The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-27
Summer Fiction.

ND-~
and Company, Boston,. The reader will
follow with interost-the state Of mind Of
the boy who commits a crime for love Of q
servitude reduces him. He will also appre-
ciate what the woman docs for him md
close his eyes to the melodramatic
exaggeration OF villainy that is furnished
at the start. 1t Ia rather % much, how
" to ask him to follow q repetition OF tho
selfsame performance, with an even cruder
display Of bIackguardism on the part Of
the evildoers. The story shows distinct
recollections Of Peter Ibbetson," but the
publishers do no service to the author by
inviting comparison with Dickens, the only
excuse for which Ia the rather buneiing
Introduction of a London "slsvey.'
II Mr.. Chester Bailey Fernald in John
Kendry's Idea" The Outing Publishing
Company had contented himself with q
criminal story OF the San Francisco China
town his book might we Satisfied careless
readers. II is hard to understand how
business men in that wideawake town could
be drawn 90 easily into dangerous predica-
ments, but the succession of adventures
might have concealed that fault. He tries,
however. TO include SOM mystical, psychic
logical relation between his hero and hero
inc. which 10 far a. perceptible resolves
itself into the fact that they havo fallen
in love with zach other. He introduces
needless characters n blind trails to
mystify his readers and leaves them puz-
zled and unsatished. The one person that
stands out in the story IL an extraordinary
Chinese merchant, who 10 able TO disguise
III - iii E.A.Ahxxas - nhNAtf NaAH
and even a. a French woman. Apparently
all foreigners look alike to Mr.. Fernald's
San Franoiscans.
It is Q pity that the stories gathered from
the Harper periodicals, such - Adventures
of UncN Sam's Sailors should mix fact up
90 much with fiction. for the fact hcre, A.
is far more exciting than any story
that can be built up on ii. Peary's tales
OF the Arctic seas are rather out OF place,
il 10 only technically that his adventures
can be regarded a. those Of q 'sailor.' The
authors include Miss Seawen, Franklin
Matthews, W. j. Henderson. Kirk Munroe
and a good many naval officers. They are
good stories, all the same, but We could wish
the heroism in the Samoan disaster
might nave been brought out more wildly.
Other Books.
A breezy, enthusiastic. journalistic style
makes MIR. Herbert N. Casson's The Ro-
nance Of Steel" "a. s. Barnes and Com
panyl a. readable and attractive as a pros
pectus. The author tells h wonderful
story Of the development OF the teelindustry
and OF the men who have shared in IL, IL
be specifically, but certainly inteli-
gibly. He hardly psusee to pass judgment,
but limits himself TO the record OF things
done. The record may not be complete,
and the i~nferences drawn from 10 might be
different II IL were fuller, but IL does give
a fairly clear impression Of the mon de-
scribed. In the same way there 10 no at
at scientific accuracy In the &C.
count OF processes and improvements,
but the reader forms some idea OF the gist
of the matter In each case. II may be
unsafe to use Mr.. Casson's book for refer
ence, but he certainly has written q very
interesting running account OF Q great and
important industry and supplies . mas
ii information which II would be dinicult
70 find elsewhere.
II gardens increase in proportion to the
Nooks about them hat are published the
hole country will o be In bloom. The
latest book Of instruction that has como
TO US deals with a limited but extremely
attractive branch Of horticulture. IL IL
Mr.. Peter Bisset's The Book OF Water
Gardening" "A. T. De La Mare Printing
and P~ubishing Company. New York;.
The reader will be astonished at how much
can be done by cultivation for what he
10 accustomed to regard a Wild flowers.
Elaborate directions are given for tho build
ing Of ponds. the preparation Of soils,
protection by wind scresns and the rearing