Omaha daily bee., 1906-01-24
CURRENT LITERATURE,


a lynx. two wolves and reindeer" This
Is the first time he has attempted to tell
of the lives and doings OF domestic animals
whose careers are passed among the more
familiar dangers of our civilized life and
whose fate is not always a tragic one.
These stories are not any the less exciting
than Mr.. Seton's tales of wild animals and
he shows the same insight and understand
ing and the same power OF holding ones
interest and exciting ones sympathy when
he tells of the cat and the dog when he
talks of the two wolves and the lynx. His
illustrations gain in charm with each new
book and he has done some of his best
work for Animal Heroes" The book is
published by Charles seribner's sons.
with the Empress Dowager" by
Katharine A. Carl. is the simple narrative
OF an American woman's sojourn In China
though. like most magical experiences. II
came about simply enough Miss Carl was
visiting in Shanghai in April. 1903, when,
through the influence of Mrs. Conger wife
Of the United States minister, she was in
vited to meet the empress dowager and
begin work on portrait. The one short
sitting first granted led to the painting
OF four portraits and to Miss Carl's be-
eleven months, guest who saw the
dowager empress daily and shared In every
festival and function of the court. No man
or woman from the western world. Of
course, has ever had opportunity to gain
so true and intimate q knowledge of the
empress dowager--one of the most inter-
esting and important figures in modern
history--and OF the unique and fascinating
formallty and detail of the Chinese court.
Miss Carts story therefore. gives the
reader his first accurate and satisfactory
information touching the personal appear
ance and characteristics Of the empress
dowager, of the emperor and the ladies
of the court; Of the summer and winter
palaces and the manner Of life therein, and
of many social customs and religious rites.
while she tells all about the painting OF
the ST. Louis portrait and of the three
other portraits now in China. The illus
trations are both from photographs and
from sketches made by Miss Carl sketches
which make one feel well acquainted with
the wonderful Tze-Shi and her court. Pub
lished by the Century company.
Return" by Alice Macedonian and
Grace MACEDONIAN Cooke, is, in every sense
Of the word, warm, human love story,
with heroine who Is vigorous, various,
unweeded character" whose girlish pride
and scorn and vanity develop through
much bitterness OF spirit into a beautiful.
true and noble wonlanhood. The story is
built on the stable framework of fact; its
scenes are laid principally in Georgia and
upon the adjoining Sea islands at the time
when that colony was founded as refuge
for poor debtors and those prosecuted for
conscience sake. The tale is so instinct
with human interests and human emotions
that II will take place among those books
which belong to no special time or vogue.
but which make the real literature OF the
, world. for back of the fascinating love
story which forms the main theme OF the
| book. there is wonderfully Interesting ac-
/ count of the colonization OF Georgia, which
is OF permanent charm and of enduring
value. Published by L. c. Page & Co.
| SIZES --tA-3is
THE Flower of Destiny-An Episode Of
the Second Empire, IA by William Dana
circuit, is the love story of Napoleon Ill
and Eugene, which is-woven into a dra-
matte little romance. Mile. de Montljo, of
course. is the most fascinating heroine and
the love affair which led up to the crown
of violets in the forest at CompIegne had
many idyllic qualities. Mr.. circuit has been
very successful In telling the story In
graceful and charming style. The book is
very prettily bound in green and gold. and
each page bears marginal decorations in
lavender The illustrations are by Char
lotte Weber. Published by A. C. McClurg
& Co.
''Sawdust-A Polish Romance of the
Carpathlan Timberlands," by Dorothea
Gerard Mime. Longard de Longarde), is
an unusual and vivid story, intensely mod
ern in it's treatment although the scene
is laid In . little known corner of the
world. The German who invades the peace
full forests of Carpathia with his restless
industrialism is admirably characterized as
a tireless working self-made man. His son.
Rudolf, with finer sensibities and with no
less strength. proves irresistibly attractive
to the daughter of the ruined former land
holder. She is a charming girl, Katinka
and the readers sympathy goes out to her
as to real person. The count. her father,
though impoverished by the business cum
ming Of the German. is finely drawn as a
gentleman. Although the masterful Ger
I man apparently forces his way over all
obstacles, he reckons without one hidden
force, which brings the story to a dra-
matte climax. Published by the John c.
Winston company.
An Embarrassing Orphan" by W. z.
Norris. is the story of the daughter OF a
South American millionaire, who is en-
trusted to the guardianship of her aristo-
cratic British uncle with the stipulation
that neither she nor any one else is to know
Of her wealth until she has been won by a
suitable lover. OF course. one of her French
uncles shrewdly finds out that she is an
heiress and becomes very polite but dan
gerous villain in the story. He captures
and holds prisoner siH Edward. the girls
guardian, while his designs are working
out in Paris The illustrations are by j
Steeple Davis. The John C. Winston COM
pany is the publisher.
THE Garden of Allah" is the Desert OF
Sahara and on this strong. barbarous
sunlit background Mr.. Robert Hichens
has painted picture of passionate human
love. powerful and fascinating Not fol-
years has appeared a novel so splendid II
its artistic symmetry in its spiritual patho
and its psychological insight. II reminds
, one of the Scarlet Letter" but It is il
, no sense initiative. Published by the Fred
: erick A Stokes Company.
| HAUnarfcan n,