Omaha daily bee., 1898-10-20
LATE AMERICAN LITERATURE
Brand New Books for Readers Both Young
and Old.
INTERESTING WORKS At HAND THIS WEEK
Hich md Varied Character of Vol
umcs Produced by Leading Pub
fishing Houses for Amusement
and Instruction of the Public.


Crooked Trails" In this new volume of
sketches, by pen and pencil Mr. Reming-
ton gives us some further experiences
among the Indians, cowboys and 'greasers'
and their life in the mountains and in the
plains and In addition takes his reader into
the past to scenes and tales of the Texas
rangers, in the days that they were fight
Ing Mexicans. AS those who read Pony
Tracks" are aware, Mr. Remington presents
perfect combination when he works with
himself, supplementng his own writing with
his own sketches. In this new volume he
gives renewed evidence that he is an artist
as well as writer. In many instances, nota-
bly, in the descriptive story, THE Essentials
al Fort Adobe" picture and text go to form
a whole which the reader could not well
grasp were 1t not for the supplementary
character OF each in its bearing on the other.
Harper & Brothers, New York City; 50.
Mr.. Hamilton w. Nabie in his introduce
tlon to "our Conversational Circle" by
Agnes H. Morton, says that Good talking
never comes by nature; 1t demands too
much, not only of the intelligence, buu of
those finer perceptions which are made sensi-
tive and keen only by the habitual breath
ing in of the social atmosphere and habtual
insight into the temperament and thought
of Others" To the student of the art of
good conversation there is much in this lit
tie volume that cannot but prove helpful.
The chapter entitled Some Problems for a
Leader is very neatly illustrated by the
mutations of a convenient geometrical da-
gram. in which the tete-a-tete circle, the
one-sided group, the careless group, the rival
cliques, the rude group, the frigid group,
the irresponsible group the apathetc group,
the antagonistic group, the group at the
mercy Of the homilist and the ideal circle
(Who has not encountered them all?) are
successfully considered. The Century COM
pany, New York; s1.25.
In -Four Months After Date" Randall
Irving Tyler has gone farther than merely
making strong picture Of New York life
entertaining. There is in his romance an
absence OF sham sentiment and keen tn
sight into existing conditions that compels
attention and there are sentences and para
graphs that might be taken as texts. when
Billy Burt got married he was 100000 in
debt" Yet Billy was ambitious and honora-
BILE. So apparent was this trait to his bust
ness associates that one of them, upon his
death, left Billy guardian of his daughter
Isabel Clarkson's,. great fortune. Alice,
the girl that he married, knew that he was
hopelessly in debt and was willing to marry
him. She was the only woman Billy ever
and Billy enjoy most delightful Bohemian
existence although disbursements increased
with his income ut was the rolling ball
OF interest money. the lack of system the
cheerful assumption of debts not incurred by
himself that kept Billy poor" AS his debts
accumulate his domestic experiences deepen
and the author INDUCES in rather startling
chapter on what he terms "the sin OF off
SPRING Solomon" he observes, "was the
greatest epigramatist of ancient time. His
proverbs TEEN with references to the bless
ings Of children, the unending delight of
their possession and on Solomon took his
own medicine and we supposed had children
by the basketfi; but Solomon did not have
to wash and dress his children and put them
to bed; he did not have to watch them
every minute to see that they did not fall
down stairs and, above all, he did not have
to stay up with them nights when they
were fretfui and be always calm and pl. is
ant and firm" With all the business aud
blunt philosophy, the story itself bercmes
as absorbing as a story must where all Is
staked on one move and the all in this liz
stance includes Billy's honor and Alice's life
and reason. Stuyvesant Publishing company
New York; cloth 81 and paper so cents
The Adventures OF Francois" foundling,
thief, juggler and fencing master during the
French revolution, is the first work that Dr.
Mitchell has done since his very successful
Hugh Wynne." 1t is crowded full of ad-
venture, and Is Vivid picture of life dur
Ing one OF the most thrilling episodes OF
modern times. Undoubtedly Mr. Mitchell's
hrst idea was to paint the social develop
ments Of the French revolution by passing
jack -at-all- trades like Francois through its
striking scenes. Four types OF the human
nature characteristic of the revolutionary
material are drawn with firm and careful
hand. Francois, in whom the author sees
nature normal, though gifted, and there
fore able to rise abouve vice. as chip
hoats on the surface OF a gutter; his foil
Despard, who, weak and tainted in consti-
tuition and brain. gradually develops mel
ancholia and insanity; Quatre Pattes, the
criminal woman of Lombroso, and Ste Luce
the French aristocrat who Is at once capa-
BILE OF chiyalry, kindliness, vice, bravery
that knows no fear, and a philosophy that
knows no remorse. Startling scenes abound
and the story as a whole is thrilling in the
spirit of adventure. Mr. Castaigne was sent
TO Paris to make the drawings, which are
in close sympathy with the spirit of the
novelist. The Century company, New York;
$3.50.
Outside OF the dryest and baldest history
which few care to read II is doubtful IL there
is more reliable portrayal OF the condi-
tions in Cuba which made the war with
Spain necessary than Helen NJ Bowen has
woven into her novel. "a Daughter Of
Cuba" All the elements Of interest that
plot, sentiment, passion. adventure and
choice English could lend to a novel enrich
the pages of the book. But there is more
than this. Spanish tyranny, Cuban patriot
ism and American sympathy and herosm in
behalf of an oppressed people are depicted
In thrilling manner. Rand, McNally &
Co., Chicago; 81.
Woman and the Shadow" by Arabella
Keneally is a story that brings into strong
contrast the possible extremes OF feminine
character. The evil possibilities are made
actual in the young and beautiful but ut
terly degenerate arstocrat, Lady Anca; the
good, in the wealthy plebian, Mllicent
Rivers. In a plot ingeniously constructed
the author accomplishes the worthy end
proposed righteous verdict on the part
OF the reader in the always current case of
Virtue against Vice. Very rarely does one
meet with so scathing an exposure OF the
gllded vices which are all too prevalent
among a class who claim immunity from