Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-27
SOME LATE BOOKS AND MAGAZINES

that greater results should accrue than
in time when inventors were few and
all OF them were considered cranks or
lunatics. With all the armies of all
the nations experimenting constantly
for better trans portation facilities on
land and water, for improved telephonie
and wireless communication, for dead
lier ordnance and other means of
wreaking destruction to an enemy, and
with every municipality studying con-
struction materials and problems,
street improvements and surer fire pro-
lection, and with every manufacturer
and every employe alert for labor
saving kinks and devices. in short, with
quickened ambition along mechanical
lines in every department and phase
Of human endeavor, it were not strange
If the next decade or two were more
prolific in mechanical triumphs than
has been any previous century. As
an instance of this experim
the German army has recently added
to it's equipment a canvas folding boat
the frame of which is made of cavalry
lances. The boat can be put together
and covered in four minutes. Lances
are used for oars also. Another new
German military feature is an automo-
bile wagon train, powerful, speedy,
built for rough service and used for
transporting soldiers and parcels. Both
LheSe are QeSCTlDeu III luo MAY nutilDSf
of Popular Mechanics, which also con-
tains a graphic pen picture of target
practice by the United States fleet at
Magdalena bay. This article is writ
ten by one of the gunners and is Of
thrilling interest from start to finish.
Three flying machines have been ac-
cepted by the war department and trial
of them will be made some time in June
or July at Fort Myer, Virginia, across
the Potomac from the city of Wash
ington, so writes Rene Bache in the
Technical World Magazine for May.
That military post is situated on the
top of considerable hill which affords
an extensive area of level ground most
suitable for tests ofsthe kind demanded.
All three of the machines are oper-
ated on the aeroplant principle. That
is to say, they have no gas bag, and
depend for their flying power upon huge
wings. They are, in short, artificial
birds of huge size, and utilize the air
currents to uphold them while aloft,
the power of propulsion being furnished
by automobile engines of a type which
economies bulk and weight to the ut
most practicable extent.
Ainslee's for May has some striking
and original stories. The novelette, is
1.-THE White Flier" by Edith Macvane,
and, as may be inferred from the title,
an automobile plays very important
part in it. The action of the tale, how
ever deals chiefly with the adventures
of a young American, beginning on the
very eve of his marriage. A short story
by Mrs. Wilson Woodrow, called "Ad-
venturous Evadne," Is another of un-
usual type, some of the situations be-
ing entirely unexpected but wholly con-
sistent with the plot. There are dra-
matte excitement, humor and mystery
combined with great effectiveness. An
other notable short story by a writer
who has become identified with Aims
lees is Three Ways of Love-" of which
H. F. Provost Battersby is the author
Campbell MacCulloch has a striking
short story called 1.-THE Price She
Paid"
Herman Pfeifers beautiful prize cover
gives much distinction to the May Wo-
mans Home Companion. Another not
able art feature is full page repro
duction of William Balfour Ker's paint
ing, Memories" DIR. Edward Everett
Hale gives some good advice to young
married folk. In "Are We Ready for
Our Children?" Christine Terhune Her.
rick approaches the problem of the
child in the family.
The Forum for April-June opens with
Henry Litchfield Vests customary
keen analysis of the political situation
in America, dealing mainly with Mr..
Taft's chances of securing the presi-
Dental nomination. In the depart
ment of foreign affairs A. Maurice
Low naturally gives precedence to the
recent tragedy in Portugal, and dis
cusses at some length the question,
''Was Franco Madman or Unsuccess-
full Genius?" In his far-sighted sum-
mary of the financial situation, Alex
ander d. Noyes treats especially of
"The Recovery from the Recent Panic"
and of the probable duration of the
period of depression. Clayton Hamil-
ton treats of "The Tone of the Mid
Season Plays and incidentally dis
cusses the merits of not fewer than thir-
teen recent productions. The depart
ment of book reviews in this issue in
cludes criticisms by Prof. Brander
Matthews of two recent volumes on
the English drama, survey OF note
worthy achievements in English verse,
by Brian Hooker, who protests espe-
cially against the "Heresy of Modern
ISM; an appreciation of 1.-THE Novels
of Frank Danby," by Edward Clark
Marsh, and short reviews by Arthur
Bartlett Maurice, George H. Casa
major and Grace Isabel Colbron. The
special articles include a caustic paper
by Frank Moore Colby, entitled "A
Model for Dramatic Critics. an en-
tightening summary under the title
| morocco Moriturus," Of the present
situation in that unfortunate country.
Those who enjoy a story with the real
southern atmosphere, dialect and all,
will be interested in the second Install
ment of "The Way Out" by Grace
MACEDONIAN Cooke, which appears in
the May Nautilus. A fine halftone OF
Mrs. Cooke appears on the front cover
of the magazine. Other features are
1.-THE Hearts Return" a new illustrated
spring poem by Edwin Markham;
my Work" meditation by Florence
Morse Kingsley; 1.-THE Merger of
Spirit" by Stinson Jarvis; "The Prac-
ticability of Mysticism" by Henry
Wood, the well known metaphysical
writer; 1.-THE Law of the Rhythmic
Breath" by Ella Adele Fletcher, and
''The Habit of Health" by Adelaide
Keen.
In the list of fiction for the House,
keeper for May there are two partic-
ularly clever stories, "Roxana,s Pro-
posal" by Anne Warner, and His
Failure" by Emma Lee Walton. For
the first, imagine a girl who has looked
forward to a proposal from infancy;
then the auspicious moment-the au-
tomobile breaks down; and as part
ing word after the strenuous day, ION.
1 forgot, meant to propose this morn
ing"
The May number of Gunter's Maga-
dnfsf