The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-09
CURRENT MAGAZINES.

lars OF recent events, and once tries the
Current History. now a monthly publica-
ton, Will look upon it as one of his best
aids to prompt and accurate work. The
current number contains an unusual num-
Der of Illustrations.
In his Father and Mother-A Mystery"
in the May Harper's, Mr.. Howells deals with
the problem, death, with sincere feeling,
yet with infinite delicacy and reserve. He
touches the depths of the suffering human
heart. This production Is one of the things
which will rank high when the fam of aft
er days has given this writer the place be-
longing to him.
In a recent chapter of literary gossip in
a New York paper the writer. speaking of
Mr.. Owen Wister, of Philadelphia, says his
friends are somewhat disappointed that he
is not fulfilling his early promise and doing
more and better work. If they look for
anything more delightfully."- clever or more
and the Nation" In the. current number of
Harper's Magazine. their expectations of
Mr.. Wister must be very high.
The special features of this number of
the American Monthly Review of Reviews
are a sketch of the Hon. Charles H. Allen,
the first Governor of Porto Rico by Henry
Mcfarland; sketches of Generals Joubert,
Cronje, Botha, and other military leaders
of the Beers; an account of the methods
used in fighting the plague at Honolulu and
throughout the world; a study of proper
tional representation in Belgium. where
elections are to be held in the coming
month under a new law, by Prof. Job r.
Commons; an intimate account of the
home life of the late r. d. Blackmore, the
author OF Lorna Doone." by r. w. Saw
tell; and a forecast. of the great conven-
tons and congresses to be held during the
remaining months of 1900.
In his concluding chapter in the May
Century on the national zoo at Washing
ton, Ernest Seton-Thompson touches upon
a fact in regard to the care of animals
which Is probably a new idea to many of
his readers. 1t is the necessity of keep
ing their minds occupied in order to keep
them in good physical trim. Travelling ami
mails, as in circuses, he says. are healthier
than those kept In ordinary menageries,
because the change OF scene gives them
something to think about and keeps them
from torpid habits and mental morbid
ness. The more highly organized the ami
NAL the more likely IL is to suffer from
mental diseases, several varieties, such as
camels often ending their days of captivi-
ty in complete lunacy. What applies to
wild animals in cages is true of domestic
animals kept too closely confined. 1t is
the dog kept constantly chained which is
likely to go mad. The lesson that animals
need care for their minds as well as their
bodies is one that every owner of a pet
should learn.
The many people who must gain an ac-
quaintance with the Paris Exposition
through the eyes of others can get no more
artistic view than that presented in Scrib-
ner's Magazine by Z. c. Peixotto, through
descriptive text and drawings. He pre-
sents some of the picturesque sides of the
great show. The Cromwell history occu-
pies considerable space in this number.
Among the Illustrations are two spirited
ones by F. G. Yohn. The problem Of rapid
transit in New York is discussed by Will
liam Barely Parsons, chief engineer of the
Rapid Transit Commission. II. j. Whig-
ham, the newspaper correspondent, writes
of The intermediate Stages of the Boer
War" j. Nj. Barrie takes the tickle Tom
my" through a chapter in which his weak
nesses bring him and his Grizel to grief.
An article by Francis Lynde, descriptive of
Cripple Creek, is accompanied by a series
of Illustrations that Illustrate to an I'M
usual degree. A study of Balzac by George
several poems make up the number. Among
the poems is one by Edwin Markham, who
is evidently given to emotion on looking at
pictures. This time he grows impassioned
over Vedder's 'Pleiades." Miss wilkins
also contributes some verses of moderate
merit. Edward s.. Martins nnes on Work"
are worth while.
Following Seton-Thompson's article in the
Century is a paper on art in Modern
Bridges" The illustrations give an idea
as to what is being done in this line.
Charles B. Hagadorn, of the T~wenty-third
United States Infantry, gives some inter-
esting m about "Our Friend. the
Sultan of Jolo.' Clara Morris writes a
word of warning to young actresses and to
girls who wish to be actresses-a timely
word in these days OF stage-struck young
Co., $500 - TA>-1a. p.t
ley Aldrich's notebook are of a kind to
cause the reader to wish that he would
open that book again to the public. A
charmingly illustrated article is Prof. Will
liam knights account of Wordsworth S
home-"A Literary Shrine" The fine por-
trait that forms the frontispiece of the
magazine belongs to this paper. Frederick
Keppel contributes a study of Henry Fau-
tin-Latour, with amp of his litho-
graphs on musical motives. There is a pa
| per on Partisan Pastimes," an illustrated
| article entitled 1.-THE Maharajah's Water
Carnival" and a paper on trusts; These
| of Morley's Cromwell" ar installment OF
| Weir Mitcheli's 'Dr. North and His
Friends a paper on the "Ail-Amerfcan
Route TO the Klondike." and two or three
short stories make up an excellent mum
Der.
A writer in the Art Amateur INDUCES in
| his fling at the decadent authors. who, 1t
seems, have ever broken into the art cata-
| logues. He says: IF there is a rising
American humorist. anxlously looking
around for a new field to cultivate and
make his own of. let him turn TO the cata-
logues of art sales, particularly of those
of pictures. The writer's of these once use
full lists are now, for the most part. en-
thusiastic followers OF Richard Crane and
/ Stephen l.. Gasftennc- -
the names mixed-and they seldom lose ar
opportunity of introducing the purple
| patch which is the badge of the decadeni
school. From a catalogue recently issued
we CLEAN the following: TIL hori on is a
dark slate. ripped by a glare of white.
against which the distant stretch of lano
shows a cold purple; 'Rain-swollen atmos-
phere. "A lurid. purple red; IA white cneni-
Use shown above a purple bodice 'Mois-
ture has been sucked from the earth: II
lies heavy on the horizon In a bank Of pur
pie haze But this writer knows of othel
colors than purple. He writes OF 'shrii
green's and blue rinsed clear of haze He
is not even entirely given up to color; h
speaks OF the equipoise of full and empt,
spaces he deals in sentiment, and men
tons as the climax of a paragraph on tbs
sadness of evening. that IL Is the hour o
the last meal of the day In reading thi:
one Is affected nue. as the April showel
In Monet's picture, as described by on
cataloguer: Smile and tears are inter
-s--11r