The Portland daily press., 1898-11-10

atmosphere OF Cno Facluc coast. VI course
1t is love story, very charming one,
and will enhance the reputation of its
author already acquired in her No Name
novel of The Man From Nowhere. and
The A abandoned Claim, California story
for young people, (Portland: Lorin g,
Short q Harmon.
The many who SO much enjoyed Miss
Lillian Bells The Love Affairs of an Old
Maid and A Little Sister to the Wilder
ness, will greet with pleasure delight
full collection of short sketches from her
pen, just published by the Harpers.
The opening story, which gives it's tiule
to the pretty volume, tells Of youth of
seventeen about to marry the widow Per-
kins, who has four boys, because he
thinks she needs somebody to help her
take care Of them. "You see, Miss Nely,"
Fred says to his mistress, "I'm used to
babies. Maw's had 'leven besides me-
all girls-and I've helped her with every
one of 'em, and know jes' what to do. -
But Miss Nelly steps in and relieves Fred
of the responsibility of the Widow Per-
kins and her offspring.
OF the other stories, character sketches
among the people of the South, Lizzie
Lees Separation. and Mary Louis Mar :
ryin' are full of human and delicate
touches of pathos and sentiment. Alto
gether the American short story, of
world wide fame, is well represented in
Miss Bells very bright and pleasant
little volume. PORTLAND: Loring. Short
& Harmony
/ have sometimes thought that the art
of writing stories for girls died with Miss
Alcott, and that all the best Juveniles
nowadays are for the deleotation of the
boys This is an era of adventure and
sepsationalism, and most of the writers
for the young folks regale them with
hair-hreadth escapes by sea and land, and
all the startling and blood ourdling
events that girls are supposed to scorn
and boys to delight in. But here We
have girls book by "Sophie Maya
naino to conjure with-so sweet and sun
ny and charming that hope every little
girl of my acquaintance will find 1t in
her Christmas stocking. IL is all about
"Pauline WyTnan, who is typical
New England girl Of strong and beauti-
full character, and am sure her expert
ences will be found most interesting. 1
have only to introduce her as one of
Sophie Mays girls to have all the other
girls fall in love with her at once.
|. The book is published by Messrs. Lee
& Shepard, as is also John Hancock, His
Book Portland: Loring. Short & Har-
mon) very pleasing and attractive ad-
dition to the local and colonial history of
Massachusetts. This volume has been
prepared by MT. Abram English Brown,
whose work upon similar lines is so. we'll
and fayorably known. No adequate life
of John Hancock has ever been written,
and Mr. Brown hopes that his present
work will lead up to that.
The volume is hanlsome one, with
excellent illustrations, and a line portrait
of Mr.. Hancock for the frontispieoe. It's
author gives an interesting view of his
subject in his mercantile, social and po.
Iitical life, and there are many of his let
ters introduced which show how he toiled
and sacrificed himself constantly for the
nubIic good. The letter in which he re.
cords his position OH the stamp act is OF
intense interest, it being placed in his
"letter book as standing monument to
posterity" of his opposition to the act.
The letters are edited with great skill
and Judgment. and in regard TO them Mr..
Brown writes of his Financial retro
spect:" "The foregoing are some of the
obscure facts revealed by the Letter Book,
which, viewed with an unprejudiced eye,
must convince the reader that the patriot
merchants of the Revolutionary period
fought as truly as the men OF military
affairs; and their names should be
honored today with a place upon the i'm