The San Francisco call., 1904-03-13

SoS at = =
Let US offer UP sincere prayer that
z. W. Hornung, the author of those
two remarkably fascinating pieces of
fiction, THE Amateur Cracksman" and
'Raff1es," has not stuEtified his talents
10 the worship of the golden image,
Mammon, like so many of his success
full fellow craftsmen. For it would
seem that his last book, Denis Dent,
was written hurriedly in answer to the
persistent call of his publisher 1t is
a distinct falling off from the genius
which Mr.. Hornung has manifested in
his previous stories.
The scene of the early part of the
novel is laid in Australia during the
days of the gold excitement Denis
Dent, Irish by that same token, res
cues Nan Merridew from a shipwreck
and sets out with laudable intention TO
make fortune which may make Denis
and Nan one. But meanwhile his
plighted sweetheart becomes entangled
in the meshes of a scheming william
back in England and is forced to be-
come his bride. The Crimean war, hap
pening along about this time, carries
snug little bullet for the villain and
Denis comes to his own.
This plot could scarcely be called
anything but hackneyed. The big,
strong hero who is willing to move the
world for his lady love has figured in
fiction almost since men marked their
thoughts upon walrus tusks and so
does not gain any distinction by new
handling from the pen of Mr.. Hcrnung.
The one thing that does mark the story
as original is the very vivid and Bret
Harte-like portrayal of Australian
mining camp scenes in boom days. This
is done in a bright. trenchant style
which atones in measure for the anti
quated character of the plot.
Mr. Hornung should set right to work
like the famous author of His Wife's
Sister-in-law" to attempt parallel TO
the ever diverting "Raffies."
CFrederick A-Stokes Company, New
York; price, 81 SOD
1t is the earnest endeavor OF the
writer of these columns to bend his
best energies to the task set for him,
but befofe one he must pause with fear
and an overwhelming sense of his ut
ter unworthiness. That is the review
of any work upon spiritualism, auto
psychic phenomena or the materialiZa-
tion of occult shades. Last week 1t
was his duty to essay critique upon
a psychic volume of 500 odd pages and
now he is writing on his knee, for his
desk is completely usurped by tome
as large as Doomsday Book, entitled
Book of Knowledge-Psychic Facts
the work of DR.. Nellie Beighle.
DR.. Beighle lays no claim to pre-
ternatural birth or infant powers. Her
first inklings of the fact that she pos
sessed the power came while she was
living over in Temescal. At nights she
would hear faint raps all over the
house which she Immediately attribut-
ed to the presence of woodticks. Be
fore she could supply herself with
buhach, however, she awakened to the
realization that it was not woodticks,
but some spirit knocker come to con-
vince her of the divine gift which wa
hers From that day DIR. Beighle went
on from strength to strength, increas-
ing in wisdom and stature. Within her
potent right arm there was concealed
the power to cure all the banes BY
which weak mortals are afflicted; lift
ing tables and moving pianos and
kitchen ranges were mere matters of
the moment: anything from an apple
to a guitar could be materialized at
will from the circumambient ether.
DIR. Beighle came to the height of her
powers with a great coming.
These things and many others ;re
recounted in the Book of knowledge" F"
The untutored mind of mere reviewer
cannot begin to reveal all the food for
thought that lies between the covers of
that volume. Let the reader take a
weeks vacation from business and the
cares Of the world and lose himself in
the mystic misty mazes of this hand
book to all things movable.
(The Alliance Publishing Company,
San Francisco.)
The fact that good manners, the ex-
hibition of high breeding and an easy
address can be perfected, at least, if
not acquired, by diligent study of a
textbook on those subjects would seem
to be demonstrated by the fact that
1.-The Man Who Pleases and the Wo-
man Who Charms" has just come from
a third printing, the other two editions
having been sold, presumably. Since
the book is evidently so thoroughly on
the market reviewer must presume
that it needs no encomiums.
This little book by Mr.. John A. Cone
is more pretentious effort than the
usual paper-backed booklet on
'Don'ts" in good society written by one
of those on the fringe thereof. The au-
thor makes a very creditable attempt
to point out the many little things in
life, the possession of which will make
the man or woman more acceptable
to his neighbor and more satisfied With
himself. There Is no charlatanism
about the book; it could teach Chester
field something.
blinds & Noble, New York; price
75 cents.)