St. Paul daily globe., 1889-01-13
DIR. Choral
BOOK TALK.
Pen and Pow
der, Franc
b. WiIkie.


kept always on the
b, WiIkie. top, is bound to be
master of the art of
writing nothing so well that it makes
pleasant reading. But the Century
Magazine has indulged in war remi-
niscences until any one who turns out
book that scents Of battle smoke feels
called upon to apologize for SO doing.
The author of ''Pen and Powder per-
forms his obeisance and says the only
reason that induced him to write of war
was the altruistic ambition to
recall the names of some cor
respondents who accompanied the
Northern armies during the late re-
bellion and are fast being forgotten.
These men. according to Mr.. Wilkie,
should be famous and are not so, be-
cause the lives of newspaper men are so
full of heroic deeds that they are unable
to gauge their own worth: In support
ride of Archibald Forbes, conveying
the news of the killing of the French
prince imperial, in comparison with a
Similar act of his. sit was only when
this Forbes' ride) was heralded as an
unprecedented performance, that l be-
came aware that l, in company with
two other correspondents, had done
something which even excelled this
famous ride, and had never thought
it worthy. of special mention"
These unframed heroes, about whose
head Mr. Mr. Wilkie strives to
develop tardy halo, are in
the majority of instances named 81"
and of all the wonders he recalls in con-
nection with himself, most conspicuous
is the relation that existed between him
self and Mr.. Raymond, of the New York
Times. s'Mr. Raymond was surely the
most appreciative. kindliest and most
courteous of journalists. Unsolicited,
from time to time he increased my sal
ary; and on one or two occasions, when
he thought [ had done something of
more than average value, he sent valu-
able money presents to my family in
Dubuque." There is no incident in his
own career, or in that of any of Mr..
Wilkes associates, calculated like this
to make the newspaper man OF to-day
yearn to cover himself with the glory OF
war correspondent.
~
with Leaves Hu Maxwell author
of "IdYls of Golden
and Printed Shore" makes the mis-
take common to hyper
Pages, Here's sensitive minds. of
sealing his own doom
a Book" with the public, admit
ting his own lack of
excellence. People are quick to allow
that man knows whereof he speaks
when he judges his own work imper-
feet. "Idyls of Golden Shore" would
find many grateful, trusting reader,
did not the author in the introduction
himself raise the question of its right to
be. "Other work has prevented me
from giving my attention to writing
more than few minutes at time.
fear that similar expressions may be
found in the different pieces more fire.
ouently than better writer would have
allowed, but l have had no opportunity
to give to them the systematic revision
which l would like" There lies hint
of the principle that inspires modern
hook-makers, men make book to make
book, and for no Sther conceivable
reason.
~
Danger ''The Years Best
Days." by the author
ousIy Good cf 'sCurfew Must Not
Ring Tonight" a col
Book. lection of short stories
designed for the moral
preservation of boys and girls, is one OF
those dangerously good books that
push goodness so close to the line it
borders on something bad. A youth is
pretty sure to come out of its highly
purified atmosphere wondering where
on earth his mother could have hidden
that wicked dime novel she caught him
reading the day before yesterday.
-
A New Fad in Olive Schrefner is
instituting new fash
q. Literature. ion in literature. She
is said to have written
herself out in ''The Story of an African
Farm" and now she is writing short
parallels. At this stage authors have
heretofore written an autobiography or
syndicate letters on ''How to Be Beau
tifuI.O