davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02
TIE BIRTH RATE IN FICTION.
Statistics Collected from Thackeray and
Others.

From The Popular Science Monthly.
AS the question of the size of family appears
to be much discussed just now, l should like to
call attention to the low birth rate in novels
and plays, which, united it is with a high
death rate, will inevitably lead to the rapid
determination of the hero and heroine. L
under the impression also that the birth rate
is decreasing, and while families of a respect
able size may be found occasionally in Thack-
cray and Dickens, they scarcely exist in Mere
dth, Hardy and James. Although, far
am aware, attention has never been called to
the alarming conditions, their existence will be
recognized readily by readers of novels and
playgoers 1t will suffice to refer to.two novels,
which l think are fairly typcal-"Vanity Fair"
and "Beauchamps Career"
Becky Sharp only child, do we
hear of uncles or aunts. VANITY Fair is
novel without a hero. Sir Pitt Crawley, twice
married. has four children, his brother five and
his sister none; so there is an average family
of three, just sufficient to maintain that queS-
tiona5e line. Osborne and Dobbin each have
two sisters, and we have again the family
qulred for stationary population. The Sedley
family consists of brother and sister. In the
next generation, however things worse.
Amelia has two husbands and two children,
Becky one child, Sir Pitt and Josh none.
This is apparently average family of 1.S3,
which is almost exactly that of the Harvard
graduate, according to President Eliot.
In 'BeauChamp'S Career Nevl is only
child and leaves child to survive him; EVerard
ROmfrey, marrying chidess Mrs. CUling has
one child who dies in infancy; his brother has
BaSkelett, Lydiard and DR.. Shrapnel leave no
pOsterity. OF the three herones Jenny and
Cecilia only children; Renee is of the typ-
cal French family of two but has herself no
children. This is obviously a very bad state
of affairs-an average family of one-half child
and a net fertility of only DAB. AS these sta
tistics have been collected in large measure from
g. fallible memory, they may not be exactly
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

John Murray to whom it had been previously
offered, would not accept 1t unless he was al
lowed to see the manuscript first. Ruskin's
father did not regret its early reception. Books.
he said, like men, often the better If be-
ginning the world in adversely. If Modern
Painters had been Graded in AIbemarle-st ana
fOndled in the Quarterly it might have been
Overlaid in the nursing-smothered with flat
terry"
The latest catalogue of Sotheran. the London
bookseller, contains among its entries, "a library
of political economy on the woman question:
consisting of $4,000 volumes and 1900 pamph-
lets in English and foreign languages.
AlIusion was made in The Tribune not long
ago to the suit brought against the writer's
who publish their books over the signature of
-. H. Rosny.' Further information, which we
find in the Paris Messenger" is to the effect
that the gentleman bringing the suit is the
Orientalist, NJ Leon de ROsny. AS it happens.
he and the novelsts of whom he complains
have recently been engaged in almost identical
spheres of literary work For instance, NJ. de
Rosny is known for his learned studies on the
language of the COreans, and NM. j. II. Rosny
have published translation of COrean romance
entitled lie Printemps Parfume"; M. de Rosny
publishes periodical entitled lie Lotus" and
MN. ]. H. ROsny contribute to review called
LIE Lotus Alba" The confusion which has
consequently arisen is all the more annoying to
the plaintiff, the doctrines inculcated by the
brothers Rosny differ considerably from those
which he himself holds. He asks the courts to
enforce them in future to use their own name
Of Book, to impose a fine Of 100 francs every
time they use the name of ROsny, and to order
them to publish the judgment in twenty news
papers.
Mr.. Rowland E. ProtherO has written a book
on THE Psalms in Human Life and History"
the purpose of which is to show the influence Of
the Psalms turning points of history or at
extreme crises in the lives of famous men and
women.
The huge mass of material concerning the late
William Ernest Henley which has got itself
poured into the columns of the London news
papers appears to have been written in great
measure by his personal friends. The chorus of
praise is broken by hardly single note of criti-
csm. In THE Saturday Review" however
some one with a sense of proportion has written
a paragraph which we reprint for the sake of
its positive felicity of judgment:
He had won a certain position in contempo-
rary letters. His friends speak of his john
sonian powers of conversation, his intense feel
ing of reality. 1t is claimed for him that he
formed a school of letters on that meteor OF a
season, The National Observer In it's latter
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

