The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-10-20

~
'BlindfoIded." is the title of a thrill
ing story by Earle Ashley Waleott that
is published by the Bobbs Merrill COM
pany of indianapolis
This firm has a facility for giving to
the public the works of young and I'M
known authors and when a book issues
from their press it is a guaranty that
the author is worthy.
This book has already attracted the
attention of the critics. The Brooklyn
Eagle says OF It:
What is the mystery in Blindfold-
edZ' It would not be fair to author or
reader to reveal it here. The book Is
the stories are few, indeed, which ex-
hlblt so much resource, skill and be-
wildering inventiVeness in concealing
the climax as one finds in 'BlindfOlded.'
And yet it is so artfulIy managed, 1t
becomes so much a part OF the tale IT.
self and the result Of the condition It
develops that the reader never senses
the rare cleverness displayed until with
curtain is lifted and the whole mys-
terry, from beginning to end, is revealed.
In a word, 'Blindfolded' is a story of
very unusual quality"
Mr.. WalcOtt has entered the class with
Conan Dayle and Anna katherine
Greene and this first effort indicates
that he win hold his place.
Thomas Y. Crowen & Co. have lust
given the world a book of collected
drawings by E. Warde Blaisdell. Mr.
Blaisdell has depicted so many animals
IN human guise, that he frankly con-
Of animal life; and his four footed
heroes and heroines not alone stand
for personages but really are human
in his eyes. And so he shows us here
the foibles and fancies of Mr.. and Mrs.
Rabbit, Miss Hippopotamus, Mr.. Bear,
Colonel Lion, Major Elephant, and all
the other members Of jungle society.
Each group is given in a series of
sketches, with a brief word OF running
comment: and If a bit of satire at the
makes the point of humor all the
keener. Much of Mr.. Blaisdell's work
has appeared in Scribner's Magazine,
Century Magazine and Life, where 1t
has attracted favorable attention. The
cream of all these comic drawings is
here presented in large octave form,
on good plate paper showing one pic
ture to the page. The volume has spe-
cial end leaves and an appropriate
cover design in coIors. It is one of the
breeziest and most original books Of
the season.
The Scribners have brought out a new
book by Oliver Herford, "A Little Book
vein. The Illustrations which accom-
pany the witty verses are grotesque but
none the less amusing.
The very successful authors, c. n.
and A. NJ. Williamson. are represented
in this falls lists by Rosemary in
Search of a Father, a dainty Christmas
story. handsomely Illustrated in pho
togravure and decorated Mcclure,
Phillips & Co, also announce that they
have the authors manuscript Of 1.-THE
Motor Chaperon." which they will prob
ably publish in the spring. This story
is now running serially in the Delineator
with the title, THE Chauffeur and the
Chaperon." In a letter concerning the
book, Mrs. Williamson writes her pub
fishers: "Oh, the poor 'ChaperonH I'm
haunted by the dread that, If she doesn'
come out in a year, some other person
viii be brute enough to write a motor
book. wouldn't it be tragic for the
Williamson family not to be first in the
field-Or rather. Water2 We mean to
be when airships get a little more COM
mon, and people begin skimming about
in them, throwing orange peel down
onto the heads Of. the poor who have no
airships."
Anne Warmers latest book, Seeing
France with Uncle john" a burlesque
on the American tourist abroad, will be
published in book form october q, by
the Century company. The book will
have a number of Illustrations, in SYM
pathy with the humorous character of
the narrative, by May Wilson Preston.
The author of IN the Days of the
| Comet" 1.-The War of the Worlds, -
1.-THE Time Machine" and a long list of
other works, lives and writes in Kent,
! his native place. Mr.. Wells was educa-
/ ted mainly at private schools, and car
/ ried off first-elass honors at the Royal
/ Academy of Science,-a fact of interest
since the supernatural enters so large
4 ~ into all his books.
Henry NJ. Hyde's .The Upstart, -
which the Century company Will issue
/ October q, is the authors first book.
/ although magazine readers are familiar
with his short stories. The narrative
! deals with the life and common people
Of the middle west, q life which has
always had strong interest for the auth
or. Mr.. Hyde is now editor of the
Technical Magazine, after several year,
editorial service on the Chicago TIL
bune.
| Harriet T. Comstock. author of 1.-THE
! Queens Hostage a romantic novel pub
/ lished by Little, Brown & Co.. is a
| New York woman by BIRTH but was
| educated and lived until a few years be-
fore her marriage, in New Jersey. She
4 has been writing since 1895 and until
1 within the last five years her work was
confined to short juvenile stories. Her
/ first long story was Cedric the Saxon, Z"
which was published in 1901, followed
4 by "A Boy of a Thousand Years Ago -
! which ran serially in St. Nicholas and
then appeared in book form. This was
followed by her longest and most am
bilious work entitled Tower or
Thorne," a re nance of the girlhood of
/ Elizabeth, pronounced "a fascinating
and picturesque book admirably well
written" The reputation as a writer
| Of historical fiction which Tower of
Thorne'' gave to Mrs. Comstoek will
undoubtedly be enhanced by her pow
erful new novel. 1.-The Queens Hostage IS
It's events take place in the latter part