The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-02-08
In The Realm ~ ~ ~
- ~ of Me1v Books

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Surely Gouveneur Morris mus, have won by
his latest story, Aladdin oBrien," any who did
not yield to his spell In tom Beauling." In the
very FIRST chapters. when Aladdin and Margaret
are erusoed on an island away down the wide
river, the boys manly pluck aud tenderness take
strong hold on the readers heart.
The account Of how the foundation Of Alad-
din's lifelong devotion 10 Margaret was laid
is thus touehingly toid Margaret began TO cry
and Aladdin to comfort her, and they stumbled
about in the woods trying to hnd--anything,
| After while they happened into grassy glade
between two steep rocks, and there agreeing to
rest. serunohed into depression Of the rock
/ on the right And, Margaret, her nose very
| red, her hat at an angle, and her head on Alad-
din's shoulder, sobbed herself to sleep. And
I then, because being trusted is next TO being
/ God, and the most moving and gentlest condition
possible, Aladdin for the FIRST time. felt the full
/ measure of his crime In leading Margaret from
/ the straight way home, and he pressed her close
/ to him and stroked her dTaggled hair with his
cold little hands and cried Whenever she moved
( In sleep, his heart went out to her and before
! the night was old he loved her forever" Truly,
( even the first three chapters OF Aladdin
! O'Brien" most BEAUTIFULLY warm the heart and
stir the spirit; and this glow OF sympathy and
/ admiration dies not down through the thirty
three chapters that follow, for, as the story Of
/ Aladdns life unfolds itself be develops into
4 just the sort OF his boyhood promised
How mis- readily responsive heart and mind re-
eeived inspiration from any slightest poetic in
! huenee fate allowed TO fall in his way Is touch
ing to contemplate. How eagerly he devoured
the mesger supply of literature accessible to him
when boy, what part of il he sssimilated and
/ built into himself, is presented by the author in
the most naif and sympathetic manner imagin-
able
The little sketches Of his life and work as a
Newspaper man are vivid, warm, instinct with
life and must strike right home to those who
have been there" The genial, poetic tempera-
ment and generous character of Aladdin the low
able we'll that one little weakness that lay
ever in wait to overthrow him. are attributable
to his Celtic blood And from almost the very
start he Is so cnthroned in the readers heart
/ that it often tremblingly yearns over him.
Aladdin is by no means the only noble and
beautiful character in the book Peter Manners,
and the three giant ST. John brothers are slori-
Gus creatures TO know and iove-~and are by no
means impossible or even improbable people
But the rason d'ette OF novel should be the
story it tells--and the plot of Aladdin o'Bren"
as well as the satisfactory way by which 1t un-
folds itself, is strong and full Of live human
interest.
The war chapters are possibly the grandest in
the book That so young man as Gouveneur
Morris present pictures so realistically exact
in every detail OF camp-life, battle scenes and
army experiences generally during the OF the
sixties fills one with establishment and recalls that
remarkable fact about Stephen Graves Red
Badge of Courage" that although he had never
been in or seen battle, men who fought at
Manassas said that his description OF fierce
fight between two great armies had all the eS-
actness OF photography and the truth of high
painting.
Here's hoping that we may soon another
novel over Mr., Norris signature and that it
T.. III TN..a. =.
could hardly be more so,
THE American Idea" (Dodd, Mead Coz
is a collection of typical American documents
tending TO show the motives and meaning OF the
spirit that animated our people in the founding
and administration Of our government The col
lection is compiled by Joseph h, Glider, and is
highly valuable as book of reference.
The very straightforward, practical and alto
gether able introduction to the volume is written
by Mr.. Andrew Carnegie
y + +
The February Harper's is extremely fine Its
table of contents is as follows "Frontispiece in
Tint" by Elizabeth Shipper Green "Buondel-
monte" a story in two parts, by Maurice Hewlett
paintings by Elizabeth Shipper Green The Dutch
Founding of New York" by Thomas A. Janvier,
illustrated from old prints, maps, seals; Ar
rears" Ga poem). by Ada Bartrick Baker; "The
Caravan" "a story, by Mary Tracy Earle, illus
trated by Fletcher c. Ransom True Gods and
False in Art" by Jean Leon Gerome, with in
PRODUCTION by Andre Castaigne; The Mother'
hood Of Beeehy Daw' "a story, by Philip Yer
r Mighels; "a Study Of 'Decreed Town ="
by Richard T. Ely, Phi. D., LID, illustrated from
photographs "The Treis" IA story) by Margaret
Cameron, pictures by John Wolcott Adams "The
Cost" "a poem) by Charlotte Becker "Thc Mer.
Mother" The Pine Lady" (poems) by Richard
lie Gallienne, paintings by Sarah S. Stilwell :
Rights Of Man" "a story, by George Madden
Martin, illustrated by c. J. Post; The Literary
Age Of Boston," by George Edward Woodberry,
professor of comparative literature, Columbia
"A Summer In Sandolo," by Mary II. PeiSotto,
drawings by E. c. Peixotto, reproduced In color
The Last Gift" "a story, by Mary 2. wilkins
Freeman, illustrations by William Hurd Law
renee "lmpatiehee" "a poem), by Mildred How
ellis "The Edge of Empire" by Edwin Lester
Arnold illustrations from photographs; The Lit
tie Cruise of the Violetta'" Ia story, by Arthur
Cotton, pictures by Peter Newell Lady Roses
Daughter" IA noveD, by Mrs Humphry Ward,
illustrations by Howard Chandler Chrsty Mol
lusks" "a poem), by Henry Jerome Stockard F;
"Darwinism In the Light Of Modern Criticism, -
by Thomas Hunt Morgan Phi D.. professor Of
biology, Bryn Mawr; "The Hundred and Oneth"
"a story by Annie Hamilton Donnell, drawings
by r. Y. Cory; Twilight" "a poem) by John
Vance Cheney; EDITORS Easy Chair" by Viii
liam Dean Hewes; "Editor's Study" "Edtoy's
Drawer; AN Omar for Ladies'" by Josephine
Dodge Daskami Keeping 3 Seat at the Bene-
ft" by May Isabel Fisk, illustrated by Mrs.
shinn. Other contributions by Virginia Frazer
Dempstef Sherman, Drawings by Peter Newell,
G. A. Hsrker. Henry Mayer, F. strothmsan.