davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17
HOUSING OF THE WORKING PEOPLE.

In London, in the summer of 1877, Lord
Beaconsfield, then Prime Minister of Eng
land, in a public speech said: 81 have
touched upon the health of the people, and
/ know there are many who look upon that
as an amiabIe but merely philanthropic
subject to dwell upon; but the truth is that
the question is much deeper than it ap-
pears upon the surface. The health of the
people is really the foundation upon which
all their happiness and all their power as
state depend. Ii the popula-
ton of a country is stationary or yearly
diminishes, if while it diminishes in num-
ber it also diminishes in stature and
strength, that country is ultimately
doomed. And speaking to those who, L
hope are proud of the empire to which
they belong, [ recommend to them by all
the means in their powe to assist the
movement now prevalent for improving
the condition of the people by anchor
ating the dwellings in which they. live.
The health OF the people is, in my opinion,
the first duty of statesman"
1t was in the spirit of this utterance by
the great English statesman that the pres
ent inquiry was undertaken by E. Il. l..
Gould, Ph.D. under the direction of Car
roll D. Wright, Commissioner of. Labor,
into the best methods as yet known among
ClFlllZeu COmm Utilities Ol uOuSluS IHe
masses.
The results of the investigation have
been reduced to somewhat voluminous
report, which ought to prove a wade
mecum to all persons in any way in
terested in household sanitation, and
especially to those who desire to promote
the growth of model house-bullding enter
prises. The best methods of rendering
dwellings, habitable; of eradicating slums;
OF guaranteeing the sanitary character of
new buildings; of multiplying model
dwellings, and of developing popular pro-
prietorship of homes are presented, not in
theory, but as they exist in fact. The in
formation has been prepared after an ex-
haustive investigation in the principal
cities of this country, and IN London,
Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and all
the large cities on the Continent. The
work is profusely illustrated with eleva-
| tions and diagrams of model tenements in
various parts of the world, and special
chapter deals Interestingly with the
economic and ethical aspects of this most
practical reform of our modern civiliza-
| ton. Washington: Government Print
| ing Office. Address United States Bureau
| of Labor Statistics.
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17
HADASSAH.

"Queen Esther to Ahasuerus" is the sub
title of this new volume in Laird & Lees
Golden Rod edition OF fiction. The story
is very free rendition of that most pictur-
esqus of Biblical love stories, the story of
Esther. The author, Mrs. T. F. Black, ac-
knowledges her Indebtedness for descrip-
tions OF the ancient Persian domains and
the custo ms and manners of the people to
the histories OF Messrs. Rawlinson and
Rollins. 1t would have been better could
she, lacking personal knowledge, have de-
rived her information from literature,
always a surer and juster guide to the ma
ture and life of people than history can
ever be. The characters that igure through
the scenes of her book are unquestionably
historic, but they are unquestionably not
Persian in the sense of giving us glimpse
of Persian character. They are suggestive,
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17
THE STARK.MUNRO LETTERS.

The latest of Conan Doyle's books con-
ceals under rather blind title very read
able volume. 1t is called "The Stark
Munro Letters" but should have been
named ''The Adventures of Physician in
Search of Practice" The story of the
start in life and struggle.for success OF a
young English doctor furnishes the reader
with series of sixteen delightful chapters
in epistle form, filled with fine thoug ghts,
striking situations and running comments
upon science, religion, society, and in fact
about everything which furnishes food for
the active brain of ambitious youth. The
book is one Of the best of Conan Doyle's s
later stories and will be read at a sitting by
whoever gets interested in the thread of its
well-told narrative. Published by d. Ap-
pleton & Co., New York. For sale at
Doxey's. Price, 81 So
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17
LIFE INSIDE THE EARTH.

AS a fight of the Imagination Charles
Atkins novel, "Forty Years with the
Damned, or Life Inside the Earth,'' en-
titles him to place beside Rider Haggard
in the list of modern fiction writer's of the
highly imaginative school. The story is
told as the translation or record OF a
hunter dream. While in search of game
on mountaInside he falls asleep and dur
ing his nap sees a burly negro at the
mouth of cave and the latter tells him
wondrous tale about forty years resi-
dence in the bowels of the earth, occa-
sional excursions to Mars and the north
pole. He also describes in connected
story the strange and beautiful sights seen
in the earth's interior, the habits of the
stranger inhabitants and the ideaIic state
OF peace, love and happiness which pre-
walls among the denizens of the mysterious
country. The story is well told and the
writer's skill is shown in the almost con-
vincing consistency with which the i'm
probable incidents are evolved from his
which approaches the Icarian
in some OF its fights. In the plot OF the
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17
THE HoRSEMlN's WORD.