In the third volume of the new edition of
Ruskin which is being published the first
part of Modern Painters is printed. Mr.. Cook,
in his introduction, quotes from some of the
reviews which it received on IT'S appearance
an anonymous publication sixty years ago. THE
AthenRum' sCorned the work as eloquent
skimble-skamble,' in style which very
readily learned in the Fudge school,, and asked:
What more light hearted rhodomOltade
ever scrawled except upon the walls halloed
except through the wards of Bedlam?'' The book
was published by Smith, Elder & Co, because
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

MacIagan and Mr.. Russell. the former of whom
is a son of the Archbishop of York The editO-
rial comment is to appear in volume apart
from the text The edition is to be dedicated
to Mr.. Swinburne.
The Scribners will soon import in the charm
ing Newnes series of classics printed thin
paper, the complete works of Thomas Love Pea
cock, in one volume.
The Rev. ]. II. Horrox. whose address is the
Vicarage, New Church Pendle. Burnley, Ian
cashlre is editing the life of Harrison Aims
worth He would be Obliged if persons possess
ing letters or papers suitable for calculating the
biography of the novelist would communicate
with him
We have long wished for a good convenient
and really inexpensive edition in English OF the
works of the elder Dumas and we rejoice to OBJ
serve that it is at last TO be put the market.
The Methuens. in London. announce it. to APP
renee the volume. For the translation of The
Three MusketeerS' in the series Mir. Andrew
Lang has written an introduction. which is at
once an essay on the romance and a study OF
Dumas as a writer and as man.
Pierre Lott has been assigned to duty in the
torpedo destroyer VautoUr at ConstantinOple.
The fact IS interesting to readers, as it is in
evitable that Captain Viaud will in due course
give US book on Turkish life.
In November the first number of a new peri
odical is to appear. under the title of The Vent
ure. 1t is to be an annual of art and letters.
and the joint editors To be MIR. Laurence
Hausman and MIR. w. s Vaughan
monograph on Tom Moore is to he included
in the supplementary series OF English Men OF
Letters" 1t Will be written by MIR. stephen
Gwynn.
NJ. !. GRANDCHILDREN well known for his vol
uInes of collected cariCatuTeS has started in
Paris a new weekly called 'ISire ct CfaIanterie'
IN which he proposes to show only such carica-
lures as have previously been published. old and
new.
Mr. George GiSsing is writing a new novel
based on life in the sixth century. 1t is ro-
mantle in tone and very different in atmosphere
from any work or fiction which he has hitherto
produced.
Miss Ellen ThOTneycrOft FOWler'S new novel.
which will be published next month is entitled
Place and Power" 1t deals to some extent
with politics
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

he deals with the writers from whom he quotes
and with the evolution Of aesthetic apprecia-
ton since the close of the Renaissance.
An English translation is to be issued Of the
military history of the South African War.
which the German Headquarters Staff was di
rected by the Kaiser to compile.
More Wellingtoniana- The first Earl of Files
mere, who died sixty years ago, was one of the
dukes friends. He left some personal remi-
niscences of that great man, which have been
edited, with a memoir of Lord Ellesmere, by his
daughter, Alice Countess of StratfOrd, and they
will soon be published. 1t is said that the book
will shed new light the relations of yelling
ton and Butcher at Waterloo
Longmans Green & Co. announce a collection
of the stories contributed by William Morris to
the oxford and Cambridge Magazine first
fruits of the pre-R aphaelite movement. The
book will be called The Hollow Land
There is to be a new book on Edward Fftz
Gerald 1t is in preparation by Mr.. Thomas
Wright and it will contain extracts from let
ters that have not hitherto been published.
Lovers of Fitz Gerald will be Interested in a
note which Mr.. T. X. Browne has recently sent to
The Spectator regarding copy of "Euphra-
nOr'' which belonged to his father. On the fly
leaf the author wrote: This little book would
never have been written had 1 not known my
supplied the model"
Mr.. George Bernard Shaw has a new book on
the eve of publication. 1t opens with about
forty pages of dedication to MIR A Is. WalkIev
the dramatic critic. 1t contains a play entitled
Man and Superman." and is described as being
very miscellaneous volume indeed.
a Mr.. Leo Deutsch. who is described as oone
OF the original terrorists." imprisoned at
kiev and escaped Later he was arrested I'm
Germany and eXtradited to Russia. Then being
sentenced to penal servitude, he was sent to the
political prison at Kara. in Eastern Siberia He
escaped again in 1901 having in the mean time
witnessed the massacre at Blagovestschensk
He has written an account of his experiences
which is to be published this fall
A beautiful book is being made for the
autumn season on the life of Lady Diana Beau
clerk the elder daughter of Charles Second
Duke OF Marlborough Her first husband was
Frederick, Lord Bolingbroke; her second was
the famous wit, Topham Beauclerk She was a
woman OF artistic instinct She decora taJ
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

