The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-25
ES ee
 " Prevents and breaks
 up Grip and
COLDS
BOOKS.

Stories and "Cinderella; and Other Stories" have long since become little classics of their kind. and Mir. Davis's Fifth Avenue Stories are as unaffected as those of Cherry Street
 With the advent of Soldiers of For tune" published several years, ago, the breezy spirit and adventuresomeness of the authors temperament was manifest ed and we have class of work that is proving more and more irrisistible Mr. Davis's presence in Cuba and Africa as a war correspondent fit in admirably with the development of this adventuresome tendency, and in consequence Mir. Davis gave us in "The Cuban and Porto-Rican Campaigns" and With Both Armies in South Africa" what was widely conceded to be the best work on either subject. In his new story, Captain Macklin' we have the most ambitious story that MT. Davis has ever written, and one of the important works of fiction of the year. It is a rousing tale of adventure, clear cut brave, and spirited. The freedom and fascination held within the phrase. Soldiers of Fortune" has taken irre- sistible hold upon the mind and heart of the author as surely as 1t has done upon the altogether captivating Captain Mack lin
 It Is the story of a South American revolution and of the interested and con spicuous part played by Captain Macklin during series of various military ad- ventures. He is a genuine Soldier of Fortune" and in the recital of his stir ring experiences, MT. Davis gives his rioutous imagination full swing, until the reader instinctively feels the authors thrill and pleasure fin the exciting events of the story. There is a special element of vividness and personal quality about the story that makes the hero very real and very lovable. It ts -Trttten in MT. Davis's well-know.l sprightly style. The situations are conceived with dramatic skill and that rare sense of humor which makes them thoroughly enjoyable. Zach incident occurs with such natural se- quence that the reader Is simply absorb- ed. There is but one comment, and that is that T1r Davis seems to absorbed with the "South American Campaign to re- veal tcs us fully the love element which is generally such a charming feature ot his stories This is evidenced in the re- f1ecticn. of his hero-"I was no longer 10 be deceived; the one ana only thing really loved, the only thing I understood and craved, was the free, homeless un- tramnlelled life of the soldier of fortune. I wanted to see the shells splash III, the earth again, I wanted to throw my leg across a saddle, wanted to sleep on blanket by campfire, wanted the kiss and caress of danger. the joy which comes when the sword wins honor and victory together, and I wanted the clear, clean view of right and wrong, that is given only to those who hourly walk with death'
 Do not fail to make the acquaintance of Captain Macklin;p I commend him to you. and I, also, commend Beatrice to your gentle sympathy. 4i..s i ss 20,
 "The Little White Bird, or Adventures in Kensington Gardens" by J. M. Barrie. is a tender, fancifui poetic story with novelty of conception and a range also of humor and pathos.
 John Gayther's Garden,- by the late Frank R. Stockton, is a volume of eleven new stories in the authors most amusing manner, all of them connected by a thread of narrative that gives unity to the whole.
 ''vive L. Emperor" by Mary Raymond s. Andrews, Is a brilliant story suggested by some half-told Napoleonic legend. The heroine is charming, vigorous. young woman, and the hero in the tale is a son of Marshal Ney.
 ''Out of Gloucester" by James B. Con- molly, are stories full of both adventure and character. Few writers are as thor oughly In sympathy with type of sea- faring life fast disappearing.
 ''The Shadow of the Rope" by D. ". Horning, Is a story so absorbing that the reader will not likely lay 1t aside until finished. Those familiar with the creator of ''Raffles'' will remember the authors delightful craftmanship.
 We have grown accustomed to look upon F. Hopkinson Smith as literary man first; then a painter and success full one, and last but by no means least. thorough business man. Heretofore, his pictures have received high praise. and his friepds and admirers have regu- larly flocked to his annual exhibitions, and joyfully it seems paid most extraor- dinary prices. In a recent issue of a New York daily, however, his exhibition was characterized as the works Of a traveller who paints" Mir. Smiths wa ter colors which have recently been ex- hibited in Philadelphia and New York, were painted in Venice. Holland, along the Thames. and in Constantinople, as is his usual custom. And of these pic- lures, Henri Pene du Bois says in part, See his "A Corner on the Piazza. It is without air, light, or even conventionally graduated sky or distance. See his 'Breathless Lagoon 1t Is the Silhouette of bark on mechanically tinted paper See any of the other ffty-four works of his catalogue and say if 1t be not trre that there is no art so indiscreet as that of painting. He has not the sense of the colorist that is mate, that may never be acquired, nor the education of the draughtsman, the learning of lines thai comes to one as spelling or grammar etc, etc. Such criticism sounds very cap- tious, indeed.
 It is said that Jack London. the author of "Children of the Frost" and one of our most popular young authors is an ar dent student of sociology. He travels a great deal. In November last he was oh- serving life in the east end of London. being dressed as an American sailor looking for employment, with little or no money in his pockets. At present. he is living near San Francisco with an out look over the golden gate.
 MT. Londons best work is his stories of life in the far northwest.
 A unique book which Is proving to be quite favorite Is The Real Diary of a Real Boy" by Judge Shute of Exeter. N. H. It seems that the diary was kept by the author fully tfrty-five years ago. and describes incidents which actually took place, and nearly all the 125 persons who supply innumerable humorous situa- tions are living today in the east
 s'The Pit" the late Frank Norris much- discussed novel, has just appeared from the press. It has been pronounced the best novel by the author of ''McTeague' and "The Octopus" and It's theme is that of an attempted corner in the worlds sup ply of wheat, with a love story attached