The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-10-07
RECENT PUBLICATIONS

THE TRAIL, OF THE SwORD-This is an
exceedingly interesting anG original story
nv Gilbert Parker Readers of bis earlier
works. s"The Trespasser," "The Transla-
ton of a Savage" pierre and His Peo-
pie" would expect nothing else from his
pen, but in this book, both in conception
and treatment, there is a decided ad-
vance The STYLE is strong, direct and free
from ornament. One follows the story
with almost breathless interest, for it all
seems so real, minute and accurate, photo
graphs of an actual life, but photographs
IN which every bit Of the light and shade
and local color CT the originals have been
preserved Gilbert Parker has the rare
faculty of telling story well. He has
the even raTer faculty OF doing u with
such art that the reader attends strictly to
the matter without attending TO the art.
Gilbert Parker has gifts that Chaucer
and William Morris, the earliest and latest
of the great story-tellerS OF English Htera-
ture. might well envy, and 1t Is not too
much to say that he may reach high
place yet among the writers of bis native
speech. The period and locality OF his
stories are a proof of his originality and
art. He has studi ed and mastered an his
tOric time, when men were possessed OF as
Guch individuality and strength ana
bravery. when women were at once as del
were in the singing time of England. the
days of Good Queen Bess." For the Can
ada of early days. with its 'coureurs de
bois," its half-chivalric merchants, its
touches of feudalism, and the settlements
Of the English in the northeastern part of
America, with their Puritan inhabitants,
were as steel and flint, ready to strike fire
on every clash. And the world, TOO. was
young then; no ennui, no fin de steele
WEAKNESS, but everything was full
of the sap of life and great and
heroic deeds were of everyday occurrence.
1t is amid such scenes and such days that
1.-The Trail of the Sword" moves. A
simple tale, The struggle of two men, one
of English. the other of French descent,
for the favor of an English girl, wherein
the former wins and the latter IN his very
loss proves himself a hero. The most
beautiful passage of the whole book is the
description of IbeTylle's journey TO Hud-
son Bay IN winter and especially the Dor
ton descriptive OF the travel over the Lake
of the Winds. 1t brings back yividlv
similar scenes told by the Jesuits in their
early accounts OF the new lanos and their
inhabitants. The characters are drawn
strongly and vet finely; nothing seems
wanting to them; they stand out in bold
relief; they are net described TO be- but
actually seem flesh and blood. The
character of Father Dollier. once brave
officer then priest, is an original and ex-
onlsite conception. No one will regret
the time given to read this story. it will
only seem too short New York: d. Ap-
pleton & Co. For sale By the Bancroft
CcmpanyJ
PooR's MANUAL-Tbe twenty-seventh
annual number of Poor's Manual OF Rail-
roads has been issued. Iu 1T are given in
full detail the financial condition and re-
suits of operation of all the railroad COM
panies for 1893. The Manual is universally
known as the EN- Indictment of the official
reports of all the railroad companies in the
country. 1t is the only work of the kind
published and is therefore Indispensable to
every one interested in railroads, either
flu cialy or in their operation or desiring
information concerning them. Statements
carefully revised by each company before
publication are given for about 1000 COM
panies. For most companies the state
ments printed in the Manual are the only
detailed ones furnished to the public, and
the Manual has thus become the only
medium by which an accurate knowledge
of their affairs can be obtained. great
Improvement is made in the Manual
this year by the Incorporation in 1t
Of the standard features of "Poor's Hand
book of Investment Securities" viz. State
ments showing the financial condition.