The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-16
LITERARY NOTES.

-A,HE History Company of this city has
| Mng issued an S00-page volume entitled
| SlSA Literary Industries" memoir, by
o2so Hubert Howe Bancroft, the historian,
| a volume Which closes the narrative portion
| of the authors historical series. In these
| pages the historian gives full account of his
| labors in the literary and publishing world,
aud they may be described as the record
| OF busy life devoted to the fulfillnent OF a
| great ambition. In the memoirs the writer
| tells of his early life his desire to engage in
business for himself, his arrival in Califor-
| mia, struggles to secure the position in the
| commercial world he desired. and how he
never found any difficulty in making money.
| He tells of his various enterprises, and how
| he conceived the idea of writing the history
| of the Pacific Coast States, which is most
| interesting portion of the memoirs, The
| portion devoted to the vast amount of labor
he had before him, when he found himself
ready to put into shape the Thousands of
facts, legends and authorities that he had
| collected, is one that may be read
| with profit by young men, who will
| fud therein many suggestions which
may serve them in an hour OF need. The
lessons this portion teaches are excellent.
He then tells how his undertaking pro-
crossed, and how. in conjunction with his
literary work, he superintendent the large
business house, of which he was the head.
AT times he would seek recreation from his
work ON his histories by dropping the pen
altogether and deyotug himself exclusively
TO business, and then when he had got
everything in a correct business way he
would return to his literature and remain
there until he required further rest, or his
presence was imperative in the business de-
partment. His description Of how he her
mited himself i'll the country for months at
time, during which he often spent from
twelve 10 fourteen hours day writing, is
interesting in this that it shows his per-
sistency. He presents graphic account Of
the great misfortune that befell him, when
fire, in 1856, swept away the Bancroft
Building and the accumulated work OF years.
He was in San Diego, when telegram
informed him of the loss. Describing
his return to this city, he writes:
Friends and synlpathiZels met me at Martinez.
Ii was sunday when arrived and vent TO my
city quarters. kept my room untii Tuesday,
then pulled myself together aud went down
among the boys, who, poor fellows, were ready
to cry when they saw me enter the miserable
rooms on Geary street, 10 which they had been
forced TO fly with tueir books. really felt more
for them tiian for myself, many of them had
been dependent on the business for livelihood
Tor m0ie than d quarter OF century, and they
had wives aud iiitle ones to feed. Aud my poor
wiiei felt for her, from whom was forced 10
part so abruptly. But most touching Of all was
the sympathy OF my children. Paul said, Popa
shall have all my chicken money to help build
his store" as lie turned Ills face from his mother
TO hide his tears. Little Phillip would WORK all
day and all night, and another bantling persisted
in going about gathering nails IN an Old can for
two days for his father. 1t Is such testimonials
as these that touch lhe strong man to he quick,
and not lie formal letters Of sympathy anu con
dOlence that lie gets.
On the subject Of his work the author
writes:
1t Is now over thirty years since l entered
upon the task To- day accomplished. During this
period my efforts lave been continuous. Sick
ness and death have made felt their presence;
financial storms have swept over The land, leav-
ing CHASTITY sears; calamities mule or less severe
a
have l never been overwhelmed or reached a
point where was forced upon Inc a cessation OF
literary labors, even for single day. Nor has
my work been irk some-it has been from first 10
last labor of love, Its Importance ever standing
before NE paramount to that of auy other Under
taking IN which L could engage, While OF this
worlds goods have felt that | had always my
share, and have 10 thank God for the means
necessary to carry forward my work to It's COM
peton. And while keerly alive to my lack of
ability to perform the task as II ought to be
done. have al all times been conscious that it
were thousand times better IL should be done
as could do it than not at all.
OF his purpose he writes
What was this task? 1t was first OF ALL to
save to Tie world mass OF valuable experiences
which otherwise, in the hurry and scramble at
tending the securing OF wealth, power or place
In this new field of enterprise, would have
dropped out OF existence. Those experiences
were all the more valuable from tht fact that
they were new; their conditions attending and
evolution never had before existed in the history
oil mankind, and never could occur again.
III some portions OF the DOCK lle writer is
Somew lat severe in his criticisms and pre-
sentation of facts, but taken as a whole the
work Is very interesting one, and one that
may be read with profit. II is illustrated
with many fine pictures of scenes on this
Coast, and is suitable for holiday gift
book 1t is offered by the History Company.
"Tisayac of the Yosemite" an illustrated
poem by Mrs. NJ. B. III. Toland, California
authoress, has been issued by the Lippincott
Dl,rln IL, Nh,
most magnificent memento to an ancient
tradition OF the origin of the Yosemite Val
ley. 1t is story in excellent verse of Toto
konula, once chief of the Yosemites, and
great hunter. While out hunting one day
be III ct spirit maid, the guardian angel Of
the valley, the beautiful Tisayac, not
dusky beauty Of his tribe, but one white and
fair. with yellow treSses, that fell over her
shoulders like sunshine. and blue eyes with
a light in them like the sky where the sun
goes down; with white cloud-like wings
folded behind her shoulders, and with 4
voice sweeter than the song OF birds. He
fell madly in love with the spirit, became lost
to his people, no longer led in the chase or
provided for them. but searched for her, and
then the valley which had been a pleas
ant garden. became Wilderness, until
the lair spirit returned, and seeing the
des0lation she had wrought, prayed
to the Great Spirit, who hearing her,
changed the desolate place into a habitabe
Ouo anu lUdlc IL WHal IL NOW Is
one Ut the grandest valleys in the world.
When Totokonula, having been on vain
quest for the lair spirit, returned, saw the
change and learned that Tisayac had been
there and that none could tell where she
went, he turned his back upon his people,
but before leaving, he, with his hunting
knife, cut the outlines of his face on lofty
rock. so that if he never returned his memo
rial at least should remain with them for
ever He never did return, but the craven
rock, named after him, may still be seen 5000
feet high, guarding the entrance to the beau
tful valley. Mrs. Toland thus describes the
vision that appeared to TotokOnula:
Forth from rradiance advan cling
In answer TO h uttered prayer,
vision glorious, enhancing,
As if his destiny share.
Appeared beside him on the mountain
Most BEAUTIFUL translucent, fair
In robe of sheen, like foam of fountain
That pearls the dewy morning air,
Her siIken tresses falling lightly,
Waving with rays OF golden hue,
Like sunshine shone, but far more brightly,
Threading her folded pinions through.
The poem is printed on heavy paper.
bound in white and gold. and is illustrated
with beautiful photogravures from drawings
by firSt-class artists, while many of the
pages are embellished with half-tiut floral
pieces. The book will make a splendid hOli-
day gift. 1t is on sale at Stricklands, on
Montgomery street, also at all the book
stores.
Is This Your Son. My Lord?" is one of
the most recent novels presented to the
reading pubic. 1t is issued by the Arena
Publishing Company of Boston, and is'the
work of Miss Helen II. Gardener, author OF
"a ThOughtless Yes" and other works
which have, by their boldness, attracted a
great deal of attention. The aim of the
writer is to show that society can never be
elevated until men are made to feel and
know that the laws of purity cannot be
broken by them without entailing moral and
physical degradation. Her book is an at
tack upon the evils and Shams of society,
and caustic arraignment of those who con-
done in men that which they never forgive
if committed by woman. Her language is
sents in a realistic manner in vivid colors
much that will become food for reflection.
She has, however, made an attack on re-
ligi0n, and the ideas she has given birth