The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-13

The December magazines are getting
to be very attractive. Unless the publish
ers put their periodical forth at this fes-
tive season, beautifully attired and with
an unusual array of matter appropriate
to the holidays, they will be open to the
suspicion of non-progressiveness There
is only one exception to the rule. The
Atlantic Monthly. This excellent period
ical always pursues the even tenor Of it's
way.
There are many good articles in its
current number. Il. T. GOdkin writes ably
of Social Glasses in the Republic" an ar
ticle of interest to Americans by a writer
who knows whereof he speaks Another
contribution Of scarcely less Importance
is that of Professor Gildersleeve on
Classical Studies in America" another
author whose work is worthy Of consider
alton. The eminent English writer, Will
liam Sharp, takes as his subject the late
William Morris, and Thomas Wentworth
Higginson gives some pleasant remin-
iscences of Harvard under Cheerful
Yesterday" In justice, Charles Egbert
Craddock's dramatic novel, THE Jug
gler," continues. 1t is another story Of
the Tennessee mountains Then, too
there is remarkable story Of the relig-
ious life in Japan by Lofcadio Hearn,
who has been naturalized in that East
ern land that he may the better reveal its
story to the world.
Scribner's for December has one of the
most attractive covers yet seen upon a
magazine. 1t is another of those bril-
liant and beautiful designs in colors and
gold that first attracted attention on last
summers Fiction number of this maya
zine. Scribner's is leading the way in
color printing and Illustrating.
There are nine complete stories in this
number all of which are Of fine quality.
Taken altogether, it is the most at
tractive Christmas issue Scribner have
ever put out.
The Century, never behind in anything,
follows-or rather leads-the order OF
the day with an unusually bright num-
Der. 1t continues to emphasize the
Christmas traditions of this magazine,
not only by papers and poems bearing
directly upon the Christian festival, but
by others breathing the spirit Of the COM
mon human feelings The frontispiece of
the number is a Study for the Head of
Christ" from the painting of THE Last
Supper" by Dagnan-Bouv exhibited
+ at the Salon Of the Champ de Mars last
spring. "The Christmas Kalends of Pro
/ vidence," by T. A. JanYier, with illus
/ trations by Louis Loeb, is the product of
/ intimate acquaintance with the charming
! life of the South OF France. 1t presents
| an aspect of the subject which is novel
/ to American readers. There are poems
in the Christmas spirit by James Whit
comb Riley, r. w. Glider, Edith NJ.
/ Thomas, and others. "A Painter Of
| Motherhood is the title given to a paper
| on Virginie Demont-Breton, n daughter
of Jules Breton. This paper is by
/ Mrs. Henry Bacon, and presents at view
| of the home life of the painter, together
with three examples of her attractive pict-
ures Of children. Light in Dark
| Places" by Jacob A. Riis is study OF
| the better New York, presenting hopeful
! aspects of tepement-house work in the
metropolis, illustrated with shrinking
| pictures by Jay Hambidge. Miss Helen
| Everson Smith contributes a paper on
life along the Hudson River early in the
| present century, entitled "A Group of
American Girls" dealing with the fami-
lies of Chancellor Livingston, Robert
Fulton, the Beeckmans, aud others, and
setting forth in a familiar way the ev-
cry day life of the young woman Of that
time. The article is Illustrated by Cline
dinst. A unique article by William A.
| Coffin, the artist art critic, presents
Souvenirs of q Veteran Collector, Mr..
Samuel 2. Avery, of New York, accom-
panied by hitherto unpublished drawings
made for Mr.. Avery by famous French
artist. Besides the serials by DR. Mitch
| ell and Marion Crawford, there are short
stories by Mrs NJ. G. Rensselaer,, Eliza
| beth Eggleston Swelye, and Margaret
| Collier Graham. General POrter's recol-
| lections, Grant deal with Grams bearing
| during the battle of the wilderness real
ICES the near APPROACH of Christmas by a
remarkably bright number, full of
| Christmas stories, poems, all pictures. OF
! particular interest to boys and girls is
/ Edwin s. Wallace's description of
/ Christmas in Bethlehem" Mr. Wallace
| tells 70 the famous old church Of the
| Nativity, built above the grotto where
! the Christ child in the rude manager. Mr..
| Wallace pictures the midnight service
| held in the church on Christmas eve.
/ Frances Cole Bur tells Of "A snow
| bound Christmas that was duly celebrat-
/ ed in stalled train on a Western rail-
7 IOdu. II tIee WIS cut BCSiNG piie IldCh, anu
/ all of the passengers contributed some
! of their belongings as gifts to little
/ boy who was on the train. ella L. Mos
! by makes a tradition of Belgium the
4 basis for little story, Santa Claus's
! Pony, In the way OF Christmas poetry
the contributions are varied There are
! the following: "As They Danced Them
a Measure on Christmas Night" by
/ Mary Mapes Dodge; THE Best Tree by
/ Janet Sanderson, and "A Christmas
Goblin" by Susan Hartley SWEET. The
other features Of the number will also
pleasure boys and girls. Laurence Hut
ton, in a "a boy Knew" begins series
of recollections OF his own boyhood days
in New York about the middle of the