The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-04-27
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Folly and Fresh Air, by Eden Phil
potts, takes the reader fly fishing in the
heart of Devon, to the tune of rarely
pleasant nonsense and in the company of
such jolly good. fellows, that something
of the rest and refreshment of similar ex-
cursions reflects upon tho stay-at-home
who may be so fortunate as to peruse it's
pages.
The narrative is not beyond criticism,
nor does its English or its style maintain
an even level upon all occasions; but
there is an amiable, fun-loving origin
ality about the story of greater charm
than the leading qualities of more pedan-
tic articles.
Two bachelor friends start off on their
journey. "First find porter" runs the
text. s'MalSs sure he is porter, and
thea call him Guard" They take
third-class passage 81 had called the
man guard; his honor was now at
stake. If he behaved like guard he
would be rewarded like guard; and if
he could keep up his character of guard
by putting me into second or even first
class carriage at the last moment knew
that he would do so.''
Of stranger occupying the same car
riage, we read:
"He lighted pipe and settled down to
Bradshaw, and read it from the begin
ming onward, as one might read work
of fiction. He evidently regarded it as
such We offered him the papers, but
after glancing through those that con-
tanned pictures, he turned from them
back to the more enduring delights of
the railway guide. Sometimes he smiled,
sometimes did little problems on paper;
and could see he was running trains
into one another, and working ont the
collisions that Bradshaw provides for,
and getting quiet, genuine fun from the
book
The authors description of his com
panion s'the Doctor" in the character of
bedfellow. though t1ihe exaggerated
and fantastic, is never theless so highly
ridiculous that we predict peals of laugh
ter over the episode, and genuine laughter
is compliment not of easy attainment
in even light literature.
Here and there bit of philosophy
crops out: mime men out of ten have
too many opinions and too little infor-
nation"
Trout fishing follows, with all it's ex-
hilarating or narrowing details. Sending
some of their prey to friends in town
they are sarcastically thanked for the
''sardines" received and eaten, etc., and
so on.
A touch of love story comes in to
enliven descriptions of earth and air and
sea, but the al fresco element is the true
one in the tale: Il awoke and gazed
abroad. Starlight and mist nursed an
old, dying moon in their silver arms; and
neighboring streamlets, winding under
forest trees, murmured long-drawn
sigh, for Mother Earth was dreaming of
sad matters in her Sleep
So Folly and Fresh Air sweep through
these pleasant pages and enliven the
hour most agreeably, making one sorry
to ''cone i'm out of so health giving an
atmosphere. (New York: Harper &
Brothers; Portland: Loring. Short &
Harmon. Price $1.25.)
Van Bibber and Other is the title of a
collection of short stories by Richard
Harding Davis, author of Gallagher.
The table of contents covers some fif-
teen numbers, all stamped with this au-
thor's peculiarly brilliant literary en-
dowment. Here is no uncertain sound.
A condensed, keen, strong setting forth
of human nature in its heroic and nom
heroic moods. Mr.. Davis by no means
confines himself to the upper strata of
society: his characters may belong to
Bohemia or dwell i'll Belgravia. In either
case they are live people, and their
tragedies or comedies bespeak our active
sympathy. The author already ranks
| with the most eminent writers of Ameri-