The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-05-25
MISCELLANEOUS.

What the character OF the fIlSSSdBe
is which a wild flower brings to the
observant lover of Nature" remarks
F. Schuyler Mathews in the preface to
his recently-issued book, Familiar
| Flowers OF Field and Garden" New
York: D. Appleton & Co.; for sale In
Scranton by NJ. Norton) depends large
| ly upon the disposition of the eAindivid-
ual This one is susceptible to no sug-
gestion: that one sees a vision of the
| beautiful beyond the conception of the
unlma ginative; another hears the music
Of nature and sees the beautiful as well.
| There is no doubt to my mind as to
| what Beethoven was thinking of when
he wrote the lovely scherzo Of his Heroic
symphony. The music Is brimful Of the
woods and fields of springtime. We do
| not know exactly what Chopin imag-
ined when he composed his Impromptu
fantasia, but its exurberant music sug-
| gests the joy and freedom of the birds
and flowers in the woods and meadows
| Of June. A little more familiarity with
| nature will lead us to better under
| standing Of her message-a message she
surely has for every one who will but
| listen"
Mr. Schuylers book is well-con-
| ceived attempt to bring this message
nearer to the comprehension of the
great mass of people who knows a very
| little about the common flowers, but
who would be willing to learn more IL
| not pestered with too much pedantry.
Mr.. Schuyler does not affront his "aver-
age reader" by a preposterous massing
Of dry Latin names and still dryer
| botanical facts. He groups his flowers
| according to the months In which they
are In loom, tells in simple language
where they may be found, what va
rieties they comprise and what their
| dainty secrets are. If any flower have
any pretty tradition clinging to 1t, or II
1t be especially celebrated in song Of
story, the author does not spurn that as
| too trivial to be mentioned; but all
things are rightly seized upon which
give promise of setting Off the flowers
| own charms. In an appendix is given q
systematic index of the names, colors
| and localities of familiar flowers OF the
United States. including floral cal
endar. The book will do much to pop
.
outdoor beauties.
A man of forty years experience in
newspaper work, In New York city, Is
Marvin II. Clark. As an instance Of
his pluck in the face of misfortune It
Is stated that after becoming totally
blind six years ago, he mastered the
ordinary typewriter and continued his
work upon It without any change in
the machine, although he never before
had touched the typewriter But Mr.
| Clark's day of wonderful things has
not ended. for he has Just issed new
book. of much interest, advancing and
proving the existence OF q language Of
communication of thought between the
| members OF her own family, by the
feline, which may easily be acquired
| by US. He not only proves such Ian
guage to be In vogue. but gives many
cat words, In common use by our house,
hold pet, defining them clearly. He
plainly shows the manner of construc-
tion and development of the language
with every word musical and pleasing
to the most refined ear. In this respec.
the work Is unique, but the book is In
teresting from beginning to end, for It
is replete with wonderful stories felat-
ed Of the cat BY the most reliable for,
eign and American naturalists, and the
beautiful characteristics Of the cat are
shown in high colors. II your heart
prompts you to encourage aH Old writer
totally blind, with wonderful grit, stiii
pursuing his vocation for the support
Of his family, you will get copy Of