The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-10-31

6tc.-lt Is DOCK worth sno "AaAns anu tno
reading. New York: d. Appleton & Co.
Portland: LorIng. Short & Harmon. Price
s1,5O)
The Albany Depot. By w. d. Howells.
This is one of Mr.. Howells's parlor farces
so comical In their realistic exhibition Of
The unreason Of the average person. By
some marvel Of capture and tenacity. Mr..
Howells's cleverness takes and detains those
'phemeral idiocles, holding them IN In va.
'led lights for laughter. 1t is true that what
aver is worth doing is worth doing we'll. Il
nay be less certain that whatever ia dona
we'll is-for that sole reason--worth DOING
Even In the midst of amusement at the choic-
est imbecilities of Mr.. Howells's people n ia
Impossible not to wish that ANALYSIS so thor
ougb and representation SO flexible and ant
might be engaged In portraiture of types
that one would be glad to know. The little
Black and White Series of volumes-to
which this comedy belongs-is very dainty
device OF the publishers. New York: Har-
per d Brothers; Portland: Loring. Short a
Harmon. Price 80 cents) A
Edleen Vaughan. By Carmen SYLVIA. Tn
reading such romantic composition of the
time-worn plots and situations OK fiction as
Is this story, written by her majesty. the
Queen OF Roumania, one is aware that after
all we owe very much to the realists. and
should accept even the trivialities of the
comedy people of Mr. Howells. Carmen
Syiva's work shows sentiment, often tender
and impassioned; but 1t is mixed with such
a repertory of German sentimentalities and
fancies; embodied in the conventional COM
pany Of faithless lords, forsaken maidens,
witches, bards with streaming hair; ex-
pressed In such romantic language that one
finds difficulty in measuring the actual force
and value of the talent of the royal author
ess. Sheseems to live in world of misty
unrealities. through which an occasional
ray OF true sunshine is able to penetrate.
The story of Edleen Vaughan is that of a
mother, fooiishly indulgent to worthless
son. He causes much misery, from which
the final chapter is made to emerge, bearing
with it some Of the minor characters. New
York: Cassell Publishing Co.; Portland E:
Loring, Short 6 Harmony
Literary Landmarks of Edinburgh. BY
Laurence Hutton. The plan of this manual
of the literary topography of Edinburgh is
admirably Ingenious and well executed. Mr..
Hutton has taken great pains to trace ard
verify the buildings in that city which are
connected with the personages whose names
suggest themselves to the bookish pilgrims.
He has strictly confined himself to his SUBJ
iect, not straying into any byways of biog-
raphy, but guiding the reader through the
streets Of Edinburgh and pointing out every
monument Of the literary record of the city.
The index gives long list of famous names
and noted localities. The illustrations really
illustrate; the views of streets and narrow
closes are especially interesting, while of the
portraits some are more successfully exc
cuted than others. The refined appearance
as well as the valuable contents Of the book
suit it to holiday requirements, which at
present incline to books OF lasting worth.
New York: Harper & Brothers; Portland /:
Loring, Short & Harmon. Price S1.oo)
The Lost Ring and Other Poems. By
Caroline A. Mason. This book of verse.
published as memorial of its author, will
be deservedly favorite with readers who
care for the sincere and spontaneous express
sion of feeling, wholesome, pious and cheer
full. and of pleasing and varied fancy, often
expressed In fortunate phrases. Mrs. Ma
sons poetry is delicate, full of trust and as.
piration. not seldom attaining to genuine
strength OF expression. Among so many
verses, there are naturally various degree
OF merit. but to none need the name of poem
bedenied. The volume will appeal especially
to New England readers, by its quiet and re-
ligious tonality. In citing an example of
Mrs. Mason's verse 1t seems just now orpor-
tune to repeat a few lines of her plea for the
dumb animals. The rights of man, the rights
OF woman-she has said-plead
These for themselves: but who shall speak for
The poor, brave 6fTfss, With patient eyes. and
To do our bidding; toiling on without reward or
fee,
Wearing their very lives away, poor things, for
you and mel Il
Surely poet can have no message nobler
than to be voice for the dumb! Boston
and New York: Houghton. Mifiin & Co. /;
Portland; LoriDg. Short & Harmon. Price
$1.25.)
The Chase of the Meteor and Other Sto-
rles. By Edwin Lasseter Bynner. One Of
the attractive holiday books for young PEG.
pie is this collection of stories. already con
tributed by MIR. Bynner to some of the bes
juvenile periodicals. Boys will follow with
delight the wild chase Of the runaway en-
CINE; rejoice with the little emigrant wher
he finds his forlorn dog; blush little. re
Numbering how they, like Hercules-Jack
have had their moments Of grandiosity, ant
| sympathize with the comical mishsps OF Ou
| Special Artist the young photographer, whit
| could not persuade any number of negative.
70 make an affirmative Of his skill Mindful
OF thelawices stresk in the nature of even
the good boys, Mr.. Byaner has included In
his story book pirattal but harmless tale
OF Black Boards Last Struggle. Other sto-
ries maintain the ABUSING tone of the vol.
ume. The illustrations are good and the
binding particularly tasteful. Boston: Lit
tie, Brown & Co; Portland: LoriDg, Short
& Harmon. Pdce $1.25.)
The Electrical Boy. By John Trowbricge,
Professor ofPhysics at Harvard University.
The title of this timely juvenile book is
enough to make 1t one of the most popular
OF the holiday volumes. Boys will read 1t
with intense interest from the first to the
last page. Professor Trowbridge, scientific
authority. proves that he has not forgotten
what boys like. His story, written In a style
at orce cultivated and simple, is as full of
adventure as Oliver Optic could make it, and
az the same time represents the authoritative
science of Harvard professor. The electri.
cal boy is street waif, who became tele-
graph messenger, then after various appren-
ticeships to electricity ami its uses, goes
west. One of the most remarkable of the
experiences of the young hero is the meeting
with the Dime Museum giant in mountain
cave. where the lonely monster had hidden
himself from curious and moneymaking men
with little squirrel as his house-mate In the
great, gittering crystal hollow. Finally,
rich and famous. the electrical boy grown a
man returns to the city. to help poor news
boys to win. as he did, honest success in the
world. Boston: Roberts Brothers. Price:
81 80.
EQrtnS.