Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-08

Pu"'iSheuoy tne century company the
latter part Of this month, simaAtan&-
99sly With its appearance in England
Germany. Holland and France. A
reader of the manuscript in the Cen
fury office says: 1T is powerful de-
fence of his entire political career-his
defence of his reputation against the
attacks of his enemies-his apologize pro
vita sua. Andsneyer has such a de-
fence been conducted with more vigor
1t reveals the old lion of the Transvaal
at bay. In a clear, unvarnished style.
Astounding in quiet sarcasm and humor,
he aims blowssat his English antago-
nists which have the force of a sledge-
hammer"
The following in regard to a Maine
author is of interest
Myra Sawyer Hamlin, the writer of
Juveniles, whose Catharine's Proxy, a
story of schoolgirl life has been re-
Gently published by Little, Brown &
Company, Eoston. Mass. comes from
old New England stock. Her father,
Frederick A. Sawyer. a Harvard grad
uate, left New England for the south
and was United States senator from
South Carolina. Her childhood was
spent In Charleston, S. c., but she was
educated il Boston and Germany. By
the death of her mother and her faith
er's second marriage, she was thrown
on her own resources early, and taught
for several years before marriage as a
governess in the family of Mrs. Laura
Il. Richards, the well known writer
She was married in 1856 to Charles F.
Hamlin, Harvard, "a. the GRANDSON of
Hannibal Hamlin, and for ten years
lived in New York city, where her hus-
band was engaged in journalistic work
While there she wrote A Politicians
DaIghte., and did some writings for
magazines. In 1897 Mr.. Hamlin went
to Bangor. Maine, his fathers home.
and engaged III the writing of Tine Life
and Times of Hannibal Hamlin. Mrs.
Hamlin gave UP writing and devoted
herself chiefly to the education of her
young daughter, interest in. which
turned her towards writing for young
girls and the development of the Chit
copee series. She has given some par
lor lectures, and conducted classes in
current events also, in the last few
years, and hopes to write another novel
. N--O
next few years. Catharine's Proxy is
destined to be as popular as her famous
Nan stories The new book is an en-
Pertaining story of very modern
young American girl of wealth VINO
fails to appreciate the advantages OF
an expensive education, and at the
suggestion of ner father gives her edu-
cational advantage to another girl, who
for year becomes her proxy.
Frank w. Noxon contributes TO the
Boston Transcript the following article on
| the good work being done by the Boston
Public Library:
our friends at the Boston Public Ii
| brary are so little given to footing theii
| own trumpetS that a very serious ana
| important change of policy has been 60
| Ing into effect among them without the
| publics knowledge.
| THE demand for works of fiction,
says the annual report just out, lis always
very large in any large libraryof popular
| circulation,'' hut it adds, the trustees
| however, are of the opihion that most OF
the books of this character now puplisheo
| have little permanent orseNen teInporar!
| value. and have of late diminished tine
purchase of such books until their value
| can be tested by time.
| In other words the library Is no longer
| attempting to meet the demand, where
| the demand is for trash, and the wore
| trash has been made to INCLUDE con-
siderdbly larger class of stories than for
modification of purpose is not confined To
! Boston, but Is manifesting itself In the
| libraries of other cities.
| Mr.. Putnam has hit upon the idea OF
| asking a number of persons outside the
/ library to read new novels and report on
| them. The Womans Educational Union
| volunteered. and did the work for some
months, after which the librarian re-
| % nI - success.
| organized an official though voluntary
| and unpaid fiction committee.
| Relying upon the mature judgment OF
| Mr.. Carnegie that novel ought to he
| three years old before ii circulateS from a
public library, view, by the way, IT
which MIR. Putnam now SO far concurs as
to recommend probationary period OF
one year, the Whitney administration has
taken a bold stand. Only a few novels
are now bought. AS has been said be-
| fore the total number OF titles in Eng
fish fiction reported in the three bulletins
for March, April and May Of 1901 was 1l3
The reform was entered upon at that time
and the total for August. September and
October was only ffty-four. rms yeai
the reduction contains only ffty-ont
titles of English fiction appearing in the
bulletins for March. April and May, while
the August bulletin listed only five titles
and that of September six, while that oil
October actually mentioned not a single
title of English Gction-probably the firsi
| instance of the kind in the history OF
public library bulletins. The Average
for years has been thirty or forty q
month.
The policy on duplicate copies has also
been modified. Probably the. thirty-hrt
Icopies of David Harum Will not be re-
peated with any other new book.
And this is the strange part: The cir
culation has not fallen off. but is increas
ing faster than ever; and thereby hangs
a tale. -
The new fiction fiends, as everybody has
| observed are getting all the new novels
they can smoke at the private circulating
libraries 1t costs a little but they 40 not
seem to mind. Some of them do business
with more than one private library in or
der to get served faster Now the peri
helou of the private circulating library
l occurred at about the same time when
the Public Library turned off the supply,
| But the Public Library did not discon
| tinue its display of fiction on two open
| cases in the Holy Grail room Those
shelves are labor-saving device not to
be lightly foregone. Your applicant for !
book browses till me picks. takes posses
sion. charges up. and makes gangway.
| Attendants are thus saved the trouble OF
/ looking up slip numbers of books, which
/ are out The Holy Grail room is relieved
! Of a press of people. the fiction cata-
Ilogue Is preserved from speedy rum. and
the city is spared the expense or many
million blue slips annually. If certain
1 determined ladies take possession neal
the cabinet at A. NJ. each day bearing
luncheon, and tarry till the work the,