The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-09-27
Ar1ONG THE MAGAZINES


Carriers Monthly. which made its appearance on
our exchange table this month is a bit OF verse
by Edwin Sabin. Mr.. Sabin is son of ex-
superintendent Sabin. and VIC knew him well
during school days at Iowa City. He used to be
considered a bit lazy by the boys because he
would rather sit out in the fields and watch the
clouds than stay in his room and study Since
leaving school he has developed a remarkable
capacity Tor hard work and is now one of the
bright newspaper men of Clinton. He has
written some very clever verse and some short
stories which are very interesting. 1.-THE Days
of the Long Bright Sword, which we quote be-
low, is bright and suggestive glimpse of the
long ago. and shows that the day of the in
digenous Iowa poet is not far distant
THE LONG. BRIGHT SWORD.
A song for the days Of the belted knight:
tear for the minstel's Tilt;
sigh for the touch of our lady white;
smile for the Journeys tilt
Brave days, when the leaping life ran red
Through the veins Of page and lord;
When vows were taken, and blood was she'd
The days of the long, bright sword
A crook of the elbow, a cock of the hat
A favor displayed with glee-
by my hilt, fair sir, you shall answer for that;
I pray that you follow me''
What need of judge, when the courtroom lies
In a circle of emerald sward
And the worth of a man we may soon appriza
By the work of his long, bright sword.
Rlposte and parry, engage and lunge-
The bite Of deadly blade
THE faint on my honor must expunge
Tho life is the price that's paid'
The paupers as good as the prince, you know,
When his arm is its own reward,
And he covers the high and the middle and low
With the sweep of his long, bright sword
EDWIN L. SABIN.
Scribner'S bright magazine comes as usual and
is full of good things. Richard Harding Davis
writes of the Cuban campaign in his inimitable
manner, but to our notion the best thing Scrib-
ner's has contained for years is 1.-The Story of
the Revolution" told by Senator Lodge of Mas
| sachusetts. Senator Lodge combines the direct
ness CT the historian with the grace and interest
of the writer of fiction. He keeps the whole
| held OF operations before the readers mind, and
| while he tells of the campaigns in the south
keeps the tail of his eye on the lookout for what
Washington is doing and daring in the north
He is evidently great admirer of Washington
and brings his readers into very close touch
| with the great commander Last year Scribners
published what purported to be history of the
last quarter of century in the United States.
This so-called history was libel on the Ameri-
| can people. Any foreigner receiving his in
formation wholly from this history would have
perfect right to believe us nation of thieves
| and outlaws and our history succession of
riots and swindles and petty quarrels between
petty statesmen. The articles by Senator Lodge
are pleasant and wholesome relief after this
History of American Scandals"
OF course no exchange table Is complete with.
| out the Ladies Home Journal. This magazine
is monument to successful advertising. 1t
never contains anything OF literary merit. Itmay
| be called the receptacle for the worst works of
| the best authors" One Of its hobbies is to OBJ
| tain articles from those who are not writer's. In
| this way it obtains signed articles on How
Adeline Patti Washes her Face" by the
''washee,' ''How Thackery Ate his Breakfast
by an ardent observer and numerous other
articles of like value. What could be more
insipid than the much advertised anecdotes of
Mark Twain published in the current number
We are expecting to learn Of the hnmcrist's
| suicide at any time after he has perused his
bright sayings as reported in the Home Journal
There is not three-year-old fodder in Denison
who has not said more bright and witty things
i than are contained in this creme de la creme,
| of Mark Twains utterances. The whole tone of
the Journals a morbid sticking of its nose into
other peoples business and 1t is indeed pity if
1t reflects the literary appetite Of the ladies of
America