The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-01

BOOK NOTES.

Since Charles Dudley Warner first
showed how charmingly gardening serv-
| ed the purposes of literature no one has
written in the same vein more delight
fully than Mrs. Candace Wheeler Her
Content in a Garden which appeared
/ originally in the Atlantic Monthly, 50
| pleasingly combined an account of her
| gardening with a gentle philosophy that
there arose a demand for the Dublica-
ton of the papers; and the present vol
| ume is the result. The pages are set i'll
flower border designed by Dora Wheel
er Keith the authors daughter. Hough-
ton, Mif1in &c Co, are the publishers
Col. A. X McClure's new book, "To
the Pacific and Mexico issued by the
J. B. Lippincott company. is the fifth
book that has come before the public
from his pens and each one grew into a
volume without the intention of the
writer when the first chapters were
written. His first book was issued by
the J. B. Lippincott company in 1869,
embracing a series of letters he had
written, on an overland journey across
the Rocky Mountains, for the New York
Tribune. His Lincoln and Men Of War
Times grew out of a series of articles
on Lincoln that was inspired by a con
troversy with Mr.. Nicolay. who was
secretary for President Lincoln, and
what was originally intended as several
fugitive contributions to political his
tory, ended in a large volume that was
published by the Times company II
1856 the J. 3. Lippincott company gath
cred q series of letters written by the
veteran editor on the political and bust
ness conditions of the South, and pub
lished them IN a volume A later work,
Our Presidents, and How We Make
Them grew out of a series of contribu-
tons on political history to the Satur-
day Evening Post, without any purpose
of the author to produce a book, ana
now the J. B. Lippincott company are
issuing his fifth work, made up of letters
written during a recent journey of 10 GOO
miles to the Pacific and Mexico. In addi-
ton to these. two volumes of Col. Nc
Cures speeches, edited by c. Watson
McKeehan, were published by the Times
company. He has thus become an auth
or of books, all of which have command
ed a wide circle of readers, without ever
having contemplated the preparation Of
volume
Mrs. Olive Thorne Miller is one of the
most observant and best informed of
writer's about birds. while no one writes
with more unfeigned enthusiasm and
genuine feeling for the world of feather
ed creatures She has completed the
Second Book of Birds which supple
ments and extends her First Book CT
Birds" by delightful studies of such
well known bird families as the wren
crow, sparrow, blackbird. lark, swift
etc. to the number of thirty It is writ
in bird life as we'll as instruct them, and
it contains "A full-page Illustrations
eight Of which are colored- The volume
is published by Messrs. Houghton, Milf
fin & Co.
For Charles Sake, and Other Lyrics
and Ballads" by John Williamson
Palmer limo CLOTH deckle edges, gilt
top. Price, 81, net. Postage z cents.
New York and London: Funk & Wag-
nails con pany
For Charles Sake and Other Lyrics
and Ballads" by John Williamson
Palmer is a book with a history The
sixteen poems that compose the volume
have been published at intervals during
the last forty years, and each of them
has called forth more or less re-
markable response. The title poem for
instance. first published anonymously,
was a favOrite of Bayard Taylor's. and
DR. ROssiter Johnson (editor-in-chief of
THE Worlds Great Books') says that
often as he has read it, it still invari-
ably brings the tears to his eyes He
pronounces it superior to Emerson's
poems, 'Stonewau Jackson's Way
Richard Henry Stoddard the poet and
critic considers second to no poem of |
which our long, terrible, bitter civil
war was the inspiration, but in the
forefront of all rival lyric bursts of pa
triotic feeling, of northern, or southern, |
or western fury and force; and the |
late William Henry E1ur1burt wrote that |
with Mrs Howe's Hymn, it constitutes |
about the sole surviving poetry Of the |
civil war" Another of DIR. Palmer's |
ballads THE Maryland Battalion" has I
stirred the blood of thousands with its |
story of Mordecai Gist and his -four |
hundred wild lads who held British !
force at bay in the battle of Long |
Island, long enough to save the Ameri- !
can retreat from destruction. "A splen- /
did piece of work" Charles G. d. Rob- |
erts says of that poem, inevitable and /
unforgeta ble'' DR.. Palmer's ballads /
are all on events in American history, |
and thrill one with their patriotic fire |
ITO say aught of 'Stonewall Jackson's |
Way" writes Clinton Scotland, "a
lyric that has made for itself SO sure
a place in our literature, were perhaps
gratuitous; but over the ringing Fight
at the San Jaeinto.' the swinging Mary
land Battalion and the sturdy Reid at 1
Fayal' one may be permitted to wax
enthusiastic
1.-The TRANSPORTATION Of Miss Phi
1ura. a, novelette, by Florence Morse
Kingsley 16mo. cloth: haIf-tone 'front.'
ispiece. Price. so cents, net New York
and London: Funk &C Wagnalls COM
pany.
This sprightly little story Is written
in Mrs Kingsley's hapDiest vein 1t IS
woven round the New Thought"
which is finding expression in Christian
Science Divine Healing. etc. In the
course of the story Miss Philura makes