The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-13

button to practical criminology
Augusta Evans Wilson has waited
sixteen years, since the novels which
made her popular. before bringing out
"a Speckled Bird" a strangely titled
novel just issued. Almost a new gener-
alton has come since this author, as
Augusta Evans. held a leading place
In our list of authors. In the DAYS of
her literary activity. she wrote several
novels of southern life, which. If they
were melodramatic, were at least good
reading of the kind. Her new book is
also southern story and melodramatic.
with the same flowing narrative as is
characteristic of the earlier works. f r
admirers will probably remember her,
however, as the author of st Elmo
than as the author of IA Speckled
Bird"
Frank Norris has arranged to post
pone his second novel. in the wheat tri-
logy 1.-The Pit" in order that it may
appear serially before its issue in book
form. The story was announced for
this fall. but has now been put over
until next spring Another book which
was to have appeared this fall. s.The
Transgressor" by Theodore DRESSER has
also been postponed until spring Mr..
DRESSER has not been able to complete
the story to his satisfaction in time for
the fall trade and his publishers have
been forced to wait until the author is
ready to turn over the complete manu-
script.
According to Mr.. Henry vignaud, first
secretary of the United States embassy at
Paris, it Is about time for us to revise our
histories Of the discovery of America and
phrases concerning Christopher Columbus
and his ideas as to the probability of land
lying to the west of Spain. Mr.. Vignaud
will shortly publish his work on s'Toscanel-
| II and Columbus: the Letter and Chart of
| Way of the West, sent in 1874 to the Por-
tuguese Furham Martins and later to
learned Florentine and COLUMBUS. SO far
| as can be learned at this late day, was
man of little scientific learning and scarce
| ly likely to have conceived of the ideas
| which led to the discovery of America
Before going to Martinique after the
great eruption. George KEENAN, completed
| the final revision of his translation of the
Folk Folk Tales Of NaRSleon Which have just
Russian peasant folk lore, and. as such.
Mr.. KEENAN, regards it of much value As
the matter is grotesque and untrue, but
! Mr.. KEENAN, regards these folk tales as i'm
They have some interest he writes, '.as
! evidence of the profoundly deep impress
sion made by Napoleon's personality upon
| two great peoples"
| WANTED: Chaperon"-the last piece
will be brought out shortly and during the
I, present season volume of condensed nov
els by . Bret HaTte win be issued In the h;
Borem.'' Other sub-titles. Rupert the
| Remsenbler.' The Adventures of john
] Lonsbow' and 1.-THE Golly and the Chris
! tan: or: the Mink and the Manxman. .
! will recall other popular works which have
| been attracting attention recently.
| Another dead author IS represented in e
| posthumous volume Sir Walter Besant's
name appears on the title page of a collec~
ton of short stories brought out not long
ago. One of the stories in this book. en-
kind of a novel which makes an enormous
popular success without possessing any
particular merit and indicated that the au-
t tion Of MI the mysterg IS ang puzzle how
ever, which is yet to be explained satts-
factorily. Not every literary sky rocket
is light weight, and perhaps every sky
can one arrive at anything like reason
for recent popular successes.
OTHER Wav VIII be pubshed shis fall
1t is a story of the debtors prison in Eng
land in the days when that institution
fonrished. The heroine of the tale. has
marry criminal condemned to death.
the case happens to be a negro and he sue
| ceeds in avoiding the death penalty. Much
of the rest of the story may be imagined.
/ 1t is not a pleasant novel and It Will Ger
| the reading people of the south.
/ HERBERT BREWSTER
Mrs Nancy Huston Banks novel.
"O1dfie1d: A Kentucky Tale OF the
Last Century" is now in its third edi-
/ ton. Tie charm of the story has been
| aptly described by reviewer who says
that ''as you turn over its pages you get
something of the feeling you have when
| you open long shut drawer in which
been packed away in lavender and dried
rose leaves"