Los Angeles herald., 1892-09-25
BOOKS AND BOOKMAKERS,
Some Recent Publications Of
Interest.
The Last Works of the Gifted Charles
w. Balestier.
Several Stories by That Peculiar Writer
Tale OF the Mission Days.
Pretty Pipes From Prai-
rie Land.

fore he had reached his Both year. He
loved literature better than anything
but his friends, and he had found oppor
tunity to testify to this in career as
eagerly active as it was short. His
death was untimely, and occurred while
the Naulahka, collaborated in conjunc
ton with Rudyard Kipling, was in
course of publication as serial. His
career had been varied one; he had
attended college, had formed libraries,
had been in "business," had conducted
theatricals, travelled and explored terri.
tories, edited periodicals., published
works, and in London represented a
publishing house. He was student oi
nature and keen observer of character
and surroundings. He could especially
excel in the description and delineation
of our Western American characters
characters which he managed with a
firm and unerring hand. His imagina.
ton was all American, and long stay
in the far west, familiarity with min
ing camps and infant cities, had given it,
for time at least, the turn of the new
convention.
At bis death he left behind him a
youthful unpublished novel of three
short tales, entitled "The Average
Woman," dedicated to "the average
man." Sub-titles: :: Reffey, Common
Story, and Captain, My Captain. He
| believed in actual characters, accurately
drawn, resembling Howells in this par.
| ticular. combining a directness and sim
plicity of speech akin to that of Lola.
This especially impresses the reader in
Reffey, the scene of which is laid in q
rough railroad town in Western Colora.
do. The hero and heroine seem to move
in peculiar moral atmosphere, with
vague knowledge OF right ant wrong,
and generally false or distorted i'm.
pulses. And out of rough and uncouth
surrounding, with characters of SINH.
lar nature, he draws moral full of pa
thos, charity and retiibution.
A Common Story is one full of misun-
derstanding, showing how two hearts
"that might beat as one," can be sep
arated forever by the meddling of friends
and relatives. who desire to be consid-
cred successful match-makers. Still
there is an undercurrent that seems to
call to the readers mind that disap-
pointments in life, and sorrow and tears
only tend to uplift and refine the char
acter. ~
In Captain, My Captain, he learns the
commonplace character, and in Befna
the plucky little woman who takes up
and edits the Rustler Telephone for her
dead lover, we find creation far above
the average. The character is refined,
and as we follow her through her various
trials and struggles, until success crowns
her efforts, we see combination of
humor and pathos seldom enjoyed in
the perusal of the short story. Her
second lover is an admirable exponent
OF the strong and rugged western type
OF manhood, full of charity and kind
ness, coupled with the refinement and
culture of the east, and possessing an
unparalleled generosity and patience,
even though he thinks his love hope
less.
The Average Woman, by Charles wolcott
Balestier. For sale by stoll & Thayer COM
pany.
This year and next will mark won
derful epoch in the worlds history, and
especially in the history of the United
States. 1t is years devoted to reminis-
cences and celebrations of time-historic
time. Especially is our own part of the
great United States blessed. e., South
ern California and Arizona. Already at
Sacramento the Historical society hss
given a splendid exhibition of the relics
of early days of California The restora-
ton of the old missions is contemplated.
The 350th anniversary of the discovery
OF the California coast is to be celebrated
September 28th and 29th, with appro-
pirate ceremonies, at San Diego. This
year is the 400th anniversary of the dis
covery of the new world by Columbus.
At this eventful time little volume en-
titled Manuelita, Romance of San
Xavier del Bac, drops into the world
of books like shining star from the
sky. A story SO sweerly told that as we
read we seem to hear the faint tinkling
mission bells softly ringing the evening
vespers. The story commences in the
early days of Spanish rule in 1719, and
although there is pretty and fascinat.
ing love story used as frame work. the
beautiful mosaic enclosed is really the
life and work of the good Father Kino,
the founder of the Mission of San Xavier
del Bac.. 1t is full of history of the
Pima and Moqui Indians, and describes
very mlnutely the ruins of the casa
Grande."
It is rich in historical data of the early
Toltecs and Aztecs and gives space for
traditions, descriptive of worship, man
ners and customs, without being tire
some or overdrawn.
Manneli'a, a Romance of San XAVIER Del
BAG. For sale by stoll & Thayer Con pany.
x*x
Miss Minnie Gilmore, the daughter OF
the distinguished bandmaster, and the
author of Pipes from Prairie Land, has
brought forth new story, entitled A
Son of Esau. The scenes are laid in the
west, along branch of the Arkansas
river, and the story is not only gentle
and sweet and delicate, but also com
bines power and loftiness. 1t is the or
chestral composition of which the au-
thor's recent exquisite volume of poems,
Pipes from Prairie Land, was the over
ture. The reader, when the book is fin
ished, wonders how a young girl, mex
perienced aa the world goes, can write
SO understandingly, can photograph hui
manity, and analyze character as thor
oughly as an experienced woman of
twice her age. 1t is story truly and
honestly told, strong in purpose, and an
achievement in American literature that
will command attention anywhere.
A Son OF Esau. By Minnie Gilmore. For
sale BY Stoll d Thayer company.
x*x
S00E CHAT.
The first edition OF Calmire is COM