The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-10
CURRENT PERIODICALS.

Besides Porters Grant "reminiscences
Dr. Weir MtchelTs Hugh Wynne"
reaches it's conclusion in this issue of the
Century, also Mrs. Catherwood's Joan of
Arc romance and M M. Pope'S account of
his tour up the Matterhorn. The tables are
thus cleared for a fresh bill of fare in No
vember.
The current Century has a brief account
of the indianapolis free kindergartens, writ
ten by Miss Anna Mckenzie. These kinder
gartens carried on without flourish of trum-
pets, are perhaps the most important of the
many phiIanthropic movements in progress
here, and their success has attracted outside
attention.
The police force of New York city have
reason to be gratifed over Theodore
Roosevet's tribute to their personal
bravery and efficiency which he gives in
the force while he was president of the
board was in the matter of discipline only
he says, the men having no lack of cour-
age.
In the October Century Gen. Horace Por-
ter concludes his "reminiscences of Grant
with very interesting detailed account of
Lees surrender. 1t is his report as an eye
witness, and may be accepted as authori-
tative, other stories of the event differing
in many particulars. The famous apple
tree" does not figure in this record. These
recOllectionS, which have included descrip-
tons of numerous important battles and
much Incidental information concerning
other Union officers as we'll Grant, and
are written in a most attractive style, will
take their place as a part of the war his
tory which must be read by those who
would have full understanding of the men
and motives involved in 1t.
Mr. f. Hopknson Smiths serial story,
Caleb West the first installment of which
appears in the October Atlantic, is APP
parently to consist of an object lesson in
civil engineering He has the skill to make
the details of building an enrockment in
teresting to nonprofessional readers, how
ever, just Kipling made his account of
fishing for cod attractive even to those who
never saw a New England fishing smack
Mrs. Kate Douglas Wiggin is less happy
in her sketch OF travel IN Scotland. The
reputation of possessing humor is a great
damage to an author who feels the necessity
of living up" to it at all times. There is
a distinct straining after the humorous in
"Penelope's Progress which detractS from
the readers pleasure.
A feature of the October magazine num-
Der of the Outlook Is an illustrated article
on the Chicago public library building,
which has just been completed. The de-
scription seems to bear out the boast of
the Chicago press that for the practical
working purposes of library 1t is superior
to the mucn-praised building in Boston,
and even TO the congressional library. 1t is
at ali events, a structure or which the city
may we'll be proud. The Outlook mas iately
which attempt TO snoW what the century
has done for health and comfort The last
Of these articles in the current mag azne
issue is on Progress in Railway Travel
ing" and consists of a special interview
with Chauncey NJ. Depew The instailment
for the month or Mr.. Justin Mccarthy s
STORY of (4iadstone'S Life covers a most
important period IN the statesman's career.
With the October number the Atlantic
Monthly ends its fortieth year. Ten of the
fourteen authors who made the principal
contributions to the first number were Mot
ley, Longfelow, Emerson, Charles Eliot
Norton, Holmes Whittier, Mrs. Stowe, j. r.
TrowDridge, Lowell and Parke Goodwin. At
though these writer's had not the fame that
they attained later, their intellectual quai-
ity speedily gavo the new periodical nigh
literary rank. 1t has held first rank ever
since, and though IL has not always had so
many eminent contributors as fortune and
the time favored 1t with at first. 1t has main
tanned the literary standard nrst estaD-
lished. Among those represented IN this an
niversary number are James Lane Alien.
f. Hopkinson Smith, L. -. Aldrch. Henry
Nj Stanley Edmund Clarence Stedman
George KEENAN,, Sarah OTne JeWett, Henry
b. Fuller and Kate Douglas Wiggin.
Mr. Walter A. Wyckon's Experiment in
Reality" or, in other words, his voluntary
trial of the life Of an unskiled laborer has,
as he relates the story in Scribner's, all
the interest of a romance--a romance, how
ever. a trihe grim. In the current INSTALL
ment he relates his experience as porter
in a summer hotel. His duties were multi
farious. his hours long, and he associated.
bv reason OF the mental character of his
work. with the dishwashers, who ranked in
the lowest social grade in the servants
quarters He had previously had the inn
presssion that all working people were TO be
classed together, but he speedily discovered
that such was not the case. He says: The
strength or social conventions is a force to
be reckoned with among the working
classes. 1T may seem that below the stand
ing Of folk gentle by birth and
breeding there are no soclai stand
ards or social barriers or serious