One of the most notable books among
this seasons output of fiction is the re-
markable romance which It's author, Neil
Roy, gives the curious title OF ''The Horse
mans Word" The scene is laid among
the Scottish lowlands. and much of the
action hinges upon certain ancient super
stitions that obtain among tisher-fok of
every land, but especially among those of
Celtic origin. The horseman's word is
some mysterious bit OF cabalistic lore
which tradition hands down from father
to son, from teacher to favorite prentice,
in the ranks of teamsters and plowmen in
rural Scotland. The possessor of the
'word" is supposed TO be. able tc subdue
the most vicious and untamable horses,
and by whisper to render them tract
able and dociIe. John Morton, the
wretched hero of the tale. is popularly
supposed to have the word" He is
introduced to the reader in a fear
full contest with a savage mare,
half-crazed naturally, and rendered vicious
and dangerous by brutal treatment:
Where Morton came from before he sud-
denly appeared to do battle with the mare
is a mystery. The ignorant and super
stitious yokels of the farm village wherein
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17
A son OF THE PLAINS.

A story OF the early days of the once
famous Santa Fe trail. The author, Arthur
Paterson, has become we'll known to
American readers through his earlier
books, GA Man Of His Word and "a
Daughter of the Nez Perces." "a Son of
the Plains is by no means his best work.
1t is a commonplace portrayal of frontier
life, with all the regulation accompani-
ments of frontier scoundrels, fair maids
captured by Indians and rescued by i'm
possible young noblemen in the rough,
who fall in love with and eventually marry
the imperied fair ones. In fact, the story
is 80 thoroughly commonplace in its some
what tame presentation of hackneyed
theme that one is prompted to regard with
surprise the imprint upon the title page of
the house of Macmillan, which is usually
guarantee OF literary and artistic excel
lence. New York: Macmillan & Co. For
sale by the Popular Bookstore, San Fran
CISCO Price 81 25
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17
LITERARY NOTES.

Macmillan & Co. will publish this month
novel called 1.-The Grey Lady," by Henry
Seton Merriman, whose former story,
with Edged Tools" has won for him
well-deserved popularity.
"Being Typewriter is the suggestive
title of a readable paper in the December
Atlantic by Alice c. Bull. 1t treats of
the relation of the machine to literature.
''The Sources of American Federalism"
is the subject of recent paper by Pros
fessor William c. Morey, published by the
American Academy of Political and Social
Science. The purpose of the essay is to
show the beginnings of the federal system
on American soil, and to suggest the his
torical principles upon which its origin
must be explained.
"The History of Oratory, from the Age
of Pericles to the Present Time" by Pro,
fessor Sears of Brown University, will ba
published by S. G. Griggs 81 Co. 1t pur.
ports to give connected account of the
origin and growth of oratory as an art and
as a science-especially of forensic, delib.
eratlve and patriotic oratory-and shows
that there is a philosophy of discourse
based on mental and moral action, and eXs
emplified i'll the successes and failures Of
representative orators through many cen.
turies.
"The Income Tax Decisions, as au Oh.
ject Lesson in Constitutional Construc.
ton, F." by Professor Christopher G.. Tiede.
man OF the University of the City of New
York, one of the recent publications of
the American Academy of Political and
Social Science, is an essay which should
attract wide attention among lawyers and
students of political science.
The Authors Journal for November is
al interesting number. It's special feat,
in Literary Life by Judge Tourgee. but
the most interesting article perhaps is an
anonymous one, Reputation by Inheri-
tance," which charges that one of the most
popular authors of the day (whose name is
not given) is a literary fraud, as the book
which gave him his reputation was written
by his father. A number of additions have
been made to the ''White List of Editors"
which is department published monthly,
giving the names of periodicals that deal
honestly with contributors. Other spe-
ciai articles are: writing for the Stage''
by Clarence Herbert New; 1.-The Proposed
Authors Trust" by Charles RowlandI
"The Public Taste in Plays" by Sir Henry
Irving (an interview); Within the realm
of Fiction" by Walter Barrett Brownl
Authorship as Business" by Leon
Mead; 'Curiosities of Criticism" Two
Practical Suggestions to Young Writer'S
"Pen Pictures; sketch and portrait Of
F. NJ. Bird, editor of Lippincett's. In adj
dition there are the usual departments,
1.-THE Manuscript Market" giving the
months Births deaths and changes in the
periodical world; Notes of Authors" etc.
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17

