The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-12-24
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

UEe OltJ u OHS DulthIs, etcs Auis Sety
interesting work gives clear and con-
else account of the mistress of the an
cient world and her glories Of art and
architecture from the dawn of ciyiliza-
ton. through the days Of the Reptile,
the Empire, the Dark Ages, and the
Papa1 Supremacy; and her Restoration
as the Capital of Free and United Italy.
1t contains thirty five photogravure illus
trations from views of the most notable
remains, numerous text and full-page
wood cuts and series of accurate maps
and plans from the latest explorations
elucidating the historical portions of the
text. 1t ia an invaluable book for the
tourist and amateur student, and will be
an appropriate present for young or old.
The work is in two volumes, with hand
some oovers in red, with designs in gold;
also having red slip covers, and enclosed
in a red cloth box. Boston; Estes h
Lauriat; Portland: Loring, Short 3
HARMONY
Sister Jane. Her Friends and Ac-
quaintances. A Narrative of Certain
Events and Episodes Transcribed from
the Papers of the Late William Woxnurn.
by Josl Chandler Harris. The love and
the leisure with which Mr.. Harris stud
les Southern types mako themselves felt
in very rare quality OF narration. We
are told that this is the authors "novei, !"
or first lengthy, continuous work; yet
though this be true in amount and ar
rangement, and the thread 10 woven in
one wool, there is still flavor here of
sketches and Impressions and analyses
unlike the ordinary story.
Sister Jane is very decided person,
and a quaint figure in the annals of
Georgia plantation life enc to whom
the SHINING and the suffering would be
glad to be sent, despite her abrupt
ways-s'the whole village knew of her
popularity, her strong will her finn
opinions, and the sharp flavor she con-
veyed into the most ordinary discus
sions; the whole village knew of these,
but only few knew how thin and frail
a partition stood futtering between the
shrewd tongue and the tender heart.
We submit that at the opening of this
book we can clearly see the honeysucklei
porch where the biographer does his
pbilosophizing, and Tommy Tinkins, +"
the large yellow house cat, who never
failed as O mind reader. Farther on
the lives of nelghbors and friends arc
quietly transcribed, and tragedy ard
comedy exist side by side, as they do
in all lives, lived or written. The old
tragedies OF sin and penitence, hypocrisy
and repentance svsn over that saw,
toe, that, though the wounds that sin
makes may be deep and grievous, the
sorrow chat repentance brings can heal
and hide every ONE
We bespeak prominencs among Christ
mas publications for Mr.. Harris's latest
book because of its originality and GER
tain tone which we have already de-
scri bed as quaint and charming. 1t is a
delightful story Boston & New York:
Houshton, Miff1in & Company; Port
land: LoriDg, Short & Harmon. Price
ST.. 50.)
When the Worst Comes to the Worst.
By DR.. W. Robertson Niooll, author of
Literary Anecdotes of the Nineteenth
Century (New York: Dodd, Meat &
Co.; Portland: Loring, Short & Har-
monl Although no life is without bur-
escape the browning experience of de-
SPAR; WHO never know what it is for
the worst to come to the worst. Often
they find that the griefs to which they
look forward most anxiously are less ter
ribIe as they are neared. This little
volume is addressed to thoss to whom
the worst has seemed to come to the
worst, and with whom despair has be-
come settled thing. The book is praot
Ically homily, admirably written, upon
he value and consolation of religious
help to those who are in great degree
afflicted. 1t is comforting and soothing
and will do not little to lessen the
burden of many whose lives seem not
worth the living.
u1 Ldn0 u UAO LLCdls 10y lawn IAyHAl
New York: Dodd, Mead g. Co.; Port
land; Loring, Short & Harmony. Amari-
can readers will be interested in the
latest addition to the SUCCESSFUL Scot
bish books OF the year by David Lyall,
whose work, The Land O. the Lsal, - has
just been published by Dodd, Mead &
Company.
This book gives faithful picture of
Scottish life, not idealizad in any great
isgres The writer shows unmistakable
narrative power, and pictures Scottish
village life in way that has not been
attempted by any of the Scotch writers
If the day. His characters are distinct, !
ind some of them more interesting than
hose of any other writer of the same