The age-herald., 1900-03-11
Books :!B.! !.!: o!E -Read !F3' e,;
~-BY PAUL FRY.

The lists from New York and Chicago showing the most popular selling books are in each case headed by Richard Car vel. Then follow Janice Merredibh, David Harum, When Knighthood Was in Flower Red Cottage. and In Connection with the De Willougihby Claim. Considering the un- precedented sales of these popular books during the holiday season their sales since that time have been unusually good. Pub lications for the past two months were comparatively light, though the publishers are already announcing their proposed spring publications, which promise to be quite numerous. Fiction, as may be seen from the list, is much in excess of all else in point of demand although other classes Of literature are selling readily. The most notable publication of the month Of Feb ruary was, of course, ITO Have and To Hold" by Miss Mary Johnston, the author of Prisoners of Hope" The advance or- ders of this book were so large that the publishers placed a large edition upon the press, and word comes that within two weeks of its appearance from the press it has reached the phenomenal sales of 65 900. Among number of most hattering and complimentary reviews, the following few lines contain the pith of them all" 'ro Have and To Hold is the work of a born story-teller, a straight forward, robust nance, in which, praise God, many things come to pass in simple language" Poetry is most popularly represented at present by Rileys' Love Lyrics" and 'The Man with the Hoe"
 Colonel A. K. Mcclure, who has had much experience concerning the making of presidents has just written a book of personal and political experience. There were several publishers after the book, which was finally secured by Harper & Bros. Colonel Mcclure has many friends who will be deeply interested in these per sonal "reminiscences of his
 We hear that the American book of the hour in England is Mr. Dunne's second Dooley book, "Mr. Dooley in the Hearts of His Countrymen." The reviewers are de- voting considerable space to the discussion of the indomitable Dooley's dry wit and pointed philosophy, and the London Spec tator recently gave a page to 1t. Even MT Dunne's most faithful admirers, though, are hoping that In the event of another book from his pen, that he will vary his work, and not give us another Dooley book fascinating as the first two have been. Authors are very apt to overwork some special vein that has caught the pop ular fancy. MT. Jerome K. Jerome and John Kendrick Bangs are illustrations of this fact that come readily to mind. "The House Boat on the Styx" was unique and thoroughly original piece of humor, but too much from the same vein proved weari- some and fell exceedingly fiat.
 Apropos of Mir Bangs book, 1t is in- teresting to note that for the first time in the history of carnivals an author has been honored by having his book furnish the
 theme for presentation. "The House Boat on the Styx' was no doubt peculiarly adaptable for such representation. The
 weirdness and uniqueness of even the il- lustrations have always produced an un- canny sort of feeling, and with all the luridness of calcium lights added must in- deed have been delicious and perfectly thrilling.
 The tremendous force of visitation shown in Stephen Cranes "Red Badge of Courage won him renown. Since that time he has been in actual war both in Greece and Cuba. do not consider that his work as novelist or story writer even ap- breaches what we might designate as pass able good. do believe, however, that he mas found his true vocation in the writ ing of series of sketches of the great bat ties of the world. The first one "The Bat tie of New Orleans" is published in the March Lippincott's. His marvellous ability an depicting wars, emphasized by actual ex- perience, will give his forthcoming papers peculiar literary value and interest.
 Mention has been made of the pro- noqnced success of MT. Stephen Phillips drama, 'Paola and F'rancesca." It is under stood now that he has received from sev- eral American theatrical managers among them MT Richard Mansfield, offers for the American rights of his drama. It is stated though autihoritatively, that MT. Phillips had already made an arrangement with MT. Alexander, who declines to surrender the American rights, as he Intends making the play feature of his American tour. It IS said, too that he is to write another poetic play for MT. Richard Mansfield, who will produce 1t in New York next autumn No death of recent years in the literary world is more to be deplored than that of l Richard Horey who died February 24 of | cerebral hemorrhage while he was recover ing from the effects of a surgical opera tion. Those who know best consider his death an appreciable loss to American let ters. He was born in Normal, H., in 1884 he was Dartmouth man and member of the class of 'S5. His Dartmouth Ode is we'll known to men of that college He studied for the Protestant Episcopal pries thood; was journalist, actor and dramatist, but was chiefly known as poet with the gift of melody, translator of som eof the Bel gian Maeterlinck's symbolical dramas, and college lecturer. He was stationed lately at Barnard as professor of English ltera- ture, and was a lecturer at Columbia also He has published, of proposed cycle of nine dramas, based on the early British legends, "Lancelot and Guinevere," '"The Quest of Merlin" ''The Marriage of Guin- NfciS, thc Dll LII Ol ana Ia 1esin."
 MT. F. Marion Crawford, whose recent romance of the Second Crusade "Via Cru cis,' Is meeting with so much popular favor left America the last week in Feb ruary on the North German Lloyd steam ship Aller. He expects to remain in Rome for about a fortnight after his arrival, and will then go to his home at Porrento, where he will stay during the spring and summer. His historical book. "The Rulers of the South." will be Illustrated by the Danish artist, Henry Brokman. He is a personal friend of Mir. Crawford, and has travelled all through the south of Italy and Sicily in company with the author. MT. Crawford will return to New York in the autumn. when Miss Viola Allen will ap- pear in Lorimer Stoddards dramatization of his forthcoming novel, "In the Palace of the King love story of Madrid in 157O
 "Va Crucis'' is now in its seventieth thousand, and will no doubt be dramatized also.
 Mention has been made in these columns