The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-20
BY PAUL PRY.

and issued n book form during the pre- sent month. The work Is valuable of it's kind, from the fact that t is the only look upon the subject in so concise a form; other works being in numerous cumbersome volumes.
 A chronological as well as alphabetical lrdex together with numerous illustra- tions give added value to the usefulness of the volume.
 Japan. rh" Eastern Wonderland, by D. c. Angus. Published by Cassell and Company.
 This little volume gives some idea of what Japan was like in the past. The author explalns in the preface that it was written to meet the demand of two little Engli5n maidens whom the author lad told that stories of his native land could match their own cherished tales of Alice m Wonderland'
 Writing of the use of the fan in Japan the author says:
 ''The art of using the fan in Japan is 6 case in point. Women very often pre- fer the flat fans and men utilize the fold ing ones. Every one uses a fan of some kind, and being so constantly in our hands we come to use them to express fifty things, just as some people wave their hands, and raise their eyebrows, in preference to speaking"
 Later in writing of the firm belief that the Japanase possesses in ghosts and gobblins he explains system that they have of innring themselves, mot to mind them" which Is, you would think, the author says a kill or cure way For this purpose the children have two games en- couraged by their elders, in one, on win ter nights, boys and girls gather round the hibachi, while in far off dark room is placed I lamp Ca dish of oil with wick in it). Someone tells the most frightful stories he can think of and at the end of each story the children in turn leave the cheerful 1irelight and go alone to the dark room and remove one of the strands of the wick. Thus the room gets darker, and the last boy Is prepared to see some dreadful face peer- ing at him through the darkness. The other way we have of torturing our selves is to plant flags in some lonely graveyard in the day time, and at night meet and .ell ghost stories till the hair ir ready to stand on end and then to go cut one by one and bring home the flags"
 Can anyone read such "sports'' of Jap anese children and be in any way surpris cd at the results as seen in their maturer acts of bravery?
 'The Man on the Box" By Harold Macgrath. Published by the Bobbs- Merrill Company.
 Those who have read that delicious little romance ' The Lightning Conduc- tor' and still thrill with remembrance 1 of Brown will find almost-but not | quite-as seductive story in The Man l Cn the Box" The motive in each is simi- | lar, but the later story, which bears the | imprint of October, is so unique in con- l ception as to claim unreservedly its own | originality of design. It is scarcely per- | niissable in writing of such a romance to | give even q suggestion of its Watson d etre fearing least some charm be re- leased in the telling. "The Man on the Fox" however is a very delightful hero notwithstanding the fact that he acci- | dently, you might say, takes service un-
 CT his lady love, as a whip. It is a story
 of modern :'fe in Washington. The tell | ing of the story Is unusual, spicy and | spirited and it bears evidence of all the ! vigor of thought and treatment that readers of Mir. Macgrath's former work would lead them to expect. "The Man | on the Box is an exceptionally clever, | Fright, viv2rous story-just the book to
 tuy read and enjoy and pass on to some | friend with kind word.
 | "The Betrayal" By E. Phillips Oppen. | hein Publish by Dood, Meade & Co.
 Now if ypi have Sherlock Holmes | turn of mind and enjoy excitemen in its | .ntensest form, then read 'The Betray- | al." Your interest will be centered upor the very first page and that is more than 1 can be claimed for a great many of the modern prices of fiction. The scene is laid in England given a bright. capable | young hero a winsome heroine an in- 1