Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-08-15

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Vernon of Haddon Hail." has been at
work since before the publication OF
the book. is a story of Indiana life in
the 3Os The region in which the scene
is laid is the one in which the author
has lived all his life.
Kate Douglas Virgins next book
which Houghton, Mifiiin IL Co. have in
nress, will be called "Rebecca of Sunny
Brook Farm" In it the author, it is
said. has returned to the earlier vein in
which she first won public apprecia-
ton.
The late Frank Norris did not live
long enough to enjoy the financial re-
wards of his literary labors. Reputa-
ton came to him long before popular
ity; "McTeague" sufficed to give him
standing, drew attention to him as the
most promising of our young novelists,
but it was not until the publication of
the Pit" that his work began to be
bought in great numbers. The Pit
still holds fourth place among the
best selling books of the season, yet,
curiously enough, the Octopus Il
stronger and profounder book, has thus
far remained unaffected in its fortunes
by the success of its sequel.
Norris had a position in the offices OF
his publishers, which enabled him to
wait for the prosperity that came too
late. This fall his short stories and es-
saws, entitled "a Deal in Wheat, and
Other Stories of the New and Old
West" and THE Responsibilities OF a
Novelist" respectively, Will be pub
lished separately, as we'll as in COM
plete edition of his works.
The publication of the series of Lit
tie Novels by Favorite Authors" in
which five or six tales have already
appeared, has started some discussion
about the need of the diminutive
| novel. The Springfield Republican
| comments on the growing demand fol
shorter novels, and expresses the
| opinion that the majority of present.
| day novels would be better for being
| cut down half or tWo-thirds. 1T is
| not unlikely that if the fashion of buy
| in.r concentrated novels could once be
| introduced, they would become very
| popular." If only the vital part OF
| each story We're given, one could buy
| and read more books. The conclusion
| of the discussion so far seems TO be
| that the world is probably losing a
| good deal from the simple fact that al
| the present day there is no Involvement
| to the use of literary form pecullar-
Iy suited to the genius of the age.
The Little Novels which started
the discussion are not "cut down OF
condensed" novels at all. They are
simply tales which could not be told If
more words than are used by their au-
thors. because the material would not
suffice. The publication of ICON
densed" masterpieces of fiction. begun
in London some years ago by MT
Stead, was not successful venture.
The novel in Ainslee's for September
is The Blue Moon" by Lucia an6
Esther Chamberlain. Other we'll
known contributors are Gertrude Ath
erton. Poultney Bigelow, f. Nesbit
JOSEPH C. Lincoln, J. j. Bell Charles
EattelI LOOMS, Harold MacGrath
Bliss Carman, Julien Gordon and Os
car King Davis.
Doubleday, Page & CO.. will soon pub
j
| "MonSgny." Mr.. FormanS new mover
|"JourncyS End" was issued in "A very at
ltractivc form by the same publishers an'
lGained n place on the list OF b"st-selilhi
books the past season. The former was
story of a young English lord VINO Wol
his way alone in America as playWrlte
while the new novel deals with the bea'!
ltiful descendant of Il famous french lam
tly and grand-d daughter of an Engllst
I Earl and the complications following the
false accusation by the man she loves. !
is said to be a much more ambitious Worl
THAN the authors other story, complnih&
with the same light touch and deft Srac"
la forcofuncss and realty of passion tina
hold the reader from the start.
| Among the fall publications of the out
look Co, will be books by Steward "a
ward White. Hamilton w. Mabie. FIX
Secretary of the Navy John d: Long, W
Is Rainsrord. j. Horace Mcfarland
lJocclyn Lewis. Joseph +. buchanan
Laura Wilmington, and Prof Edward y
lStcincr. This is a noteworthy list.
| \ writer in the Popular Science monthly
lgvos the following interesting statistics
| As the question of the size of family
lappcars to be much discussed Just now.
should like to call attention to the low
birth rate in novels and plays. which
united as it is with high death rate, will
inevitably lead to the rapid determination
Of the hero and heroine. ] am under the
lcrcasing. and while families of a respect
liable size may be found occasionally in
lThackcraY ana Dickens, they scarcely
lCXiSt in Meredith, Hardy and James. Al
Though so far as | am aware, attention
has never been called to the alarming
conditions. their existence will be recGg-
luized readily by readers of novels and
lpIaYgocrs. 1t will suffice to refer to tive
novels. which | think are farely typical
I"Nanty Fair and "Bcauchamps Ca
rcer."
Becky Sharp was an only child, nor dc
we hear of uncles or aunts VANITY
Fair" is a>noVcl without a hero Sir Pitt
ICrawey. twice married. has four children
his brother five and his sister none; SC
there is an average family of three, just
sufficient to maintain that questionable
line. Osborne and Dobbin each have tive
sisters. and we have again the family
lrequired for a stationary population. The
Sedley family consists of brother and sis
ter. In the next generation, however
things are worse. Amelia has two hus-
bands and two children, Becky one child
Sir Pitt one and Josh none. This is ap-
lparenUy an average family of 1.S3, which
is almost exactly that of the Harvard
graduates, according to President Eliot
In "Beauchamp's Career" Nevil is an
only child and leaves child to survive
him; Everard ROmfrcy, marrying child
less Mrs. Culiing, has one child who dies
in infancy; his brother has none; old Mrs
BeauchamD has none. Austin, BaSkelett