he casts his lot as an entire stranger at
tribute to him the 'ill-fit," that is. the evil
foot, bringing misfortune into every house
and every boat whose threshold or gun
vale it crosses. BY common repute he is
also credited with being the ''kelpy," the
mystical, dreaded Satanic horse of the
local lake, masquerading for his own evil
ends in human shape. In reality he is a
deeply wronged human being, wronged
at biz th, estranged from the class in which
he belongs by right, bounded from baby
hood by misfortune, bewildered and
misled, pursued by hatred and dis
trust until the sense OF universal
enmity makes the man all but monster.
Only late blossoming love for dumb
girl comes tardily into his life to save his
soul from utter shipwreck and ruin. But
even this Joy was his but for brief time.
The young wife dies in childbed and the
kelpy is once more desolate. He dis
covers and makes good his claim as Earl
of Calziel, lord of the whole region
through which he has been hunted as an
accursed thing. but dies mysteriously in
the stall of a vicious steeplechaser whom
he has subdued; dies most opportunelv
to the avoidance of complications which
the reader had contemplated with genuine
dread. From first to last he is strange
and pitiable being, whose career one fol-
lows with a fascination not far removed
from horror. Unquestionably the book is
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17
GRACELAND'S GRAVES.

A peaceful city lies over there;
Never a heartache. never care;
No more longings for brighter days
Nor fruitleSs StrivingS for higher ways.
Peace with the world, at rest in God:
Home once more to the kindly sod,
Where roses bloom and the fresh grass waves
A gladstone vigil DER Graceland's graves.
Some summer morning when skies are bright
Some night in winter when SHOWS are white;
1t matters little the time or when
We shall have done with the cares Of men;
Gone the way where our fathers led
Into the mystery of the dead;
Seeking the peace the spirit Graves,
Choosing home midst Graceland'S graves
None can know the burdens borne,
Nor the cruel weight of yokeS we've worn;
The broken idols were all our own;
The lips would smile when the heart would
moan;
Bravely acting each one his part,
Hiding the dead hopes in his heart;
We come TO the stilling of the waves;
And Sunset leaves at Graveland's graves.
And when we're gone from the haunts of mel
Will the world have less of sunshine then?
VIII mother, sister, sweetheart, wife
Love more of eternity, less of life?
Are we building monument high and grand,
Or dingy howell upon the sand?
So we ask our hearts as the mind oerStrays
To the peaceful city of GracelandS graves.
EUGENE FIELD.
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17

that the occult affords the novelist of the
present day rich field. Moreover, the
popular taste makes it certain that the
writer of fiction on occult lines will "find a
sale for his wares" But the writer before
assaying a mystic fiction should be
en- rapport with his subject and not con-
found the spiritualistic vulgarisms OF the
day with the subtle, alf-philosophic,
half-mystic science which Lord Lytton
gave to the world of letters in such a
finished classic fiction as his ''Zanoni."
1.-The Double Man" is the story OF a
young artist who has become convert to
spiritualism in all it's branches. He is in
fove with a doctors daughter, and before
the tiresome, improbable tale has dragged
its weary length to finish all those who
have come in contact with Don La Velle,
the artist hero, have gone insane as a re-
suit of their occult studies and inyestiga-
tions, and Ina, the doctors daughter,
commits suicide very 'unromantically by
swallowing a quantity of prussic acid.
The test of the true novelist's powers is in
the readers forgetfulness of the lmproba-
bility OF the most improbable tale during
the reading. Mr.. Dowd lacks that power
to painfully obvious degree, and it is
apparent his field is not the occult. Arena
Publishing Company, Copley square, Bos-
ton
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17
CHRIST HAS COME.

This book is now in its second edition, a
proof of the appreciation with which it
was met on its first appearance. In his
work, the author E. Hampden-C Cook
M.A.-has sought to reconcile many of the
Biblical records with the apparently ire
concilable discoveries which have come
with modern thought. How well he has
succeeded must be left to the standard of
truth and consistency fixed in the mind of
the individual reader. AS has been said.
"the Gospels and Epistles of the new Tes-
lament are not poetry, but plain practical
prose-" Common-sense, therefore, re-
quires that their language should be in
terpreted not indeed literally, but in ac-
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17

