The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-01
BOOK NOTES.
Various Items About Books Which
Are Attracting Attention.


The original manuscript of The Rag
ged Edge" by John T. Mcintyre, Me
Clre, Phillips & Coz is probably as
ragged IN appearance as any ever turn
ed out in the poet-fn-a-ga garnet" days
when paper was scarce and poor auth
ors had to use what they could get
Hardly two of the sheets are of the
same size. and very few of the same
color The greater number of the chap
tiers were written when the author was
employed in Philadelphia book store
on bits of wrapping paper or anything
that came to hand in the waits between
customers. The appearance of the i'll
assorted roll of sheets of diverse par
entage was in itself sufficient to have
inspired such a title as THE Ragged
EDGE"
.'On the Cross" the new novel in
which it is said "Trilby" would have
had a rival. is now in its third edition.
Drexel Biddle of Philadelphia, the pub
Usher states that two large editions
have already been sold, although this
book was published only two weeks go.
Among the important leading articles
in the October Atlantic is Frank Fox
crofts "A Study of Local Option in Ii
quor Selling" Mr. Foxcroft has exam
ined the workings of the Massa ehusetts
local option law very exhaustively. His
clear and interesting account of the
conditions of its administration, its on
GRAFTON, and its effect upon individual
towns and cities viii be read with profit
by everybody interested in this vitality
important subject. The paper is eSpec-
tally exemplary and timely in view of
the recent elections in Vermont and
Maine one at least of which was fought
out upon this very question and result
ed in an unprecedented political over
turn.
Lynn Roby Meelxins has written d
novel, a good part of which has to do
with his own experiences. AS boy he
clerked in a country store - to Il hours
a day, with three extra hours work for
good measure thrown in on Saturday
and for this he received the munificent
salary of s1.25 week. But there was d
good deal of fun accidental to this hard
work, and in Adam Rush he has
drawn from these recolleetions In that
capital story of young man who
makes a stalwart fight for living and
recognition, there is a village store
keeper who viii make a good many
people laugh heartily. In fact there is
fun of the best sort all through the
book. Mir ATeek.ns is the author of
abont 200 short stories, printed in maya
zines and weekly periodicals., and is
known to thousands of readers from his
contributions to the Saturday Evening
Post.
One of Houghton. Mifiin & CO.'S most
! attractive holiday books is Grimm
Tales Made Gay" by Guy Wetmore
/ Carryl, whose art OF writing droll and
merry verses has already given him 2
reputation IN his earlier books. Fables
/ for the Frivolous and Mother Goose
( for GrOWn-uDS." The present volume
as its title indicates, is based upon
Grimm's fairy tales. These Mr.. Carryl
travesties in very clever and amusing
metrical version In addition to Grimm :
| tales. he has used one or two of dif-
ferent origin. such as "Blue Beard and
Aladdin The elaborate form of illus
tration is a noteworthy feature of the
! book 1t consists of grotesaue marginal
sketches and a full page Illustration for
each verse all being the work of Albert
! lowering. whose drawings in Life, Han :
per's, Seribner's. and elsewhere have
won him reputation.
/ Hawthorne's Works have Just been
published by Houghton: MifTfin & CO., in
a New Wayside Edition in thirteen vol