The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-05-28
BOOK TALK AND GOSSIP.
The Up-to- Date Literature of
These Times.
WHAT BOOKSELLERS ARE SHOWING
NewiNovels by Beatrice Whitby, Helen
Ill. Gardener and Sara Jeanette
Duncan "A Dainty Collection of
Nature Studies.

It would be difficult 20 find a writer
who can tell a more entertaining story
and tell 10 In more delightful manner
then EsSara Jeanette Duncan" Mrs
Everard Cotes. All her works have been
widely read and the amusing stories have
been praised wherever they have APP
peared.
II originality in the presentation OF
characters counts for anything Mrs.
Cotes' last novel, "A Daughter OF Today
will be Wen appreciated, for she has sue
ceeded In producing people who are moth
ing If not original. Many OF her charac-
ters are literary people and artists, and she
has succeeded in introducing the spirit OF
the true Bohemia IN the pages OF her
story.
Long ago Mrs. Cotes' descriptive and
narrative gift was discovered and since
that time she has always been appreciated.
Besides being able TO tell her story she
has the power OF making it distinctly
bright with wit that is never tiresome
and never vulgar.
The story of z" A Daughter OF Today is
somewhat new and the experience OF the
literary folk who are striving for recogni-
tion is thoroughly interesting, and ID may
be doubted il there are many among the
recent stories that deserve such general
praise. The author is evidently |
thoroughly acquainted with the life and |
the people that she describes, for each |
character is SO true-to- life that the nara
tive seems more like an experience in the |
The book is attractively bound and IL is
just entertaining and sprightly enough |
Tor summer reading
"a DAUGHTER or TODAY" Mrs Everard
Gotes New York; y. Appleton g. Co.. 1884
H. Gregory has it. Price SL5O.
Helen III. Gardener never wrote a story
that was altogether story. There is al
ways something beneath the surface,
some underlying lesson that runs like
vein through the narrative, and her latest
novel, An Unofficial Patriot" which has
just been published by the Arena Publish
ing Company, is no exception TO the rule.
The story opens with the introduction
OF Griffith Davenport, a Clergyman who
had been Southerner and a slave-owner
but who now was neither. He had been
law breaker, however, and was now evad-
ing the law In the State of his adoption.
The interest in the story commences
with this interesting character and the
reader Is compelled to follow him through
his experiences with the closest attention. |
Griffith Davenport is delightful, il |
somewhat unusual person. In fact Miss
Gardener has a habit OF introducing her
gether real characters, and as no one could
ever charge her with having presented a
plot that was commonplace her stories are
always well worth reading.
IAN UNOFFICIAL PArRIoT.n Helen H.
aII naraener Isai Boston; Arena publishing Com
ss
Beatrice Whitby Is always a pleasing
writer, and all who have read her other
stories will be delighted with her last
novel which has just been issued by ID.
Appleton d Co. The story appears under
the title OF "Mary Fenwick's Daughter"
and, as the name indicates, many of the
Characters who are remen bered as having
received their introduction I'm Miss Whit !
by's first novel, "The Awakening OF Mary
Fenwick" reappear in her last story.
The reader who opens the novel is in
terested at the first appearance OF the !.
child who was such an autocratic little !
lady that she could even succeed i'm nam
ing herself, and this interest contipues
through the last chapter. ,
Miss Whitby is not an average novelist
by any means. When she writes she al
ways has story to tell and she
tells weii, her work being dis. I
rsnguisnea ,sn ;nae.y 6y many touches of '
act and talk like real people and the p
story is not marred by any oil that reach
ing after effect OF which too many novel {"
lists have been guilty. "
sMARy FENwIcK's DAUouTERr Beatrice @
Whitby. New York: ID Appleton and Com a
pany. 1884, IL. Gregory has it. :;
One OF the most dainty little volumes c
that has been published by Macmillan q a
tion OF Nature studies that has p
just been issued under the title of II
s'The Friendship OF Nature.n lt h
Is not large work, but within the 200 - -
small pages the author, Mable Osgood ~
Wright has succeeded in showing deeper m
knowledge OF birds and flowers than pl
has ever been shown by all the Nature
Students. cc
The book is divided into eleven chapters, al
md each is poem in prose Besides her .,
deep acquaintance with New England -
seasons, the author has a delightful com :.
mand of the English language and her de-
scriptions of the birds that sing and the
howers that bloom in this section of the
country during the year are made more sa
fascinating by the pleasing manner i'm da
which she tells the story that she knows he
10 we'll. co
The book is well gotten up and is Illus tv W
Irated. "
The FRIENDSHIP or NATURE" Mabe os- IN
good Wright, New York; Macmillan a. w w
Co.. lS9i II. Gregory has It, Price 70 cents. qu
Rev. III. N. Hutchinson, the author OF - -
Extinct Monsters" has written n fascin- pr
lting book upon the animals OF the past WI WI
\ hich Is TO be published by ID. Appleton Ia
Rudyard Kipling and Octave Thanet will tn
contribute stories TO the June Mcclure. W
second edition OF Mr.. John Jacob
astors romance, "a Journey in Other
old. ~
The Cassell Publishing COMPANY has h'
ISSUED new edition OF Sarah Grand's "
lovel, "The Heavenly Twins" In paper ne
nd extra cloth bindings. ha
The name OF Julian Ralph is well known he
o the newspaper reader, but his appear ab
nee in the guise of poet will be some II
That OF surprise. A poem by this New wv
lork journalist Will be given in the June yo
fcClnre. 20
Few books have received such general s
ommendation as Crawford's katherine eel
which was recently issued as
" Macmillan. Even "BarOn de Book-
Iorms" OF Punch, who n often too sparinp
praise, unites in the universal ex xpression
4 admiration for this novel OF American pu
fe. orc
"Chapcronedv is a story ola summers ex- an,