The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-24

A new volume Of poems by Thomas
Nelson Page has just been published
by the Scribners, under the title The
Coast of Bohemia"
Charlotte Weber Ditzler has illus
trated happily the romance of old fur
niture which William Frederick Dix
has written under the title of 1.-The
Face in the Girandole." Artist as we'll
as author are passionate devotees of
the old furniture quest.
THE Secret of Moor Cottage is a
new book just published by Small,
Maynard & Company of Boston. This
announcement contains no promise of
special import nor does the name of
the author, H Ripley o. Cromarsh,
but interest is awaked when it IS
known that the author is woman and
a sister of DIR. A. Conan Doyle. Here
IS an opportunity for a family test Of
the comparative fertility, in certain di-
recuOns, of a mans and a woman
mind. This tale of mystery and ad-
ventures might be expected when
written by Conan DOyle's sister-nat-
urally involves a detective, who, al
though not professional one discOv-
finds 1t desirable, for various reasons
to seek q solution of the puzzle which
surrounds him. He tells the story him
self with a supplementary narrative by
for the final clearing up of the mys-
terry.
Romance Island IONA Gales new
story. is not the first novel to make use
OF the fourth dimension" that aIlur-
ing dream of the mathematician. 1t
may not be generally known that Mr.
C. L. Hinton. the inventor of the fam
Gus baseball gun, once wrote
fourth dimensiOnal romance entitled
re T.
with fanciful grace: Mr.. Hinton WELD
ed it with scientific gravity. Romance
Island is noteworthy because of the
utterly odd sensation it produces by
carrying into realm of pure imagin-
alton the so-caled realistic method IN
Its piquant mingling of modern Ameri-
cans and ancient PhOenicians ii is like
the first taste of grape fruit dressed
with oil.
A new juvenile by Curtis Durham
and George Kerr has just been pub
lshed by the BObbs Merrill COMPANY
1t is called The Golden Goblin This
lifely, fetching, fantastic juvenile takes
the old legend Of the Flying Dutchman
as its point of departure. The pictur-
esqueness of the ancient tale has 2
good show and is, for the authors
purpose, enhanced by the contrast be-
tween it and the more Immediate sub
Jects of the adventures giVen.-namely.
two little Dutch children of the pres
ent day, a girl and a boy. who, wrecked
at sea and adrift on q raft. are taken
aboard the fated craft. The story goes
with a hop, a skip and a jump 1t
bounds along as merrily as does the
great fish who at one time during the
narrative takes the children for a ride
over the waves on his broad back. The
movement IS light and rapid the Incl
dents varied and surprising. What
next. What next" the reader Won
ders, and is not disappointed when s'the
next turns up The author keeps "a
the pitch promised. There is a pano-
rama-like activity in the manner one
device Supplants another. also in the
way the fairy element of the tale is
Glternated with incidents and talk bav-
ing a smart" present-day flavor. s.Tha
Golden Goblin" is presented in holiday
attire. 1t is no less lavishly decorated
than It is gaily and brilliantly illus
trated.
There is peculiar quality about
Jack LOndOn's latest story, white
Fang" which may perhaps not strike
the reader at once and that is the al
most entire absence of dialogue There
IS intensely vivid action, but amaz-
ingly little talk. and the effect of this
IS to produce a remarkably strone i'm
preston of the absolute fidelity Il the
story to nature
Ellen velvin. author Of Behind the
Scenes with Wild Animals" which
Moffat, Yard & Company are now
publishing, has been a patient student