The Saint Paul globe., 1904-05-15
I" HERE are several straws which

&
show that the wind is setting
in the direction of cheaper
books. The paper-covered editions of
popular novels have been discarded
now for many years. and it has been
almost impossible to buy a good book
In cheap form, but, bound to come, the
reaction against the gh-priced book
Is beginning and. this spring one can
purchase some very good books at the
astonishingly low price Of 25 cents.
For this sum one can get "The Cri-
sis" Calumet K" "The Choir Invisi-
BILE" and several others. The book
business resembles somewhat that of
railroads, and if the "cut rates" on
books once begin the public may reap
a great benefit. The Macmillan COM
pany one of the most conservative
houses IN the country, is issuing John
Graham Brooks "The Social Unrest -
IN paper-bOund edition, and lately
put out Palgrave's Golden Treasury
OF Songs and Lyrics" in a cheap edi-
ton, though not in paper.
Miss Margery Williams is the latest
writer to take a tOmbOy as her hero
Inc, and she shows what a girl loses
as Wei as gains by the free outdoor
life Of her brothers. The book is called
The Price of Youth" and it is a pret-
" love story which may convert the
most proper feminine reader to some
sympathy with tOmbOyS One virtue
the rough girl is apt to have is a. lack
or affectation and she is possessed of a
IrankneSS and honesty rather refresh
ing But it will take more than a book
or two to bring her into general popu-
larity.
The literary world has been waiting
MI %u-
Gertrude AthertOns Rulers of Kings" 4"
and now that it is out there is such a
conulct OF opinions that one will not
trust to the critics for his ideas of it.
Mrs. Atherton is a curious and original
woman. and While her position in lit
erature has not been definitely decid-
ed, no one will deny the interest and
plquancy of her work According to
one critic this last book of hers is 60
ing to occupy paramount place
among works of modern fiction for
many reasons, chiefly as it possesses a
supreme interest over the fiction of the
hour because it has crystallized the
momentous questions that are stirring
mems minds from the highest to the
lowest. Its atmosphere" he says.
thrills with the potential factors at
work in the evolution of democracy
and the decadenCe Of monarchy 1t
portrays the clash of world powers, the
conflict of the rising tide of demo-
cratic rights, as embodied in the Amer
lean constitution, with the divine right
of monarchy as still incarnated in the
crowned heads of Germany, Russia
and Austria, with their dreams of en-
pre- IN Europe" 1t is the general opin-
ION that Rulers of Kings will prove
to be the most talked of modern novel.
Alas, that even when st. Paul peO-
pie do anything worth while they are
M1nnQ9 DOliSf
fered all sorts of indignities at the
hands Of our twin, but this constantly
seeing our writer's and prominent per-
sons given to Minneapolis is becoming
tiresome. The latest victim is Mrs
Mary Beach LangtOn, who has recently
written a unique work on Oriental
rugs which has attracted attention
East and West. In one of the promi-
nent magazines the book is well spok-
en- of and the writer says it comes
out of Minneapolis. One wonders how
our sister city manages this thing so
we'll.
Miss Nicholson, who wrote In the
Bishops Carriage" which is making
quite stir in the book world because
OF its originality is a newspaper Wom-
an Of the West. She has done a great
deal Of journalistic work, and, like
most writer's, gained her experience in
that way. This being her first book,
SfHe
should write with such ease and good
style. The first published book of an
author is apt, however, not to be the
first work of the writer. We never
know how many have been attempted
and put one side, but after one sue
cess the first book often makes its
appearance as third or fourth Miss
Nicholson divides her time between
New York Chicago and San Francisco.
One position which has been of great
advantage to her was that of dramatic
critic Of the New York World giving
her a chance to see the inside working
of stage matters, which she put to
good account in the latter half of her
story Doubtless Miss Nicholson will
be heard from frequently in the fu-
ture
Daughters Of Desperaton-By Hndegard
Brooks. Mcclure, Phillips & Co. For
sale by St. Paul Book & Stationery com
pany.
Surely there never was a more ridic-
ulous book written than this one. If
Miss Brooks is anxious to join the
John Hendricks Bangs class she has
certainly succeeded. The story con-
Germs primarily a wedding which took
place in a suburb of New York and
for the groom Of which Mr.. Silsbee
was to have been best man if untoward
circumstances had not prevented his
being present. When he arrives at the
house next door to the brides on the
afternoon before the wedding he is
ushered in with the mysterious words
that he is expected and thereupen
confrOnts three charming young won-
en- who dub him Mr.. Gardiner and are
evidently looking for him. He answers
questions at random in order to gain
time and to try to find out what it is
all about, when he makes the alarming
discovery that the three young women
are friends Of the intended bride of the
evening and yet intend to rob her OF
all her wedding silver during the night
and are counting on his help. When