The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-30
CURRENT LITERATURE.
Among rhe MarazInsa.


don as Literary Center" which contains much
interesting information concerning leading
writer's end their work. It is illustrated with
twenty-ssyon portraits. Two Russian articles,
one treating Of the convicts in the salt mines at
uetsks and the other OF the Judicial system OF
Russis, are written evidently from standpoint
or friendliness to the government aud evince
desire on the part OF the writer TO apologize for
those evils Of administration which they are
forced TO confess do exist and OF them says,
TO correct deliberate MISREPRESENTATION The
judicial system, il is maintained, is extremely
favorable 10 the common peoplein it's operations
10 all matters not involving political offenses
For political offenders it is admitted that there 10
neither law justice. but the manifestos OF the
: Gar which have deprived them of legal rights
ere spoken OF measures OF necessity. The
penal code is said to be one of the mlldest 10
Europe as regards it's enactments. a visit TO
the salt mines of Iletsk which furnishes employ
: ment TO many convicts and whence so many
horrible tales have come apparently convinces
this investigator that the prisoners have
rather comfortable time of It than
otherwise Charles Dudley Warner, writes
OF Chicago and 10 warm in his praises OF
It's parks and its architectural system and the
culture and intelligence of IFS women. The city
OF Denver is described by Edward Roberts. It's
leading citizens, and other Observation-Disclosures Of
the place being set forth in illustration. r.. A.
Bridgman contributes the second chapter or his
readable paper, "a Winter IN AiR1ers.H The
fiction OF the number is not of especial merit
sThe AdveI lures Of Two Men by Julia Whit
ing, is good character Sketch, but is too
.-sketchyp 70 be dignifiec as story George
William Curtis writes about Lent and the cost
of music 20 New Workers. w. ID. HOwells re-
views some new books.
Scribusr for May opens with a very spirited
sketch entitled I'm the Steamers Track, in
which William Henry Northrop describes the
&rsn nF nil ~ hnn aft To &0vT a
wrecked schooner into New York harbor. It is
an uncommonly good piece of picturesaus writ
ing. Alexander Pope is pleasantly written up
by Austin Dpbson. the prose biographical
sketch being followed by a poem inscribed 10
THE Memory Of the Last Century
Poet The appearance OF tbs . article
for by the fact that the two hundredth
anniversary of Popes birth occurs IN May. A
noticeable contribution. and one that deserves
careful reading, 10 James Baldwin's second in
stallment of ssIhe Center of the Republic" 1t
is a review Of ghe intellectual and educational
progress of the West, and shows close study and
accurate know edge on the part or the writer OF
the school syg .em and its history. He makes
some statements in regard TO the schools and
educational facilities in Indiana and Illinois
which, though familiar facts to the
residents OF the region, will doubtless surprise
many Eastern readers who still labor under the
impression that these States are benighted. L.
J. Stinson ~. D. Of Dalel who was very success
full as a writer of short stories. shows tendency
In his serial. First Harvests." 10 philosophize
and air his vieWs social and moral topics that
mars the interest of the tale. The same defect
ts noticeable IN the short story, "a Child of
Light A dainty sonnet. ga Morningtn Venice"
by Bessie Gray, is accompanied with beautiful
fuil-pnee illustration from drawing by Z. Hop
kinson Smith. Other contributions are "Mod-
ern Explosives ssE5alrnon Angling on the Resti-
gouche," 1.-THE Decoration of Vases" and
graceful essay Gentlemen by Robert
Louis Stephenson. Edith nj. Thompson. Duncan
Campbell Scott. May hurry Fleming, Helen Gray
Cone and James II. Morse contribute poems.
The Inflated Emperor Macmillan forms the
subject Of a paper by Arthur Howard Noll, the
first chapter of which appears in the American
Magazine for April The article 10 illustrated by
portraits and views Of royal residences in Mex
leo. In sketch entitled tThe Decay of Rural
New England" Charles Todd describes in rather
a pathetic way the deserted farm-houses and
worn out farms of that region. There is. he
thinks, no hope for these waste lands and bar
rem hillsides. until they are taken possession of
by thrifty and perseverinR Irishmen and Ger
mans. who are content with small returns at the
outset '.Tbe Bellies OF Old Philadelphia" by
Charlotte Adams is a description of some old
time beauties, accompanied by portraits. Ham
lin Garland writes of boy Life on the Prairie
in a way which shows that the recollections are
pleasant ones to himself. AS literary article
the story would be improved BIZ the omission OF
unnecessary frequency. A very interest
ing historical paper is T. L. Whites
account of 1.-THE First Owner of Boston" this per-
SON being William Blaxton Blackstone, who
stands. planted an orchard and rose garden,
And lived there alone for Eve years. A part of
the land purchased from him by the settlers
who came later is now Boston common. Other
contributions to the number are 1.-The Song of
the Prairie Lark. )" THE Old Stone Fort of Mac
ogdoches" and ssThe Sources and Significance
81 Tennyson's IdvIls.o The fiction and poetry
are OF average quality The voluminous editor
iAl departments form noticeable feature of this
magazine.
EVEN the Atlantic Monthly has succumbed to
the prevailing craze among magazine pub
fishers and prints negro dialect story. More
over the specimen given il not particularly
good enc of it's kind. Henry James finishes
his t.Aspern Papers, and, as he has genius for
doing makes the ending unsatisfactory, though
highly artistic. Anne H. Wharton contributes
an undressing historical sketch of sThe Ameri-
can Philosophical Society,"" organized by Dr.
Franklin. Other contributions study of
1.-THE Cavalier" by Agnes Repplier; 'sCicero in
the Senate" by Harriet Waters Preston; RE
form In the Celebration of Marriage" by Frank
Gaylord Cooks The Emperor William" by
Herbert futile, and "A D1scord in Feathers
by Olive Thorne Miller
or the making of magazines devoted to special
feminine interests there Is no end, and the num-
Der is rather confusing. Two periodicals, en-
titled '.WomAn," appeared almost Simultaneous
lys this year, one published IN London, tho other
in New York The latter ls devoted largely to
topics of q social and industrial bearing. Among
the contributions TO the April number Gull
snes About Clubs some facts concerning the
first woman's club being given among the rest:
1.-THE Responsibility of Women TO Society,"
zone Woman's Ideap--rather q bright idea. too.
Fashion and household matters ara treated by
such accomplished writer's as Jenny June and
Catherine Owen.
OSCAR WILDEs Woman's World for May
nupbers several ladies Of title among it's contrib
utoss- Her Royal Hichness. the Princess
Christian, writes OF Nursing al o Profession
for Women" The srticle is interesting as
showing the knowledge of such matters pos
sessed by ladies of the highest class in England.
None OF the contributions is noticeable for liter
erary merit and little love story by Julia
Lady Jersey, entitled sSvhils Dilemma is so
ridiculous effort that 1t could not have
failed of rejection had the author been other
than q mem Der Of the nobility. Miss Fletcher,a