Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-21
NEW BOOKS AND MAGAZINES
New and Entertaining Works Of Fiction
Fresh from the Press.
ALL KINDS FOR ALL CLASSES OF READERS
Life of n Private Soldier in the Brit
ish Army Told by One Who Has
Served the Q~ucen-NOtes of
Forthcoming Volumes.

1.-THE Queens Service, or The Real
Tommy Atkins" is the title OF a new work
by Horace Wyndham. The title itself Is
sufficient to give a fairly good idea Of the
character of the work. The author was
himself a private soldier in the queen S
service and he tells the story of his ex-
periences while with the colors. The
author says that it should be borne in
mind that the profession of arms is not
conducive to that OF the pen. However,
his tale is by no means without interest.
In barracks and in camp, on the march and
in the tented field, In the train and on the
troop ship. both in the British isles and in
distant colonies, he has set dow the vari-
GUS experiences of the trained soldier,
There is some monotony about it, but the
every day routine OF the private soldier is
itself monotonous. In his preface he says:
81 do not write of deeds or daring per-
formed upon the field of battle, the glamour
OF the lonely bivouac or the wild excite
ment OF the night alarm; nor do l dilate
upon the glories OF the skirmish or the
fierce eXultation OF the bayonet charge.
Such stirring episodes ara safe in the ADLER
hands OF the woman military noyelists
and l am happily restrained from i~nfring.
ing their province. My purpose, rather, has
been merely to treat OF the soldiers life in
these piping times of peace. L. C. Page &
Co., Boston.
'Jess, Bits of Wayside Gospel" is a vol
ume by Jenkin Lloyd Jones that has just
come to hand. 1t can hardly be termed n
volume of stories, nor would the term es-
says exactly ht 1t. Undoubtedly the author
comes nearest to II when he speaks Of his
work as sermons, all OF them. but SER
mons found out Of doors during the occupied
vacancies miscalled vacations" He adds:
'They we're once delivered to a Chicago au-
dience, and are now delivered to a reading
audience in the hope OF quickening a love
for nature in her everyday and near as
poets, for the human nature that is always
at hand, and for the science that trans
lates these near maryels into new beauties
and high duties, emphasizing thereby
the religion which includes all those that
hove and serve" There is narrative enough
dn II to Justify the characterization Of II as
a book OF summer stories, roadside expert
ences gathered by one who Travelled now on
foot. now on horseback, sometimes alone,
tometime in genial wagon company, in search
of rest, strength, mental quickening, spir-
itual poise and peace. Were II not for the
unconventional handling, 1t might be char
acterized as a volume OF sermons, dealing
with the uniyersalitles of religion. The les
sons and inspirations of nature here found
carry the reader far afeld from the realms
OF doctrine, ceremony, or UNCONVENTIONAL is
sues. Jess, who gives the title role 10 the
book. was a loving and loyable horse that
companioned the author through many
hundred miles OF travel, much OF 1t through
the beautiful scenery of southwestern Wis
%consin, the berkshire Hill country OF the
Mississippi valley. The book, therefore. rep
rasents religion in its humane and humani-
tartan expression. The author OF the book
shows his sympathy with all forms OF life.
I'D his openness to truth, whether revealed
in nature. through science, human history
or the perennial inspirations OF literature.