The herald., 1894-10-28

ARMAZrNDy. Bowcn-Merrili company, In
dianapolis, by JAMES WHITcoMB hILEY.
This is a new and pretty vslume o.
largely dialect poems, by the pride o.
the prairie" who has won and long Sc
curely held an acknowledged place in
our literature. OF Armazindy, the
main poem of the collection. the author
says she was:
JeS child, one minute-nex'
Woman-grown In all respects
And iutents and purDoslz-
ATS what Armazindy wuzl
One wearies just little st the dialect
in which almost everything is written,
which is the reason why certain single
and striking poems by this author have
made their best impressions in our peri
odicals along with sterner stuff by other
hands. But come very creditable pieces
in his volume are not in dialect, and one
excellent bit of prose ie to be found and
commended. Mr.. Riley is not great
poet-iew poets are great-but he has
written many, very many, tender aud
beautiful things, that have the merit of
being sincere and free from everything
coarse or unclsan.
A TALE OF TWO NATIONS, by W. II. HAIR
NEY. Coin Publishing company CGicago.
This book, paper cover, is dedicated
''To the people of this age and ages yet
to come" 1t deals with the most Sc
rious and interesting trouble OF the
day-the money question. 1t is a mar
ative, with some love and incident and
dissertation. 1t undertakes to crush
the dog gone goldbug" and colloquially
concludes, through the dialect of
western critic that debt Is mule
that all yer goldbug, single standard
doctrines from hell ter breakfast can't
ride" II any reader would like some
OF this, he or she can find no end Of it
in the book itself, which deserves to be
fitly characterized by every review. 1t
will find readers because there is an
excited and unwholesome state of feel
ing over the money question that gives
every shallow brawler a chance and
hesring, but the whole book is contempt
ible in tone and conception, while not
even possessing the quality OF skill or
cunning.
This extract from The Sherman Let
ters, being taken from one OF the sena-
tors last letters written to the general
in November, 1889, is full of wise sug.
the spoils system in very vigorous and
summary fashion:
'The coming session of congress ia to
be an important one, not in a political
sense. but in business sense. The
tariff. commercial relations with Amer
icsn States, and differences with Canada
are likely to occupy good deal Of time,
and in all of these shall have to take a
part. What is worse, we will have the
distribution of many Offices. Harrison
holds on to this dangerous power, and
Is likely to distribute it during the en-
tire term. If so, he will not have an
other. Cleveland did the same and lost.
president should, within the first few
months of his term, fill ell the moet
important appointments, and then he
may hope to recover from the effect bs.
fore his term closes."
~
Mr.. Howells seems to be writing his
autobiography on the installment plan.
His boyhooj he wrote for Harper'e
Young People, in q series of papers
called A Boys Town. Then we find
him a little older, writing A Year in a
Log Cabin for the Youths Companion.
Arrived at early manhood, he describes
his life as country printer for Scrib-
ner's Magazine, His Literary Passions,
lsid before the readers OF The Ladies'
Home journal, show the literary side OF
his character. Then he comes east and
pays his frat visit TO New England,
which appears in Harper's Magazine.
Soon we will have his first visit to New
York in the columns of the same period
ical. Anyone who collects those several
articles will have a very good autobi-
ography OF very interesting man.
%*@
A writer in the Churchman has an in.
teresting sketch OF George Mcdonald,
who is making his home IN the Riviera.
Mr.. Mcdonald is the best known of all
the .'preachy" noveliets of his time.
Concerning his home the writer saye:
George MscDonald's home, Casa
Coraggio,' is q large, gray stone villa,
surrounded by olive trees. 1t stands
back from the sea, in the modern part
OF the town. The interior demonstrates
at once to the beholder the artistic
tastes of its occupants. The large draw
ing room l think altogether the most
harmonious and beautiful room | have
ever eeen. To describe it would require
too much space, but let the readers
Imagination reyel in the old wood cary-
ing, black with age, in mullioned win
dows facing the west, an ample, open
fireplace. with tiles and hanging crane,
in decorations of rare old jars, vases,
jugs, etc., the despair OF modern art-in
profusion OF oriental rugs, covering O
brick-covered tiled floor, in most care.
fully selected collection OF pictures on
the olive-colored walls-and ne will have
some idea OF the room | would like to
describe, because in 1t George MacD1n-
aid has given many readings, and to his
admirers it muat have seemed sometimes
little earthly paradise"
&*x
How libraries grow is well illustrated
In the new Boston Public libary in Cop
ley square, whose books are now Just
being moved into its new and splendid
quarter5. For dozens of years the old
building has been crowded and nearly
six years ago the present structure was
begun. The library now numbers 455,-
600 volumes.
.*x
A number of alleged social science
leaders have recently been engaged in
an elaborate and very ambitious at
tempt to erect sociology into q science
and to get recognition OF it as such. The
plan was to send out inquiries among
pympathizers and social science authors
and speakers and get replies. III ess
have been as various as amusing. ',ne
Nation thus closes an article on the sub
feet, which for good. sound sound sense
l.. T. L