Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-05-11

Beth came in last evening, bringing
breath of the outside world which
was welcome after an afternoon in
dreamland. Beth had with her ''In
Cuba with Shafter. . / know no one
so hungry for the post-bellum books as
Beth. This production, from the pen
of Lieut.. Col John ID. Miley, aide-de-
camp to Gen. Shafter. is model in
the way of brief, straightforward
account of the campaign in Cuba. The
author defends no ono and he blames
no one. He speaks as soldier re-
hearsing the facts. The work is in
teresting, certes; but / never SEQ u
book on the late war that / don't call |
to mind the clever chatter of him
whom sarcastic critics call Mother |
Hubbard and his dog, 2 Tho Philis-
tine.'' Mother Hubbard, whom of
course you will all recognize as Eb-
bert Hubbert, says that when Kip
ling wrote the lines he did his work
and held his peace, he certainly did
not refer to anyone who took part i'll
the Cuban campaign. The world has
never before seen such a deluge of
oratory as we have had for the past
four months. Let me read 10 you,
Beth, what this clever .Philistine'
says: Ink has flowed like beer at a
Turner fest. One Sigsbee, who had
the honor Of having the ship blown
up, relates the tale in folios. Schley
writes in tones and Sampson explains
how he did Cervera hands down
while outside the four-mile limit.
Roosevelt tells for the 47th time how
the Rough Riders were never. never
sick at sea, and captains, sergeants,
corporaIs, and privates invade Sunday
school rooms and schoolhouses with
lectures on How l stubbed my toe at
Ell Caney.' If / remember rightly,
after Chickamaugua Gen. Grant did not
purchase big bottle of ink and chase
the enemy through magazines and
newspapers. Hobson, thank God. has
been sent to Manila. Before he went
he wrote lectures, articles and got
himself kissed by les women in q
minutes, which raised some interesting
questions in the minds of scientists
who are Investigating the germ theory.
Hobson, OF course, is a brave fellow.
He sank boat that was in the way of
an Investigating COMMITTEES; but let
the deadly ink bottle be corked. Enuf. !"
After books on the war, books on our
new possessions are most popular. One,
sour Island Empire" by Charles
Z Morris, has in the most convenient
form available information about
Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippine
Islands. The section OF work devoted
to the Philippines. which will doubt
less be found of greatest interest, is
surprisingly full. 1t gives short his
torical sketch bringing matters down
to the capture of the city of Manila.
A chapter on the people of the Philip
pines is full Of new interest.
Kipling is just beginning to take a
tremendous hold on the women of the
country At first I do not think they
cared for him at all. His resemblance
to Robert Louis Stevenson made hin
VIGOROUSLY unpopular among the fail
sex; but now women are conspicuou:
among his ardent champions. / thinl
the change came when "The Reces
sional'' appeared. Kipling's talent il
unquestionably SOLDERING. and deepening
and the work he is likely to do vii
he has achieved.
II have a note from my publisher
who tells me-" said Portia,'' tina
David Harum' has been the best sellin
book this spring. ''lts popularity re
wives regret at the authors untimel
death, for Edward Westcott finishe
his book on his deathbed. =
wonder WHY such books as "Tol
by the Typewriter Girl" are eve
published. This book is volume {
short stories by Mabel Clara Erwin, i
which .'the handsome blonde,' til
lawful swell, and Others Of lik
caibre are the chief subjects of consit
GRAFTON to the Typewriter girl. I'll
stories first appeared in the Chicag
Chronicle, and though showing know
edge of life are vulgar in the extrem
simply mentioned the book, my dea
that you may avoid it, as it certain
would be waste of time TO read it.
"Did you ever think, Portia, VIII,
you would do If fire came along ar
destroyed all this?" said Beth. wavin
her hand comprehensively at the tie
of books that surrounded her study.
''You are thinking of their cor
mercial value, Beth, I fancy. TIL
would he a loss certainly, but could
replaced; but that small book she
there, never could. Those are o
friends Of mine. l wonder if maj
people collecting books ever think
the delight of making them individua
How many and rich are tho ass
Citations OF books that have be
brought together as one reads them
some personal memory. This book h
the authors name written On the
leaf; between the leaves of its neighh
is hidden friendly note from t
writer, and in that famous volume
the left there is rose which bloom
last summer in the noyelist's gard
in England. In place by themsely
there are three little volumes, of viii
l am very fond, An Authors Low
the 'Autocrat at the Breakfast Tab
and Max Muller's Memoirs. |
many years. they were the constt
companion of one who touched some
the deepest chords in my life II
have been read by the sea at Sal
Barbara, by the lakes in Inland Cs
fornia, on the alakli roads of Yellc
stone Park, in the hurly- -burly of
metropolitan life, and here in
sanctum sanctorum. Indeed,
never SO near the world as in my stu
1t adds greatly to the value Of on
books to associate them with SC
personality. Here l have Iii
volume OF Sarah Orne Jewett's W
her autograph written on the fly-le
and here Celia Thaxter's letters W
her autograph, and pressed and pas
on the fly-leaf hollyhock bloss
brought from her exquisite garden
the Isle Of Shoals. In Dream Life,
Donald G. Mitchell, has his autogr;
pasted in the front, and u clover lei
gathered from the garden of his G
neeticut home. William Winters i
nf Ropthf hau tho tr,aat 1,-