The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-07
 3 REALN OF BOOKS

s REALM ( c.-o.Ss.-cs.O.0.c.C.o.o.C.C.<s..
 The story that gives its title to Jack London's recently issued volume, Moon Face recalls one of the most remarka- ble coincidences in recent literary history. MT. London himself tells the story in these words: Some years ago. while I was in England a story of mine cMoon- Face) was published in the San Francis co Argonaut. In the Century of the same date was published a story by Frank Nor ris. While these two stories were quite different in manner of treatment, they were patently the same in foundation and motive. At once the newspapers paral- leled our> stories. The explanation was simple: Norris and l had read the same newspaper account, and proceeded to ex- ploit it. But the fun did not stop there. Somebody dug up a Black Cat published year previous in which was a similar story by another man who used the same foundation and motive. Then Chicago hustled around and resurrected a story
 
 fore the Black Cat story, and that was the same in foundation and motive. Of course, all these different writers had chanced upon the same newspaper arti- cle." Unusual as this duplication of ma terial may appear. no one who has read "Moon-Face" will wonder that the grim humor of the idea appealed to more than one author.
 There is a hint of much joy for childish readers in the dedication of Miss Beulah Marie Dix's new story, "Merrylips." It reads "To every little girl who has wished for an hour to be a little boy, this story is dedicated by her friend, the au- thor" The story is in fact that of lit- tie girl of Cavalier family who is com pelled by the perilous circumstances of those times to masquerade as boy and take part in battles and other exciting adventures before she finally finds safe ty The book is illustrated by Frank E. Merrill
 Under the somewhat noncommittal title, "Tuberculosis: Its Origin and Extinc- tion" comes little book from the Mac milan company which contains some startling ideas. It's author, Dr. W. Pick cit Turner, an English physician, mas made an exhaustive study of the causes, origin and treatment of tuberculosis, and has arrived at conclusions radically op- posed to the general medical belief of the way Revolutionary as is Dr. Turner's theory of the cause of tuberculosis, It IS supported by chain of argument Whlcn makes it worthy of the most respectful considera ton.
 F Marion Crawford's new novel, "A I ( ID t- At nC ported a sequel to Fair Margaret but a story dealing with entirely new char acters and comparable in setting and spirit with his Cecilia" rather than with his latest published book. The new story is announced by the Macmillan company for publication next month.
 "The Washington Word List" prepared by William Estabrook Chancellor, super 'ntendent of schools in Washington, D. C., is something of an innovation in vocabu- laries compiled for language and spelling drill. It is a list of ten thousand good words in actual current use. and mas been compiled not from the dictionaries, but from the best daily newspapers and mag azines and from standard school histories, geographies and readers. The entire list has of course been carefully compared with a standard dictionary. Incidentally, the book includes all the words incorpo- rated in the list of 300 revised spellings embodied in President Roosevelt's order to the public printer and recently adopted for use in the Washington schools, The new spelIings have been carefully desig mated, and the book may therefore be taken as a semi-official document of the simpihed spelling board. It is to be pub lshed shortly by the Macmillan company.
 number of people who careessly for ~f. ITR-afa faanc a fnd Francis afford Frances Aymar Mathews, author of "The Undefed" (Harper's 8, and other novels and plays. good deal of amusement On the basis that she is man. Miss Mathews has several foreign correspondents, one severe scientlnc man. another a Danish clergyman, and third a charming Englishwoman to whom the novelist makes sub rosa love. A large western publishing house sends her each month a letter imploring her "as a well-known and successful educa- tionalst, college man, etc. to write one article on her own terms for their new encyclopedia. Once this dual personality got Miss Mathews In some embarrassment in Paris, for she found herself scheduled to make one of a merry supper party or Parisian editors. Quickly rising to the occasion, however. she invented sick wife as hen reason for declining their courtesies.
 Wilbur Nesbit whose first novel, NThe Gentleman Ragman,' has just been pub lished by the Harpers, began his literary career as advertising man for an Indian apolis dry goods house. One day 1t came to him to vary his prose with rhymed rhapsody dedicated to some stylish straw hats, after the manner of Rileys "The South Wind and the Sun"
 "Who wrote this stuff?' demanded the proprietor of the manager at sight of the mornings proofs.
 "Er-Nesbit I told him I didn't think it was-'
 "Tell him to go ahead and write some more" the proprietor said. tersely, and MT Nesbit was launched upon his career as poet Soon the Indianapolis newspa- pers took him up for the editorial col- umns, and later he ran a column or rhymed wit and humor for the Baltimore American. For the past few years he has been connected with one of the large Chi cago dailies, where he has found time, in addition to his daily output of verse and pithy para graphs, to write his novel, ''The Gentleman Ragman,' story as full of pure humor as his most enthusiasts tic admirers could desire.
 Philip Verr Mighels has completed an- other story of western life along the same general lines as his "Bruvver Jim's Ba- by" which the Hampers will issue at once under the title of Dummy" The scene is set in a typical, rough western lumber camp where the humorous side of life haS heen apprecIatiyeiy set forth