The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-10
BOOK NOTES.

A new novel by I: McManuss, author
Of "Lally of the Brigade" called The
Wager, will soon come from the press of
F, NJ. Buckles & Co The story is laid in
Limerick during the siege Of 1890 and is
the adventure of an Irish dragon.
The "reminiscences 81 Miss clara. Morris,
published in this country by Mcclure,
Phillips & Co. under the title Life on the
the British critics, who almost unanimous
~ regard the book as the best dramatic
review one finds the mournful inquiry:
why didn't she come over here and give
US a chance to see her act2 Miss Morris
acting days are over, but 1t is not lmpossi-
bic that the English people may have an
nevertheless Her lecture tour here has
been an enormous success, and if her book
continues to be received in London with
the same enthusiasm which has marked its
introduction, it is not unlikely that she viii
try the British platform.
Mr.. Frs nix l.. Stanton's first book en-
titled Songs of the Soil" was published
some yeal s ago by D. Appleton & Co. His
many admirers viii be glad to learn that
second book of verse will, in the fall be
offering. Mr.. Henry g. Appleton recently
had a conference with the distinguished
author with the above result.
IT Is inst nossibiRe t6at fhe noble army Of
novel readers is growing a little tired of
the Huguenot romance. the Colonial ro-
American character and all the other va
rieties that have fiourished so freely in re-
cent years. At any rate, the notable sue
cess achieved by Miss Lfljencrantzs Vfk-
ing romance, The Thrau Of Left the
Lucky" just published by McClurg & Co
in an entirely new field is likely to be
gratefully received. This period in history
has been SO far neglected by the seekers
to the authors of this New England house.
-Four of them write of the country beyond
the Missouri Bret Harte's heroes could no1
be other than Californians. Mary Hallock
Foote'S THE Desert and the SOWn' deals
chiefly with Arizona. Frank Lewis Mason s
A. fna md of hp &c a f3l o al
Colorado and Ripley d. Saunders John
KenadieN is an Arkansan.
A book which is seasonable just now
is The Field Book of American Flow
ers,'' by F. S Mathews The author
has collected his material with great
care; one can imagine long excursions
into the woods and tho haunts of the
flowers and many delightful days in the
labor. There are given fairly accurate
descriptions of $50 different American
flowers and drawing of $50, some OF
which are in colors. Enough is told OF
each flower to excite the interest of the
reader, and the volume is one which will
serve as a valuable means to the enjoy
ment of nature as she is in these early
book viii not make a large burden, a
fact which is worthy of note, when one
thinks of the huge ton e-like appearance
of some of the recently published Ma
ture books.
Henry NJ. Alden is the oldest active
editor in this country. He still occu-
pies his little cubby-hole of an Office
in Franklin Square, into which, it is
said, visitor has to walk backwards
if he wishes to get out all right. Along
with his work as editor of ma gazine,
Mr.. Alden has never given up the de-
lights of writing. and in a current null
Der of one of the leading magazines he
gives considerable advice to young
writer's.
After reading Mrs. Atherton's account
of Aaron BUR- as he appears in her novel
The Conqueror, published by the Mac
life of Alexander Hamilton, one IS not
surprised to find that some of the old
colonial houses with which he was iden-
titled and which are still standing have
modore Thomas Truxtons old house at
Cranbury. n. J.. TO which Burr fled after
he had slain Hamilton. has aNSecret panel
which leads to a bedroom which again
leading away from the entrance hall up
to the third story. It was in this room
after the duel There is much local lore
as to the disasters which happened con-
tinually for the next sixty years to
occupants of the house-uncanny deaths.
The spell was not broken until the orig
inal wings of the house were moved by a
superstitious owner, to the opposite side
of the street. and the fine old mansion
has for the past Quarter of century
That such a reputation should cling for
so many years. is an index of the keen
ness of the reaction of popular feeling
which followed the death of Hamilton.
The fury of the populace and the scenes
at Hamilton's funeral are well described
by Mrs. Atherton in her novel