The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-04-15

so infrequent. If the work is main tained at the level of the first volume few will, think, contest your claims as publishers and author to have put forth an attractive and interesting pop ular History of the United States, which at the same time maintains an exceptionally high average of accuracy in its statements of fact or evidence.
 Please express my congratulations to the author and accept my thanks for the volume.
 Yours very truly,
 EDWARD G. BOURNE.
 The Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Com pany, Boston, have just issued: an at- tractive book entitled Miss Billy, a Neighborhood Story,'' by Edith Keeley Stokely and Marian Kent Hurd: illus trated by Charles Copeland Mrs. Stokely and Miss Hurd are two bright women journalists of Dubuque, Iowa, and their first book, Miss Billy" is one that deserves more than passing notice in these days of civic improve ment. It is story of what an ire pressible young woman accomplished in the neighborllood into which her family felt obliged to move for financial reasons. The street was almost as un- promising as the celebrated Cabbage Patch" and it's characters equally in teresting and original. The happy comimon-sense of Miss Billy and the quaint sayings and doings of her new neighbors form a capital story, and the reader finds himself almost as much in- terested in the great, yet perfectly pos sible, changes that come to crude neighborhood through one young wo- man as the participants themselves are. The book is happily illustrated by Mr.. Copeland; price, $1.5O; for sale by all leading bookstores.
 The Human Touch, Tale of the Great Southwest, is another new book of much merit just out. published by Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Company. The author is Edith M. Nicholl (Mrs. Edith M. Nicholl Bowyer).
 The scene of "The Human Touch" shifts at an early period from New York to the ranch of the cattle king hero in the wilds of New Mexico, whither he takes as his bride the deli cately reared young woman whom af- finity has drawn to him with the ire sistible '5hiiman touch that is forever bringing together men and women of strong natures regardless of circum- stances. The unexpected opening of chapter in the life of the hero that was thought to be. closed forms the main plot of the story. but it's interest largely centers in the stirring events connect ed with life in the new country. The vigorous and finally successful efforts of an honest man to hold his own against lawlessness and corruption fa- vored by desperate conditions are strikingly portrayed. The incidental philosophy of the book is powerful and the humor rich and original It is a story with good red blood in it and will satisfy the reader. This book is also il- lustrated by Charles Copeland; price $1.50; for sale at all leading bookstores.
 Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Company also have. just issued the third volume. of their highly popular and meritorious Soldiers of Fortune Series" by that popular writer for the young, MT. Ed ward Stratemeyer. It is entitled, 'At the Fall of Port Arthur, or A Young American in the Japanese Navy" and the timeliness of the subject and MT. Stratemeyer's well known skilful and delicious work never appeared to bet. in, volume. He we'll maintains his repu- tation, made secure during the Spanish war by his famous "Old Glory Series" as easily foremost among all writers of boys books dealing with great events as they occur. His latest book, "At the Fall of Port Arthur" is complete sto- " in itself, but forms the third volume of the NSoldiers of Fortune Series" which is a continuation of the 'Old Glory Series,'' dealing with the same characters This story relates the ad- ventures of Larry Russell the hero of "Under Dewey at Manila and his old companion, Luke Striker, who undergo thrilling experiences on their old ship, the "Columbia," which is captured by a Russian war vessel that in turn be comes a prize of the Japanese navy. Remembrance of service upon the Olympia" with Admiral Dewey, proves so strong that Luke and Larry take positions in the navy of the Mika- do and participate in interesting events. Larry's brother Ben and his friend, Gilbert Russell, both captains in the Japanese army, as described in the pre- vious volume Under the Milado's Flag of this series, also figure in this story Life in the Japanese navy is de- scribed in detail, also life in Port Ar thur during it's siege and lombard ment, in which Larry bore his part un- der Admiral Togo. Mir Stratemeyer's way of conveying accurate descriptive and historical information while hold ing the keen interest of the reader has never been better shown than in this latest book, which the boys will wish to read as soon as possible. The book is rendered doubly attractive by MT. A. B. Shutes Illustrations; price $1.25; for sale by all booksellers.
 "A Practical Commercial Speller" by Elizabeth F. Atwood, teacher of sten- ography and typewriting, High school, Westfield, Mass, is a spelling book (published by Ginn & Co.,, Boston) in-