The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-14
BOOK NOTES.

''Quentin Durward. BY Sir Walter
Scott. Published by American Book
company. New York and Chicago. Price
so cents.
There is no novel in English fiction
more useful than Quentin Durward, in
giving boys and girls a distinct and
accurate impression of the age of chiv-
airy, when its principles still animated
the court life of England and Europe,
but had ceased to claim the blind rev.
erence Of the people. The scene Of this
finely wrought story" is laid in Paris
at the time of Louis XI during the lat
ter half of the fifteenth century and
portrays the French king as the first
of his line to recognize political capac-
ity when not allied to rank. It shows
with admirable clearness the rising
power of the people and the royal per-
ception that they would prove the bull
wark of the crown against the feudal
barons The book is particularly adapt
ed for schools and supplementary read
ing, and one that could be always rec
commended.
1.-THE Letters of Robert Louis Steven
son. two volumes. Price, $500 net.
Edited by Sidney Colvin; illustrated.
Published by Chas. Scribners Sons, New
York
Robert Louis Stevenson was one of
the most delightful letter writers, one
who seemed to have caught the very
flower and perfume of the art and to
nave carried It's highest GApIGS-
sion. Stevenson it seems to us, must
be regarded as the brightest type of the
modern letter-writer; the man Who
will talk with the pen, with the same
skill and freedom that he shows when
speaking face to face. and who can put
into such written conversation the
charm and fascination of the spoken
word. It is a book that is instructive
as well as interesting, and one which
| all lovers of good books will enjoy.
RED Blood and Blue" By Harrison
| Robertson. Price, $3.50. Published by
| Chas. Scribners Sons. New York. This
| is a charming story of the south, with
| two heroes, whose relative social rank
| is indicated in the title, and q heroine
/ who is wooed by each of them in his
way. An ingenious plot that holds the
| interest from the start, deals with the
career of each of these men as soldier
and as citizen, as well as with their
| rivalry for the favor of the heroine. The
plot is well laid and Interestingly writ
ten.
"a Rational Grammar of the English
Language" By w. B. Powell, and
Louise Connally. Price, so cents. Pub
| lished by the American Book company
New York and Chicago. Professor Pow
ell is superintendent of public schools II
| Washington, D. c., and is good author
ity on English grammar. In this book
the authors have deviated from the
| usual method of basing the rules ano
Technology of English grammar or
those of the Latin grammar. Recognize
ing the small amount of inf1ectional ell
ement found in English, they have pre-
scented the language as it exists an(
have shown the relation element tina
characterizes it. The subject is devel
oped naturally, and hitherto puzzlins
points are stated simply and clearly
They give particular emphasis to tn
verb and it's treatement special chap
| 6nUnfe5 n f1iorV7C nd
liar construction including punctuation
The book has been thoroughly an
successfully tried in the Washington
schools, and is spoken of by teachers a
being very practical.
How to Prepare for a Civil SERVE
Examination, with recent question
and answers. By Francis E. LeupI
Published by Kinds and Noble, New
York. This book is something as the ii
tie shows that everyone who is thinking
of taking a civil service examination
should have. 1t being as perfect a guild
to the federal civil service as the mos
helpless applicant could desire. What
ever branch or division he may wish t
enter, the probable questions-those re
Gently asked are answered. The boo
covers every branch of the civil servic
from labOrer to chief engineer of tn
ordnance department The book is S
interesting and also instructive tina
even those who DO not intend to take
civil service examination will enjO
looking over the questions and answers
and Frightening up somewhat on som
OF these subjects.
} 'Old Morse Stories" By Sarah Pow
I ers Brodish. Price 40 cents. Pub1ishe
by American Book company, New Yor
and Chicago.
Many years ago our forefathers. VIII
lived far away in the NorthlanC
thought that everything in the worl
was controlled by some god or god
dess, who has special care of that thins
| Our forefathers as they gathere
around their fresides in the long wir
: ter evenings, told of the giants, dwarf
elves. and other creatures of the
, | imagination, and through their powe
, ! and Intervention they accounted for a
=, | the operations of nature around them
d, In this book the author retells SON
of the most popular of these stories.
a way that makes them attractive
| young readers The place these OF
Morse stories have in our history an
language makes a knowledge of the
5 by the young desirable. and few bool
/ will prove so fascinating for children
so valuable for school and family reat
e ing as this one.