The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-24
I'M THE LITERARY WORLD.

the street only when taking his after
noon drives.
1t is safest--in London second hand
book stalls at least-to look into Il book
before buying it, A London bookseller
has just confessed in court that he and
others had the habit of buying up old
books and sticking covers on 'em." 1t
appears that the plaintiff had found, on
buying Nicholas Nickleby" and oil
yer Twist" that there was never a
word about Nicholas and Oliver in them.
In an interview Max Pemberton gives
some interesting details as to his meth
dds Of work. 1t seems that he fire.
quently destroys many chapters of a
book he is writing if they do not seem
TO read really well from first to last.
When working at "Kronstadt," for In
stance he thrice destroyed large piles
of manuscript which appeared to him
unsatisfactory. After the third on
slaught he discovered wherein the weak
point lay. He had been trying to
write in the first person instead of the
third. So he started the novel all oven
again in the third person, and the pub
lie knows the result.
Charles Major, author of "When
Knighthood Was in Flower" is putting
the finishing touches to a new historical
novel dealing with the period of Charles
H., and introducing some of the more
famous characters of the time. Nell
Gwynn plays prominent part in the
tale.
The current issue of Harper's Ba-
zaaE gives as it's frontispiece picture
of Mrs. Ruth McEnery Stuart, THE
Authoress of the Hour with views of
her residence, summer home, and the
room where she writes the creations Of
her genius. She has come to be one
of the most popular OF living writers
and the magazines are glad to have her
stories, because Il story by Mrs. Stuart
sells any magazine. sonny" is prob
ably her masterpiece. Candace Wheeler
writing of sonny" in the Bazaar,
says I'm that most fascinating of ali
monologues Sonny the story-teler, is
an unschooled, uncouth supplemented
countrymen, whom one might meet
hundred times without an awakening
sense of his value. His possessing be-
lief in the perfections of Sonny might
even make him village bore: and
yet the delicate, humorous, sagaciOus
outflow of reflection and circumstances
make OF him distinct and delightful
parsonage. as well as wise and divert
ing friend, whose self-told Weaknesses
we find more touching than better things
in stronger men. And so, all through
Mrs. Stuart's stories while plot and sit
uation are conceived with perfect liter
airy skill, and character drawn and
placed with an instructive sense of dra.
matte fitness, the intrinsic goodness OF
human nature pervades 1t all like sun
shine in June"
The publication of an interesting series
of women authors in the Bazaar, with
other new and attractive features, has
made a wonderful improvement in that
best of weeklies for wOmankind.
THE UNITED STATES IN THE
FAR EAST; or Modern Japan and the
Orient. This beautiful new book by ex-
Governor Hubbard of Texas, bids fair to
have large sale. 1t is splendidly writ
ten, attractively illustrated. handsomely
printed, and substantially bound. 1t is
such work as will throw great
deal of light on the far Eastern ques-
tons which we are now daily consider
ing.
Elk Governor Richard +. Hubbard, of
Texas, has been long and favorably
known as a lecturer, statesman, and
lawyer. His new book, The United
States in the Far East, or Modern ia
pan and the Orient, is his first attempt
i'll authorship, and the work has just
been published by the b. +. Johnson
Publishing Company, of Richmond, Va.
All who are interested in the Eastern
questions should read this book. 1t will
throw vast amount of light on our
diplomatic relations with Japan and
Oriental countries. The book contains
AGA pages and is beautifully illustrated
by drawings secured by Governor Hub
bard while he was serving as United
States Minister III Japan under Grover