The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-19
THE CRITICS COLUMN.
DEVOTED no COMMENTS UPOS CUR
RENT PUBLICATIONS.
9TH. PrairIe." New Edition-Ths Losos'
April-RuIe of the Turk ana the
Armenian Crisis.

| THE PRAIRIE: BY James Fenimore
| a. Cooper. Mohawk Edition. q. +. fue
! MANS Sons. New York. LONDON. s.@''
For sale by George NJ. West.
| The novels OF James Feninnore cooper
have long since taken their place as
| among American classics. INC puv''o
| viii be swift Ne think. TO ackho",eueo
| their recognition OF that by demahu ioi
| the excellent Mohawk edition fecsnSS
| published by the Messrs. Putnam, Inc
| Prairie being hfth in the series.
In appearance II Is similar 10 the Hua-
son edition OF Irvings works, the COM
plete set comprising thirty-two volumes.
| "The Prairie" as readers OF the series
know, closes the career Of Leather STOCK
| ing Pressed upon by time. he had ceased
70 be the hunter and the warrior. ana
has become trapper OF the great west.
| The sound OF the axe has driven MIN
from his beloved forests 10 seek re-
fuge. by a species OF desperate resigna-
ton, on the donuded plains, that stretch
to the Rocky Mountains
Here he passes the closing years OF
his life, dying. as he had lived. phiioso-
| pher OF the wilderness The plot In tuii
has so long been familiar TO the reading
| public that a resume IS thoroughly super
huous. The individuality OF Leather
Stocking dominates Il. and centres the
! interest OF the reader, as is tho case In
the other books Of the series. Its purity.
dignity, strength. and utter simplicity. tho
reader perceives TO be the qualities OF
character which Nature has taken ana
! moulded for herself, and whose deepest
| communings have been with her.
Interesting as Is the story. We recog-
| nize It, TO be but background which en-
phasizes the vigorous personality OF the
old man. We congratulate Messrs. Put
| nam on bringing out the edition Coopers
novels have A quality which Is particu-
larry welcome in this time. when tho
fashion In literature Is 50 far removed
from the natural and wholesome.
THE LOTOs: April; Lotos Publishing
Co. New York.
This magazine II will be remembered, Is
the organ OF the National Federation OF
! Women's Clubs. Among its notable con-
tributions are o criticism OF Mr. George
! Meredith's last novel-'rhe Amazing
| Marriage"-by Meth Boyce; new de-
partment STYLED About Libraries" which
promises increasing interest. II IS con-
Quoted by Miss r. L. Kelso. an expert
librarian. who will answer all letters OF
inquiry. and give practical suggestions for
the purchase and use Of small libraries.
This will meet the growing de-
mand I'm Women's Clubs for practical
helps in library and educational work.
In the Club Department are brief ar
ticles on the Tennessee Federation OF
Clubs recently organized, with sketch
OF Mrs. W -. Beard It's president; the
| Rhode Island Federatlon's annual meet
ing: the Literary Day" OF the New Jer-
sey Federation. with an article on Travel
ling Libraries, read at that meeting; and
| notes from Iowa. Nebraska, Minnesota,
| Virginia. Rhode Island. and New Jersey.
The club-notes from Virginia are rela-
tive TO the origin. growth. and present
status OF the Woman's Club Of Rich
mond
THE RULE OF THE TURK AND THE
| ARMENIAN CRISIS: BY Frederick ID.
Greene, NJ. A. Ct. Il. Putnam's sons,
New York. London. For sale by George
NJ West.
Under the above title. Mr. Greene re-
Gently from Armenia, has published a re-
Vised and enlarged edition OF bis volume
THE Armenian Crisis" In 10 he has
brought the facts down 10 date, and has
added a large amount OF new material
descriptive OF life IN Armenia, together
with u fuller discussion OF the Eastern
Question, IN general, IN iiS national ana
international aspects
The hook. which has received the cor
dial commedation OF Mr.. Gladstone, Is
moderate though convincing In tone IL
contains a map and many Illustrations.
1t is sad story, this record OF the
Christians under the rule OF the Turk.
The reports OF the massacres may be
exaggerated. but IL only half true, are
surely enough to call forth profound sym
pathy. The author makes some practical
suggestions for remedylng the evil.
THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY:
BY Rodrgies Ouolengul. G.. L. ~
, IA NJ. Issr 4
4 Co.
The many readers who were united In
praise OF DR. Ottolengufs clever story
entitled An Artist in Crime. Will welcome
in his new volume. The Crime OF the
Century, the return o. that sngularly
astute amateur detective, Mr. Mitchell
Jack Barnes is an ornament 10 his rro-
fesslon. but Mr.. Mitchell would be POSI-
lively invaluable TO New Yorka detective
bureau.
The story IS laid In New York city, and
opens with a double mystery the MUIR
der OF a prominent citizen, whose son Is
suspected OF the crime. ANA the finding
Of an abandoned baby I'm a disused grave
yard. The interest b. we'll sustained and
| the plot is so subtilcly worked out that
very few will be able To- solve the mystery
until the last chapter Is reached. The
author spent considerable time In the
| Sums, anu MS descriptions OF NHp
Burglars Social Union" and the floating
gambling saloon are very near TO reality
| All through the story runs the.theory
that the customary punishment Of Grim
| inals by imprisonment Is an injustice and
Increases rather than diminishcs crime.
The author thinks that justice should be
curative rather than punitive; that crime
| should be treated as a disease, which
in most cases is inherited. Concerning
this there may be a considerable diner
ence OF opinion, but IN regard 10 the IN
terest Of the story there VIII, we THINK
! be none.
| THE RAINBOW OF GOLD: BY Joseph
a. Altsheler. Home Book CO. % Nesey
street. New York. For sale py hunter
! Co.
Dandellon.
loo In tha