Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-05-11
CURRENT LITERATURE.


In her story Of Judith Miss Grace
Alexander has simply attempted to tell
love story OF what is perhaps our most
picturesque period-the period of high white
hats and hoop sskirts, of formal elegance,
sense and sensibility, having indeed, some
what the kind of atmosphere that invests
Mrs. Gaskill's Crawford" For ten years
she was on the staf of the Indianapolis
News as music critic, editorial writer, ed
tor of the woman's page and acting liter
airy editor. The story of Judith" grew out
OF vacation times spent in Corydon, the
first capital of Indiana, whose hazy hills,
red roads and quaint charm Of bygone
day seemed a suitable setting for tale OF
the fifties. However, the Camden Of the
story is not quite CorydOn, for Camden is
directly on the Ohio river, while Corydon
is perhaps a dozen miles away. The Bobbs
Merrill company is the publisher.
"In the Shoestring Country" by Freder-
ick Chamberlain, is a story written around
the present political situation in the So
called BLACK Belt" of Alabama and the
author claims that the story is founded on
fact II this be so It will certainly prove
a revelation to all who have not lived In
this district.
Northern politics are bad enough, but the
southern brand, which endangers the life
of the political nominee, because he hap
pens TO represent the black vote, surely
goes the northern situation one better
Mr.. Chamberlain claims that every state
ment made i'm his novel regarding the cleo
ton day incidents I'm the Eleventh Alabama
district is basa6 upon actual occurrences.
the evidence OF which has been filed at
Washington. 1t was dangerous subject
but Mr.. Chamberlain has handled it in
such fair. impartial manner that no
offense could be given. Published by the
C. NJ. Clark Publishing company
THE Clammer," by William John Hop
kins, received a great deal of prompt
praise when Il appeared i'm the Atlantic
for August, 1906 That story was only the
! FIRST Of three. Its personages are Adam. ="
witty recluse who loves to dig his own
CLAIMS, Eve" who comes to startle and
waylay the clammer's solitude. Goodwin
the Rich, the other Rich Man, Old Good
wins wife, and one other most important
| figure. who appears in the final story Of
the series. The completed book. now Of
/ fered to the reader. has the sort OF charm
which has made CurtLs.s "Prue and T. the
/ ueu6nt OF Two generations. lls ueltchtet
half whimsical style. the air OF fine breed
/ ing, the subtle blending of light comedy
with deep feeling, give the book unique
| place among twentieth century romapces.
Published by Houghton, Miffiin & go.
The Purple Parasol" by George Barr
McCutcheon. is story which will help 10
! pass away an afternoon. The purple par
asOl. which should have served mark
| Of identification lures an unsuspecting
man UP and down the mountain paths sur
rounding summer resort In the mountains,
also patronized by the little god Cupid.
The trials and fluctuations OF the young
man resulting from the case OF mistaken
identity are forgotten in his eventual re-
ward Illustrations are by Harrison Fisher.
| Dodd Mead & co. is the publisher,
''The Kentuckian" by James BAH MAYOR
is one OF the seasons strongest books The
reader IL convinced that the author Is
| writing OF people and places, with which he
| Is very familiar. There is an atmosphere
Of FEELING and sincerity throughout the
book. which comes only from the personal
knowledge OF the things about which one
Is writing. Mr. NaylOr. when a boy. lived
in southern Ohio and many characters IL
the book were the friends Of his childhood
on the central character. Vance -ehaiham
Ar Naylor speaks with such warmth Of