The Washington times., 1901-10-20

I
l | historical episodes. Tae description of tn
2 sea fight between Hawkes. fleet and tha
. | of Conflans is remarkably well done re
T minding one somehow of Browning
ballad of Herve Riel in the graphic fore
| of the language and the authors eviden
enthusiasm for his subject.
But it is in the parts of the romano,
which are purely imaginative that Mr.
Brady is perhaps at his best. Through
the first half of the book the reader i.
led breathless from one exciting scene t,
another. The first chapters are idyllic II
simplicity and delightful in the quaint
ness and freshness of the material. Wher
the more serious developments of the
plot begin the authors power does no.
fail nor his invention stagger, and his
situations are both original and at least
possible, which is not always the case
with melcdramatic novel. (New York
| d. Appleton & Coz
in THE Van Dwellers," a daintily IL
| Illustrated book in brown cover, Albert
Bigelow Paine has described the expert
ences and tribuiations of a snail family
looking for home in New York, with a
vividness and humor which show that his
story is founded on fact. The book bears
the significant motto:
We strangers, and they took US in.
1t is also announced as very cheap
considering what the experience cost -
The frontispiece is especially good a
suggestion of the contents. 1t represents
the interview of a perplexed and abashed
man with serene, aggressive, and volu-
BILE janitress. 1t may seem to the neo-
phyte that the three qualities here as
cribed to the janitress cannot be com
bined in one person: but they can, and Mr..
Paine's book goes to prove it.
According to him. the fiat dweller in
! New York can have every sort of time
! inside Of six months, by using a little in
dustry and enterprise. 1t appears that
the hero of the book, and the Little Wo-
man, and the Precious Ones by which
names he designates wife and children,
were enterprlsing and industrious. The
book will be highly entertaining to peo-
pie who have been through the expert
ences described or who have not got to
go through with them. and will be com
| forting to the unfortunate mortals who
are compelled to live outside New York
1t would also be useful iE preventing
matrlmony in that metropolis.
The interview with the janitress is a
sample of the style of the book. 1t runs
as follows:
What's the matter with our heat
upstairs?'
She answered:
And it's what's the matter with
yer heat, is it? Well, thin, and what
is the matter with yer heat up
stairs?'
"She said this, and also looked at
me, as IL she thought that our heat
might be afflicted with the rnumps or
measles, or have a hare lip, and as II
l was to blame for it,
The matter is that We haven't
got any, l said, getting somewhat
awakened.
She looked at me fully minute
this time.
got any heat, An here comes the
madam from the top floor yesterday
bilin' over. an sayin' that they're
sick with too much heat. What air
yez, then, sallymandhers?'
And these are the joys of the gilded
metropolis. with its gilded and fraudulent
steam pipes. Mr. Paine says that his
were chiefly useful In playing movements
from the 'GOtterdammerung." He does
not say that he supplied the solo accom-
paniment, but perhaps he did. The book
is not great, and it is not wise, but It is
one Of those spicy morsels of literature
which help to make life cheerful. New
York: ]. f. Taylor & Co. 70 cents)
THE Owl and the Woodchuck," by
William Harold Neidlinger. with pic
lures by Walter Bobbett. is piece of
Juvenile fiction thoroughly charming to
the adult as well as the infant mind. 1t
is a nonsense story interspersed with bits
of musical Jingle, and pictures of whim-
sical attractiveness. 1t is intended to be
read or told to children by some one who
can sing and whistle, and thus give the
musical interludes their proper effect. but
it would be quite possible for It TO make
a success with a youthful audience if it
were merely spoken. From the musi- |
cal preface to the pathetic tail-piece IL is !
original, whimsical and amusing. The |
chances are that every child who hears |
It for the first time will want to hear it |
for the hundredth-this story how
The Owl he was so wondrous wise.
And the WOodchuck wanted to know.
Some of the pictures are in colors and |
some are not. but all are thoroughly |
suited to the text Chicago: Rand, Nc
Nally & Coz
THE Victors" by Robert Barr, is
story of American life rather unevenly
written, and with no particular merit ex-
cept one. The central character is an
Irish politician. 1t Is not quite clear
whether Mr Barr intended Patrick Ma
guire for the hero or not, but he is GER
tainly the best-drawn parsonage in the
book. There is one page of his conversa-
tion that is worth preserving for the in
trinsic shrewdness and aptness of it. 1t |
is his opinion Of Christian Science to
which his wife has become an adherent
He will not interfere with her faith, since, |
like good American, he is devoted TO her
and her whms. but this is what he hon
estly thinks about it,
What are the principles? Well,
now, you get me there, John. When |
started reading that book-its writ by
woman with powerful flow Of Ian
guage-I said to myself that either this
lady ought to be m some nice, com
Portable lunatic asylum, Jr / should
be wearing a strait jacket, l dunno
just which, but / saw had no bust
ness conmunlng together. Our minds
weren't built on the same interchange
able system at ALL at all / can under
stand the New York Try-bune-at least
! know what the boys think they're
trying to say-but this book of Mary |
James is beyond me. However that
may be, Christian Science is getting
to be a great organization, John! I'm
on to that part Of it, When they're
looking after their souls, they're not
neglecting good, hard cash for their
bodies and that makes me think |
there's some inspiration in the thing |
after all. They've got branches every
where and millions Of members, and
they see to Il that the contribution box
doesn't fall to pieces for LACK of use
They can cure every mortal thing
that's the matter with you by just
sending thought mesSaS" over an in |
visible wire that doesn't charge any
toll and that without any medicine or
fNnenElN4- q