The Washington herald., 1907-03-24
BY HECTOR FULLER.


blood-eurdling meloarama. but an earnest
and artistic presentation of facts which
the world should know. (The Information
al Library Publishing Co.)
That important chapter of history COW
cred by the Letters of Queen Victoria
Is at last 20 become accessible to the pub
lie. for Mr Murray definitely announces
that the three volumes win be issued this
autumn. The forecast indicates that the
work, which is appearing by authority Ok
his majesty the King" will be one OF
very exceptional interest. The first vols
ulne covers the correspondence OF the
Queen until she was nearly twenty-five
Here she win be seen as the girl-prin-
cess. later as the young Queen, under the
guidance of a eourtly and chivalrOus pre-
mier next the reader finds her called
upon TO select a husband after her own
heart All through there is held up the
mirror of public events as they appear
from the throne. The second volume COW
ers the period dealing with the repeal Of
the corn laws, and foreign revolutions, OF
which the most sensational incident will
perhaps be found 20 be the story OF the
flight of Louis Philippe TO Newhaven.
The cOrresp spondence in the third volume
bears upon the Eastern question, the
Crimean war, the Indian mutiny China
the Franco-Austria war. and the strug-
gle for united italy. This volume closes
with the end of the prince consort's life.
Thus the whole work covers just quar-
ter Of a century-that is 20 say, from 1897
10 1851
Queen Victoria was a woman of strong
individuality, of decided preferences and
! ,Ls Ar,rff
the book has been TO show the personal
ity of the Queen, her method OF approach
ing and deciding questions, her outlook,
her sympathies. her shrewdness, persever-
ance, and diligence.
DR.. Bacon. a New England clergyman
Ct long ago, was reproached by a friend
with some pronunciation which was not
according 10 Webster Webster lived in
hi spanish. and the doughty old divine was
not disposed to be snubbed with the die
tionary. what right has Webster to
dictate my pronunciation? he demanded,
haughtily, He is one Of my parishioners,
and ought TO get his pronunciation from
me, and not I from him.
Brand WhitlOck. disciple Of Sam Jones,
known as "the Golden Rule Mayor" of
Toledo, Ohio, has succeeded TO Mr.. Jones
office a practicing lawyer. he yet has
found time to devote to writing, and his
first novel, 1.-THE Thirteenth District. p"
was hailed as one of the best political
novels Of recent years. As lawyer he
was known as a poor mans lawyer. and
now, as mayor he Is known as the poor
mans mayor. In his work he has done
good deal toward REFORM he has abolish
ed the striped uniforms for convicted men
in The city wOTkhouse. and has establish
ed a parole system, which works admin
ably, In his new novel, THE Iuca Of
the Balance Mr.. Whitlock has written
a novel dealing with social conditions in a
city such as Toledo, and Il is a bitter
arraignment of police methods and the
dishonesty of court officials There is o
love story IN the book. but Il is fnCOEse-
quential The real story has TO do with
the Koerner family, a family 9f Ger
mans KOerner, after working for a rail-
road for thirty-seven years, has his leg
cut off. through the carelessness Of the
road, but he gets no redress. owing 10 the
techniealities of the law. which help the
railroad 10 rob him. KoerneT's daughter.
Gusta. very pretty girl, goes 10 the
bad, the son. Archie, who has served In
L4lt 1HltlHkkltS tulIlGE ADlIE. anu lAU4A
associating with evil characters, becom IS
a thief. He is bounded always by the
police. and the story shows how he IS
driven from bad TO worse; never a help
ing hand Is held out 10 him, AMI step by
step one follows his terrible progress IN
I'll he is convicted OF murder and sent 10
the electric chair. 1t is an aWfUl picture
Mr., WhitloCk gives OF this death. Archie
has been placed in the chair. after hav-
ing had a good breakfast which he could
not eat and bottle Of whisky, which
he has finished at a guip. His head had
been shaved so that the electrodes may
have perfect contact;
He waited 3 second. OF an age then suddenly
It seemed as If he must leap from the chair, his
body was swelling 20 some m0nstrOus impossible
unhumau shape; his muscles were stretched. mil
lions Of not and dreadful needles were piercing and
pricling him, stupendous roaring IN his ears
then million colqTs. c0l0Ts be had never seen or
imagined before, c0lors no one had ever seen OF
imagined before eolors beyond the range Of the spec
tra new undiscovered. summoned by some mysterious
agency from distant corners Of the universe, played
before bis eyes. Suddenly they shattered By
terrific explosion IN his brsin-then darkness
But no. there vas still sensation; a dull. pur-
pie c5lor slowly spread before him, gradually grew
lighter, expanded, and with E mighty pain he
struggled cropping his way in torture and torment
over fearful obstacles from some far distance.
mote as black stars IN the cald abyss Of the uni
verse: he struggled bach 70 hfe-then an appalling
confusion a grasp at consciousness; he heard the
ticking Of the two watches-then through his brain
there slowly trickled a thread Of thought that
squiFmed and gioEed Ike white hot wire
A faint gruan escaped the pale lps below the
black leather mask. a tremor through the form
in the chair then It relaxed and was stiu.
TITS all ever" The doctor, lifting his fingers
from Archie's wrist tTied to smile and wiped the
peTspiTation from his facs with handkerchief.
In It's way this story is as powerful as
the story OF Jean Vatican In LES Ms
cradles" but unlike Hugo's story, there
is not one single thre3 of optimism run
ming through the tale. II is all sere, mis-
erable. sordid, distressing. The author
shows quite a wonderful knowledge Of
thieves and their ways, their horrible
aIgot their desperation, and his picture
OF 'the third degree" while fearful, IS
undoubtedly not overdrawn.
The book is one that is bound to make
marked impression. if a lurid one It
Is not a pleasant book-it is more d
treatise on sociology than it is a novel
indianapolis; The Bobbs-M Merrill Coz
The late Henry Altemus. the we'll
known Philadelphia publisher, disliked
trusts. and foresaw trouble from them.
At a journalists dinner in Philadelphia
MIR. Altemus said of trusts;
"They remind me in their eupidity of a
boy I once knew
This boys mother ran into the nursery
one afternoon, and said:
Jimmy. what's the matter with your
little brOther2
Hes crying. the boy answered, be
cause I'm eating my stick of candy and
wont give him any.
Is his own candy finished%
Yes. ma'am. and he cried while ] vas
eating that, too