The Indianapolis journal., 1898-12-19
BOOKS OF THE SEASON.
Miss Sweefser's Instructive Volume, y
One Way Round the World.

dSute observer, ana the poSSeSSor OF a BOOC
editorial sense for the interesting She has
rot weighted her work with tedious details.
but has written freshly and brightly of her
tour giving vivid pictures of the things that
interested her most. Her itinerary was not
unusual, lying chiefly along the worlds
well-worn trails; but it is all the more to
the books credit that the authors instinct
for the novel and picturesque kept her clear
of the trite and commonplace. 1t has been
said that women are not good story tellers;
that is to say, that they are not found re-
lating their personal experiences or observa-
tions after the fashion of men, This is, OF
course, a debatable question The works OF
Madame D'Arbfay and Mrs. Delaney are, OF
course, classics, and no doubt there are
others entitled to citation in a brief for
women as anecdotists. No doubt the new
woman viii be happy ait story telling, as
soon as she begins to come more and more
in touch with the downtown world. in dis
tinction from the uptown and domestic
province in which the smaIl-change of jest
and anecdote is not, under the old order,
current coin. Miss Sweetser does not tell
stories merely to be doing So but ii is in
keeping with her very agreeable and VII
vacious way of putting things that she
sprinkles her narrative with humorous Incl
dents and illusions. There are also. hero
and there touches which show an acquaint-
ance with books-only hints, as is proper,
but enough to prove that the young writer's
literary instincts sound.
The earlier American stages of the jour-
ney are passed with only brief mention.
Residents of Colorado Springs would take
it unkindly that traveller set their city
down as untidy "and worse" but fire has
tba
visit and the new city that is rising there
may have fewer rough edges. Although
chapter is devoted to Hawaii Miss Sweet
ser's record really opens in Japan, of which
she has much to say that has not been said
before. She corrects good many false inn
pressions, too. as she goes along. For i'm
stance, returned travellers so often display
wonderful trophies from Japanese cameras
that it would be assumed that Japan is a
veritable paradise for photographers. But
Miss Sweetser declares that snap shots are
difficult, as the sun rarely shines brightly
enough for good results. She AYERS, too,
that while the Japanese understand the me-
chanical process of photography admirably,
they have little taste in the selection or
subjects and no appreciation of the charm
of naturalness. And yet the natives do not
lack in simplicity; and that they are curious
as to the people of the Occident is clear
from the fact that the apparel of the chance
traveller fills them with awe and wonder.
Miss Sweetser has, as already stated, an
eye for the interesting, and she combines
with this a happy faculty for expressing
herself. as is illustrated in the following
paragraph:
ION our way to Kamakura we paused to
see a temple and at the foot OF the long
flight of stems which always leads to q
shrine, we stopped TO examine lotF bed,
so lovely in the summer, now in the sere
and yellow leaf and filled with great, brown
seed-pods instead of blossoms. AS we stood
for a moment we heard shrill sound of
voices. and looking beyond, we saw a long
line of little folk walking two abreast and
winding tow ard us like great serpent. 1t
was a village school, the guide said, all boys,
and they were singing at the top of their
lungs a spirited song, cOmmemorating Jap
anese victories in the late war; first one
division taking it up and then the SECOND
answering, while the little fellows walked
along swinging their arms and evidently en-
joying the noise. They were very poorly
dressed and the sight of our party nearly
spread a panic OF fun in their ranks, put
they rallied when admonished by their
teachers and wound along out of sight,
shouting more vigorously than even on
They were long out of sight before out OF
sound, and all that day l would ind mySelr
smiling as ] thought of those lusty little
patriots and their howl for the fatherland.'
There are interesting and suggestive OBJ
SerVatiOnS the missionary efforts making
to Christianize Japan The American mis-
sionaries find it difficult to explain the great
variations of belief among Christians.
Why say the Japanese, "you do not even
agree among yourselves ABOUT your Dellei.
SO much friction has been caused by these
differences that missionaries of all kinds
work largely together, and Miss Sweetser
thinks it rot unlikely that some time a single
church will be established which will be
known as the National Christian Church or
Japan. She reports. also, that the highest
officials of the empire, among whom there
are Christians, encourage the efforts OF the
missionaries.
Several chapters are devoted to China. not
the least interesting of which have to do
with Canton and Hong-Kong Singapore fol-
lows and of the Singhalese, as of the Chi
nese, there are interesting glimpSeS In
India Miss Sweetser did some mountaneer-
ing and there are no more pleasant notes OF
all her journey than the chapter in which
she describes a sunrise in the Himalayas.
Ancient Benares was included In the Indian
tour, and although the visit was at time
of famine the charm OF the place easily
Modern Prince of India" will appeal to every
admirer of Marion Crawfords first great
success in fiction, as II gives an account or
Mr.. A. Nj. Jacob, of Simla. India. who sug-
gested the noveliSt's Mr.. Isaacs, and who
is described as a millionaire dealer in jewels
and a polished and brilliant gentleman. He
is a Turk by birth, but has lived In India
for many years. He is famous for his
wealth and knowledge, and occult powers
are attributed to him.
The journey that had taken the writer
west from American shores across the Pa
cific ended at New York. The chapters on
Egypt are, with those devoted to Japan and
China, the most entertaining in the book.
Miss Sweetser has succeeded very happily
in writing a book that conveys much infor-
nation without recourse to the writings of
others. She did her own skipping with pen
in hand and has left none to be done by her
readers. Judicial notice may be taken Of
the fact that Miss Sweetser is an Indianian,
q resident of Marion. Her book is wholly
creditable to a State that is more and more
becoming a center Of bookmAking.
No handsomer books are appearing any
where than those that find a nlace in the
list of Bow en- Merrill Company, Iniianapolis,
and lone Way Round The World" further
emphasizes the fact that this house is second
to none in its ability to dress out books ar
tistically.