The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-12-17

In Naishapur when Omar wrote.
No nightingale with iusty throat
'Carolled clearer sweeter note
In Naishapur.
He saw the yellow roses swoon
Beneath the kisses of the June,
And the star blossoms Of the night
Opened their petals to his sight.
He sang of Iife and DEATH and woe
thousand years ago;
The north winds DER him rose ieavest throw
In Naishapur.
MYTHS AND LEGENDS OF OUR LAND. By
Charles NJ. Skinner. Published by ]. b. Lip
pincott Philadelphia. Price 50.
1t is often claimed that our country is de-
ficient in legends-that our history is too new
too certain for myths and those shadowy tales
of wonderful deeds and supernatural powers,
for belief in fairies, COLLINS, phantoms. and the
like. Yet here are two volumes we'll filled
with legends, and drawn from all parts OF our
country-the story of Rip Van Wrinkle certainly
first aud foremost; then other tales OF the Cats
kills and the Hudson, tales OF the Indians and
of the Dutch, tales of old Hendric Hudson and
his crew. Some of them are already familiar
to through the writings Of Irving; others
are new.
There are stories galore from New England,
where we must not forget our stout-hearted
Puritan forefathers would quail before little
mumbling old woman with black cat on her
shoulder and after that who can say our coun-
try is lacking in materials for legends. There
are, too, the legends that Longfeilow wove into
verse, and made lasting part of the history OF
our country. We surely have Hiawatha and
Evangeline. Hawthorne, too, told weird tales
that of our own land. The author OF
this book has spent much time over the col
lection, and has succeeded in finding stories
from our South. stories of Indians and early
settlers and ghostly lovers from the West; OF
banshees and phantom trains and Indians
from all over our land. There are many, many
accounts of Lovers Leap. From every high
cliff some faithful girl has thrown herself to
avoid wedding the wrong man. There 10 Capt
Kidd's buried treasure all along our Eastern
coasts, from Key West to Halifax, with strange
spirits of sulphur and fame to guard the treas
ure places. There is the story of the Natural
Bridge, and of the Three Sisters, dangerous
rocks in the Potomac near Washington.
Altogether there is an extensive collection
of stories, and though not a grand series OF
traditions, like the Iliad of the Greeks, the
German Niebalungen Lied, or the Arthurian
legends yet, in helter-skelter fashion. they
give stories to our cliffs and rivers, and add to
the romance of our beautiful land.
CAPTIVE MEMORIES. By James Terry White.
Published by J. T. White & Co., New York.
Price 49,
One of the prettiest gift books of the season
is this volume of love- verses, flowers, and
Cupids. 1t is bound most beautifully in white,
from cover to cover it is an exquisite BIT OF
fine printing and illustrating. The frontis-
piece is tiny Cupid standing on rose. and
with his arms full of pink roses. The poems
are gentle pretty love-songs about sweethearts
weddings valentines, Christmastmes, birth
days, and flowers. sunshine, and sorrow. The
poses in the book are quite as charming as the
verses, and the Cupids are irresistible. For
every page there is special hower-fowers
from Already first. violets Columbine, nastur-
tiums. sweet peas, roses arbutus, and 80 on
| and flowers from California, lilies, the edel-
weiss, gentian, and white roses. A pretty song
| is pictured with the Columbine, beginning:
O. e-kissed Column ine,
Tell this sweet friend OF mine
That she,
Like thee,
Hath ruby lip
Where would sip
Like wanton bee.
The first poem-Enchantmen pretty
| like the rest:
The touch of her dear hand,
SO sweet and tender.
All! how can Withstand
The touch of her dear hand?
Nor can understand
What charm doth render
The touch of her dear hand
So sweet and tender.
| SAINT NICHOLAS. Bound volumes for 1896.
| Published by The Century Co, New York. For
| sale by Robert Beall. 4s5 Pennsylvania avenue,
l
| A delightful treasure of song and story, pic
| lures and puzzles for the young folks. The
| st. Nicholas represents the best of children's
| literature and many of our finest writers con-
| tribute to its pages This volume contains four
| illustrated serial stories; Christmas stories, by
| Kate Douglas Wiggin, Sarah Orne Jewett, and
others; and Christmas pictures, by Blashfeld
| and by F. s. Church. The patriotic articles on
| the flag. the War Ships Bugies, the story of
Admiral Farragut, Some War Courtesies, The
Rhymes of the States, are particularly inter-
| estiug and, besides, there are many articles
| on general subjects: A School for Firemen,
The Children of Chinatown, Gunpowder, Shoot
| ing Stars That Reach the Earth, Flying Ma
Chimes Torpedo Boats ana so on. Theu there
| are stories about famous people, Robert Louis
Stevensons letters to children. true stories
| about animals a song by Eugene Field, short
| stories galore fairy stories, adventure stories,
| poems, ballads jingles, nonsense verse and rid
| dies and lastly dear old Jack.in-the-P Pulpit
bless his heart!
UNDER THREE FLAGS. By Bert L. Taylor
| and Alvin r. ThOits. Published by Rand, Nc
| Nally Co., Chicago.
This is another prize mystery story, and is
| about as good detective tale one can come
| across among the new books. The story starts
| out with a poker game, forged check, defal-
| eating bank president, the mysterious death OF
the banks cashier and an elOpement The
killed the cashier. and there are several others
| who might have done it; and, as most OF them
have uneasy consciences at best, they all de-
part for Cuba, followed by newspaper man
and detective. The reason for the title comes
in in the fact that some OF these people fought
under the CUBA Libre" flag. while one man
fought under the Spanish colOrs. the American
Stars and Stripes making the third. There are
exciting scenes in Cuba, and some intensely
dramatic ones There is romance. of course
besides the clipping couple, there is pretty
Cuban maiden, daughter of the Cuban Gov
eruor and beloved by the newspaper man.
There is also handsome, intriguing woman,
who keeps things stirred up. The mystery OF
the story is we'll maintained. and it is not until
the very last chapter that the death OF the
cashier is explained away.
| AGOLDEN AUTUMN. By Mrs Alexander. Pub
lished By Lippincott. For sale by Brentano,
| Washington, ID. G. Price Sl.25.
| This latest romance from Mrs. Alexander's
| pen is the story of the unhappy marriage of an
English officer with an heress. The Captain
was too proud, the heiress too young; they
uuarreled and separated, and their story runs
through some 800 pages with q happy ending.
The heroine is pretty, and has suitOrs in plenty,
and the hero is brave, aud, all in all, it is quite
, such loye-story as women like.
THE AMERICAN DUCHESS By the Princess
| DeBourg. Published by Dillingham;, New York.
For sale by Brentano, Washington, ID. O.
| SIC VITA EST BY Sue Froman Matthews Pub