The sun., 1903-04-01
BOOKS AND BooxxAxINe.


Nature books play q prominent part In
the spring announcements and one prao-
tical outdoor series promises entertain
ment without sentimentality! John Lane
Ia to publish the series under the General title
Of Country Handbooks,' and tho subjects
already chosen include, The Vramp's
Handbook THE Motor Book THE
Tree Book The Bird Book and The
Woman Out Of Doors"
Apropos Of out-of-door things. since
Robert w. Chambers wrote for q recent
number Of Hdrpsr's about certain queer
meetings with wild creatures In the city
streets. he has received many letters from
men and women who have had similar
experiences. Ono man saw q woodcock
fall exhausted upon the pavement In .
crowded quarter Of New York. An ex-
perienoe more surprising was that OF the
woman who lives In New York apartment
house, and who one day found a big brown
owl perched upon the wood piled In her open
fireplace.
Presumably the bird had come down the
chimney. but IL must have travelled many
| . mile before making the visit.
mfb. rTdncos Ahoue5ou Dufhoss ho1 'e-'N
her partly completed novel aside and Is Civ
Ing all her time and effort to play writing.
This Is q season Of magazine transfers.
Epervbody's Mdoaxine Il the latest to change
owners. II has been sold to Mr.. Ridge
way Of the Munsey firm and John Adams
Thayer, business manager Of the DeHneotor.
Booth Harrington has returned to his
literary mutton. now that the Indiana
Legislature has adjourned, and publishers
are rejoicing as those who have hope. The
young novelist's legislative career has been
distinctly creditable and report says that
his work defeated at least one bad bill
but We have many clever Legislators and
dstressingly few books so good as Mon
sieur Beaucaire.'
Mary Johnston's admirers, who are
many, are regretting the postponement
Of the publication OF her new story, Sir
Mortimer
It was to have followed LADY Roses
Daughter a. q serial In Hdrper's Magazine,
but the Ill health Of the author has delayed
the completion Of the work.
Zenaide Ragozin. who has spent the last
few years In Russia, has been chosen as the
author Of the biography Of Peter the Great,
which Il to be included In the Heroes Of the
Nations series. She writes her publishers
that she has obtained from the Russian
State archives new material which may
alter considerably the accepted estimate
Of the great Russian.
A number OF reviewers, commenting
upon the dificulty Of finding q book title
that will be striking and has not been used
| before, have called attention to the aptness
and humor OF the title selected for q recent
| English publication upon household mat
| ters. please m, the Butcher Is the name
Of the volume. and Immediately the sex Of
| the reviewers is determined. They were
all men.
Any woman knows that In that simple
phrase, sPlease'm, the Butcher lies ono
Of the constantly recurring tragedies Of
life. Humor indeed! This should be q
very sad book.
The Kailyard school OF fiction has another
successful recruit. j. j. Bell OF Glasgow
/ has suddenly, through his "Wee Mac
gregor.' become the rival Of ]. NJ. Barrie
| and Ian Maclaren in Great Britain. Tho
| book IL a simple story Of q little Scottish
boy, but it's sympathy and humor have
raised its author to the front rank OF Scot
tish writer's.
Gertrude Smith. who d among the most
popular writer's OF children's stories. has
recently had q hattering tribute from
English royalty. Her Reggie and Reggie
stories have gained popularity in England
| a. we'll as in America. and the mesa &c
that came to the author was TO the effect
that one tiny son OF English royalty had
for some weeks stoutly refused to 60 to
sleep at night unless 'those two little Amer
| ican boys were tucked under his pillow.
Joseph Conrad evidently has common
sense as well as genius. When asked to
contribute to a recent discussion concern
ing the decay OF the novel, he spoke briefly
and to the point.
.No doubt Mr. Swift ia right in his sur
vey Of the so-called literary production Of
to-day said this writer Of wonderful
fiction. Il dare cay It's jolly bad. For
myself, I've really nothing TO say on the
! subject, being too worried about my own
imperfections TO worry about the ineptitude
OF other people, who probably are az con-
scientious In their way as am trying to
be in mine
This statement, read in the light Of Mr..
! Conrad 9 ACHE vement. might furnish profit
able food for meditation to many Of his
| brother authors.
Lady Roses Daug hter' is to be drama
tized by George Fleming and produced
here by Charles Frohman in September.
! George Fleming IL in private life Miss Con-
stance Fletcher. who dramatized THE
| LIGHT That Failed, q recent London success.
| Another interesting dramat isation is
that OF Charles Reade's famous novel. THE
Cloister and the Hearth which will be
adapted for the stage by Chapman Huston
and produced in Lo ndon In the autumn.
Alfred Henry Lewis Of 'wolfville' fame
has ready another volume OF stories to he
called THE Black. Lion Inn.'
Oddly enough, THE Pit which has been
among the hest selling books Of the season.
has found less appreciation in California,
it's authors native State. than In any other
part OF the country.
| r. N. Doubleday. who. with Edw ard
Box, has been touring In Calf ornia for
| husinass and rleaaurp exDreeAed his mind