The age-herald., 1902-02-09

Miss Mary Johnston's latest novel, Audrey" which has been running as a serial in the Atlantic Monthly for some months will be published in book form about the middle of February. Many readers consider Audrey the most vital and fascinating figure created by Miss Johnston's imagination. SIX colored il- lustrations by F. C. Yohn form an at tractive feature of the book.
 "The Clustering of Nesula," by Ciin- ton Scollard, is another of this authors charming Italian romances.
 Clinton Scolard is a we'll known edu- cator and was professor of English liter ature and Anglo-Saxion at Hamilton col lege for many years. sHe is one ot the well known poets of the day, although his praise works are equally popular
 Italy in the heyday of all her splendid sins and terrible virtues is fascinating field for any romancer, and Mir. Scollard has made a fascinating romance of his story of the Clustering of the Charm ing Nesula.
 The scene of Edith Whartons first long novel is also laid in Italy during the lat ter half of the eighteenth century. The Valley of Decision" is receiving genuine praise and fully justifies her choice of larger canvas and a more populous pict- ure than those of her previous stories. The scene of "The Valley of Decision is laid mainly at one of the little courts in Italy which were such epitomes of life and civilization.
 fsMN1 ar pao0V fO TOWn' hU Frances Aymar Mathews is spoken of as the "daintiest book of the season." It is compared with Monsieur Beau caire' in points of attraction. And like that romance gives delicate and beauti full picture of the days When patches nestled OCT sweet lips at chocolate times" The story is exquisitely ilustrat- ed and beautifully bound.
 Those who have enjoyed the spicy little stories of E. w. Hormung, will anticipate with genuine pleasure q new novel soon to be issued entitled At Large" The scene is principally laid in England though the adventures related have their beginning in Australia. The usual complications and amusing episodes occur in the new work which characterizes all of MT. Hor- nung's work and which make it so spir- tied and enjoyable.
 Apropos of first editions" it is inter- esting to learn that the first edition of Ernest Seton nompson's first animal book, Wild Animals 1 Have Known" Is already wanted by collectors. Adver- tisements for copies in good condition have been appearing at frequent inter- vals and the price has advanced from $7 last autumn to $10 now. This is some what remarkable when we remember that this edition was only published about four years ago and consisted of 5000 cop ies. It has had fourteen printings since. and is now in its one hundred and fifth thousand.
 recent reviewer gives brief but in- teresting announcement of the new novel dealing with the life and character of Alexander Hamilton which Gertrude Anderson is at work upon. 1t seems that her original intention was to write what she very happily terms "A Flexible Bi- ography," but since her return from a re- cent trip to the Danish West Indies, whither she went to pursue her research es into the question of Hamiton's birth and ancestry, she has worked in the fam. liar medium of fiction, Through this me- dium, in which Gertrude Atherton Is an adept, she will closely preserve the his- torical sequence and almost every import ant incident is based on documentary or published facts, or family tradition. While in the Danish West Indies, she made careful study of the islands as they were in the days of Hamilton and his maternal ancestors, and also examined