Omaha daily bee., 1901-02-13
NEW BOOKS and MAGAZINES
Constitutional History Of th. United States
is Out.
GRANT ALIENS ROMANCE or THE ALPS
New illustrated Edition of Elizabeth
aud Her German Gsrden-CompIetc
Handbook OF Cuba aud Havana
for Intending Visitors.

Francis Newton Thorpe. who filled the
chair of constitutional history In the Uni-
yersity Of Pennsylvania for thirteen years
and is the author OF two-volume work on
The Constitutional History OF the Ameri-
can People" has published a second work
along the same lines. The earlier work
was narrative OF the origin and develop
ment Of the state governments while the
theme in the present work is the biography
CT the American national system. The pres
ent work is published in three substantial
volumes Of almost 800 pages each. Its scope
and character will undoubtedly commend It
to the scholars of the country. and II is GER
tain to meet the approval OF all sections
and remain for long time to come a stand
ard work, as we'll as monument to pa :
tient and exhaustive research. The author
has seemingly omitted nothing that will
conduce to the accuracy. comprehensivenCss 50
and impartiality OF the work II represents
the labor OF more than twenty years OF re-
search and covers more years than any
similar history. 1865 TO 1895, and Is the
only work which deals with the period 1861 =
1885. The national character OF American n
institutions developed rapidly after 1855.
and their definition took a dual form. one
part finding expression locally in the state
government OF the United States The dl-
vision OF the work toto three volumes is a
natural one. The hrst volume narrates the
history Of the country from tts time OF the
stamp act tc the completion OF the const!-
tuition by the federal government. The
period Is Of lhe early experience OF the new
nation, and the record discloses that our
national system was evolved from colon al
conditions and was In no sense a sudden
inspiration or creation. The system pro-
posed by the federal convention went TO the
people and was approved by them though
with a clear demand for It's amendment. By
1904 this demand was complied with and
the first twelve amendments we're ratified
This apparent completion Of the system
proved only preliminary TO long period OF
contests and compromises. which arose
under the attempt TO administer the sys-
TEN. Congress. state legislatures. political
parties and, IL may be added, the national
conscience, attempted to make firm a gov
ernment which was established on n BASIS
OF irreconcilable ideas. The narrative OF
these contests and compromises comprises
the second volume. II concludes with the
account OF the last effort at compromise. the
proposed amendment OF 1861. Compromise
failed, but the contest continued; civil war
ernment. state and national. was reorgar-
tied. The supreme law, that is the gen ,ral
plan OF American government. was amended
and many causes OF irritation and the prIn-
cipal cause OF contest were removed The
vast change caused by this reorganzS Ion
is narrated in the third volume Its great
theme is emancipation and the extension Of
the suffrage. In the preparation OF us
work the author has collected vast amoun,
OF original matter and has been tireless In
his search OF public records and archives
Being lawyer as well as a teacher OF
constitutional history. ohn has brought TO
his task requirements no. always poss sssed
by the student or writer OF history. That
he has made the most of the facilities at
hand no one VIII deny after careful ex-
animation OF the work al hand. Callaghan
a Co.. publishers. Chicago.
"Linnet' is a new novel by Grant Alien
author OF Under Sealed Orders" Miss
Cayley's Adventures, etc. The story is
written in the midst OF the scenery which
it describes and pictures most vivldly and
effectively, the Tyrolese Alps country and
its romantic peasantry. The few opening
chapters are OF a decidedly human charsc-
ter. portraying the disappointment OF a
Alpine youth and maiden whom he has met
on the theater boards are OF a decidedly
more commonplace order in their native
surroundings. The story is OF very pa
ttetic order and enlists ones sympathy
throughout its 400 pages. An English poet
OF sterling character meets and forms
lasting attachment for an Alpine maiden
who afterwards becomes a great and most
successful opera singer. She returns his
love, but is persuaded by her father con-
fessor TO marry against her will and wishes
her Tyrolese manager. who was a heartless
and calculating scoundrel and who simply
looked upon her as so much property OF
great value. The poet meanwhile meets a
rich young American widow and through
her friendship and assistance rises to the
highest pinnacle OF fame as a composer Of
opera. While his American friend loves the
poet with the most ardent affection she is
ever mindful OF his undying devotion to the
Alpine singer and shows her entirely un-
selfish nature by being the first TO bestow
her blessing upon the happy pair after the
murder OF the heartless manager leaves
Linnet. still youthful, free TO marry the
man Of her choice. While the plot Ia not
essentially new. II is cleverly treated and
the romantic country in which the scene