Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-15

story of travel, Seeing France with
Uncle John," new chapters of A. e. w.
Mason's Running Water will carry
Sylvia to her father in England
tangling the thread of the plot, and
there will be six short tales: Edna
Kenton's "The Doll Lady," story of
newspaper dramatic criticism; Grace
Ellery Channing's "a Perverse Genera
tion," an account of how three clever
New England girls met an emergency;
another OF Henry J. O'Higgins' tales of
the New York firemen, "An Appeal to
the Past; Grace Lathrop Collins
"Junsina's Playmate" a pathetic story
Of adoption Charles Bryant Howar1's
"A Voice from the Dark" Porto Ri
can comedy; and Edith Wyatt's "The
Perfect Woman" a humorous tale of
the editor of a ''wonan's department"
If Edgar Saltus would but slough off
his pedantic eccentricities of style and
his erratic tendencies and confine him
self to less acrobatic English and less
freakish subjects, he might yet become
writer of moment and weight. But
so long as he tears the language to tat
ters, devotes himself to outlandish con-
structions and odd variants on the
natural usage of words, he confuses
and mars where he could instruct and
interest.
f1lSIOrld AD0OflS is an attempt Dy
SaltuS to give "a history of love as that
divine passion has affected the great
actors on the worlds stage" Thus 1t
contains the germ OF great idea,
which yet has not blossomed in full
beauty from sheer inability to force its
growth through the dark and MAS
matte swamp of the Caltus verbiage.
Most of his love subjects, too, show the
morbid side of ''le grande passion;
deal with the Illicit and the unusual,
rather than the really true Love which
has made heaven for so many on this
mundane sphere. True 1t may be
argued that there is nothing dramatic
in the sweet domestic love, but how
may it be ignored when it constitutes
by far the most of the love of the
world p
Historic Amoris. by Edgar Saltus.
New York: Mitchell Kinnerley. $1.50
While 1.-THE Crimson Sweater" by R.
H. Barbour, was evidently written for
the boys of the family, 1t is a book their
sisters should enjoy as we'll. Roy, the
chief character, is manly, bright lad,
more interested perhaps in football
than in algebra; but stanch in his ideas
of right and fair play whatever he is
doing. There is a healthy comradeship
between Roy and Harry the daughter
of the head schQolmaster of the school;
and the story of ''the schools" adven-
lures and misadventures is of whole
some interest There isn't dull page
in 1.-The Crimson Sweater; and the
many lively Illustrations by c.. M. Rel
yea add much to the books attractive
ness as a gift.
The Crimson Sweater. by Ralph
Henry Barbour. New York: The Cen
tury Co.
Among the mirth proyokers Of the
present season, one must certainly not
overlook that delightfully."- droll collec-
tion of drawings called animal
Serials" from the collection of e.
Warde Blaisdell. Mr.. Blaidsdell has
depicted so many animals in human
guise that he frankly confesses he has
come to think In terms of animal life;
and his four-footed heroes and herolnes
not alone stand for personages, but
really are human In his eyes. And so
he shows us here the fofbles and fam
cies of Mr.. and Mrs Rabbit. Miss Hip
popotamus, Mr.. Bear, Colonel Lion,
Major Elephant. and all the other
members Of Jungle society. Each group
is given in series OF sketches, with
brief word Of running comment; and II
bit of satire at the expense of higher
society Is found. II makes the point Of
humor all the keener.
Animal Serials, by r. Warde Blais-
dell. New York; Thomas Y. crowell
& ~.
Not % know that one is funny adds
10 the fun; and Uncle Johns blissfil
unconsciousness OF the amusement he
supplies Is the richest part of the fun