The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-23
BOOK NOTES.


Dr.. J. Samuel Mcconnell of Brooklyn
mas Just completed a book. the genera
IS a moral achievement. not a natural en-
doWment as is commonly believed His
IRENE skepties and is conducted. on the
thoroughly scientific lines insisted on. by
the rational school of thinkers. It IS q
fresh discussion Of the old problem Of i'm
mortality, and a revision of traditlonai
concerning psycholoeicai conditions and
biological processes The author himself
sp}rtuaf 70 bf h 99ok f be acmn u1 Conn m
pany viii soon publish the book
Six editions of s'Richard Yea ana Nay
have been printed since its publication. on
November / The first edition lasted a
issued during February. The book Is now
IN Its forty-hfth thousand The last edi-
on Thursday and was delivered to the
binders on the Saturday evening follows
ing-a record Of rapid printing While It
is perhaps idle to speculate on the forces
which are at work behind the popularity
been interesting to watch the widening OF
the circle Of his readers Beginning with
the country. the appreciation of Mr.. Hew>
let's work is growing a a pace that even
ms friends hardly expected
George AIDES new book. More Fables
published BY Herbert S. stone & Co OF
Chicago, which is one Of the big successes
of the season, is said to be even more
rich in modern phraseologv than his firsf
volume Of IA bies in Slang. x majority
Of the fables in the second volume are en-
tireiy new. having appeared in no period.
FORM Every fable is crowded with pic
turesque slang words and apt bits Of de-
"A Traitor in London" by Fergus
Buckles a Co. 9 and II East sixteenth
street, New York. has been issued. The
picturesque incidents and characters pre-
SCENTS a wealth of material for romancers
mas psen the first TO give in story vivid and
truthful giimpses Of some of its most i'm
spy and he IS an admirably drawn villain,
with depth of cunning and a wealth of
among the striking characters of fiction.
whom We do not easily forget. His VIII
mis- service OF the Beers as IN the pursuit
of his own personal schemes. He is in
him. but he pursues her with persistent
assurance of success and in spite of OBJ
stsseles maj Woulu appear 70 cther men
quite 1nsurruountable, ne several times
comes dangerously near succeeding She
loves and marries an English captain.
Soon after, the hated spy, being neatly
cornered by another woman's wit, also
goes to the scene of the war, and here
we have some stirring incidents of tbs
veldt and some fine portrayals of Boer
has succeeded in inducing the young lady
to go to South Africa, but by neat
hands instead his own as he had planned.
Being high in authority with the Beers,
he is able TO abduct her while she IS al
the front. but q sturdy old Beer COM
mander illustrates him again. The mys-
terry Of the story is 2 murder committed
in England. and it is mystery which
puzzles the reader to the end. ingeniously
leading the reader from one guess to an
other, and finally affording a real sur
prise
Earth. SKY and Air in Song" Book I.
by W. H. .Neidlinger with pictures by
Walter f3obbett. in cloth, quarto. profuse-
" illustrated, IT pages. price % centa,
company. New York, Cincinnati and Chi
cage. The first of two-book series. 1t
aims to aid the youth of our country in
forming. the. habit Of observing nature.
The author in writing the words of these /
songs has used the childs language and
the child sense of humor. In !
the music he has adhered naturally to the
Evolutionary expression of the text. These |
two features are of great Importance. and |
if borne in mind excellent results will |
surely be obtained The pictures by Mr.. |
Bobbett are no less educational than the /
songs themselves and form a vital part /
of the book. Many of them are in colors |
and all have been made especially for the |
songs with which they are connected We |
hope TO see this book widely used.