Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-02-23

VINO keep II by aDSt2.ninS from the Vi
binary luXuries and amusements need
books for diversion. Il readers
will have a good supp; volumes
this year. For the We use the
Episcopal Bishop of the D.y STATE has
furnished pious essays that he names
Visions and Service" beginning with
"a young mans vision" and ending
with "a priests taunt." DR.. George
Harris, of Andoyer Presbyterian Theo-
logical Seminary, follows the Bishop
with a treatise on Moral Evolution,
with vi.ws upon the ethical and reli-
gious development of society and the
individual-a fine contribution 10 the
higher thought of literature, and which
would entertain even agnosJic Inger-
soil. From the West comes to New
York a series OF semi-religious lectures
entitled The Spirit and Literature OF
Life. which DR.. John p. COyle, of Iowa
College, gave there. But fiction, like
melancholy, in the old song claims it's
own, also, and new tale of the South
eTn mountain region, where primitive
conditions still hold is told by Kate w.
Hamilton under title Of "A Parsons
Proxy -eminsntly a Lenten title. F.
J. Stinson, best known over his nom de
plume y. S. Dale" publishes a story
of Boston life about A D. 1850. that he
calls Pirate Cold" a good one for J.
PierpOnt Morgan, who is a Lenten
zealOt. to read while fasting over his
bonus in bonds and his skill at enhanc-
ing the Door mans winter coal as head
Of the new Coal Trust. Those who fol-
low the story of Tom Grogan" in the
Century Magazine, have him as a Lent
en- book. with prOfusa Illustrations by
New YOrk's penciller, Charley Rein
hart. For Lenten company on the IL
brary sofa comes a London success in
story by George Fleming, entitled
For Plain Woman Only" Its title
viii attract best in London. where there
are more plain women than can be
found in all American cities aggrega-
gated. 1t is republished by the Mr.
RAM Company, a new recruit into Fifth
avenue. wherein al publishers, together
with pianOfOrte dealers, are locking-
to be presently Joined, it is whispered,
by the HarpsrS, wearied of their dingy
quarters on far Out-of-the-VAy Frank
lin Square The uptown agent is Dill
lingham, who has given Lent Comics
sions Of a Fool as Made by HIMSELF
and the joke at the Press Club is that
he has sent presentation copies to Sen
atOr Tillman. the COngr 5ssman from
South Carolina, who recently boosted
of his secession prOclivities, and Con-
gresham Barrett, OF the Bay State, who
Silly tried to have the former repri-
manded, quite as he also tried to repri-
mand Ambassador Bayard.
But talking of books, a literary critic
has just started the conundrum, who
do authors yivisect or portray women
better than authOresses do?' What
ever may be the cause, it is undeniable
that women cannot write in novels
about their sisters with the accurate
piquancy which male writer's use in
heroineship. Fancy the slaughter
Elizabeth Phelps or Mrs. Humphrey
Ward would have made of Hardy's
peasant heroine Tess. or of Du Maui
rier's Trlby. Only a woman could
have pictured QuiXotic Marcella Let
us except George Elliot's hayward h.ro-
inc of Mill on the Floss" the hapless
Maggie Tulliven. Recur to men novel
lists and ask if any woman could have
given 10 the literary world Thackery's
"Beatrix in EsmOnd"; or Walter Scott
brave "Eflie Deans; or Victor Hugo's
"Cosette"; or Hawthorne's Hester;
or George Meredith's Diana Of the
Crossways" fancy that our two New
York feminine nOyelis,s, Mrs. Cruger
| and Mrs. Burton Harrison come near
est to success in portraying heroines
over their fellow authoresses.
Let me not forget another Lenten
novelty. the Browning phrase Book"
by Marie Ada MOlineuX, who proudly on
title page SufiXes TO her name A. NJ,
and Phi. D., as tribute to new woman
hood. Ii contains quotable passages of
Browning arranged and indeXed under
leading words But ii lacks a glossary,
for which every reader of Robert
Browning signs.
A BLIGHTED BELLE.
Oddly enough. while thinking of the
book that I had just picked up at Bren-
tano's, only few blocks up Broadway,
l encountered on the promenade for
mer w York belle, known in her
maindenhood as Fanny Coddington, Of
a famous KnickerbOcker family, but
now known as Mrs. Robert Barrett
Browning. Her husband was the art
list son Of the poet and of the pOetess
wife Elizabeth Barrett They met at
a Venetian palace, and had a love ro-
nance for a short period there after
the honeymoon. The meeting should
have been typically on the bridge of
signs; for in time her unworthy mate
fed with a pretty model hired to pose
the altogether like Trilby in his studio
Then his name that was a doubted IA
nous inheritance became to her I'M
bearable as wife when his deeds were
of reproach. She returned to her
maiden home, but stunning society
leads retired life of devotion to char
fable work.
THE POET STODDARD.
Continuing my walk a bit farther
encountered on the promenade Richard
Henry Stoddard. the oldest civil service
habitue of the city, and who, like Lamb,
Anthony TrollOpe and Edmund Yates,
alternated official life with literary pur-
suits. He grows more distinguished
in looks as years accumulate laurels
on his poetic head One of his latest
verses was in my mind as he passed
verses recounting memories:
Or mummies from old Egypt.
With priestly. kingly tread.
Who, in their cere-cloths, mutter
The Ritual of the Dead
A GOOD DRAMA.
The month is closing with dramatic
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