The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-08

A c. M,cLURG & CO.,, will puohsh N during octoher novel of western 4 life entitled "Ben Blair These publishers have made distinct ie'''is of successful fiction in recent years' anu in offering "Ben Blair" to the pupiio they feel convinced that this pooh "iii be one of the most popular stoiies V. the fall. The author is a new writer, ous one who has made a lifelong study or the South Dakota county he describes.
 "Ren Blair" the cowboy hero, Is porn under a stigma. He loves girl who returns his interest, but owing to the shadow over his life, his happiness IS threatened and he has to contend agalnsl tremendous odds. The book aoouhds Ill scenes of virile life and stern hgh'ihs' and it is a most successful exampie o' western atmosphere. Of course, the young Lochinvar comes out ahead at the eiio' The book will have a striking frontlsplece in coors by Maynard Dixon, the most individual of western artists, and aito- gether Ben Blair Is likely to be most important feature of this fall
 There are several novels by well-known authors on the fall list of Messrs. Dodd' Mead and company. On September l6 they published the following novels "Nedra, by George Barr McCutcheon; '"rhe Edge of Circumstances" by Edward Noble; Sunrise Acres by Benjamin Brace. On September 23, "The Resurrection or MISS Cynthia" by Florence Morse Kingsley and "Cecilia's Lovers" by Amelia E. Barr. These will be followed by "The Man From Red Keg," by Eugene Thwins; "The Mystery of June 1Sth,' by Melvin L. severy, and My Lady's Slipper by Cyrus Townsend Brady.
 Messrs. Dodd. Mead and company will soon issue "A Life of Charles Dickens, by Gilbert K. Chesterton, author Of "Varlea Types" There are few men whose posi- tion in English literature is more hrceiy disputed than Charles Dickens. MT. Ches- terton's contribution to the controversy Is bound to be novel and worthy of at- tention.
 Many readers await with interest the reading of the letters between Richard Wagner and Mathilda Wesendonk the woman who inspired that most impasslon- ed of Wagner's creations, his Isolde.
 This correspondence has just been pub lished in Germany and created sensa- ton. The letters have been translateu and will be published this month by Dodd, Mead and company,
 "A Little Princess is the whole story of Sarah Crewe now told for the 11rst time, by Florence Hodgson Burnett. SVo. This will be one of the most attractive holiday books of the year. Illustrated with twelve ful-page drawings by Ethel Franklin Betts. undoubtedly the best work she has ever done. Mrs. Burnett says in her preface: After the play of "A Little Princess was produced In New York and so many children went to see it and liked Becky and Lottie and Melchi- sedec my publishers asked if I could not write Sarah's story over again and put into 1t all the things and people who had been left out before, and so I have done it. and when I began l found there were actually pages and pages of things which had happened that had never been put even into the play, so in this Little Princess I have put in all that l have been able to discover"
 'sa' Zada Tales" by W. A. Frazer, svo. illustrated by large number of draw ngs by Arthur fleming. These are stories of the lives and adventures of such ami mals as the black leopard. the white-eared elephant the king tiger, the cobra and the wild boar and are supposed to be told by the animals themselves as they are gathered to gether at a zoo" in India MT. Fraser spent nine years of his life In the east and is thoroughly familiar with his subjects.
 "The Mayor of Troy" This latest story by "Q" Is a novel of life in Cornwall placed in the same little town of Troy have been written. He has never done a more humorous and slillful piece Of work The characters of Major Hymen, the Mayor" Dr. Handsombody, Miss Marty and of the militia company. called the Loo Orchards are certainly the best character sketches he has ever done.
 On September 2S the Harpers published a new book by a young southern author who has recently come into considerable prominence. James Branch Cabell The theme of the volume Is love and romance, set amid picturesque scenes of France and England in the Middle Ages. MT. Ca bells style Is as rich and glowing as arc the beautiful pages in color by Howard Pyle which illustrate the volume. A cer- tain unusual poetic quality, a touch mock ing and dainty. give distinction to this authors work, while his unusual power of living in the past with his characters gives him great advantage over the many portrayors of those old days who write of their glories from the modern view point MT. Cabell was born in Richmond, Va in the seventies. He was graduated