The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-09

features of the year. w. T. Hornaday has
a series of papers on the natural history Of
the country; Professor Brander Mat
thews' American Authors series give
sketches of Franklin. Irving and Cooper;
Charles F. Lummis has quaint Tee w aim
Pueblo; Mary Shears Rooerts writes
about Historic Dwarfs. with their friend
ships and their quarrels. In the Cities
series there are sketches Of New Orleans
by George ". Gable, of ST. Augustine by
Frank r. Stockton, and IF San Francisco
Ly Charles II. Shinn. New York: The
Century Company
REFoRM.-Colonel Ralph de Clatrmont
a master of languages, traveller and
writer, who for many years has been
resident OF this city, has just issued book
of over 260 pages. which is an essay on the
political, financial and social condition of
the United States. The essay is bold and
it points to dangers and defects and sug-
gest remedies for existing evils. The
writer, who has devoted to the subject of
his book great deal of close attention,
and has studied it from every point of
view. gives his impression in plain but
compre hensive language in different chap
ters which treat of caveat patria, law and
Justice, legislation, the press. education,
religion, fir.ance, the Federal Govern ment
and the United States army. He -dwells
! upon the various abuses that he has en-
| countored in the pursuit of his subject and
| for each has a suggestion for correction
| of the same. With a view 10 comparison,
| the author presents the constitution of
| the United States together with the one of
the Republic of Switzerland. The latter
| is based ON that of the United States. In
IL are lacking features which the Noun
tain Republic has, after MANY years of
| careful watching, concluded could be
| omitted and for which 1t has substituted
others which are deemed superior. La the
| chapter on the army there are many valu-
able suggestions. fSan Francisco: Pub
| lished for the author.
A FRoGLAND WEDDING.-A book
full of pictures, music and poetry,
Just suited for bright children. Each
picture is a poem in itself. comic, pathetic
or pastoral. as the case may be, and will
| attract attention Of men and women of
mature years. The frontispiece, frog in
| a lily-pod, Is a gem not merely in execu-
ton, but in conception. Then there is
the frog seated on a toadstool up-
derneath a tree, pipe in his mouth. a
| glass in bis han0, second toadstool serv-
ing as table and supporting bottle of
wine. The frog bears a close resemblance
to many human Another picture rep
resents baud Of music, conductor and all,
and the antics of the musicians represent
what men players would like TO do, but o
not out of respect to their audience. The
frogs at the banquet and the frogs at the
ball are very comical and their actions Gu
riously like those of men and women
under similar circumstances. In fact all
the ilctures follow the idea about the frog.
"Ouite human expression he wears Oh
HIS face, aud great intellect in his eyes
me may trace" Roy Conger for words
and pictures, and Helen Hitchcock tor the
music deserve credit, and they will get il
too from children who know good thing
when they see it. lChicago: Laird &
Lee.]
The CAPTAINS BoAT.-A capital story
for boys. full Of action and incident and
entirely devoid of long discussions that
retard the movement of the tale. The
book is practically history of the life of
two New England boys for two or three
weeks, during which is told the story OF
the captains boat, gruesome tale of
wreck and piracy. The only fault we
| have TO find with the book is that the boy
characters are too good; not. however,
with that despcable ''goody-goodness -
They are indeed manly enough, only they
never make blunders and "breaks" or "put
their foot in it," things which every decent
boy does, and which afford the philospphc
and unconnected onlooker intense pleas.
ure. No boy Of any worth has failed In