The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-01-25
Bits About Books -
~ and Their Authors

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Though Anthony Hope writes so we'll about
women, and can picture them in their most fas-
einating moods--and nowhere more effectively
than in his latest story. "The Intrusions of
Peggy he himself seems quite impervious to
feminine attractions lie has at present bach
elor's fiat in the Savoy mansions, close to the
Savoy hotel on the Thames Embankmcnt, which
IS furnished in old fashioned mahogany. The
walls are hung with number OF rare eolored
prints, OF which Mr. HOPE is a discriminating
collectors He Is also fond OF sport, and was
formerly an enthusiastic and prominent football
player but for some time past has abandoned that
stressful sport in favor Of golf.
=
A bachelor of about forty-eisht, who was in
the habit of wintering in one Of those towns
which Stevenson has described somewhere as
"perehed like birds on the olive-crowned cliffs
OF the Riviera" had undertaken the escort OF four
small children, their ages ranging from six 20
twelve, on the tedious journey OF some thousand
miles, to visit grand parents residing in England.
lie was relating the various experiences through
which he had passed this long journey 70 a
lady sitting next to him at dinner party. Rud-
yard kipling on the opposite side, but little
lower down, happened to catch some Of the re-
marks, and asked TO have the narrative repeated
Having had the entire episode related 70 him,
he looked wonderingly across at the quixotie
twentieth century bachelor and murmured gently
For of such Is the kingdom of heaven"
Professor George F. Woodberry Of Columbia
university draws some Illuminating pictures of
Emerson Hawthorne Whittier, Longfellow and
other famous men, in an article on THE Literary
Age of Boston" in Harper's Magazine for
February. Professor Woodherry defends Long
fellows poetry from those who follow q certain
fashion in deerying them. OF "Hiawatha,"
Evanseline," and Miles Standish" he saws
The fact can not be eainssid that each Of these
remains the only successful poem of its kind
one OF Che Indian life, one Of colonial pastoral,
one Of the Puritan idyl, while the trials made by
others have been numerous"
Darwin's theory OF natural selection Is not
being strengthened but rather the reverse, by
later experiment and study In Harper's Maya
zine for February Thomas Hunt Morgan, Phi. D.,
professor OF biology at Bvn Mawr college dis
cusses the subject in an article entitled Darwin
ism in the Light OF Modern riucism" In con
troverting Darwin, he explains that new flower
species appear suddenly without going through
any apparent process OF evolution, while among
animals striking example OF the same process
is in the 'Japauned' peacocks, which appear oe-
casionally in England in entire Aocks, and pro
pagate themselves quite truly Prof Morgan
gives an interesting account of the important
detrimental flower garden Of Hugo de Vries, at
Amsterdam.
The author Of COLLECTIONS and Reoollections"
and AN Onlookcr's Note Book a. ". i Rus
SELL those Witty and entertaining chronicles of,
essentially the men, women and things Of the
world has now surprised his American readers
by publishing in England volume Of religious
papers under the title The Household Of Faith"
The subject of the essays is the nnifyng element
Of all religious Life
Before Peter Newell began the work of H.
lustratinR Lewis CAROLS alice" stories for the
Harpers, he was camping in Colorado with his
family They were living in real tent, and
when news came Of a nocturnal murder In the
near ncighborhood, there was considerable ner-
vousncss manifested by some Of the members OF
the family circle who objected 10 going 10 bed
under the circumstances. Mr.. Newell then hit
upon original device. He cut out some sill
houcttes representing men Of the toughest west
eru type, with long fierce mustaches, some with
cigars aud all with pistols in their belts and in
the attitude Of men intensely interested IN game
Of poker These silhouettes Mr.. Newell care
fully fastened 10 the inner canvas OF the tent
At night the family, stepping outside into the
darkness TO view the result were cntranccd with
its success The shadows thrown from the
silhouettes in the lighted interior indicated
tent filed with poker playing pistol-shoohng des-
peradocs II was magnificent Thenccforth the
Newell family slept in pastoral peace
= \ =
Justin Huntley Mccarthy, whose story, III
Were King" was recently printed serally In
The Post, is poet well a novelist and
practical playwright. His pose translation Of
THE Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam" is prefseed
by these graceful verses;
Omar, dear Sultan of the Persian song,
Familiar friend, whom have loved 80 long
Whose volume made my pleasant hdng-place
From this fantastic world of right and wrong.
My youth lies hidden In thy pages,
10 read, and as the haunted numbers flow,
My memory turns In anguish 10 the face
That leaned DER Omar's pages long ago,
Alas for me also for ell who weep
And wonder at the silence dark and deep
That hoyers round this little lamp In space,
No wiser than when Omar fell asleep.
Rest in thy grave beneath the crimson rain
OF heart-desired roses Life is vain
And vain the trembling legends that we trace
Around the open book that shuts again.
\ y
Josephine Dodge Dasltam contributes another
instalment Of her Omar for Ladies" TO the
Drawer Of the February Harper's. Abiding to
popular fashion in hair dressing she writes;
! sometimes think that never lasts 90 long
The Style as when it starts bit too strong;
-, I.