The biography of Caroline Matilda, young
est daughter of George Ill. which Mr.. w. ii.
Wilkins is bringing out. is to be called "A Queen
of Tears" It's heroine, it will be remembered,
when Queen of Denmark, divorced and i'm
prisoned on suspicion of an intrigue with her
husbands Prime Minister. George III obtained
her release. She died at Cele, in Hanover. in
1873.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

correct and they may not be entirely rep
resentative but 1 am confident that they
would be substantially confirmed by more ac-
curate and extensive data. They certainly fore.
tell the rapid determination of the population OF
he novel.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02
LITERARY NOTES.

Mr.. II. B. Marriott Watson has written new
romance entitled Captain Fortune" dealing
with the adventures of a young lady who be
comes involved in the Cornish rising dur ng the
civil war in 1913.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

DAYS IL was one of the worst papers ever pro-
duced in it's earliest it was one OF the best
though il never appeared to have the stun OF
permanence. Perhaps il was too affected one
reader, we remember. gave II up because yen
sentences on one page began with Twas but
many of the writer's when they relapSed 10 SIM
nlicity began to achieve distinction. and II Is 10
the honor of Mr. Henley that he tried the power
of attracting to himself what genius was 10 De
found in London. OF Mr. Henley's own work
we are still too much in the huriy-burly to tell
the range Two three small lyrics have the
insistence that only real feeling can give, and
the songs he wrote from hospital have in them
a sort of morbid courage which is unlike any
quality that we can remember elsewhere Often,
il may be- he mistoOk for reality sort OF street
realism; but just now 1t is his best Work thaI II
is best to remember.
A monument to Jules Simon, by Puech, has
inst been unveiled near the Madeleine. in Paris.
He is represented standing. dressed in a frOck
coat with his crossed, in an attitude OF
defiance.
Mr. Justin Mccarthy author of "A History Of
Our own Times and number of other popular
books has been granted by the British Govern
ment pension of $3.50 year.
Mr. H Neville Vaughan has compiled gen
eraI repertOry of Italian travel which he will
presently publish in HANDY form. The book aims
at giving picture of the principal Italian towns
from the travels of Evelyn, De BrOSSes, Goethe,
Shelley, Gautier, Tame, Symonds and many
other writer's The compiler has himself written
some descriptions and an introduction, in which
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

he deals with the writers from whom he quotes
and with the evolution of aesthetic apprecia-
ton since the close of the Renaissance.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

Longmans, Green & Co. announce collection
of the stories contributed by William Morris to
the oxford and Cambridge Magazine first
fruits of the pre- Raphaelite movement The
book will be called The Hollow Land.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

Maclagan and Mr.. Russell the former of whom
is of the Archbishop of York The editO-
rial comment is to appear in a volume apart
from the text The edition is to be dedicated
to Mr.. Swinburne.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

Gerald. 1t is in preparation by Mr.. Thomas
Wright, and it Will contain extracts from let
ters that have not hitherto been published.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

The latest catalogue of Sotheran. the London
bookseller contains among its entries "a library
of political economy on the woman question"
consisting of $4,000 volumes and 1900 pamph-
lets in English and foreign languages.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

Mr.. George Bernard Shaw has new book on
the eve of publication. 1t opens with about
forty pages of dedication to MIR A g. WalkIey
the dramatic critic 1t contains play entitled
Man and Superman." and is described as being
a very miscellaneous volume indeed
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

An English translation Is to be issued OF the
military history of the South African War,
which the German Headquarters Staff was di-
rected by the Kaiser to compile.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

The Rev J. H HOrrOX whose address is the
ViCarage, New Church-in-Pendle. Burnley, Ian
caShlre. is editing the life of Harrison Aims
worth He would be Obliged if persons possess
ing letters or papers suitable for calculating the
biography of the novelist would communicate
with him
Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-05-29
Mexico viii use Silver.

