New-York tribune., 1906-12-08
STORIES FOR GIRLS.
Holiday Books That Are NerU and
Amusing.

Wholesomeness is the prevailing tone Of the
new holiday books intended for maidens in their
teens. To look at life in a way that is sane and
kind to be unselfsh, to make allowances to put
yourself in anothers place to desplse things that
are petty and to struggle toward things that are
genuine and true-these are the lessons elab-
GRATED in fiction which is or less animated
in style and amusing in incident First on the
list in consideration Of its fitness for the read
ing Of the older girls, Of its freshness and its
humor, and its clever explication of character
is The Story Book Girls" CThe Macmillan Com
pany) by Christiana Gowans whyte The title
does not reveal the charm Of the story. which
is one Of family life in an English country town
The girls are a winning group, not too good
for human natures daily food, but with dis
positions pleasant to live with and with brains
agreeable TO encounter. The alien girl who
comes to trouble the family peace is a veritable
type-the selfish. adroit schemer into whose net
all that is good TO have seems to move with a
curious persistence. She is pictured with SKILL
in artistic contrast with the Iovable maidens
she tries to manage and defraud. Resembling
this book IN being a novel for the Sweet girl
graduate" is Mrs. Clara Louise Burnham's new
story 1.-THE Opened Shutters" Houghton Mif-
fin & Coz. Sylvia, the heroine. has emerged
from troubled childhood with many fine quail
tiles and few unpleasant ones When thrown
upon the charity Of seemingly unwilling rela-
tives the less desirable angles of her character
become far too prominent and the pith of the
story lies in the method in which these are
refined away and all that is. womanly and gener-
and loving brought to frution.
An entertaining work for somewhat younger
schoolgirls is Marion Ames Taggart's "Daddy's
Daughters Henry Holt & Coz. The story has
four heroines the children of a dreamy imprac-
tcal. scholarly widower. whom they adore,
Each girl has a positive individuality, and the
records of their work and their play. of their
struggles with poverty and their experiences
with their neighbors. are calculated TO go 10 the
hearts of young readers. One of the most i'm
pressive characters Is Gustavus Adolphus the
wise old hOrse-Gustavus Adolphus will not be
easily forgotten, especially as he was an agent
in the successful flower selling enterprise Of the
eldest Of Daddy's daughters. Merle and May"
CE. p. Dutton & Coz, by Grace Squires con-
tains many admirable suggestions to selfish and
thoughtless giTls-suggestions so admirable that
il is pity that they should be combined with
examples of sentimental and unconventional
manners. Roberta and Her Brothers G-ittle,
Brown & Coz is not very probable story of a
girl OF strong character and eager mind. pain
fully doing her best in an environment of pow
erty and hard work There is much that is
humorous in the performances of her young
brothers, especially in those of the well mean
ing boy with 4 troublesome passion for inyen-
tion. Another proud and earnest little girl who
has To fight with poverty is the heroine of
Anna Cnapin Rays new book, Janet: Her
Winter in Quebec" G-ittle. Brown & Coz. The
Canadian and her brother Ronald are neatly
contrasted with two young Americans living in
the same house. and there is enough misunder-
standing To give variety 10 their association.
Good fortune comes to Janet Lese's family,
brought by an impossible Englishman whose
stale stage absurdity only serves 20 mar the
story. A practised writer might have found a
more artistic god from the machine.
In 'Elinor's College Career little. Brown &
Coz Julia A. Schwartz gives an excellent picture
OF life in girls college. Elinor is. the whole
an improving parsonage to know. and her
ideals her tempers her sorrows and her gen
erosities are 10 be commended to youthful read
ers. An effective boarding school story is Anna
HamIin Wekers Betty Baird" little Brown
& Coz The young Betty is a very original per-
son. with a high spirit, a warm heart and
keen intelligence, and after some painful ex-
pertences at the hands of a jealous schoolmate
she conquers the whole little world about her
A book Of a less familiar sort is Pegs Advent
ures in Paris" &c. P. Dutton & Coz. by May
Baldwin Peg is a courageous. impetuous Eng
lish girl who, a pupil in a French boarding
school is continually getting herself into unusual
and fantastic difficulties Many OF these arise
from, her enthusiastic C~fence OF a fellow pupil
a Russian girl, who is wanted by the police as a
ra,,outionist With all It's improbabnity the
boo,. has some truthful drawing OF character
and II is certainly exciting.
.,rba E7our Corners" George w Jacobs & Coz
by Amy E. Blanchard. is a piquant little story
Of a Virginia family and it's changing fortunes
The four corners are four young sisters. who
meet hardshlps gayly. managing 10 get great
deal of fun out Of the most unpromising situa-
tions Exciting in another fashion is Merry
lps" (The Macmillan Company. by Beulah