The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-18
NEWS OF THE BOOK WORLD
Book of Good Stories of College Life by
"U" Students and Aiumni-Bisho
rs SpaIding's "Glimpses of Truth"-New
EngIand's History In Ballads.

Stories of college life by alumni and
students-tWenty of them, and good ones
too-are included between the covers of
Minnesota Stories, collected and arranged
by Charles f. McClumpha, Phi. D., profess
sor of English in the University of Min
nesota, and w. l. Thomas, instructor in
rhetoric in the same institution.
The publication of such a book is an
event of no small Importance in the his
tory of the institution. The stories can
stand the test of literary merit, entirely
aside from any local or personal appeal
they may make. While, therefore, they
will be read with great interest by uni
NerS1ty students and by university alumni,
to whom the book is dedicated, they can
be read by. and will hold the interest of,
the general reader. How much of fact
underlies the stories it is impossible for
one who has not been in close touch with
the 'U, to say, but it should be empha-
sized that the enjoyment of them does
not depend at all upon ones having been
in touch with the. university affairs. -
There are motifs for all tastes or for
one varying moods If q love tale. is
desired, there are several to pick from;
if humor is wanted that, too, is supplied;
and the tragical, in varying depths, is
not missing. -.>.-> -...--
| 1t is difficult to choose any few of the
stories for special mention. But to us
"A Christmas .Prodigal,' by Alice e.
/
| faithful picture Of a not-uncommon Incl
| dent in college life :It is the story of
| young fellow who was experimenting Sin
| the fun to be obtained from cards and
wine suppers and billiards in his senior
| year, to the detriment Of his studies.
| He did nothing bad, was only foolish"
| which is more than can be said for many
a student who experiments in like man
ner, but came to an awakening the day
| before Christmas Miss Dyar also has
another story in the list, being the only
one doubly honored.
'"rhe Barker Twins anonymous, is a
| good yarn of how a freshman president
| was in two places at once-at the Fresh.
man Assembly, much to the cllegrin Of
/ the "Sophs,'' who were in the gallery to
guy the lower -elassmen on the absence
of their leader, and somewhere else care
/ fully guarded by a dozen 1usty sopho-
/ mores.. The laugh was certainly on the
"Sophs" that time
THE Impossible Thirteenth by Amy
! Oliver has nothing to do with the Thir-
! teenth Minnesota regiment, in which many
/ '.U'' students We're enlisted, but with an
algebraic problem which furnished the
ground for the beginning of a friendship
/ which doubtless. passed beyond the Pla-
! tonic stage.
/ The stories are delightful for the at
/ rnosphere of youth and it's high hopes
! which +pervades them. This is refreshing
zand invigorating. The young people who
i have written the stories have written that
i atmosphere into them: They have made
/ of their characters no impossibilities and
there is almost none of the exaggera-
4 tions that one might have expected to find
lin a. book of tales prepared as these have
been.
The names of the writers who have not
/ already been mentioned are Irene p. Nc
Aeehan, skatharine j.. Gallagher Sam Cor
nish. Carlton Wright Miles, Ruth Leonard,