Ei Paso. Texas. May 25.-it is GER
tain that Mexico will soon have a
stable dollar. fixed at a nom -fluctuating
value Of 80 cents. This news comes to
FL Paso from Official sources. II is said
Mexico's financiers will never permi,
silver to become secondary in the Re
public. They will allow II to be the
coin of the realm, however. only at a
fixed ratio.
OF all the silver produced in Mex
leo. ninety-cight per cent. is now in
Asia. and the total amount of silver
now in the republic will not exceed
slOo.o00.O0o. Silver is being boarded
in Mexico to-day as was gold in the
days Of the gold standard.
As a result of the assurance of a
stable currency for Mexico. much for
eign capital is being invested there and
more will be placed within the next
few months.
Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-05-29
AWFUL ACCIDENTS
IN AN AUTO RACE

Paris. May :i.-winning the nrs,
stage of the Paris. Madrid automobile
race. ". Gabriel arrived at bordeaux in
6 hours. II minutes. II is seconds. al
lowing for siarkcned speed in towns,
Ills actual time Was = hours. minutes,
beating ~. fournier's record of 5
hours. ~ minutes.
sir persons we're Killed and four sa-
tally Injured during the race. and on
account Of these accidents. the French
premier. N. combes. issued an order
forbiddins continuation Of the race on
French soil.
At a crossing at Aivcyres, ". LoF-
aiur Barrow's vehicle turned TO one
side to avoid running over dog. The
automobile slfvcd around and struck
asains, a tree. ,hfovins out the u,,s.
pants. Borrow ohs.--...: vas killed
aI ihe spot. and he himself was picked
I'm unconscious and carried to DR.. Vi
,rac's private hospital. According to
latest reports he is still alive. but little
hone ts entertained of his survival.
At the same level crossing. Stead
and his machinist were both. Killed in'
s,an,iy. Mcssrs. Harrow and Stead both
rode Dietrich vehicles.
Earlier in the day Marcel Renault
winner of the Paris-vienna race. met
with an accident at Cyubi-NcTac
which. IL is expected. will prove fatal
He was picked up in a hopeless con
tljtion and had not reEained conscious
meas four hours later.
One old woman and two soldiers
watching the racers at Angoulemc
were Killed outright.
Barrow underwent a severe operation
in the abdomen and. should he by Q
miracle be alive to-day he will have tc
undergo amputation of the ,hish.
Marcel Renauit is in a coma,ose con.
iitiop. owing TO a fracture OF this
skull and his condition is hopeless.
Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-05-29
OLD egAUx ARE DELIGHTED.
One Woman Who Has Not RELOCATED
Their Virtues TO the Mussy oarret.

tHcF virtues 70 INC Wunty o5ffeG
As n rule when woman gets, mar.
ricd she tries to pluck from her 70.
mcmbranco nil thoughts OF those who
once paid court to her. Yet shc can
have kindly feeling for them
without In tho siiEh,cs, degree being
untrue To tho man who anaii. ~on
her.
u love my old bcans." says III. won.
an who Is bound 10 b. cheerful. They
comfort me and max. mo forget un-
p!casantncssca. An old beau ls ScFy
nice u he's at all prcsrniabic. Ny
husband says hateful things. to tho
effect that I'm rlInousiy .xtrasaEant.
always wanting things and he Init.
mates that only an angel Of his o~n
magnitude could manage 10 set along
with me at all. No, so my old bcaus.
They say he's the iuekIest of men
and Intimate that they would havc
been better men had Providence been
thus Kind 10 them. Even the married
ones aren't sa had. When their wives
sue for divorce or their babies get tho
measles they look volumes which seem
TO say that all would have been differ.
ont had not an unicscfrinE one borne
on the prize. These unsolicited t.z.
,imoniais ar as stimulating ta mo as
old ~inc. II isn't the siiEh,cs, use
to repeat them TO my husband. how.
ever. lie simply reminds mo that
women arc so easy that they're tire.
some and that those 'nincompoops'
don't have TO pay the bills
Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-05-29
IN LAND OF "evANoeLlNe."
Beautiful Bayou Teche Country Ap-
peals to Every Visitor.


