The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-12

This is the season of the year when the
young people are greatly considered, and
ono finds in the shops heaps Of delightful
literature intended exclusively for them.
The writers most gifted in song or story,
the artists with genius at their pencil
tips, think their best none too good to
go to the making of Christmas books for
our boys and girls. There are so many
of these charming volumes that one hard
~ knows where to begin or where to
leave off telling about them, and they are
as varied in style and subject as they are
numerous. One Of the quaintest and
dsintiest Of these. books, beautiful in type
and paper, and unique nd original as to
the illustrations which are drawn by
Mis- Melanie Elizabeth Norton, is q vol
ume entitled "The Adventures of Mabel,
written by Rafford Ryke, and published
by Messrs. Dodd, Mead & Co.; (Loring,
Sholt & Harmon. Price $1.75.) Little
Mabl, the heroine of the stories in this
fascinating book, meets good green
lizari in the wood, who teaches her how
to talk to, and make friends with, all the
dump animals. She becomes so success
full Al this sort of thing that on one occas-
ion big wolf escorts her safely to her
home after dark, and afterwards she
rides Rex, the big, wild horse, VIII ON the
grown up persons do not dare mount,
and ioon learns the tricks and the man.
ners Df all the birds and beasts, not to
mention giant, and other wonders. I'll
venture to say all the little girls will like
this surprising history of Mabel, and
those who get it at Christmas will think
themselves very fortunate.
TIE same publishers have really
charming story book, called "Pierre and
His Poodle" This is written by Elizabeth
W. Ghampney, who always delights the
youngsters. This time she has hoy and
his Dig to write about, and the children
will Ill declare that she could not have
chos,n two more delightful objects upon
whid to found a romance. Mrs. Champ
ney'i little readers can never have forgot.
ten switch Winnie or "Paddy O'Leary
and His Learned Pig" and can assure
then that the story of this little French
boy md his dog, Popette, will be found
quit as interesting as either. But
Another of the Elsie books, by Martha
Feney has been added to the Dodd
Meal &,sCo. list Of tjuveniles, and this
time it is ELSIE at Home'' These stories
seen to have achieved wide popularity,
andto have many readers, but there is a
morbid dwelling upon the ills of love-
both physical and moral, which detracts
from their wholesomeness, and makes
then less CHEEKY than one could wish for
the youthful reader. (Loring, Short &
Harmon. Price $1.25.)
F,om the house of Roberts Brothers we
hav. two most interesting and attractive
t,1cl, and it's title is "The Secret of the
Blak Butte 1t Is very handsome vol
ume and the illustrations by Isabel Shat
t11ck are most spirited and clever. This
stor1 is OF the West, and describes life on
the ,lains,l as experienced by two boys,
sixteen and eighteen years of age respec-
tiyey, who live on big ranch in Wyom-
inn AS winter comes on it is necessary
to dive the stock belonging to the ranch
from the mountain pastures to the low
land, of the river, where the snow is not
so dep, and SO our boys, Sam and Rob,
are tetailed for this work. which gives
then much hunting and shooting, and
gensal sport, in addition to the collect
inc If the horses. Tho lads have many
wildand thrilling hair breadth escapes,
and his is just the sort Of story to charm
ever- other boy who has the spirit of adj
venture in him, and what boy has not,
70 Greater or less extent? (Loring,
Shot Il Harmon. Price $l.5o.)