The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-18
Really or BOOKS

BY PAUL PRY.

Her American Daughter by Annie L.
Colcoek; The Meade Publishing Com
pany
Her American Daughter" which bears
the imprint of 1905. is a piece of fiction
that is above the average and quite apart
from the ordinary The scene of the
story is most captivating, as it gives ono
familiar glimpse into spain-"the land
of Dreams. The book is rich in delnea-
lions of domestic life in Spain Just pre-
vious to the Spanish-American war. The
life of the fascinating old capital tho
art galleries. the street mobs, the bright
fiesta days, the bull-hghts all form very
charming and delightful reading.
The people too are all entirely worth
meeting. The heroine, Raven Woodward,
of Charleston, South Carolina is really
delicious champion of her nation" and
her Sudden fares and the lovable sin
certify of her "Charlestonian attitude, -
entirely appreciated, l feel sure only by a
southcrncr-mako one of the finest por-
trayals in the book. The neroinos friend,
Dolores who adopts the girl in loving
jest; the fellow art student, Peter Hard
ing-U. S. A.-her lover. her chaperones,
the Staffords, are all finely drawn and in
teresting characters. The style of the
story is smooth and easy and it is cleverly
conceived and executed
Hanging on the wall of John Kendrick
Bangs study are two caricature portraits
done by Peter Newell. which are among
the authors most treasured possessions.
One is a sketch of the artist himself, the
other Mr. Bangs as the artists fancy
pictured him "The portrait" says Mr..
Bangs, 'is an artistic outrage, but Is toll
Grated in my family because 1t shows now
much homeler 1 might be II, perchanee'
there were any necessity for my being
So He keeps the portrait, he adds, TO
brighten burglars, obstreperous hired men
and refractory children WITH Mr.. Bangs
is. however, one of the most enthusiastic
admirers of Mr.. Newell's work. i nave
always thought" he is quoted as saying
recently. that he was the answer OF an
indignant Providence to those who say
that there is nothing new under the sun,
for IT has been that quality of 'newness,'
of absolute freshness in the man and In
his work, that has made him what those
i of us who have watched his career from
its beginning know him to be-the very
essence of modest, simple manhood as a
man. the quintessence of quaint original
ity in technique and concept as an art
list"
"a Lame Dogs Diary" by S. MacNaugh-
ton; published by Dodd Meade and
| Company. 1906
No doubt every reader of "A Lame
Dogs Diary" will enter a mental protess
against the title of the book for 1t does
the work a distinct injustice. and to be
/ lust a wee bit captious, it. would serve the
author right If it curtailed the sale
which is very probably the vulnerable
| spot It is not lame dog" at all that
| the reader is concerned with but lame
imam" and naturally this is a very pleas
ing discovery soon made by the reader
| The contents of the diary have to do with
a financial tour in England, and described
the narrow and circumseribed life OF the
people there as possibly they could eX-
list in no other country. The author mas
| a generous amount of humor which OF
course is the saving Heaven" which enli-
VEINS every pa ge 1t forms quiet reading
| and will please those who take their
reading leisurely and enjoy the thrill OF
pleasure which follows closely described
| incident or character. The reader who
prefers rapid plot and sprightly incident
1 had better beware of the Lame Dog
, for he is very timid and quiet animal
though you will be. sure to admit,
very sly one.
Concerning Paul and Fiammetta" by L.
| Allen Harker; Published by Charles