The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-12-15
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

l. WCuOy ISdFS dU Ced OT Leaves from
My Old Log Books by Frederick Stan
hope Hill, is a spirited telling of
the experiences of tender-foot" or
whatever nautical term displaces that
on his first voyage, with further &C.
counts OF years spent in the merchant
and later in the naval service. It is
| an excellent book for the lads at Christ
mas, for it has a good bit of fun abroad
and beside is full of adventure and
excitement. Remarkably well written,
we give it hearty word of commenda-
ton. Boston: and New York Hough-
ton, Mifflin and Company; Portland:
Loring, Short & Harmon. Price
$1.oO
Dodo. A Detail of The Day. BY E.
T. Benson is at present much discussed
story. In the first place it was written
by son of the Archbishop of Canter.
bury, brother of Arthur Christopher
Benson, Master at Elton and the "Chris-
topher Carr" who wrote "Memoirs of
Arthur Hamilton, B. A." It was the
latter who when his volume appeared
bound in the colors black and blue,
(after somewhat severe handling by the
critics) wittily wrote OF it,
" I wrote a volume-sorry trade
The critics came-a genial crew:
Twas PRESIDENT wit not chance that made
My patient covers black and blue"
The younger brother is, as we have
said, the author of "Dodo." We are
inclined to believe that the prominence
of the authors family has not SO much
to do with the story's becoming fad
as the subject matter contained therein.
The history of an unprincipled woman
who works her destinations for ill and
has no heart, is always eagerly read by
large clientele. In this case they are
said to be English portraits or likenesses
of the real individual lurking disguised
in the pages of the book. However
this may be the facts remain that por-
lions of the narrative are almost dull
and that "Dodo" herself is paltry and
vulgar as we'll as wicked. There. comes
pang when one sees such a woman
playing with the hearts of good men.
The language of the heroine might per-
haps suit the precincts of rowdy cafe.
New York: D. Appleton and Company;
Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony !.
Nisby's Christmas by Jacob A. Rus,
author of "The Children of the Poor"
and How the Other Half Lives" This
writer is well known for his powerful
championship in print of the cause of
the poor and oppressed. No one has
more wildly written of tenement house
abuses, or shown more clearly the shock
ing poverty in large cities and the duty
Of the prosperous to relieve its causes
as well as affects as far as may be and
without delay.
Our only objection to these little stories
at Christmas tide is the surety with
which they will fill young eyes with
tears. Those of their elders brim over
in the reading and baby susceptible
are very tender. Nevertheless the
seamy side must be examined that we
may be ready with our helping hand
and a more beautiful story than "Nis-
by's Christmas" it would be hard to
find. Its companions are what the
Christmas Sun Saw in the Tenement
and "Skippy Of Scrabble Alley.' New
| York: Charles Scribner's Sons; Port
land: Loring, Short & Harmon. Price
| SO cts
A Woman of Forty. A Monograph,
by Esme Stuart, author of Joan Vella-
cot" "Kestell of Greystone" etc 1t is
| fortunate thing for authors, that any
love story faces the public with q dis
tinct advantage. Romance and senti-
ment and the play of the emotions are
ever babbling up from unfailing founts
and never cease to delight and refresh