The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-24
LITERARY NOTES.

Itsis interesting to note that of the six
 best selling books on the July Book
 man'sn official list, just half were writ
 ten by women-Ameriean women. They
 are sir Mortimer by Mary Johnston;
 Rulers of Kings" by Gertrude Atherton; and 'Memiorrs of Baby'' by Josephine Daslzam. They represent three as com , pletely different types of fiction as could
 well be- imagined The Harpers, who publish all three, consider this record a fair demonstration of popular appreeia- ton of the best American fiction. The other three books on the list are Phil lips's ..The Cost (Bobbs- -Merril,) Whites 4The Silent Places 1ldeclure & Phillips.) and Pardish's ''when Wilderness was King GMcclurg) of which the authors are all men.
 The mysterious question of the author ship of the 'Bread Winners" has been revived. and various papers are publish Ing columns of surmise attaching the au- thority to Charles Frederick Adams, of New York, and to various other persons, including Secretary John Hay Denials from the accused make apparently no in- pression, and the mystery remains as in- scrutable as ever. Harper and Brothers published this novel anonymously in 1SS4 It aroused keen interest immediately, edi- tion after edition was published, and questions rained upon the publishers con- corning the authors identity. But the ethics of the publishing business has cealed their lips for twenty years. Not long ago the Harpers proposed to the an- thor to bring out the novel In new edi- ton with the. authors name on the title page, as the commercial value of the name at this time would insure the book a phenomenal sale. But the author de- clined either the fame or fortune attach ed to the enterprise. and his publishers still remain mute.
 Mile. Helene vacareseo. author of Kings and Queens I Have Known is receiving appreciative letters from royal ty regarding her charming volume of cour-tly reminiscence. The king and queen of Italy have written that they feel the warmest in'erest'' in the book and other equally distinguished persons have com mended 1t In kind phrases; but 1t remains for Prince Nicholas of Montenegro, father of Queen Helena of Italy, to make the most direct, incisive remark of them all.
 " no QoeS DOl duIlllIf your MIlNlilSS, wrote this straightforward prince, recent ly, to Mile. vecaresco, must be a mole.''
 Harper & Brothers are Issuing a new edition of their standard illustrated vol- ume of songs for young people entitled Our Childrens Songs" There will be a new frontispiece by Alice Barber Steph- ems. and a new binding in green cloth with a design drawn from the frontis- piece The volume includes songs for the nursery, for childhood for girlhood, for boyhood. hyms for the nursery and hymns for childhood It is an admirable collec- ton which has stood the test of years. The eIntroductory Song" was written by Longfellow: and Tennyson, Wordsworth Whittier. Mrs. Browning, Bryant, Byron Southey. Thackeray. and scores of other famous poets are represented in the vol ume Besides these there are numerous anonymous songs which have long been | celebrated but whose authors are un- known or forgotten.
 Justin Huntly Mccarthy. author of "If were King" "The Proud Prince" etc, is at work on a new romance. For the past few weeks MT. Mccarthy has been l traveling around England and resting l from his literary work. It may not be generally known that he is a son of Jus l tin Mccarthy, the historian, author of the famous History of Our Own Times" 1 The play of "Ben Hnr dramatized from General Lew Wallaee's celebrated novel, will be again presented in Septem- 1 Der, making the sixth year of its run. The records of receipts of this production 1 show that the play has been seen by
 more people than any other drama in tho world Combined with the sales of the novel itself in all It's different editions the money-producing record of Ben Hur'' breaks all others made by single book of fiction.
 l Elinor Glyn author of '"The Visits of Tiizabeth' and "The Reflections of Am brozne" Is reported to have fallen before