by turns, of the Greeks and the Romans
and, more frequently than anything else,
they are medieval English, but never once
do we get a glimpse of Persian character,
such as could have easily been drawn even
from comparatively superficial knowl-
edge of Persian classics. The light
hearted, nimbIe- witted, volatile, subtle
and always insincere Oriental is evidently
an unknown quantity to Mrs. Black, and
her Ignorance of the national foibles is
not atoned for even by her at times too
elaborate arrangement of the historical
mechanism of the times. 1t is too palpably
mechanical, too purely historic, to be of
any value as a serious study of the condi-
tions she wishes to present. As a story
III adassah" does not approach, in purity
OF style or height and depth OF human
pathes and romance, the sacred narrative,
while as a picture of the time with which
1t deals the tale is wholly valueless. Chi
cago: Laird IL Lee. Cloth, gilt top; IS
cents.
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17
BOOKS RECEIVED.

THE RETURN OF THE NATIVE; by Thomas
Hardy. New York: Harper g. Bros;
81 so.
AGAINST HUMAN NATURE; by Maria
Louise Pool. New York: Harper & Bros:
81 25.
THE CARVED LIONS; by Mrs. Molesworth.
London: Macmillan & Co.; 81.
OTHER TIMES AND OTHER SEASONS; Law.
renee Hutton. New York: Harper 81
Bros; rs cents.
UNDER A MYSTIC SPELL; by Harold Les,
lie. San Francisco: Griffith Publishing
Company; so cents.
A LIFE OF CHRIST FOR You've PEOPLE; by
Mary Hastings Foote. New York: Harper
& Bros; 81 25.
THE LAND OF PROMISE: by Paul Bourget.
Chicago: F. Tennyson Nicely; 81 so.
Forty YEARS WITH THE DAMNED; OR,
LIFE INSIDE THE EARTH; by Charles Aikins
Cloth; 422 pages. The Purdy Publishing
store, 30 Turk street.
A Son OF THE PLAINS; by Arthur Putt
nam. Published by Macmillan & Co.,
New York and London; for sale by
Doxey. San Francisco; 81 %.
The RIGHT TO LOVE; by DR.. Max Nordaii,
English translation by Mary J. Stafford
(authorized edition). Published by f.
THE CHARLATAN; by Robert Buchanan
and Henry Murray. Published by f.
Tennyson Neely, Chicago and New York;
for sale by Doxey.
THE CHRIST HAS COME; by E. Hampden-
Cook, MD. Second edition, paper, $50
pages. London: Simpkin, Marshall, Ham
ilton Kent & Co., limited. Cloth, Is Cd;
paper, Is.
CHIP's DOGS, collection of humorous
drawings by "Chip." F. P. w. Bellew.
r. III. Russell & Son, publishers. For sale
by Doxev, 631 Market street, under Palace
Hotel.
The DOUBLE MAN, novel by f. B.
Dowd. Cloth; 303 pages; price 81 %. Arena
Publishing Company, Boston.
THE You've CoNDUcToR, OR WINNING HIS
WAY, by Edward S. Ellis, author of the
"Brave and Honest" series. Cloth 246
pages; price 81 25. The Merriam Com
pany, New York.
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17
THE YOUNG CONDUCTOR.

"The Young Conductor, or Winning
His Way" by Edward S. Ellis. is'one of
the Through on Time series. Mr.. Ellis has
won an enviable reputation as writer of
juvenile fiction, and "The Young Con-
ductor" is in his best style. Dick Faral-
lon, youth II years of age, with $40 in his
pocket and solid though plain education
for his capital, is the hero. He starts out
in the world to make his mark and his
fortune after the death of his uncle, his
only remaining relative. At the outset of
his career he saves railway train from
destruction and is rewarded for his cour-
age and quickness of thought by being
taken into the employ of the company.
The interest of the story centers in the
struggles by which he attained success
full manhood. Dick is not an idealized
boy. He is depicted as an earnest student,
honest and brave, and WINS the success
which awaits every lad who possesses
those qualities and is willing to work. 1t
is well-written story and the moral is
good. The Merriam Company, New
York: price, 81 25.
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17

powerful one, and we have in Neil Roy
writer to whom we may look in future for
something better yet than this. The story
is not without its crudities. Here and
there it seems to drag little
and leaves an impression of something
less than clearness, but there is through it
all sense of life moved upon by genuine
insight and power of Interpretation. Mr..
Roy is romancist, whose methods are in
the highest degree realistic. He is at
times intensely dramatic, with no appar-
ent attempt at being SO. There are pas
sages in his book that remind the reader
strongly OF Hardy, although the author by
no means attains to the delicacy and sub
tlety, the exquisite finish, Of Hardy's later
with the mare and the incidents of the ter.
rible storm out of which "the kelpy" made
his first and unwelcome appearance strikes
the note of high dramatic feeling, which is
fairly well sustained throughout. Mr..
Roy evidently knows his Scotch country
well and is welcome addition to the
growing band of Scottish writer's now
claiming public attention. New York:
Macmillan & Co. For sale by the Popular
Bookstore. San Francisco. Price, 81 %.
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17
CHILi0WEE BOYS In WARTIME.

