Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-07


or special mention.
-Four Boys on the Yellowstone. BY
Everett n. Tomlinson Boston; bothrop,
Lee & Shepard company
To has been often wondered who
would write tho book that would win
the boys Of today along the same lines
that the books of Elijah Kellogg gained
their popularity generation ago and
which they still retain. The man has
appeared and very properly is also a
graduate Of Bowdoin college. He Is
Clarence B. Burleigh, the editor Of the
Kenebec Journal, Augusta, Me. HIS
first book, THE Camp on Letter X"
deals with two active boys I'm Aroostook
county close to the Northeastern boun-
dry Of our country, and where snug-
CLING across the Canadian line has been
prevalent. Equally ready i'm athletics,
hunting or helping their families on the
rich farms OF that section, these good
chums have many exciting adventures,
the most important OF which directly
concerns the leading smugglers Of the
district, and an important public serV-
ice Is rendered by the boys. The tone
is manly throughout, the fun Of the
best kind, and the book is distinctly
readable for any age
The Camp on Letter X. BY Clarence
y. Burleigh. Boston Lothrop, Lee
& Shepard company
The hooks of the "Phillips- Exeter Sc
ries" have become standard on account
of the accurate athletic knowledge pre-
scented, the excellent pictures of Amer
lean board-school life that are given,
and the thoroughly manly quality ev-
erywhere in evidence. Two have dealt
with football and one with baseball as
central features of their descriptions
of school life and development. with
Mask and Mitt," by A. T. Dudley con-
tinues the subject of baseball, although
very much more than merely base
ball story, and finds Phil Poole, the
clever young hero of Making the
Nine" dignified senior and the cap
tain of the first nine. In the search
for new players O promising pitcher
from among the new students is soon
brought into prominence, while the fact
is not recognized that he owes much
of his success to the quiet and con-
sistent headwork Of another new stu
dent who has come from the same
school and has been his catcher. The
drifting of the former lad toward the
fast set and the unprofltab1eness of it
all furnishes opportunity for the most
serious and able study Mr.. Dudley has
yet given us, while the constant prog
ress Of his discouraged but resolute
classmate, whose ultimate triumph
comes in connection with the thrilling
big game that closes the season, is told
in way that makes old boys feel
young again. Athletic science, rousing
good fun and wholesome character
building are well combined.
With Mask and Mitt. BY A. T. Dud-
ley. Boston: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard
company.
The democratic or popular form of
government is still on trial before the
world, hence "The Spirit of Democ-
racy" by Charles Fletcher Dole, should
be welcome book right now. There
are many critics who say democracy
cannot survive it's perils within and
enemies without. It's friends perhaps
have never faced more difficult prob
lens than those confronting it today;
nor have they had so much reason to
hope for success.
The present work Is hopeful, broad
minded consideration of some Of the
more important of these problems.
The author, we'll known through his
previous volumes and lectures, has no
propaganda to set forth and no Interior
object except to arrive at the truth
His fairness and dscernment will al
once be conceded; while the conclusions
at which he arrives are worthy the
the light of the great waves of reform
which have been sweeping Nover the
country, and of the widespread desire
for purer and wiser administration
this work is especially timely. 1t has
already attracted attention in serial
form and is destined to WELD still
greater influence.
The Spirit of Democracy. BY Charles
Fletcher Dole New York: Thomas
Y. Crowell & Co.; $1.25.
James Hopper's "Caybigan" is one
of the best volumes of short stories
that have appeared in long time
They show strongly the influence OF
Kipling, but this statement is not in
tended as a criticism. Tt is inevitable
that any young writer dealing with tha
outposts of civilization should be in
fluenced by Kipling's commanding
genius, especially when American life
In the Philippines so closely resembles
English life in India. We have the
same heat, the same sharp cleavage
between conqueror and conquered, and
the same little groups of white people
In isolated places who have not enough
to do and who consequently fall into
mischief. There is all the moral decay
and loosening of the fiber that so often
accompany life in the tropics among
SuDJugate0 races. PernapS the best
story in the collection is the titular one,
"Caybigan,' in which the soul of the
little Filipino Pedro is displayed with
psychological skill and certainty. But
they are all good. They are full OF
atmosphere. and they probably present
the best realistic picture of the Philip
pine islands and conditions that we
have. "Caybigan" can be warmly rec
commended to imperialists and anti
imperialists alike Each will find in il
matter for thought
Caybigan. By James Hopper. New
York; Mcclure, Phillips & Co.
Ralph d. Paine, whose new volume
is called "The Story of Martin Coe,
writes the best sea stories extant to-
day. THE Praying Skipper" is wei
remembered by all lovers of stirring
tales. ThiH new volume will find 8
welcome not only from them, but from
hundreds of new readers. The origina
of Martin Coe" was one Mike Walsh
who was Mr.. Paine's gunner's mate
during a number of filbustering expe'
ditions along the coast of Cuba in the
winter OF 1896. The theme of the move
is patriotic. The tale deals with de-
serter who Is led back to the flag anc
to take his punishment. And Mike
Walsh. according to Mr.. Paine. was
the sort of man who saw no crime Ol