The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-14
Miscellaneous Books.


by Oscar Fay Adams is volume of storie.
constructed on very original and rather
entertaining plan. Each one deals with
some phase in the life Of a bishop, and will
one exception, each has a humorous turn
All the bishops are of different types ant
all are extremely natural. The scenes OF
the stories are laid both in England and
America.
The story which gives its title to the
book is not, perhaps. the most striking OF
the collection, but is as good as an OF
them. II is the history of a good and
worthy man. who having been raised to the
high estate OF Archbishop OF West Indian
archdiocese, came to his downfall, literally
and figuratively, by means OF n pig. This
unclean animal tripped him up and caused
him to use profane language, which. being
duly reported by an enemy, was his undo
ing. The tale is clever character-sketch
in every way. Another equally amusing bit
of portraiture Is why the Bishop Left Rye
Beach," the story Of big bishop and a
little one, tragic from the latter's point of
view, but not SO serious to the outside
world 1.-The Evolution of Bishop
throws some light on the processes by
which ecclesiastical preferment is some
times attained, and THE Trials of q
Retired Bishop is n bit of broad
burlesque. The only really serious
story is the last, 1.-THE Serious Di-
lemma of the Bishop of oklaho," the
ending of which is left in doubt somewhat
after the manner Of THE Lady or the IT,
GER puzzle. 1t may be well to reHind Mr..
| Adams that the conundrum story. while
amusing as a novel device. loses its power
to please If used too often, and that Mr..
Stockton's story was published some fifteen
years ago, which gives time for many
| limitations. The story of the bishops d.
lemma would be more satisfactory If prop
erly concluded, but it is clever as 1t Is.
| Boston: L. C. Page & Coz
"a Girls Confessional, and other Sto-
ries,'' is a book OF short stories by Caro-
line Parsons, who is in real life Mrs.
Thomas wife OF the President of the Ohio
State University. Some Of the tales are
fairly good. and some are less good. Per-
haps the best is THE Women OF Putney."
a satire on certain kind of women's clubs
which is more or less familiar to the pub
lie. There are some husbands of energet-
ic ladies with much executive ability who
will relish this story II they ever see it.
Boston: Eastern Publishing Company.
''of Making Ones Self Beautiful is a
little book OF essays by William c. Gan
nett, author OF blessed BE Drudgery."
Like its predecessor, the book is more or
less religious without being 'pious'' or in
any respect denominational; and many
people will doubtless find it helpful (Bos-
ton: James II. West & Co. so cents)
WAS 1t Right to Forgiven is the some--I
what sensational title of a novel by Anne
liza L. Barr. The story Is rather an I'M
pleasant combination of melodramatic ep- !
isodes and moral platitudes and gives one |
the impression that the author has tried |
TO offer to her readers both the fiesh-pots |
of Egypt and the mama of the desert: and |
the mixture is not savory. Chicago: Her |
bert S. Stone & Co. s1.50)
"Cobwebs From a Library Corner" is a
tiny book Of verses by John Kendrick
Bangs, and most OF these lyrics are ouch
more captivating than the ruthor's prose.
Bookworm Ballads" describing a dinner |
given by one OF this fraternity is extremely
clever, and so is satire on the gold craze, |
in ballad form. Where Are They?" is an
amusing bit Of enquiry as to the where
abouts OF the old clothes OF heroes and |
heroines OF fiction. Mr.. Bangs inexhausti-
BILE thirst for relics Of antiquity is well
known, and il there is any reward waiting
for him in heaven. it must surely be the
of museum for such fIotsam
and jetsam Of the past. serious poem
In an entirely different vein. but quite as
good, is The Gold-Seekers." There are
ballads, rondeaux. quatrains-everything
but sonnet, in this little book, and the
quality Of the work is uniformly good.
One piece of wisdom is short enough to
luote, and it is this:
He was poet born, but unkind Fate
Once doomed him for his verScs to be paid
thereon he left the poetborn's estate
And wrote like one who'd happened to be made
The two or three serious poems are
'harming, and the humorous ones are fun
~, and all are graceful. Mr.. Bangs might
'roftably sweep down more OF these cob
webs from the corners OF that human IL
'rary, his brain. CNew York: Harper &
Brothers. so centsl.
Henry Irving. Ellen Terry is the title
II book of alleged portraits, by E. Cor
Ion Craig. Mr.. Craig's style is character
zed by strangeness in comparison with
yhic. the works of the late Aubrey
seem entirely normal and prop
II. Ii is quite impossible to describe this
lyle In print. In the first place it is like
10 other thing ever seen in the earth. or
he heavens, or the waters under the
arth, and in the second place IL varies to
UGH an extent that a description which
appropriate for others. Some of -hese
portraits seem to be designs for stain
d-glass windows. and some OF them kok
ike snarl OF string mixed up with a spill
d ink bottle. Some of them are in black
nd white, and few have dabs OF crude
ed an1 cruder blue mixed with the black.
here is picture OF Henry Irving as Me-
which to the untutored eve
ill inevitably suggest a monkey on a
tick, and there is another which strongly
esembles In color. attitude, and feature
ne OF 'kemble's COons." The portrait of
ir Henry Robespierre is adorne, with
large bunch of something which is rath-
r like one of the balls of curled shaving
aper sold at church fairs. and the rest
{ IL is simply nOndescript blotch of ink.
Iiss Terry has Jared but little better.
Chicago: Herbert $. Stone & Co 81,
Literary Notes.
Lesser Destinies, by Samuel Gordon. is
story OF Cockney life in tenements. and
bout music halls. II is realistic. though
1t especially strik ing; and there are
lshes of poetic E~cling here and there.
'hicago: Herbert s. Stone & Co. $t25.)
The Wonderful Stories OF Jane and o
'hn' is book for children. attractive in III
) moke-up. but not particularly brilliant in r
text The author Srnftf, ha ~