The St. Louis Republic., 1903-05-30

the zoo: the tea party at Aunt Purdie's
where. despite the mothers careful warn
ings. ''Macgreegor" gets into trouble-all
add humor and genial charm to the book.
The story may be said to combine the kind
ly humanity and gentle domestic at
mcsphere of Burns's "Cotter's Saturday
Night with all the laughable fun of
''Helen's Babies" 1t has taken Great Brit
ain by storm. and Mr.. Bell is hailed as
new and genuine humorist, rivaling Ian
Maclaren and ]. NJ. Barrie in popularity.
l. Frank Baum. the famous author of
fairy tales. declares children should have
no suggestion of love or marriage in their
literature; therefore in all his stories that
ancient idea of the Princess marrying the
Prince. Ito live forever and die happy" Is
conscientiously eliminated and a plot of
simple though stirring adventure is relied
upon to hold the attention of the childish
reader. Love. as depicted in literature,
says Mr. Baum. '1s a threadhare and un-
satisfactory topic which children can COM
prehend neither in Its esoteric or exoteric
meaning. Therefore it has no place in
their storybooks Another curious thing
about Baum's stories is that no person Is
ever killed. or even painfully injured. In
any of them. and only pleasantly exciting
themes are utilized The new Baum book
for this year is to be called The En-
chanted Island of Yew." 1t will be pub
lished by the Bobbs-Merrill Co.. Indianapo-
lis.
Emperor Williams stand against certain
conclusions of the so-called higher crit
les, has aroused among the general public
an interest in theological controversy here
tofore confined to Biblical scholars. To such
persons Outlines Of the History of Dog
ma" by Professor Harnack. translated by
Edwin Knox Mitchell NJ A, and published
by Funk & WaSnalls Company. will be very
helpful Doctor Schaff says of the author:
"Harnack is the fourth and ablest sue
cessor of Neander in the University Of Ber-
lin. an inspiring teacher and easily the first
living church historian of Germany"
His name has been mentioned In the pres
ent controversy as holding views concern
ing the Godhead Of Christ similar to those
of Professor Friedrich Delitzsch. which are
opposed by the Emperor.
It will probably be a surprise to many to
be told that Joseph Conrad, the author Of
YOUTH" the three tales Of the world s
waterways, that Mcclure, Phillips & Co.
have just brought out. is not writing in
his native tongue. when he writes in Eng
lish. Mr.. Conrad's power over English has
been frequently referred to as "wizardry."
He seems to have all the most incisive and
suggestive words of the English language
at his beck and call. and his masterful de-
scriptions have a vividnesS and strength
that few. If any, English born writer's can
match.
Mr. Conrad is no Englishman. but Pole,
and was born In a Southern province of Po-
land. His father was a noted critic and
poet who edited patriotic review at War
saw. Conrad received his education at a
school in Cracow. or at least such begin
ming at an education as his natural rowing
spirit would let him make. He very early
put himself in the path OF adventures, and
was only slip Of a chap when he took to
the sea- and began those experiences which,
put down in his inimitable English, have
SO enriched our literature.
Simeon Ford. the famous after-dinner
speaker. who has written "A Few Re-
marks" for Doubleday. Page & Co. to pub
lish next month. tells in his book what his
first employer said to him when he ex-
pressed desire to learn "the business
thoroughly" He applied for work in a
hotel, and on looking him over and taking
'.in the full details Of my Gothic style of
architecture" the man said: Mature las
not been very lavish TO you in the matter
of aeshy charms, but she has evidently in
tended you for some purpose, and in my
| opin.on that purpose Ia to perfectly adspt
| YOU to going up stepladder. crawling over
F! a transom, and opening the door in case
\ of suicide" Whether or not the estimate
proved correct on the physical side. Mfr.
Ford was destined to be humortst, and,