The "Teche country" Hoe often
one hears the country of southern
Louisiana spoken of and so few really
have seen the beauties of 1t, and still
1t lies in most convenient locality,
with several important little cities
and many magnificent plantations on
Its banks. Then again, Longfellow
immortalized the ancient river in his
''Evangeline." There Is n certain some
thing. say. dreamlness. which takes
hold of one. and enthralled by the haze
of the sunshine and mist you look
upon the commonplace as sunshine.
At st. Martinsville the widespread.
Ing "Evangeline oak" is near the
bridge, and one can almost see the
cove into which the skin was drawn
as Gabriel passed up the stream. each
wandering in searc,i of the other. and
the thick underground Of palms and
vines obscuring the gaze from the
passer.by. The town itself seems to
have changed but little. n settlement.
more or less. The creole French is
spoken in shops and market. Narrow
brick pavements. shaded by galleries.
are built out to the curb. pavements
always spoken of as "banqucttes." The
white chapel with Its graveyard. with
two brick oven graves. claimed to be
those OF the two romantic lovers. adds
greatly to the impression that you
have stepped out OF the busy world
for n time and cannot realize that
somewhere electric cars are dashins
through streets or imagine traffic
stopped to allow some scurrying pc.
destrian to edge to n crossing.
Hero the dust is undisturbed and
the bayou flows peacefully on. on past
some roomy. Wide plantation house.
on TO the sugar house. with It's tower
Ing chlmncys. sheds and machinery.
Then cabins. like rows of dusty sugar
loaves. add to the characteristic pan
Drama. Tho mammoth trees. with
their dropping moss. hanging low Ia
tho waters edge. Intcrminslcd with
shiny palms and luxurinnt ferns.
stamp the scene M tropical. II drop
ped from the clouds you would never
hesitate to name tho place as way
down SOUTH
Tho thriving town OF New iberia Ii
fast gaining prominence. Then lean
crcttc. quite lumber center. claims
recognition. Tho timbcriand and inm.
bcrIng facilities are fast developing
interest and n,,ractIn. speculative
attention. all through tho waters ot
the Ion. neglected. sleepy. unused
Tcchc.
Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-05-29
THE POTATO IN GERMANY.
Berlin Exposition Devoted to the
Famous American Tuber.

An exposition is now "on" in Berlin
devoted to showing what can be done
with the potato as human food. as food
for animals and as material for alco-
hol, starch, dextrin. etc. A full account
OF 1t Is given In report by Consul
General Mason.
One-eighth of all the arabic land in
Germany is planted to potatoes. For
every 10000 people We plant 3i.5 acres.
Great Britain and Ireland 81 acres.
France 9S acres, Germany 100 acres.
The quantity of potatoes raised per
acre is greater in Germany than else
where. 1t has been Increased thirty
eight per cent. In recent years by men
in spectacles who never Touch a hoe.
but investigate soil needs.
One-half the potatoes are eaten us
human food. so that Germans must eat
far more potatoes than do other peo-
pies. Prizes are now offered for the
best apparatus for preparing potatoes
for animal food.
Dextrin and potato starch are famil-
lar everywhere. but potato-alcohol de-
velopments in Germany are thoroughly
up to date. The Daimler Motor Com
pany-thc same that makes automo-
biles-built fifty-horse power engine
run by potato alcohol aS fuel for the
Russian marine department; II was
greatly admired by Emperor William.
Lighting apparatus for streets. rooms
and shops and many forms OF alcohol
heating stoves are interesting. The ad-
yantages are obvious. No smoEc, no
smell. no great exhaustion OF the air,
comparative cheapncss. The best lights
are those which pass potaio-aleohol
vapor through a mantle like the Wells
bach.
Alcohol for commercial purposes
pays neither tariff nor tnN In Germany.
The Central Association for alcoholic
distribution sells II ut any railroad sta
ton in Germany for from 10 TO IL cents
n sallon-a cheaper fuel than oil is In
this country under the hcneiieent tar
IN that protects the Standard OIL Com
pany's Infant industry.
Motor carriages. even yachts and
small naval vessels can be driven by
potato-alco engines.
Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-05-29
An Ixnsnsix. oua,a,ion,

The man who was soliciting for a
charitable institution argued long and
earnestly. lie wanted contribution
Of siO0. Finally the merchant reached
for his check book.
The Lord ioveth a cheerful Eiver."
quoted the solicitor. with cheerful sat.
isfactiun.
Does He7" asked the merchant,
hesitating.
"You1l End il in the Bibic,'' asserted
the solicitor.
The merchant put back his check
book.
Il was about TO give you $780," he
explained, but I couldn't possibly do
that cheerfully. Doubtless it would be
more pleasing in the eyes of the Lord
u | kept down TO point where
could be cheerful
Thereupon he handed a fve-dollar
bill to the solicitor and smiled pleas
antly.