Kansas City daily journal., 1897-02-08
ON OUR BOOK TABLE.
vOME OF THE LATEST OFFERINGS
TO THE READING WORLD.
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Periodicals and Their Contents
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riOdicnIs Received.

riOdicaIs Received.
personal Recollections Of General Nell
son y. Miles" Published by the Werner
Company, of Chicago. This is one of the
most interesting books issued the present
season, and one of the most interesting OF
its kind ever put into print. General Miles
has been widely known as an Indian fight
er and the reader impressed with the
glamour investing the aboriginal hero of
Cooper's tales will find abundant food for
reflection IN the historial rather than ro-
mantle record of one who has thoroughly
sounded the Indian character, famlliariZed
himself with the actual type, and, from
the standpoint OF a soluler lmoueu Win
an unblemished spirit OF PATRIOTISM, delln-
Gates with candor and impartlahty the sal.
lent features in the lives ana purposes OF
the white mans hereditary foe. The book
opens with a thoughtful retrospect of colo
nial life and character and the youthluL
impress made upon the author by Il peru
sal of New England history, resulting IN
an adherence to The profession OF arms "a! as
hostile attitude of the Indians toward the
white settlers is traced from the earliest
period of American colonization, and the
gradual occupation OF the Tar west con-
seqGent to the exploration and acquisition
of new territory, together with the NiclS-
situdes of frontier life and the incredlble
hardships to which pioneer eTntgrants were
subjected-these and innumerable minor
incidents of the period are narrated with
the ferVor and Versmilitude of an actor
in the drama of national progress. Incl
dentally introduced IS picturesque ac-
count of the wild sports OF the West ere
the great game had been either eNterInln-
ated or driven into almost inaccessible
mountain solitudes.
Probably to most readers the Importance
of these "reminiscences will center in the
six years of Indian campaigns in when the
writer was actively engaged. The terri
tory covered by military operations eX
tended from the region of the Yellowstone
10 Texas and the scenes enacted on this
10. fRAfT a npCprihpn
fidelity to fact. The hazardous exploits
performed, the intense sufferings from cold
and hunger, and the heroic conduct OF the
troops throughout a warfare in which the
Indians imDlacable hatred and Unsuitable
thirst for vengeance were constantly als-
played, are narrated at length.
Prominent as is the subject of indian
control, General Miles story is not lin
tied TO this scheme. He writes graphically
of the closing scenes of the civil war. and
there is a feeling as well as discriminat-
ing account of the Custer massacre, and
of pathetic visit to the scene of that de-
plorable calamity. In another portion OF
the work the journey across the plains to
California is described. including notes of
Mormonism and many details by the way.
a chapter is devoted to the Arid Region
and Irrigation in which the marvellous
achievements of systematic, scientlhc et-
fort in reclaiming waste lands are prac-
tically elucidated Even remote Alaska
and its unique people receive recognition
in General Miles extended recollections.
The authors style is lucid and free from
affectation., commanding itself to serious
mands of a work of this nature.
New American Supplement TO the En-
cyclopedia Britannica" This addition to the
greatest of all encyclopedias is the work
of the Werner Company, Chicago. 1t is
TO appear in five volumes, the first volume
being completed and the others will soon
be ready for circulation.
The earliest design of an encyclopedia
was TO furnish students with n cheap, COM
pact and universal library. At first, books
were so expensive that students were
unable 10 buy the special histories. COM
mentaries and treatises published. The sit
uation was not altered when books became
cheaper; for industries and sciences and
researches were multiplied and subdivided
still faster. The encyclopedia then came and
offered, in a compendious way,the contents
of>thousands of volumes. 1t also grew rap
idly in bulk until finally. the largest ref
erence book in the history OF English lit
eratUre appears in the thirty-volume edi-
tion of the Encyclopedia Britannica. 1t
contains nearly 12,000.000 more words than
the most VolUminous encyclopedia English
dictionary eXtant, and thus illustrates the
impossibility of taking into even an elab-
crate lexicon the historical biographical,
geographical and statistical features of an
encyclopedia.
The Encyclopedia Britannica was first
published in 1Ill. Its proprietors announced
ii as on new plan. the different sciences
and arts being "digested into treatises and
systems" 1t was distinct adoption of
the library plan, and it has been adhered
TO in all subsequent editions The result
is, that the edition here announced contains
long articles mat would make over ntty
duodecimo volumes of 600 pages of small
plea print, each devoted to some special
branch of art, theology, science, history.
etc. The entire compass of this issue of the
work would make 40 such volumes.
After some years of experience with the
book. having sold it all over the United
States. and having learned in the opera
ton what would best adapt il to the needs
OF the English speaking world, the Werner
company undertook TO make this new ed-
ton VIRTUALLY the tentk) of the Encyclo-
pedia Britannica. The aims sought are
10 supplement the Britannica so as 10 bring
all the developments of history. discovery,
arts and sciences down TO date; to extend
distinction; to enlarge the view of Ameri-
can interests; and to supply references to
the original text, making the whole work
available for easy consultation.
Along with the new supplement comes
revised edition of that useful work. "A
Guide to Systematic Reading in the En-
cyclopedia Britannica" 1t contains twelve
new chapters, besides hundreds of refer
rnces not previously included in the work
1t is prepared by James Baldwin Ph.D.,
and is issued by the Werner company.
Darkest Russia" novel. BY H Grat-
tan Donnelly. Street & Smith. publishers.
New York Mr.. Donnelly the well known
playwriter. has tried his hand at novel
writing now. He has written novel about
one of his most successful plays, Dark
est Russia. He has made 4 good story of
II. II IS bright and interesting. with much
originality in conception and execution, and
that Is saving a good deal for book now
adays The reader who likes a story full
OF love and adventure, with a strong for