The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-29
N THE FIELD OF LITERATURE.

"a Texas Ranger" by N. A. Jennings,
published by Charles Scribner Sons,
New York, is a plain story Of adventure
along the Texas frontier. The author says
he came to Texas In the fall of 1874 at
the age OF is years, riding to San An
tonic on the hurricane deck Of stage
coach, there being no railroads here at
that time He had come here with
capital of 1915 to purchase ranch and
develop into cattle king in short order.
The recital OF vicissitudes and interesting
adventures begins with the young mans
FIRST launching out upon the plains OF
the Southwest Texas of that earlier day,
and there is hardly a dull moment IN
all the narrative down to recent times.
Names of localities and people familiar
to Texans generally are freely given,
and many OF the incidents and sketches
are historical.
Here is Mr.. Jennings account of the
origin OF the word "Gringo:" There is
legend that in the early days OF the Mexl-
can border a Scotchman made himself I'M
popular there by overreaching the natives,
and it is said that this man was in the
habit of singing,
Green grow the rushes. o."
1.-THE Mexlcans couldn't call him Green
grow but they came as near to it as their
tongues could twist the words and called
him 'Gringo.' From that time the nick
name gradually became a generic term in
speaking of the Americans"
"A Double Thread" is the title of the
new novel by Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler,
author of Concerning Isabel Carnaby,"
which has just been published by d. APP
pleton & Co. The brilliancy Of Concern
ing Isabel Carnaby" is acoentuated in this
new novel, which moreover, will be found
to represent even more distinctly story
telling purpose. There is peculiar plot
with certain most unexpected develop
ments, and the authors ingenuity in con-
struction is no less apparent than the wit
incisiveness and intense modernity of her
dialogue. The new novel deals for the
most part with English country house
/ life.
Rand. McNally & Co have just Issued
| Stanley Waterloos new novel, entitled
The Launching OF Man" This story
describes university life in a vivid and
/ fascinating manner and possesses an at
mosphere of the campus and school room
/ that will be appreciated by every az"
man in the country. The hero, Robert
Sargent, passes successfully through COL
lege and is launched upon the ocean of
American business life, where he battles
long and arduously for supremacy. The
book contains much humor, some pathos
and is interspersed with plenty of healthy
sentiment. 1t is just the right kind of a
novel to enjoy on a warm summer day.
pretty romance of the American revo-
luton is king Washington" by Adelaide
Skeele and William H. Breasley. The story
is hinged upon the plot of the British to
kidnap General Washington. A half-breed
French Indian woman is made to play
the part OF the spy. Dressed in male at
tire she succeeds in entering the Ameri-
can lines and wins the confidence of
Washington by warning him of pretend
cd attack by the British. Two cunningly
laid plots to kidnap the general fail, the
second one being frustrated by a cour-
ageous American girl to whome the French
spy has made love. The story Is enter
tainlngly told, in a simple, natural style.
The interest is we'll sustained throughout,
and many historical incidents are brought
to the readers attention.
Madame Ian" by Mrs. Campbell Passed,
is bright little story published by d.
Appleton & Co., New York 1t is clever
/ plct which is we'll handled. 1t takes the
reader through Japan in an entertaining
and instructive way The two leading
characters are we'll drawn the Anglo
Saxon and the Japanese being strongly
oontrasted.
Love Among the Lions" Is farcical
tale by F.. Antsey, which D. Appleton G..
Co. publish. There are lion tanners and
other queer people and a fanciful exploit
CT wedding in the wild beasts cage at
the menagerie that are handled with hui
NOR, and the little story will furnish a
half hours diversion.