The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-04-25
THE NEW PUBLICATIONS.
SOME OF THE LATEST BOOKS OF
 THE SEASON.


 -"The Silent Door" by Florence
 WiIkinsOn--"AckrOyd of the Faculty"
 by Anna Chapin Ray-"Aunt Jane of Kentucky" by Eliza Calvert HaIl-
 OswaId's Letters to a Painter"-- "RaymOnd Benson at Krampton" by
 c. B. Burleigh-Other Books.
 MT. William D. McCrackan, whose works on Switzerland and the Tyrol have been recognized as authoritative, has performed an admirable service for the increasing multitudes of tourists that visit the Italian Lakes. His vol- tune, published by L. c. Page & Co.,, covers just 37O pages, including in- dexes, and is illustrated with forty full- page beautifully reproduced photogra- vures. MT. McCrachan says: These lakes recall Mazzini plotting for Italian independence, Garibaldi fighting for it, and Cavour organizing the result; Barbante building churches, and Der nadine Luigi ar1 Gaudenzio Ferrari decorating them, the missionary Julius preaching on the shores of Lake Orta the two Plinys residing on their es- tates at Como; Volta experimenting with electricity; Thorvaldsen and Ca nova supplying statues for lakeside vil- las; Manzoni romancing about the peo- pie of Lecco, and Stoppani writing of it's rocks; Lady Mary Worthy Mon tagu, famed for her letters from Con- stantinople, taking her ease at Lake Iseo; Virgil, Satullus, Claudian, Dante, Goethe poetizing about Lake Garda, and Ruskin and Symonds popularizing the art treasures of many of the towns with discriminating literary touches. The author deals exhaustively with that region of artistic and romantic as- sociations.
 Of the book the New York Sun ap- preclatively says: "Only confirmed travellers among Americans take time to visit the beautiful lakes of northern Italy. The crowds that rush down from the Alps to the cities beyond with their art treasures, do get a glimpse from the train window of Lugano and Maggiore and Como and Garda, and some of the less hurried will stop over for a day or two perhaps. But tho number is small that can tell of a sumner or month spent In an ideaI pleasure land to which Italians and Germans and some English turn for rest and recreation. We are glad to see a book of description given up en- tirely to "The Italian Lakes It is by w. D. McCracken, published by L.. c. Page and company. The author dwells little too much, it may be, on historical and literary associations; he makes the most of what little art there is around the lakes, for no part of Italy Is without art, but he points out too all the beauties of nature that the lakes present, and these the stay at home traveller may enjoy. The book is adorned with pictures from photo graphs of extraordinary beauty which have also the merit of novelty" $2O0, for sale at Judas.
 s'The Silent Door," by Florence Wilk- inson, Is novel of rare interest. Miss Wilkinson will be remembered as the author of "The Strength of the Hills" her Adirondack story of four years ago and of Kings and Queens" and "The Far Country" Her artistic poetry is also well known to all who follow the work of the younger school. Barring two minute setting for the story and an over abundance of elaboration, there Is much to admire in this delicate and charming tale which is admirable as whole. The story opens in an i'm pressive manner by introducing Rue, the small child of Justinian Penrith's care, who was left upon his doorstep a babe, helpless in It's apparent abandon ment. If Justinain Penrith secretly thought that Rue was the child Of his daughter, he gave no outword sign. By the baby hands of Rue herself Is he moved to discover the pretty mamma. Rue pleads with her so-called grand father to go to the city and bring her home to her. Then 1t is that Penrith learns of his daughters wanderings, her marriage and the birth of Rue, whom she left to the care of a mis- shapen, ugly appearing admirer, who loved her to the point of worship. This man took Rue to her grandfather s home, well knowing that was where the child should grow up. Rue early in life has many dreams about one door that Is always closed, and she sees the interior of the room for the first time when her mother comes home no her fathers arms once more. Rue is delightful, little fairy like child, and this one achievement by the au- thor stamps her with genius.
 As says the Boston Herald Little Rue Is the light and inspiration of the story, and the authors picture of the Penrith house as the small miss plays and gambols in the field is admirable How that old house stands out as the writer describes It's surroundings, and one sees the apple trees of great sta- ture and declining age, bowed beneath the burden of their years. Some of them bend the knee and some clutch the air; others claw the hillside with tenacious purpose not to be left be- hind One stands alone, having folded its aged arms upon it's breast, and in the hollow of It's elbow thrushes have built nest This one trusts to fate. ?
 "The Silent Door," $1.50, published by Mcclure, Phillips & Co.,, New York, for sale at Judas.
 "Ackroyd of the Faculty by Anna Chapin Ray, author Of Hearts and Creeds." By the Good Ste Anne" etc.,