea-" and the late Frank
Hatton's North Borneo," by Sampson Low &
Co.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have been
to see Human Nature at Drury Lane and
Dark Days' at the Haymarket They ex-
pressed themselves delighted with both pieces.
MIR. Irving is very busy with Faust" which he
will produce at the end of December the bes
ginning of the New Year. All sorts of rumors
are rife about the cost of the production The
German newspapers are taking an interest In
the subject. One of the great scenes will be an
attempt to suggest the devilry of "the Walpurgis
Night" There will be a cathedral which
will eclipse even the splendid effect of the
famous church set in Twelfth Night" The
outside critics and essayists have already begun
to write Faust" articles A German author
has contributed an article to the National Re-
view pointing out that Faust" ought not to be
acted on the stage. OF course other pens will
reply that the work is eminently suitable for
the theater; and so the question will be
thrashed out Meanwhile "Olivia" continues to
crowd the theatre. Contradictory reports reach
London as to Miss Andersons success in her ma
tive country. On one side we hear that she is
not well received, and, the other, that she is
the rage, and that Mr.. Abbey is coming money
out of the engagement 1 think you will say
that she has greatly improved when You see her
in Juliet and Galatea. Her Juliet is
very charming, artistic and poetic impersona-
ton of very forward. and romantic and indis
Greet young lady; and her Galatea is far
more classic suggestion of the living statue than
the original interpreter Mrs. Kendal) ever real
lied or imagined. 1t is not yet positively settled
l am told, that Wilson Barrett will visit the
United States rext year. "Hoodman Blind" is
a money success, and the critics highly praise
Mr.. Barretts performance and stage manage
ment. Days New ork Company is to come to
London in the spring. The Strand Theater is
booked for them to open in May. l predict for
them an artistic and financial success. 'On
Change" which is running at Tooles Theater,
is the farcical comedy which is known in
America as 1.-THE Big Bonanza" new Jumbo
is growing up for u.s. and Alice (the widow of
the late Jumbo) is for sale. She can be bought,
knows this. The new Jumbo promises to be
another phenomenon in elephants His real
name is Jung Pasha. He was brought, when
very young from India by the Prince of Wales
and presented to the Geological Gardens. He is
only fifteen years old and is already nearly as
big as Jumbo and threatens" to be much
larger. AT the same time his docility increases
with his bulk. He is a most amiable and clever
animal Many good churchmen are scandalized
at Archdeacon Farrar "hiring himself out" to an
American lecture bureau" He is we'll TODD
and benefited clergyman" they say, "but if he
desired to lecture for money he should have at
least had full control of his movements, and not
be obliged to lecture in any place or building
that his speculative managers. might fix upon"
Dissenters are chuckling over this orthodox
grumble," especially when they remember how
orthodox English society sneered at DIR. Tai
IMAGES preaching tour and the way in which he
'froze on" to his fee. JOSEPH HATToN.