The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-10-31

able Mr.. SQueers, "'ere's rfohHeesf' n
sisseing over the stAoks Of bssstiful and
Interesting books prepared BY the leading
publishers for the dslsctation Of youth.
In the old days happy was the chiid
who possssssd Robinson Crusos. the
Arabian Nights and the Rollo and Lucy
books; now The talsnt and genius Of the
world pours Its rtones ut the feet Of the
youngsters, and our best writers do not
disdain 10 give from the treasure houses
Of their brains b please the little folk. I
remember once, and many years ago.
Offering 10 read sumo fairy stories 10 .
mite Of six summers. who awsd me with
the reply, ~ read Shakespeare" Bus
Shakspssrs and all his works are incor-
porated today into the literature for the
children, and they can well afford not to
take their Shakespeare straight" until
they have become more mature person
ages.
| Among the many Juvenile books lind
. delightful collection from the house Of
Messrs Dana, Estes 81 Company port
land: Loring, Short g. Harmony. The
list inoludss The Chatterbox for 1899,
Little Tong's Mission, BY Ktheldred b.
Barry; Harum-Soarum joe. BY win
Allen Dromgoole; Captain Tom, the
Privateersman, swhen Dewey Game to
Manila. and on Santiago with Sampson.
BY James Otis; Peggy. by Laura K.
Richards, and The Minuts Boys Of Bun
ker Hill, BY Edward Stratemeyer. And
such fine lot "a these are with beautiful
covers, large, clear type, and fascinating
Illus trations.
To an old Californian, Little Tong
would seem to mean tiny Chinaman,
and the name 10 very odd one for o
small, white, delicate little fellow. who
was cripple, and held fast by WEAKNESS
and pain. But the pretty story goes to
show thst even q little lame boy, who
never leaves one room, can do q great
deal Of good In the world; and little Tong
| fulfilled his mission.
Mics Drumgools as q writer Is We II
L nown, for the sympathetic charm OF her
style, and she has much humor as well as
| pathos, otherwise her stories would be
but dreary reading for the children who
must not have melancholy ssrved to
them.
| dhrum-5CsTuu Jocs III cOiuHbOu WIN
Little Tong, belongs to The Young Of
Heart series, of which there are already
eighteen volumes by the best authors,
all with beautifully decorated covers, and
excellent illustrations. But I nave a
word to say of Joe Hickey. HE friends
called him "Harum- Soarum," and in
spite Of Granny Duffy. he started for
Lone Mountain to seek bis fortuna He
became Involved in terrlbls tragedy,
and 1t Jared Ill with him at first. Joe
ought to be more .keerful o. the signs"
said Granny; IAN you oughtn't to have
fetched that hoe into the house that day,
DEFY" But ice came homs safe again
to his own, and "slowly up above the
ragged boughs Of the western cedars the
new moon had come into view as the day
light faded. Granny saw 1t and smiled.
" 4 SEQ 1t ol'ar,' she said 'there'n To
good luck now, see 1t cl'ar.'"
1t seems work Of supererogation to
praise the stories that MIR. James Otis
writes for boys, for they ara well known
to be not only interesting, but instruo-
tive. When Dewey Came to Manila, or
Among the Filipinos. is stirring tale
| founded on fact and IL tells Of how two
Yankee boys from Boston CHANGED to be
in the Philippines on the day when the
meet carrying the stars and stripes sailed
past Corregidor, and destroyed the Span
ish ships.
| on Santiago with Sampson, by the
one Teddy Dunlap, whose fathsr was a
coal-passer in the navy. TEDDY works
his way to Cuba In order to he near his
father in case of need, and has wonderful
adven lures, sees all the lighting, inoiud-
Ing the burning Of the Marin Teresa anu
the sinking of the Merrimac, and his
account Of IL all is wonderfully intarest-
| ing. These two volumes belong to the
series of Stories of American History. and
are written in such way as to impress
the historical facts upon the mind of the
/ youthful reader. Although the volumes
are small they have each. a large number
Of excellent illustrations.
A larger and most captivating book for
boys is Mr.. Otis's Captain Tom. the
Priyateersman, and the very title will
make the boys wild to get at It's beguiling
oonteuts. Captain Toms ship was the
armored brig Chasseur, and the time WAS
1879. The story IL a tumultuous one, and
Is remarkably we'll told, presumably by
Stephen Burton Of Baltimore, he and his
friend, Donald Byffe. having gone on
board the Chasseur as member of her
crew. sure of finding hot work when
| Captain Tom Boyle led the way.
The very handsome volume CT q. Waldo
Browne 10 entitled Two American Boys
in Hawaii. and here. too, the Illus
trations ara a striking addition TO the
value and interest of the book which gives
- much accurate Information of the
Sandwich Islands as II the material were
not Incorporated into a romantic and
highly entertaining story. Hawaii Icing
one Of our new possessions 1t is fit that
all young Americans should know some
thing about IT. and such knowledoa "a