Middletown transcript., 1899-06-03
LITERARY NOTES.


shows little girl tugging at the reins of q
four-horse team, which blind man could
see was running away. "Little Rhody" is
her name, or nickname; and it is the name
of the story also, and if one holds his
breath in reading it, that is just what the
author and the artist intended him to do.
1t is very different sort of story from Mrs.
Bars serial, Trinity Belps," which aims
to charm rather than to thrill the reader.
The Training for Boys" that Samuel Sco-
vile, Jr., describes and Fl. s. Watson pic
lures is not the training that is to fit him
especially for a professional career; it is the
training for athletic sports, which, taken
in moderation, will make him better man
physically, and therefore mentally and
perhaps morally, no matter what his life
work is to be. "Mars, the Planet of Ro-
NANCE" described by Miss Mary Proctor,
the famous astronomers daughter, proves
to be identical with "The Great Red Planet
of the West" described by Mrs. Mabe
Loomis Todd, distinguished astronomers
wife. just how wide field for speculation
this red and romantic planet affords is
indicated by the fact that whereas Miss
Proctor believes it to be suffering from an
excessive water supply, Mrs. Todd lays
stress upon its lack of moisture. 1t i a
fascinating subject of study none the less-
perhaps all the moFe-because of the soatti-
ness of our exact information as to its
canals and polar caps, its lakes or oafes,
and its foliage, if it have any, or barrennes,
if it have none. Fresh instalments appar
Of Miss Carolyn Wellss "Story Of Bett.,"
Mrs. Laura E. Richards's "QuicksiIter
sue," and Mr.. Rupert Hughes's The
Dozen from Lakerim." As usual, the maa-
zine abounds in pictures and verses.
The June Century is an 0ut-of-Do@
Number, abounding with full-page ilIusta-
tions, including a frontispiece by Albet
Sterner, representing Izaak Walton seatd
reading under tree-and of course fishing
as be reads, This is apropos of the open-I
ing artiele-a discursive essay on Fisher
man'sLuck," by that redoubtable angler,
the Rev. Henry van Dyke, printed with de-
corative page'borders. DIR. van Dykes
essay is followed by descriptive study of
Niagara Falls by Mrs. Schuyler van Rens-
selaer, based on an unusual familiarity
with this great natural wonder, and show
ing keen appreciation of its ''little love-
liness," as well as of its grander aspects.
Mrs. Van Reusselaer's text is supplement-
ed by number Of full-page and smaller
pictures by Castaigne. Other outdoor
papers in this number are Capt ]. c.
Ayres's AFTER Big Game with Packs" an
illustrated accout of hunting expedition
in which pack-mules played an important
part; "Out of Doors in Texas" by E. s.
Nadal, author of the delightful "Notes of
a Professional Exile" and "Out of Doors in
Colorado" by H. P. Ufford: In the same
out-of doors category is "The Tramp and
the Railroads" in which Josiah Flynt, the
Well-known expert in tramp life, presents
in popular form the results of an investi.
cation of the means adopted by a great
railroad to abate the tramp nuisance on its
lines-a work Of Importance to the public
no less than to the railroads themselves.
with Lawton at El Caney," by Frank
Norris, author Of "McTeague." is the only
war-paper in this
months Century. The continuation of
Gen. Sherman's diary of his European tour |
Of 1872 deals mainly with the battIefelds |
Of the Franco-Prussian war, and the cur
rent instalment of Prof. Wheeler's alex
ander the Great" with Castaigne's brilliant |
describes "Alexander's
Mightiest Battle" (Gougamela,) ard the
light and death of Darius. Mr.. Stock toms
Vizier of the Two-Horned Alexander (now
Mr.. Crowder of New York; tells this month
low he buried his treasurers in the Cata-
,ombs about the time of Columbus's first
voyage to America and dug them up again
hree centuries later, and Paul L. Ford, in
lis MANY Sided Franklin" chapter, con.
iders the philosopher as writer and journ-
list. Mr.. Crawford's ''Via Crucis" is con-
inued, and there are short stories by Tud-
r jerks, Ruth McEnery Stuart, and Seu-
nes McManus, author of Through the Peat
moke." The poetry is in keeping with
be character of this open-air number of
be magazine.
FT4l.. = ~ A II