Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-10-21

tion for historical study. 1t is an easy
! step from a knowledge of the salient
| points in the lives of the men who figure
conspicuously in the life Of an epoch, tc
| Il clear and connected conception of the
movements and events of the same pc
| riod
! The difficulty with most biographical
works. so far as young people are con-
cerned. is that they deal too little with
| the immediate personality of their sub
| ject and too largely with his environment.
Learned discussions of influences, no
| tives. developments-in short those fea
lures Of recorded fact that abound in in
ference and suggestion, and may. per
haps, be termed the philosophy of history
are never without interest ana value to
the close and enthusiastic student of ma .
| ture years, but they never fail to be irk
some to young people.
Mr. Brooks does make the mistake Of
writing above the perceptions of the
youthful readers to whom he specially
addresses himself. He is a master Of the
subtle art of attracting ana holding them.
His books never fail to command the en-
thuSiastic interest and attention of young
readers and nowhere has he ever ap-
peared 10 better advantage than in this
his latest work.
The sub title is Sketches Of the Lives
and Characters Of Certain Famous Amer
leans held most in reverence by the boy;
and girls of America. for whom their
stories are here told Beginning with
John Winthrop and ending with u. S.
Grant Mr.. Brooks includes Franklin,
Otis, Washington, Samuel Adams. John
and John Quincy Adams, Patrick Henry,
jefferson, Hamilton. Robert Morris. jay,
Marshall, Madison. Monroe, Eli Whitney.
Jackson. Webster, Irvfng. Clay. Calhoun,
Morse, Horace Mann Lincoln and Long
fellow In each case Mr.. Brooks seizes a
pivotal event to illustrate "tne chief
characteristic or impulse that led each
man along the way Of patriotism" These
pen pictures, or, as he calls them. snap
shots. are marked by vital vivacity,
originality and spontaneity which make
hra ha lq1 "a
petiZing; for while there is considerable
space devoted to these typical Scenes
from the Liyes Of the Builders and d Max Max
is only indicated it being the author 5
avowed purpose to arouse a new interest
in "our greatest fellow countrymen, and
lead the boys and girls Of the repub :
| lie" to familiarize themselves with the
more extended life stories of the nobleSs
| figures in ME gallery OF America ;
worthless" This he has done with con
summate skill. The volume Is admlraoiy
adapted for supplementary reading in
schools.
The Beacon Prize Medals, Out With the
| Tide. and other stories. by Arthur Bige-
| low Paine: with illustrations by George
E. Wright and Louise Huestis; cloth;
price 81 25: The Baker and Taylor Co.,
! publishers. ana East Sixteenth St,
New York
| 1nlS Is Il clldi niliIt7 tpl4tttl'Ii VI I" eii''
| five stories specially written for boys and
girls in their teens. but sure TO nave al
most if not quite as much interest for
people a good deal older. No book that
| has come to our desk for many lays has
| impressed us so favorably as an almost
| ideal holiday gift for boy 9" girl, Tor
| there is a happy mixture Of he-oes and
heroines in these stories that adSp,E
them equally well for members OF either
sex There is not a single StCry IN TINS
| collection that is not clean and whole
| some. not one that does not teach some
| worthy lesson or inculcate some timely
! truth Mr.. Paine writes up TO hign Ideals
| and his stories can never fail 70 pe tls
tinctIy stimulating and helpful ID youth l.
| I'll readers. At the same time lie mas the
| suhtIe art of sugar coating MS etnicdl
| npIIets with life and interest. lis stories
! ahound in the qualities OF e'terialhiii1lie
| that never fail to attract and hoid HounS
| raaders There is plenty OF MOIeiient ! !
| ~ III narratives and just a suiflcleht
! snice of adventure to lift them out ol Tue
! commonplace, and invest them VIII q
| IittIa nutter Of excitement The form ol
tbis hook is admirable. Any one OF IhG
stnrias can easily be begun ana hnlsned
~ a nortiOn of an evening-and tnen IL iS
| go to cav that the young redugr VIII
| ns,,a1Iy- he content to go to beu. Iills Il
uot aivyays the case where one Soiitli,
,o,,s ctorv runs through the Wnole VI
49, Indeed we know of boys-ahu q
sam, Girls too-who when they nave once
+, i,a"or,a well interested in story pul u
! !, - tbe end. with a blissfui opilH lous
nass of all mundane thinSs-"ii'oh VI