The record-union., 1897-11-22

Finley, of course, the talented author
of the Elsie Books. 1t is wholly unnec-
essary to speak Of the Elsie series at
length, it having such popularity that
the reading world of young folks know
full they are. Miss Finley has given
the young people nothing better than
the story Of this volume.
''The House of Dreams" is the title of
a remarkable work. 1t is a story and
not story. 1t is an imaginative work
of great strength. and testifies to
vivid fancy that is rare. The recital
is of one who in dreams visits the other
world, and enters into converse with its
inhabitants. The descriptions Of spirit
life are very beautiful, and through all
runs philosophy of love and gentle
ness and mercy and justice and equity.
that awe while they charm.
"On the Heights" is the title of
volume of verse by General l.. H.
Foote, long time a resident of Sacra-
mento, and who has filled distinguished
State and Federal positions, and is
widely known in the literary world of
this country. The volume is published
for the California Guild of Letters, and
is at hand from A. NJ. Robertson, 10
Post street, San Francisco, who sells
it at 50 90. OF this edition but 500 cop
les have been printed. Each copy bears
the number and the pen signature of
the poet. There are ten translations and
sfxty-two original poems. General
Foote's style is familiar to California
readers. 1t is not necessary, therefore,
to speak of it here, further than to
say that We have always held him to
be possessed of poetic genius of high
order, and that many poems from his
graceful pen have appeared in the col
umns of this paper. The volume before
us, with its untrimmed edges, generous
margins, heavy paper and strong, full
faced type, is an artistic one, and
credit to the printers, Roycroft Printing
Shop, East Aurora, n. Y. We repro
duce the poem on Suffers Fort, in this
city, III full:
stood by the old forts crumbling wall,
On the eastern verge of the town:
The sun through cliffs in the ruined hall.
Flecked with its light the rafters brown.
And, sitting with gold the oaken floor,
Seemed to burnish the place anew:
While out and in. through the half-closed
door,
Building their nests. the swallows few
Charmed by the magic spell of the place,
The present vanished, the past returned; ;
While rampant and fortress filled the
And yonder the Indian camp-fires
burned
heard the sentinel's measured tread,
The challenge prompt, the quick reply;
L saw on the tower, above my head,
The Mexican banner f1aunt the sky.
Around me were waits from every cline,
Blown by the tickle winds of chance;
knights-errant ready at any time,
For any cause, to couch a lance
The stanch old Captain, with courtly
grace,
Owner of countless leagues of land,
Benignly governs the molly race,
Dispensing favorS with open hand.
His long-horned herds on the wild oats
feed
While brown vaoueros. with careless
Swing reatas. at headlong speed
Are dashing madly over the plain.
Only moment the vision came:
Where tower and rampant stood before,
Where flushed the night with the camps
Dust and ashes and nothing more
Borne to my ear on the ambient air.
Mingled with sounds of childish glee,
/ heard again the low hum of care.
Like the restless moan of the sea.
"The Incas, the Children of the SUM-
is a story done into poetry by Telford
Grosbeck, with a preface by Clements
r. Markham, with illustrations by