The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-11-12

Small, Maynard u Co, Boston.
PHILLIPS BROOKS, by Nj. A. ID
Wolfe Howe.
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE, b!
Annie Fields.
J. r. LOWELL, by Edward Il. Hall
Jr.
ROBERT Il. LEE. by w. p. Trent.
DANIEL WEBSTER, by Norman
Hapgood.
DAVID G. FARRAGUT, by james
Barnes.
The world is full of long biographies
and autobiographies of the great, but i
busy man does not find time TO Wade
through hundreds of pages and piles OF
letters. and therefore the elaborate biog'
raphies are unread except by the few
1t was happy conception ito publish Ill
n beautiful and attractive form series
Of brief, readable, and authentic ac-
counts of the lives of those Americans
whose personalities have impressed them
selves most deeply ON the character
and history of their country. In the
series edited by NJ. A. De Wolfe Howe
and published by Small, Maynard 4
Co. everything that the average reader
would care to know is given by writers
Oh special cb1up6Iti1ty NiiV PoNSt'Ne1N' -
fnll measure the best contemporary
point of view. The author of each book
has weighed every incident IN the life OF
his subject, and has culled wHlt IS best
and brightest, eliminating all non essen
tails and condensing into brief compass
those events that illustrate the life and
character. Il cannot preach short SER
mon today said the preacher. be
cause | have not had time to prepare
it," 1t is comparatively easy for an
author to publish in full all the material
gathered about any great man. but the
genius comes in when the mass is digest
ed and presented in an attractive style
in as few words as tell the complete
story of the life. If one wants the SER
mons and speeches he can have them,
but few have time for more than such n
concise biography as is given in this
series. Each volume is equipped with Il
fromtssl:ece portrait. a calendar of inn
pcqtans dates, and brief photography
for further reading for those kwho desire
Il fuller life Of the sermons, addresses,
novels papers, essays of the great MANS
life. The volumes are printed in ele-
CANT style and in a form convenient
for reading<a for carrying handily in
the pocket. They ought 10 be owned by
every man who loves to read biography,
the best of all books, and these short
oIres are particularly suited to develop
the taste for good reading i'm boys and
girls. as well as in older folks.
In addition to these six representing
the great preacher, novelist, poet and
diplomat, soldier, statesman and sailor,
it is proposed to continue the series.
The Following additions are now in
preparation: John James Audubon, by
John Burroughs; Edwin Booth, by
Charles Townsend Copeland; Aaron
Burr. by Henry Childs Merwin; james
Fennimore Cooper, by w b. Shubrick
Clymer; and Benjamin Franklin, by
Lindsay Swift.
THE DICTIONARIES, a story of the
Great Raid, by Henry Scot Clark, illus
trated II mo. Price $1.50. Publishers;
The Bowen Merrill Co., Indianapolis
Ind.
After you read this book, which deals
with the heroic figure of General Nor
gan and his great raid into Ohio and
Indiana, you are surprised that a
quarter of century has elapsed before
the achievements of his brave band have
been taken as the basis for a historic
novel. 1t is a story of the conditions
in the border States during the war, the
military incident relating to the
great raid of Morgan's cavalry through
the North.
The character of the young Virginian,
Trenham, through whose mouth the
story is told, may be taken as represen-
tative Of the idea of State patriotism.
Living In Indiana with his mother at
the outbreak of the war, he yet felt him
self an alien when Virginia, his birth
place, withdrew from the Union He
loved a Northern girl and his love affairs
are. told in a way TO hold the attention
OF the reader.
The character Of Roger Bellray, the
"butternut,' is in a sense typical of the
extraordinary conditions of the period
covered by the story. He had been a
soldier in the Mexican war, but could not
engage in a warfare waged between his
North and South, who, i'll his judgment
were responsible for it.
Throughout the book is the inevitable
love story we'll told. The girl Of the
story is a sister of Roger Bellray and her
feelings are typical of many
women in The border Statess who had
loved ones fighting, in both armies.
1t is dramatic story of intense hui
man interest from first to last, filled with
dash and excitement, full of series Of
vivid pictures and stirring adventures.
Insensibly the admiration of the reader
for this daring Confederate raider
grows as one reads of his many exploits.
In dire straits he is never daunted. In
the face Of almost insurmountable diff
culties he is not discouraged. He has a
firm belief in the justice of his cause
and a grim determination to fight to the
bitter end. We are shown how. by the
daring Of his raids, the boldness of his
forays, General Morgan reused the
Federal authorities to the necessity of
putting the raider down.
Interest is added to the book by the
statement that the author. whose real
name is not to be disclosed, is said to be
prominent Indiana judge who WAS a
small hoy at the time of the war; he has
built his story on the oft-told tales Of
the active participants.
1t would be difficult to conceive more
interesting story, or a. less hackneyed
aspect of the great Civil War.
L.. GawoI;no Tanlrn