Middletown transcript., 1899-07-01
Lr1TrRARY NOTES

In some respects the most interesting
article in the July st. Nicholas Is one that
comes near the latter end of the magazine.
This is the report Of the Committee of
Award in the competition for prizes in the
department Of Books and Reading. The
contest has been so suggestive, say the
members of The committee, that they regret
that whole number of st. Nicholas ctn-
not be given up to the printing Of several
hundred of the five thousand lists received,
the letters that accompanied them, and the
comments the committee would like TO
make. The first of the six prizes ($15 in
gold) is awarded to Miss Mary Hedge of
Passaic, N. ]. The magazine opens with
"Robert Sallette," ballad of the Revolu-
ton, by Laura E. Richards, and the frontis-
piece is fancy picture of the hero
"a stalwart man with ponderous sack.
A sword at his side and gun at his back"
with the Rough Riders" by Henry
La Motto, is the surgeons account of the
doings of a famous regiment. Itstops with
the beginning of the Riders'a adebarkation
in Cuba, but is to be continued. The beau
tiful and extraordinary possibilities of
soap-bubbles are revealed in fully illust-
rated description of what bubble-blower
has actually done. The article is appropri-
ately entitled "a Soap-Bubble Magician"
There are many verses in this number of
the magazine and several short stories, and
new chapters of the four serials-Mrs
Barrs Trinity Bells;" Rupert Hughes's
"The Dozen from Lakerim, Mrs. .Richards's
Quicksilver sue." and Carolyn Wells's
'Story of Betty"
The July Century is a story-teller's num-
Der, and is novel in its makeup, not only
because it has a large amount of original
fiction by ten living story writers, but be-
cause it contains also articles on seven of
the worlds most famous makers of fiction,
two only of whom are living. In only one
or two cases do these articles consist of
criticism. In most cases they are new
material concerning the writers mentioned.
For instance, two hitherto unpublished
portraits of Sir Walter Scott, accompanied
by a sketch of the artist who made them,
are followed by detailed and authentic
account of the romancer's unhappy love
affair, which cast a shadow over his entire
life. The author of this true story is
descendant of one of Sir Walters intimates,
the brother-in-law Of his successful rival
and liferlong friend. Mrs. James T. Fields
tells Of visit to George Eliot, and quotes
unpublished letters from the famous
novelist. Stevenson in Samoa. contains
such "reminiscences as might be expected |
from the story. teller's stepdaughter and |
secretary. "The Making of Robinson
Crusoe," gives the true story of Alexander
Selkirk and his sojourn on Juan Fernandez, |
with reproductions of his gun, his trunk,
and other relics, and clears De Foe of the |
charge Of having stolen his literary material |
from the original Robinson Crusoe. Victor |
Hugo as an artist is the subject of paper
by LIE Cocq de Lautreppe. in which are re-
produced several of the poets hasty sketches |
and more elaborate designs. Bret Harte |
in California" was well known by Noah |
Brooks, who fills several pages with enter
tanning gossip of a peroid that seems more
remote than it really is. Critical articles on
famous fiction-makers are Henry Rutgers
Marshalls study of ''Rudyard KiIping and |
Racial Instinct" and Montgomery Schuyler's
THE Canonization of Stevenson" The
original fiction in this story-tellers' number
in Marion Crawford's ''Via Crucis,"
the knighting of Gilbert Warde by Queen
"a Day in Wheat" by Will Payne,
in which Cupid turns up triumphantly in
the Chicago wheat-pit; "The Monkey that
Never Was" characteristic story by the
author of ''The Cat and the Cherub"; "A
Romance Invaded, "by Gelett Burgess; The
Pianos of Killymard," by seumas Mac
Manus; and new chapters in the life of Mr..
stockton's Vizier, chronicling his inter-
views with Nebuchadnezzar, Miss Edge
worth, and Napoleon. Frank M. Chapman,
he ornitholngists, writes of Bird Rock, in
The Gulf of St. Lawrence; Prop. Wheeler's
: Alexander the Great"sho the conqueror
n anger and in love- and Mr.. Foards
Many sided Franklin" is seen this month
n his intimate and interesting relations
With the fair sex. Most OF these articles
re fully illustrated, and there is an abun-
lance of verse.