The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-18
Books and Authors
LITERARY NOTES

D. Appleton & Co., 2o3-2Oz Michigan boule-
ward, Chicago, have issued an abbreviated
edition of Marco Polo's travels under the title
"The Adventures of Marco Polo, the Great
Traveler,' edited by Edward Atherton. The
volume is in the series of Home Reading
Books" and is we'll illustrated, and it will
prove interesting to the youngsters who ars
not acquainted with the travelling expert
ence Of the young Venetian who, in the thir-
teenth century, went from Italy across Asia
and reached Peking in three and a hall
years, and became an honored official of tbs
Khan of Tartary. Price IS cents.
English publishers say George Douglass
House with the Green Shutters" is Of
the best-selling books in England and be-
yond doubt the most remarkable novel by a
new writer, recently issued. 1t is certainly
a remarkable novel, and its author is re-
markable man to have the effrontery to
thrust such a blood stained, brutal tale in
the face of long suffering public.
I Sir Charles Warren is writing a book Of
his experiences in South Africa while Off
cally defining the boundary between Grtqua-
land West and the late Orange Free State, al
| a member of the royal engineers.
| The New York Tribune says: kate Doug
| las Wiggin makes a practice of returning
| from Europe for part of her summer in her
country home at Quillcote, on the Saco river,
Maine. She has identified herself with the
| village, where she passed her early child
| hood and does a great deal for the communt-
/ ty. Besides playing the organ in the village
| church and singing in the choir, teaching
Sunday school and lending her house for
church festivities she makes hobby of
| local improvement society. and gives an en-
tertainment each year for its benefit. On
these occasions she often reads from her
! latest unpublished book, and presses any
available guest into service This produces
something between a church fair and
literary salon, and is perennially welcome"
William Winter wrote a coronation ode for
Sir Henry Irving, at his request, to be read
| by Irving in his theater in London on the
night Of King Edwards coronation. 1t will
| compare fayorabiy with Watson's or any
other ode Of the first class yet printed.
The Boston Herald calls attention to q
neglected novel of r. D. Blackmore thus:
/ while the merit as novelist OF Mr. Richard
D. Blackmore is being discussed in view Of
the proposition to build monument to his
memory, it may be appropriate to call at
tention to one OF his novels that has been
strangely neglected by the reading public.
We refer to The Maid of Sker,' a novel
almost the equal of Lorna Doone in merit
and superior to it in the element of shumor.
The quaint manner in which the tale is told
| is Of itself enough to carry the story. The
Maid of Skier first appeared in Blackwood's 9
Magazine, which has published more good
novels than any other periodical of the world.
| It was issued in this country. we think, be-
fore Mr.. Blackmore had made his fame here
with Lorna Doone.' The latter story had
its period of neglect. It had been published
| a year before it began to receive that ex-
traordinary popularity which ultimately at
| tended it,
|