The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-11-27
Literary Notes.


success, and has enabled its readers at
small expense to keep pace with the lit
erary progress of the age. Frequent in issue
/ and unequaled in amount of matter, 1t fur
! nishes the only satisfactorily fresh and com
| plete compilation Of the best literature of
| the day-a literature which continues to
grow in extent and importance, and en-
braces the productions of the most eminent
writers in all branches of literary and sci
entihc work. The magazine is therefore
invaluable to the American reader who
wishes TO keep in the intellectual life of the
time. It's prospectus for 1890 is commended
to the attention of all who are selecting
their reading matter for the new year. Re-
duced clubbing-rates with this paper are
given, and to new subscribers RENTING now
for the year 1890 the intervening numbers
are sent traits. Littell 81 Co., Boston, are
the publishers.
SOME time ago The Detroit Free Press
offered $4,000 in prizes for the three best
serial stories sent in before July 1st. The
result of this competition has been that
Major Joseph kirkland Of Chicago, ILL.,, has
taken the first prize of ST 600 His story is
entitled The Captain of Company X"
Mr.. Kirkland is the author of "/ury. the
Meanest Man in Spring County" "The
McVeys," and other stories. The second
prize goes TO Omaha, Neb and is taken by
Mrs. Eliza w. Peattie. Her story il enti-
tied "The Judge" The third prize, of
y.
Boston, Mass. The title of his story is,
"T The Son of Issichar.' The competition
more than fulfilled expectations and there
will be published during the next year or
so not only the three great prize stories,
but many others, which will more than
compensate The Free Press for its large ex-
penditure of time aud money. the Free
Press is made up wholly of original literary
and humorous matter Of high standard, is
known everywhere and is wonderfully pop
ular. Price, riM WATCHN1AN, for one year,
$500.
COMPANION PICTURES - Another hand
some reminder of the continued enterprise
of the Youths Companion, the favOrite fam
lily paper, has come to MS in the form of
ColOred Announcement Card, printed in
fourteen colors. 1t is folded in the center,
and has ON either cover companion pictures.
Spring is represented by u beautiful maiden
who is returning through the fields, her
hands filled with trailing arbutus-that
delicate spring flower which grows 50 plenti-
fully in many localities, On the companion
pa the farmers daughter is pictured
coming through the harvested grain, carry
ing well-tiled pitcher and basket The
bearer of the noOn-day lunch is a welcome
sight to the hungry reapers. The interior
of the card contains an array of authors and
articles for the coming volume unsurpassed
by any paper. This beautiful card is only
an indication of the great enterprise of The
Companion, which has made it "A national
family paper, with more than 100000 sub
scribers. Nowhere can there be obtained
so much entertainment and instruction for
SO little money (only S17j year, If you
subscribe now you will receive the paper
free to January 1, 1890, and for full year
from that date. The publishers offer to
send specimen copies and this Colored An
nOuncement Card free. Address The YOUth'S
Companion, Boston, Mass
ppr uToN,c Cvcr np ,,nIA n1r AMrprC,>,
BIOGRAPHY, James Grant Wilson and John
Fske, editors Published by ID. Appleton
* Co., New York. No pains have been
spared to make this work of six volumes as
complete a collection of biographies of
Americans as could be made The very
great value of such a work is fully appre-
ciated by every one who has anything at all
to do with books or who takes the slightest
interest in political or social events The
student can find in it almost any fact he
wishes, if he knows how to look for it, and
in the sketches of prominent statesmen and
sociologists the history OF measures and re-
forms are recorded quite fully. The point
on which people are most anXious in accept
ing such work as a household friend and
companion is whether the subject has been
adequately treated or not-whether the
workmanship is of the best, or whether it is
imperfect and incomplete, either in the
matter or the form. We can not see where
an improvement that would essentially
change the work could have been made.
The subject-matter covers the life of every
American of any note, and the more i'm
pOrtant perSOnageS have our best scholars
and the most competent specialists for their
biographers To show the real character
of this CyclopTdia il is sufficient to note the
names of a few of the leading contributors.
George Bancroft, Lawrence Barrett. Phil
lips Brooks, James Freeman Clarke, George
William Curtis John Fisle, Edward Ever
EFT Hale, Colonel r. w. Hgginson, Henry
Cabot Lodge, Francis Parkman, w. w.
Phelps, Whitelaw Reid, Carl Schurz Gen
eral w. T. Sherman and William Winter
are the very best minds in the country, and
readers of their articles may be sure that
the truth is told. and told we'll The name
American" is given the SERIES and appro-
priatey. for the leading men of Canada and
the Central and South American states are
given their due proportion of space. Each
volume has at least ten fine steel engrav-
ingS, and between one and two thousand
small vignette portraits are also given.
Strong, serviceable binding gives assurance
that no amount of reasonable use will Sc
riously inure these invaluable volumes
Whoever purchases the set is pretty sure
to see new beauties in it the longer he pos
sesses it.
THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY, edited
by William j. HOumanS. Science is rapidly
coming to b. the controlling force in every
field of human activity. 1t has developed
the clumsy dug-out into the swift ocean
st amer and the slow-going cart into the
| flying aiway train. Without it man is the
sport of the storm-demon; by its aid he pre-
diets ana prepares for the approaching
| cyclone. Without it the industrial worker
was a hopeless drudge; the growth of its
applications has multiplied his comforts and
increased his leisure Without it the race
was powerless in the presence of disease
with its help epidemics are disappearing,
and better health with longer life are Sc
| cured. Without it education was an I'M
varying routine Of mechanical repetitons;
upon it has arisen an art adapted to the
needs of individual minds and to the con
ditions Of modern life. without it the
workings of society were not understood; ;
with it we are learning the unvarying laws
of social phenomena. Without it fear was
the only preventive of evil-doing; with it
has come a rational basis for moral conduct.
Similarly, in every department of human
activity, il is the great agency of improve
ment In its steady progress it touches
everywhere and affects everybody. Itgves
law to the material interests of the com
munty and powerfully influences the
ideas. opinions and beliefs of men, so that
all have an interest in being informed Of its
advancement. The Popular Science Monthiy
is devoted to supplying this knowledge in a
form that can be easily understood, and for