The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-09-08
THE STORY OF BESSIE CosTRELL.
~ Mrs: Humph Ward. Mcmillan
IL Co.. New Y.rv


d Co., New YORK.
Through Messrs. Stoll & Thayer, who
have latterly been paying great attention
10 the procuring of the very earliest and
choicest of the nav books, we have this
striking short story. which has done
more than any other of Mrs. Wards vol
umes to give hsr, among the general
reading public, the rank she holds TODAY
among women novelists-the greatest of
them all. Ths relative value of the long
and the short story is sharply suggested
IN comparing Bessie Costrell with Mar
celia, for instance. This little story
makes book of $50 narrow pages, about
$4,000 words. while Marcslla contained
over 15U, 900. Trilby ana The Heavenly
Twins are about one-fourth larger still.
There are those who hope and believe
that the day of the long novel is passing
away. When phase of human character
can be so wildly set forth, an individual
life made so distinct and conf lete as is
done in Bessie Costrell, and it comes 80
easily and surely before so many readers,
small claim can be made for the terrible
three volume WORK which only the few
can buy and have leisure and patience to
master.
TOO LATE REPENTANT. By Mrs.
Forester. Lipplncott. 4sea
This solemn title is bit heavy for the
very light matter of the book, though
there are points in 1t sad even 10 alb
surdity. 1t is volume quite up to sum-
mer needs and soon over. Nor must it
be taken too seriously, being about
fair match for the summer girl. 1t is No.
III of the monthly series of Select Novels
For sale by Stoll & Thayer.
4 & 4
THE TIME MACHINE. BY H. s. Wells.
Henry Holt e. Co.
Part of The matter of this pretty little
book appeared in the New Review as a
serial. 1t is a curious story, full of inven-
ton and wondering and finally ending in
dead wall of mystery. For sale by Stoll
& Thayer.
PILATES INQUIRY - WHAT is
TKUTH?" By s. C. Clark. Arena Pub
fishing company, Boston.
This is an earnest book, full of
preaching. and not without action and
incident. 1t mas once before been men
toned in these columns, and commended
to any who try to keep up with the
eager multitudes who seek to define The
difficulties OF our complex social troubles.
y =
A NEW MONETARY SYSTEM; OR
| LABOR AND CAPITAL. BY Edward
Kellogg. United States Book com pany,
| New York.
The basis of this elaborate treatise on
| capital and labor is the teaching of a
hard headed old New Highlander, as re-
] produced by his daughter, with an elab-
crate introduction. 1t is hard reading,
| but there is much solid food for instruc-
| ton in it. 1t is a forcible plea for legisIa-
ton on behalf of labor. as tho chief FAC.
tor in a..naton's growth and prosperity.
| 4 = =
The American Magazine of Civics for
! August contains several remarka bly, able
papers, the most striking of which IS The
True Basis of Political Reform. This
publication is easily amongst the fore
| most in the land.
The Critic reviewer this week has a
very sharp attack apon the newest of
| John Oliver Hobbies books, The Gods,
| Some Mortals and Lord Wickenham.
which we are inclined to agree with. He
says: at is better to he moderately ig-
| norant at the beginning of book than
| it is to be moro ignorant at the end OF it
| but unless the reader is god in a small
| wav himself, a mere dilettante at real
flesh and blood, or a lord, or something.
he will cling to his ignorance and be
charmed with it. and not travel far with
the spectral speople and shadows of sim
ners all sicklied DER with the pale cast
of thought. that move in this little feint
of world that John Oliver HOBBIES has
created for us. The author. of course.
will not complain if we borrow her spirit
long enough to apply it to her own book.
and take 1t for granted that the title is
an affectation naming an affectation; but
we cannot quite do this. for there is a
suspicion of sincerity lurking In the
story, and 1t is to be feared that it is
Just sincere enough not to be quite as in
significant as one might wish. 1t begins
to look as if John Oliver Hobbies had a
spite against this poor old world, and
thought it was literature. The old gift
of talking back. which men have always
called a PECULIARLY feminine attribute,
because they could not do 1T half so
well themselves. has assumed In these
ink-and- paper days formidable aspect.
and the woman of cynical philosophy
who was formerly confined to expressing
one husband in the privacy of the home
can now xantippe husbands by the con-
tinent, and, using the one .hst heaven
has given her for raw material. she can
take the world for her spouss and say as
bitter things about us as she will, paying