The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-05
BOOK NOTES.

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is another credit to her list of already
popular works and will be appreciated
as were her People of Our Nelgh90G
hood" and Jerome, Poor Man IlSl
principal characters in this new nov
eIette are a Mrs. H. BOardman Jane
son, and her family who have come 70
spend the summer and board IN the ~
tie town of LinVllle. "A town Indt vas
never before known to have had any
boarders. Mrs. Jameson's family con
sist of a daughter, son, ana theL
grandma-Mrs Cobb, VINO by the way
takes great pleasure in making cans,
both early and late. on her newly mace
neighbors. The neighbOrs in this way
are kept in plenty of goSSlplhg mats ildl'
Mrs. H. Boardman Jamsson (the II she
uses instead of her husbands name
Hiram. which she very much dishkes)
upon her arrival at Linville, immediate
" proceeds to reform the Inhabitants:
and as she terms it, Set the people oA
the place right"
The book is divided into six chapters
or parts. through which very pretty
love story turks in the background II
has three splendid illustrations in color
BY Alice Barber Stevens which add to
the already pretty binding
saTbe Coniure woman by Chas. w.
Chestnut. is a collection of seven stories
in a most interesting field that is i'm
mense in scope and full of dramatic
possibilities, but which has been great
Nv neglected by the romancerS. II Is
the portrayal of the life and character
the religious zeal and weird superstl-
ton of the southern negro before the
war. Closely connected to the whites
by love and respect and tFadltloh41
habit the negro still lives a life apart
with distinctive dialects, be1ets, leg
ends, superstitionS, ethics and forms OIL
religious worship. There is much that
is picturesque in this life, and no where
can be found such a combination or
humor and pathos. In reading this dla-
lect in these stories. one IS o1ten re-
Inv HgaV
is so well known for his southern
stories and lyrics. The life belongs to
the past; it's conditions and many of Its
peculiarities, have already disappeared,
and therefore these stories, written
with an intimate knowledge of all its
curious features, have positive value,
beyond that of merely amusing the
reader. (CPublished by Houghton
Nifflin & Co., New York;.
Messrs. Houghton Miff1in & Co. have
been so encouraged by the demand for
1.-The COnjure Woman" that they have
decided to publish another volume of
stories by Mr.. Chestnut. The book will
take it's title from the initial story,
THE Wife of His Youth" This story
excited a great deal of comment when
it appeared in the Atlantic Monthly
year ago
prisoners and Captives." by Henry
Seton Merriman, author of young
Mistiey.'' The Sowers.'' and others
published by r. F. Fenno & Co. New
York Through Kellam Book and Sta
tionery Coz Price $125.
This novel first attracted the atten-
ton of the English reading people to
the author and gave him the fame as a
writer that he has since so fully main
tanned. The story begins with the meet
ing of two men, Lieutenant Grace OF
the English navy and Claud Tyars be-
ing the only remaining one from crew
on a stricken yellow fever ship Lieu
tenant Grace rescues Tyars from the
derelict. and at once recognizes in him
an ex-Wrangler at Cambridge. From
this time out Grace and Tyars lives
cross each other. They both are drawn
into a conspiracy to rescue Russian
political prisoners sent to Siberia, and
there are scenes of Siberian horrors,
etc. English home life, with it's delight
full women and charming interiors,
forms no little part of the story. Mr..
AIerriman's skillful bits of analysis and
pOrtraiture in the story give unmis-
taxable evidences of the genius that is
now recognized wherever English fic-
ton is read.
Mr. Paul Leicester Ford's novel,
Janice Meredith" will be published
this fall by MessrS Dodd Mead &, Co
New York. They will bring out a reg
ular edition at $3.50 in cloth, and at the
same time will appear a two volume
holiday edition" cOpiously illustrated
by Howard Pyle and his pupils at $500.
This book is being looked forward to
with a great deal of interest, as his
Honorable Peter Stirling has made
name for Mr.. Ford not soon to be for
gotten.
Among the September books of the
Macmillan Co, New York, is a book
Hewlett, entitled Little Novels of
Italy" The first story of the volume is
THE Madonna Of the Peach Tree"
which is probably the best among the
Mr. Hewlett's 'The Forest Lovers
has run into many editions; it is now
out in paper for SOC.
THE Strong Arm" by Robert Barr
(Frederick A. Stokes Co, New York;
1928 This, Mr.. Bars latest book con-
tains half a dozen short stories. it is a
tale of adventure something on the or
der of "Tekla-" 1t is a spirited tale of
the feudal period of German history
during the fourteenth century, and the
scenes are laid among those never
ending kuarrels between the barons
and the heads of the church. This tale
is full of action Gas are most of his
other works.. Readers will particular
~ find interest in it because it deals
with a period quite unused by fiction
writers, and brings into prominence
many new and attractive types of
character.
''The Enchanted Stone" by c. L.
Hind, published by Dodd Mead &. Co,
New York Price, 1925. This is ro-
nance told in the first person by a
newspaper reporter, who states in the
beginning that he is conscientious"
This leads the reader to expect a re-
nnarkable narrative, and he certainly
introduces US to some curious people
and weird things. THE Enchanted
stone around which the story centers,
the yellow NOV, the triple flame sym
Dol, the eccentric multi-millionairess
who changes her religion once a fort
night and a great many other mystical
Orientals figure in this fantastic tale
which has sombre old London for
back ground. The book binding in it
self is very weird The cover being In
three bright cOlOrss red green and yell