New-York tribune., 1901-12-12
MORE MAGAZINE NOTES.
CHRISTMAS NUMBERS, AMERICAN AND
ENGLISH

ENGLISH.
There is touching story by Mary Z. wilkins
In .caarper's Bazar"-a story which has a deli
cate, haunting sweetness like that Of the balsam
fir of its title. 4 special gift has this author
for drawing the Old Maid Of New-England-
the woman OF quiet reserves, Of still intensity,
whose garden always holds cinnamon roses and
nlacs and whose cupboards smell Of lavender
We are not sure that this interesting parsonage
has survived the close of the nineteenth century,
hut the rustic Of her prim skirts, it is to be
hoped, Eil always sound in minor fiction, for
there, at least she is pleasant and poetic.
Mr.. H. 4. Crowelrs little story in ''McClure's
entitled The Pictures and the Pineapples" is
perhaps not realistic far the plot is con-
cerned, but It has noteworthy humor and
many neat glirnpses of Italian character.
In Miss Clara Morriss interesting paper on
Salvini she lays stress on the actors wise
Intolerance as regarded the old school tricks
Of the trade" One thing he particularly dis
liked was the trick Of taking the stage"-that
is. when a good speech has been made, the
actor at its end crosses the stage, changing his
position for no reason earth save to add
to bis importance"
Salvini had tried through his stage manager
to break up the wretched habit but one morning
he saw an actor end his speech at the centre
OF the stage. and march In front Of every one
to the extreme right hand corner. curl came
to the great actors lip, then he said inquiringly
''What for?" The actor stammered. '1-I-it's
my cross, you know-the end of my speech"
-'Y-e-es." sweetly acquiesced the star F-e-es
YOU cross, I see-but what for?" The actor
hesitated. You do So" went on Salvini. giving
q merciless imitation Of the swelling chest and
stage stride Of the guilty one as he had crossed
from centre down TO extreme right You DO
so-but for why? A-a-afi" Suddenly he seemed
to catch an idea -A-a-ah: is it that you have
A os,f
YOU come spik to zose people? No? Not for
that YOU come? You have reason for come
here. you say? Then. for Gods sake, stay CEN
tire till you have a reascnf
To many observers Of mans occupations that
OF railroad engineer seems the most terrifying
In the matter of exhausting responsibility One
Of the most skilfui of American engineers con-
firms this view We find him thus quoted in
The Worlds Work:
Yes. it's true that engineers sometimes go all
to pieces. They break down from sheer strain
It's the curves mostly. A straight track is easy
sailing but when you reach the end of that
straight track and the rails vanish beyond
bluff a bit OF a hill, and you are going
mile or SO a minute. you don't know whether
You'll be able to keep on or pile up against
something It's certainly wearing on some men,
I've seen fellows, big hearty men who didn't
know what nerve meant. finally come back
from a run shvering like a cat in cold water
Probably they had been pulling throttle for
was because they had run over persons and
were haunted by their dead faces. but 1t isn't
SO It's the dread of what might be there in
the darkness beyond the rays OF the headlight
There is & charming little glimpse Of bird life
An Miss L. H. French's paper on ''Hezekiah
and his family in -'Everybo6y's Magazine"
Hezekiah is the canary concerning whose at
fractions virtues quaint traits and little follies
Miss French has also written most entertain
inglv elsewhere In this further account of
Hezekiah his strenuous fidelity husband
ana the nagging and indignant Jealousy of his
wife Rehecca are described to the life.
The usual batch of foreign Christmas Num-
pany arrives. likewise usual encased in a roll
OF bright pictures too big to be put within the
covers Of the weekly periodicals with which
they are published The pictorial supplements
of this sort to The Graphic entitled re-
spectiveiy The Hearth Witch" and I'm the
Sunny South portraits in vivid colors Of pretty
girlish models The picture that goes with The
Illustrated London News is grim enough. It Is
by r Cation woodviIle. the military painter. 1t
is called In the Nick of Time, and 1t represents
a cavalier IN the hands OF the Roundheads. who
are lust about to execute him against the
snowy walls Of fortress. when debonair
young person gailops up with a reprieve. 1t IL
n curious subject for the holiday season. 10