This is another of Sarah E. Morrison S
Chilhowee stories, than which no better
books have been written to give our young
people clear idea of pioneer life in this
country when it was still "the New World"
from which old England was loath to
loosen her grasp. The scenes of this book,
as in the earlier volume, "ChiIhowee Boys"
is laid in Tennessee during the War of
1872 The trials of that terrible time fell
with peculiar hardship upon the pioneers
of that State, and Miss Morrison, who
seems thoroughly familiar with the life
and customs of that date and region, tells
delightful story of adventure and boyish
courage She is chronicler of real events,
and the Chilhowee boys as she shows them
were stuff of which every loyal young
American has reason to be proud. New
York and Boston: T. Y. Crowell & Co.
Price 81 5O1
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17
AGAINST HUMAN NATURE.

Miss Wilkins has so thoroughly familiar
lied us with a certain hard, tragic type OF
New England character that we have come,
rightly or wrongly, to accept it as the
dominant one. Whoever comes after her
in portrayal of New England rural life
must necessarily undergo criticism of tn e
comparative sort. Readers of Maria Louise
Pools latest novel, "A gainst Human Ma
ture," will almost inevitably look to her
to give US, in Alminy Drowdy, the we'll
known Wilkins old maid. 1t is almost
with incredulity that we recognize, at the
very outset, genial rather than
q grim humor about Miss Drowdy,
that is as welcome as it is
1n-Wilkinsonian. We get the tragic linn
ltations, the dull intensity and pathos OF
rural New England life, but there is
throughout the book broad, human SYM
pathy, a mellow, nature-loving undercur-
rent that in Miss Wilkins work is ever
subordinated to that authors severely
dramatic seleetive processes. In Against
Human Nature" we have New England
cid maid suddenly transported from Hoyt,
Mass, to the mountains OF North Caro-
lima. OF course it is duty that takes her
there. She goes at the dying request OF
lover who, years ago, had treated her most
cavalierly,. to assume charge OF his only
child, a daughter, about 20 years
old. The girl has grown up "most
anyhow in the mountain wlids,
with only the ministering care OF
weird, haIf-wild yellow woman, her ser
want, factotum and intimate companion.
She is bright, moody, attractive, and as
far removed from the average girl brought
up in Hoyt, Mass, as can well he imagined.
We have not had in recent literature
more delicateIy drawn and thoroughly en-
joyable situation than this of the Massa-
chusetts spinster, in her endeavor to play
propriety for her weird, attractive, uncon-
ventional, hobbledehoy charge. MISS
Alminy is SO genuinely conscientious, so
convinced that all rules of conduct are re-
ferable to the standard of Hoyt, Mass,
that the situation has for her ele-
ments OF real pathos. Temple Craw-
fordAthe very name, for girl. sounds
heathenish to New England ears-rides
horseback all over the mountains at un-
Usual hours with two great dogs. She
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17

filled with hatred of her own duplicity.
She urges her lover to acknowledge openly,
before the world, the relation that, deem
ing it iustifiabe in itself, she yet despises
for its duplicity, but he is cautious fell
low, mindful of his own reputation and
business prospects, possibly willing to
maintain the Integrity of his skin against
the outraged Wahrmund's wrath. But
Nine. Bertha, at last unable to endure the
falsehood of her position, on an occasion
when her husband lovingly. protests his
perfect trust in her, warns him that his
confidence is not justified. A revelation
follows, and poor Wahrmund is filled with
indignation and grief. Immediately he
sends for Bordenholm and offers to allow
Madame to procure divorce if Bordenholm
The San Francisco call., 1895-11-17
THE DOUBLE MAN.

The book just issued from the press of
the Arena Publishing Company of Boston
under the title Of 1.-THE Double Man" does
not vindicate its claim to the dignity of
being called novel. 1t is nightmare
a hideous, senseless and pithless tumble of
spiritualism and oceultism without half
probable plot to redeem it from absolute
and badly written nonsense. There is
also much of what the French call risque
in its dull and witless pages.
The student of literature is well aware