The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-07
nooK NOTES.
Various Items About Books which
are Attracting Attention.

Are Attracting Attention.
The American Book company has Just
published an interesting little volume by
r. Van Bergen, which is called ssThe
Story OF China The Middle Kingdom
is becoming more and more the focus Of
the worlds diplomacy, and such a book
as this is most timely. Written by one
long 9 resident of China, 1t draws largely
on personal observation for its facts. Com
meneing with a description Of the phys
ical features OF the country, it next con-
sldeFs the people themselves, their beliefs
customs and education; Then the history
of the Chinese mpire is briefly sketehed
from the earliest times to the Boxer up
rising. The book is attractively illustrate
ed from photographs, and forms inter
esting and valuable supplementary geo.
graphical reader.
Bret Harte. who died suddenly in London
on May 5, was q. wonderfully prolific
writer, the list of his books comprising
45 titles. His first book was published in
Trail just appeared the last week in
April. Very few of the Intervening years
fresh collection of his western tales.
Abroad, he and Mark Twain are regarded
the representative American authors
Of the last quarter century Mr.. Kipling
has more than once acknowledged his in
stories he much admired. Mr.. Harte had
been living in England for some time and
was in his 63rd year having been born at
Albany, N. Y, in 1889.
The "reminiscences Of a Dramatic crit
&c, which Houghton, Miffiin & Co, are
just publishing. cover the period of more
than thirty years. during which Mr.. Hen
~ Austin Clapp has reviewed the plays
of the day for the Boston Advertiser. The
issue of Mr.. Clapp's volume at the pres
ent moment, just as he is relinquishing
his position on the Advertiser to become
dramatic critic on the Boston Herald, is
especially important.
Miss Mary Johnston, whose Audrey
has captivated a critical portion of the
public unconquered by ITO Have and to
Hold has the shyness fostered by years
of invalidism and seclusion at the form
alive period of her life She eludes all
efforts to draw her personally before the
public. Besieged by inquiries from peri
odicals her publishers have asked Miss
Johnston to give them some facts concern
ing her life Her responses We're naive
and intimate but accompanied by the de-
lciously feminine injunction. but please
don't let the papers get hold OF any OF
these things"
Ten thousand copies Of John Fiske's es-
say on Life Everlasting were taken on
publication last autumn and two impress
sions have been exhausted since then
The forthcoming Life of Longfenow."
by Thomas Wentworth Higginson, in
the American Men Of Letters series. will
be especially interesting on the personal
side; for Mr., Hlgglnson, having married
the niece Of the first Mrs. Longfellow, has
had access to letters throwing much light
upon Longfellow's early married life.
A new edition has just been called for
of Mr. Philander Demnig's Adirondack
Stories" to which the author has con-
tributed a characteristic preface. 1t is
nearly 80 years since the Atlantic began
to publish these sketches of the Adiron-
dack wilderness. Discerning readers in
stant1y recognize the individuality and
suggestiveness of Mr. Deming's work, and
though his audience has never been a not
ably large one. there are many critics
who believe that his short stories are not
only among the best that this country
has produced, but that they have had
marked Influence upon the development
of American short story writing. Mr..
Deming is still living at Albany, at the
age Of 73.
The next book to be issued by Hough-
ton, Miffin & Co. in their notable series
of fine limited editions. viii be Henry
Fielding's The Journal of a Voyage to
Lisbon" which VIII appear this month.
The edition is to be limited to 300 copies;
a photogravure portrait of Fielding, after
Hogarth viii form the frontispiece OF the
volume, which will be bound in rough,
brown paper boards, with cloth back and
paper label, wholly uncut The choice OF
this work for reproduction in such form
is good one, for lovers of English htera-
ture have always found much pleasure in
this last record Of the author of Tom
Jones'" as Leslie Stephen says, It testfles
to his indomitable gallantry, buOyant
spirits and flow of good humor to the
last.
Miss Jane Adams book on the work
Of university settlements. Democracy
and Social Ethics" by the Macmillan
company. has very promptly run to its
second edition, might have been eX-
pected. There is hardly a town of any
Importance containing districts of poor
which does not contain several groups of
men and women battling with the diff
classes. Among these workers and also
among every person who has given any