The Portland daily press., 1900-06-13

anu a%Aiuf Leu ~ tAorotoEo " "th'
In mind that, In this butterfly drama.
with the exception Of the penuitimats
scene enacted ct the Inn In Devices, the
scenery IL altogether about the handsome
old gray town. (of Bath. ''Of the rest
Il must be understood that we are In the
midst Of what has been extolled a. the
Bath manner and that throughout. as
was said Of another, but worldwide
known Bath Comedy
Love gilds the scene, and woman uides
OF Messrs. Houghton and Mullins
summer books are: The Light Of Day,
by John Burroughs; From Sand Hill to
Pine, by Bret Harte, and Love In n
Cloud, by Arlo Bates. 1t seems almost
superfuous TO praise a book by Mr..
Burroughs for his place In the hearts
Of his readers was long since acquired.
This his latest work, consists Of series OF
essays; religious discussions and criticisms
from the naturalist's point of view. in
Central ASIA" he says, near the river
Oxus, there Is said to be q famous rock,
called the Lamp Rock, from strange
light that seems to issue from n cavern
far up the side of the mountain, The ma
tives have surerstitious fear Of the rock,
and ascribe the light to some dragon or
demon who lives In the cave.
"1tecently bold English traveller
climbed up and investigated the phenom-
enon. The light was found after all to
BE- only the light of common day, the
4 80 t,,x NIL h.a
FERROUS light came through the rock from
the other side, making strong glow or
nimbes at the mouth of the dark cav
ern."
And Mr.. Burroughs takes this incident
"so typical of much that has taken
place, Is still taking place in the wor'd,
especially in the religious experience Of
mankind, as suggestion for the titls of
his delightful volume. He adds: II have
urged the sufliciency and the universally
Of natural law, and that most of the u ys.
terious lights with which our fears, our
Ignorance, or our superstitions have in
vested the subject of religion, when
brought to the test Of reason. either van
ish entirely or give place to the light OF
common day
He is never harsh nor aggressive but
treats every branch of his subject with a
simple strength and reasonableness that
is very persuasive. 1t Is a great pleasure
to read such book as ''Fhs Light OF
Day, and IL Is volume to which one
can turn frequently from the heated
strife and turmoil of religious controver-
sy, for rest and refreshment
Once year at least we expect IA coatri-
button from Bret Harte, and this time
1t Is volume of short stories, of the
usual California type, in which this
writer is always at his best. A Niece of
snapshot Harry's, A Treasure of the
Redwoods, A Belle OF Canada City,
What Happened at the honda, A Jack
and Jill of the Sierras and Mr.. Bilson's
Housekeeper are titles which indicate the
subject and setting of eech sketch, and
the old time ring is still in these tales of
the early days of the California pioneers,
which never lose their charm.
Mr.. Arlo Bates comes upon the stage
again an applicant for the suffrages of
the reading public. His novel Is entitled
Love In A Cloud, ana Is a book about n
book. His tn aatre IL still Boston, and his
characters are supposed to be Boston men
and women.
A young society man publishes anony-
mously novel entitled Love In A Cloud,
and many are angered by fancying that
he, or she, is represented in the book,
much trouble ensuing in consequence
However, all s well that ends well, and
this comedy of errors comes to happy
conclusion, TO the satisfaction of the
reader.
A Comedy in Filagree, the author calls
his story.
Mr.. Bates books have always had a
large degree of popularity and probably
Love In A Cloud viii be no exception;
but TO my mind il has not quite the pol
ish of some of his earlier works, nor are
the characters as Interesting as in ''Ths
Puritans'', which had great success.
Portland Loring, Short & Harmony
NJ. L. Is. w.