The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-12-21

coast, from Fortress Monroe to Mount De-
sert, and hits of most amusingly the peculiar
characteristics Of these resorts and the peo-
pie who frequent them. Through all the
pages runs pretty love story, and a smiling
Cupid makes his bow to Us ut the close Of
the last chapter. New York: Harper 4
Brothers; Portland. LorIng. Short & Har-
! MON.
A teiy pretty Temperance Souvenir, com
| piled by Mrs. G. S. Hunt Of this city. and IL
Illustrated by Dora Wheeler, has been issued
| from the press Of the WOman's Temperance
Publication Society Of Chicago. The selec-
tions are poems, or parts Of poems from
! Whittier. Longfellow, Shakespeare, Lucy
Larcom and Alice and Phoebe Cary, portray
ing the calamlties Of intemperanee and the
blessings Of abstinence. Tasteful Autographs
OF allegorical scenes illustrate the sentiment
Of the verses. The typographical work Is
excellent, done on thick, heavy paper, and
bound in enamelled covers with gold letter
ing. 1t is for sale by Loring Short Har-
mon.
Toward the Gulf is novel by an author
who does not put his name on the title page,
and therefore 1t may be the more fairly criti-
clzed. 1t has been said OF Tennyson that
an anonymous COPY Of verses from his pen.
| for which he afterwards received a hundred
pounds, was returned at first as trash" SO
this story, II 1t bore the name Of Cable. and
| 1t certainly has something Of his style, would
| be welcomed with enthusiasm. IL Is a cley-
er book, Of very distinct local flavor. inter-
esting and well written. (New York: Har-
per & Brothers; Portland: LorIng. Short &
Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony
Mr.. Bynner's latest novel, Agnes SURFACE,
Is book which would make its mark In the
literature Of any period. This writer has
taken the romantic story of Sir Henry Frank
land and his heroine and woven 1t into ro-
nance passionate. picturesque and dramat-
ic, full of strength and originality. We usu-
| ally shrink from the historical novel, and
| prefer TO take our history or our romance
straight" but Mr.. Bynner In his Agnes
SURFACE has made a delightful combination,
and an unqualified success. Boston: Tick
nor & Co.; Portland: Loring, Short & Har-
mon.)
Rodman the Keeper gives the title to a
collection Of Southern sketches by Constance
| Fennimore Woolson, one OF the best writers
Of fiction In the country. These stories are
picturesque and beautiful. and II there Is In
then vein Of sadness 1t Is because Of the
themes their author has chosen. and the
Swallowed lives which have inspired her pen.
/ Old Charleston, Sister st. Luke and Miss
Elizabetta are full Of power and pathos.
| New York; Harper & Bros; Portland: Lor-
ing. Short & Harmony
All Taat, the fifth volume Of the Boat
Builder Series, by Oliver Optic. explains the
method Of rigging the boat, the particular
boat under discussion being fore and aft
schooner, though In the course OF the story
much information in regard TO the rigging Of
vessels in general Is given. Oliver Optics
stories are always popular with the boys,
and this series treats OF q subject In which
the average boy Is certain 10 be deeply in
terested. Boston Lee & Shepard Portland
Loring, Short & Harmony
Mr.. Andrew Lang, the author Of Custom
and Myth, has given us volume Of short
stories entitled In the Wrong Paradise.
which he dedicates, in a complimentary
preface, to his friend Mr.. Rider Stafgard.
Most Of these tales have appeared before In
English magazines They are curious. &c.
centric and amusing, as well as strikingly
original (New York: Harper & Brothers;
Portland: Loring. Short & Harmony
Mrs. Whitney has felicitously named her
new collection Of stories Homespun Yarns.
They are sweet, tender and wholesome, and
it win do the young people good to laugh
and cry over them. Totally free from NOR
bid sensatlonalism these bright and pleasant
sketches viii act as an antidote TO the wishy
washy trash which Is served out endlessly to
the rising generation. Boston: Houghton,
Mifin & Co.; Portland; Loring. Short &
Harmony
Among the attractive illustrated books Of
the season is Tennyson's "Dora," published
by Lee & Shepard, with full page illustra-
tions by w. L. Taylor, from sketches Of
rural life and scenery made in England ex-
pressly for this work. The wood-cuts are
| excellent, and the binding Is uniform In
style with the illustrated series Of Favorite
Hymns, Ballads and Poems, published by
the same house; cloth. full gilt. s150.
Numbers and 2 Of Mr.. Gordon Brownies
Series Of Old Fairy Tales are Beauty anc
the Beast. and Hop O. My Thumb. The sto.
ries are retold by Laura <. Richards, and
the drawings are made by Mr.. Browne
These fairy stories In their new dress win
doubtless prove as fascinating to the little
ones Of to-day as they have to children for
the last century. Boston: Roberts Broth
ers; Portland; Loring. Short & Harmony
DIR. Mitchelps Roland Blake is stery of
the late war between the States. and Is quite
the best thing we have had from his pen.
A noted specialist in nervous diseases. Dr.
Mitchell has taken up literature as pas
time, and has succeeded better than many Of
our professional novellsts. Boston and New
York: Houghton. Miffiin & Co.; Portland:
Loring, Short & Harmony
Parlor Varieties, part I'LL, by Olivia Low
| ell Wilson, contains a collection Of PLAYS
pantomimes and charades suitable for par
Tor use. The plays seem TO be In every way
suited to the purpose for which they are de-
signed. Boston; Lee & Shepard; Portland:
Loring. Short & Harmony
Walter Baker & Co., Of Dorchester. Mass,
have published little book giving the his
tory Of the production and use Of cocoa and
chocolate in the United States, together
with description Of the various methods Of
preparing them for use.
OF Interest TO Horsemen.
The New York Sun editorially says: Their
have always been two theories upon the