The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-23

The temperance question Is well treaties.
although many Of the old xaggera tons
OF those who favor prohibition are brought
forward And Mr.. Dole shows his legal
training in the way the legal contests are
worked up. and in the arguments Of the
lawyers He Is also a strong partisan II
his admiration Of the Republican party.
The announcement is made thai the story
Is founded upon fact. and the writer has
no reason 20 doubt the statement. fer an
air OF reality permeates the entire book
THE PORT OF MISSING SHIPS. AND
OTHER STORIES OF THE SEA. By
John X. Spears. New York. Tae Mae
MILAN Company. si--5.
Mr.. John r. Spears. under the attract
i've title OF The Port OF Missing Ships.
has given 10 the reading public three cap
ital sailor yarns. He writes as one who
not only knows and understands sailors
and ships. but also as one who loves and
appreciates the sea in all its varying
moods So thoroughly versed is he in
sailor vernacular and all that pertains 20
ships and shipping. and there IS withai
such a CHEEKY. healthy atmosphere Of
the open sea. that one suspects that a
deeper knowledge than hearsay or OBJ
servation could give underIies the charm
and quafntness of these tales. The first
story. which gives the title TO the book.
is a weird and delicateiy fanciful theme.
admirably treated. The story, told in
the sailor language of Jack Servenmalet.
the rescued carpenter and able seaman
OF the good ship Nucleus. tells of voy
age TO that uncharted harbor where lies
the mighty feet of missing shipss'
Gurus things be to happen at sea-"
says Jack, as he tells of his first sight
OF the beautiful harbor. and "the great
open huiks as had only one mast and was
rowed with oars and yet could carry the
Nucleus cargo. the ships with jihbooms
and no jibs. but squares'ls instead: ships
with lateen forests. and others with
lateen mizzeas. and no end OF other rigs.
such as no man ever see, nor no sailor
man nd have nothin' TO do with. not TO
mention the craft rugged as we've seen
ships rugged afore time. and them as
was shipshape, and some as I remember
of seem afore. Wherever did they all
come from? Whatever were they there
for? How did We happen TO be sailin'
into that ere harbor2 Why did hundreds
aye. hundreds-on them cur US hulks. with
cur'user flags and streamers. and with
their sails embroidered all over with
pictpr's, and the crew piayin' on no end
o. musical Instruments. come out along
side the ship as was ahead of US and
give her a welcome. hearty like. as We
could hear mile away. and then bear
up to meet use' How all this happened
and how poor Jack made his second voy-
age to the same port it is only fair to
the reader to let Mr.. Spear tell in his
own inimitable way
His descriptions of an ocean race be-
tween two smart Yankee clippers. a dar-
ing rescue from wreck drifting in ter
rife sea, and ship running under heavy
canvas before a gale, are forceful and
replete with vigorous movement.
To all who love the sea and all that
pertains 10 IL, this book can be heartily
recommended.
1t also has the charm of picturesque and
appropriate binding; II is printed on
heavy rough edged paper. and the cover
is of canvas. with the blue of the sea
and the sky as background for the
mainmast, with its royal and topgallant
sails drawing full.
In the May number OF THE Month" is a
review of the Life and Letters of Freder-
lex Walker" the original OF Little Bill
lee of Du Maurier's "Trilby." The book
is highly interesting TO Americans sim
ply through this connection. and. al
though Walker owes his fame In this
almost entirely TO the author of
"Trilby,' IL is curious TO note that there
is no allusion to Du Maurier. although he
was in Paris with him. and some of his
sketches made at that time adorn this
volume. They are very clever. and ex-
cept that they are better drawn. remind
one Of Thackeray's works. 1t is we'll
known that Walker illustrated some of
Thackeray's novels. and made Illustrations
for the ''Cornhill Magazine when Thack-
cray was its editor. The first poster made
in England by an artist OF eminence for
the purpose OF advertising a book was
made by Walker for wilkie Collins
Woman in White
Every one who knew Walker seems TO
have been fond OF him. He was a sort
OF pet OF the literary and artistic circles
OF London. twenty-five or more years ago.
As a colorist. he never made any great
success. His pictures were admired
for the sentiment In them for
the story they told X was in HE black
and whites that he excelled. and his wood
engravfngs are today eagerly sought by
collectors.
During the last years OF his life Walker
was an invalid and not able TO do much
work. He was only SIS when he died In
1875.
The letters which the bIographer-wh
by the way, Is Walkers brother-in law
selected for this volume show the char
acter Of the man. enthusiastic. sensitive
and with keen sense Of humor" He
seems TO have enjoyed life. though he had
his disappointments about hts art work
The greatest appreciation of his work has
come since his death. though even now
IL is not very great The friends who
loved the man found a great deal OF him
self in his pictures. and were fond Of
them accordingly. but that does not make
a very large audience for painter.
There were enough. however. in the
band of his admirers TO keep his memory
green and while Du Maurier has not done
him all the justice he intended 10 I'm the
character Of Little Billie he has GER
tainly extended his fame Walker judg-
ing from this book. had more strength OF
character than Trilbys sentimental lover.
but each had many Of the others traits.
The Bookman for May contains some
very interesting "reminiscences. and an ac-
count of an interview with Charles Lamb
and his sister Mary there IS also a fac
smile Of letter from Charles Lamb The
extracts are taken from an account writ
ten By ]. Fuller Russell in 1884. and orig
rally published in ls54 The desoffpf on Of
Lamb and hts environment IS Ct interest
rOn Tuesday. August s 1884 I walked
over 10 Edmonton. and on reach
nx Mr. Lambs cottage which
1snds back from the road neariy
opposite the church,. between two houses
which project beyond II. and is screened
sy shrubs and trees-I found that Ella
was out taking his morning walk. I was
admitted into small and pleasantly
shaded paFlor. The modest room was
hung round with fine eng,ravings by He-
garth in dark frames. Books and maya
zines we're scattered on tire table and on
he old-fashioned window seat / ehatfed
awhile with Miss Lamb-a meek inteill-
gent very pleasant and rather deaf elder
Is lady. who told me that her brother
had been gratlned by parts Of ny poem.