Evening journal., 1904-12-15
LITERARY

The first question asked by the aver
age American opera-g -goer on the ap-
proach Of a new season is, What sing
ers have been engaged this year?e
After that he may express curiosity
as TO the works which the singers are
likely to interpret, says Heinrich Con-
rled in Leslie's Magazine for January
II would be absurd for the director Of
an institution like the Metropolitan
Opera House to affect Ignorance Of
the popular attitude towards lyric
drama. In the interest Of art he may
regret 1t. In many ways, no doubt,
grand opera, as weiknow it here, is
linhnitely finer more brilliant and more
satisfying to our own public than any
thing to be found in Europe might be.
But, except as to the singing, it is not
ideal, IN the same sense as grand
opera in Vienna, under the direction
OF Mahler may be called ideal.
Opie Read is featured in January 10
Story Book which is now on the stands.
His story Whitney and Jackson
deals in ludicrous complications. Two
golphers and a duel with clubs for
EltuHIlQ0S.
"A Mlllionaire's Cab Ride" by Kennett
Harris, makes excellent reading. Julia
Truitt Bishop contributes problems
OF a Honeymoon" a clever smart set
story "Scorched By the Flame" is from
the pen Of Felicia Blake and involves
the subtle influence of sex in a way
possible to shock the prudish. Helena
smith writes The Love Letter of a
Princess" in a characteristic vein.
There are other clever stories by Wal
ter Browne, Curran r. Greenley J. c. |
Plummer and Archie McMackin. The
selected masterpiece is by A. Conan
Doyle. The cover Is striking spider
and fly" coneeit.
London is being rapidly rebuilt as
well as New York, though on differs
ent lines, its nearest approach to a sky |
seraper, Queen Anne's Mansions West |
minister being only fourteen stories at
the highest. Changes and improve
ments under way and planned include |
government ownership of London's |
water-supply, the widening and extend |
ing Of streets the opening Of new ones.
the laying of electric tramways, radical |
rehousing Of the poor, and the con-
struction Of important new public |
buildings, among them the War Office |
IN Whitehall and the additional Govern
ment offices in Parliament street.
The more vital ana interesting details
OF the gigantic work will be the subject
OF the January centurys leading arti-
Gle London in Transformation" by
Randall Blackshaw.
Death is dark enough" says Golfers
Tor December II, "but to Mrs. Gilbert
u came IN as happy a manner as 1t
knows. The actor usually loses more
than the rest Of us by old age. The
really great actress Janauschek had
died few days earlier than Mrs. Gill
oert' forgotten by the public, imbitter-
eu, IN charity home-her death worth
TO the average newspaper but an inch |
or two OF type. Mrs. Gilbert made the
luckiest OF exits. She never lost the /
iayer OF that fickle public by whose
Whlm the actors lives. In the last
years Of her life one success was follow
ed by another The younger players
with whom she was associated loved
her. She was cheerful, spirited, and
never dependent. Her salty humor
never left her. When she became a L
star, for the first time, this year, at
eighty-three. she was kept warm by
the plaudits and sympathy OF every one.
When death approached 1t made no
threats 1t gave no time for longing
and regret. Often cruel, it was as mer-
eiful as It could be. Death seemed to
vie with life in giving its best 10 one
who had asked no favors of existence
who had never made complaints"
Edith Wharton's first long novel Of con-
temporary American life will begin in the
January Scribner's under the title THE
House Of Mirth." 1t is a sharp comment
N modern social conditions and a serious s
presentation of their tragic tendencies. 1t I
a number of characters who will Z
ppeal 70 the reader not SO much as types, (
'ut as actual individuals. The heroine is
charming young woman who is placed
n false position.