St. Paul daily globe., 1892-11-20
LITERARY COMFORTS
Some Timely Conversational
Chat Anent Seasons and
Books.
An Antique Tinge Of Colum-
. bian Fashion Reflected
in Literature.
Glimpses at Some Of the Vol
umes Produced Most
Recently.
Almost a Surfeit Of the New
est Fad i'm BOokS--Bar-
pie'S Stories.


while Jack Frost draws pictures on the
window sash. Only he doesn't do that
now. Advancing civilization has so
ordered it that the art works of nature,
to risk a paradox, are erased by the
comfortable storm sash. But the wind
still sweeps around the corners, still
hoWls down the chimney, and we break
the tenth commandment every time one
of our friends takes unto himself wings
and money and flies to the orange
groves of Florida or California. But
every desire has its cure. and for this
one we will call upon that Ph9 nician
Cadmus who recommends for every ill
that flesh is heir to, book,
And who can be glad on day like this, =
Unless with his books or in love.
This is the Columbus age, much more
so than in 1892, when we were not in it,
to speak historically. Everything is
tinged with it, and we have even taken
to writing our letters ''B. c." before the
Columbian celebration. The books upon
this subject are infinite, ana truly of
the writing of them there is no
end. By the way, what would
the preacher IN EcclesiasteS have
said could he have seen in his
minds eye the output Of the fag end of
the century's printing presses. Every
publishers monthly bulletin brings
news Of some book which deals with the
life, times or peoples of the early dis
coverer. His weary pilgrimages from
Seville to Cardova and even unto Sala-
hxrf
seeking book fiend till one wonders
below the sea level The least suspicion
of an intrigue is broadened into verify
and tempts one to say, "there are none
good, nay. not one" Emilio Castelar,
himself, in that charming columbus
Life" running through the Century
magazine, touches with dainty hand
upon the "Beatriz EriDquez" episode,
and gives us the item that the Ultra
montane party at Rome, wishing to
canoniZe st. Christopher, performed
the necessary marriage ceremony, after
the hero's bones had been reposing in
Valladolid for centurieS. One of the
books which deals with this domestic
side of Columbus life is a novel by Con-
stance Goddard Du BOis, Columbus
and Beatriz." 1t is somewhat tame, but
vindicates to the satisfaction of the au-s
thoreSS that the late RomiSh ceremony
was superhuouS, the pair having been
married ''yearS and years ago." p
The public library has issued handy
bulletin of Columbus writings. 1t con.
tainS references to the works of history,
biography, travel and fiction on this
subject, and to magazine articles. There
are also several references to prehistoric
discovery. In this bulletin you Will find
enough reading to occupy your whole
winter, and venture the statement that
when you get through the varied ac-
counts and endeavOr to weigh in yoar
own mind ColumbaS' claim to greatness
you will doubt il he ever existed. doubt
almost the existence of the Western
continent.
In the recent works of fiction, novels
which may be termed, if not the sen
Sation Of the season. at least "the
much -talked-of books.' you will find
none SO entertaining, SO wholesome as
Barre's stories. There is an amusing
story told in the Boston Transcript of
how man was pursued, haunted by
"The Little Minister" 1t was so
much talked of he registered VOW
never to read it, and as re-
venge the spirits who preside over
the destinies Of books, pursued him as
''tEe furieS once troubled the dreams OF
Orestes." Finally the man went into
the uttermOSt parts of the rural districts,
where he was sure no one had ever
heard of 1.-The Little Minister" and
upon opening parcel of books which
he had ordered sent down from his book
dealer, and which did not contain the
Nemesis book, there, ''miles away from
Boston and from books. beneath a yel-
low moon and smelling Kerosene
chandelier" there,aS present from the
book dealer. lying Serenely on top in
his dark-blue caSSock, was The Little
Minister"
For those who love to sit by the fire
and take printed rambleS over MIL and
dale and in untrOdden byways, there is
new book by Bradford Tarrey, ''The
Foot Path Way" Mr.. Tarrey belongs
to that class of rare spirits where we
find Thorean, Maurice Thompson, John
Burroughs and Olive Thorne Miller.
They breathe somewhat else but in their
common breath of living in the out
door breeze, and we instantly recognize
that delightful optimism which is the
of a sound mind and
body. On THE Foot-Path Way" we
ologist. but quite AS often of the poet
and the dreamer, while symphonies
of bird notes accompany the sWaying
canvas of his vivid pictures, and fire.
quently there is felicitOuS quotation
from one of the master poets, We
walk on old, almost vanished wood
paths, through unkenpt fields and tang
led places, and every where Is the
freshening breeze and the subtle per-
fume Out of door life is recommended
for the dySpeptic, and we heartily adj
wise those who have dyspepsia of the
intellect to take tonic in the Foot
Path Way" mew autumn volume
culled from Thoreau's Journal, "Au-
tumn," has been prepared by ii. q. o.
Blake. and il possesses the same charm
of auto geographic report and of animal
and forest life as the other yolumea0f
the series-n this cycle of seasons.
ssCalabrian Sketches" by Elizabeth
CavaZza, is volume just published.
In fiction. but with the finest realistic
representation, she gives us gllmpSeS
and sometimes prolonged glances into
the life of that people which dwell in
the toe of the boot, until we feel the
warm, sunny air of Italy and that our
neighborS are the Roccos and oidoras of
these tales. They are translatioSu, not
from the Italian language, but from
Italian life, They are general, as the
author has succeeded in showing that
human nature is the same the world
over. and intensely individual in their
national and provincial aspects. There
is always story, but the charm lies i'll
the peryasive Italian spirit.
1lUSIC IN ST. PAUL.
The usual popular Sunday matinee
concerts by Seibert'S orchestra will be-