The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-09

attempt Tanning of the Shrew. On- like the great masters plot, he at- tempts 1t before he won his kathcrlne. That Is the plot of Broken Off' in a nut shell. But Mrs. Reynolds has really made a most entertaining story out of her plot, 1t is well written, the book Is, and will please the average reader and some above the averase' There Is nothing exciting about 1t, there are pictures of English life, which seem good and the description of how Strong in time won his Osmun- da is well done, for of course "lo7e nrevailed" in the end-it always does In most books.
 The book will please, and it is un- usually clean; rather strange thing, too. when we know that it was written by present day female English nov elIst.
 Potted Fiction. By John Kendrick
 Bangs. Doubleday, Page & Co)
 "Potted Fiction" we are told on the title page. is a series of literary extracts in fins from the worlds best sellers, put m in thin slices for hurried consumers. the work being done by the United States Literary Canning company, edited by John Kendrick Bangs.
 This library of condensed best sellers, we are told, Is designed to meet the lit erary needs of those who have troubles of their own so numerous that they nave not much time to spare to devote to the trials and tribulations of the heroes and heroines of the hour. The canning com many has endeavored to provide in this small compass a concentrated extract that shall have all the pungent flavor and nourishing qualities of the original work on the hoof. The company will give s1O000 of it's own third deferred sixth mortgage debenture certificates, is- sue of 1908, and maturing in 37s7, to any consumer finding the slightest trace of formaldehyde, peroxide, jimmiehyde or subway dust in any of its preparations, and especially warns It's patrons against mutations MT. Andrew Rockernegie. capitalist and philanthropist, sends this testimonial to the canning company: "Please send mo S,000,000 cans of your Potted Fiction. I want 20 copies in each Rockernegie library in the land and en- close a blank check, signed to be filled in for whatever sum you deem proper" MT. Bangs has taken six of the best sellers and paroded them as follows "Rollo in the Metrolopus," by Dopeton Hotair (The Metropolis. by Upton Sin cIair): "Six Months" by Hellinor Gryn (Three Weeks" by Elinor Glyn) 'The Lost Secret" by E. Fillips Dopenheim (rThe Great secret, Dy E. Fn1illpS Oppen- heim); "A Pragmatic Enigma" by A. Conan Watson M. D. Sherlock Holmes stories); "The Stepdaughter of Peterson Jav." by George Jarr McClutcheon (The Daughter of Anderson Crow, by George Barr McCutcheon), and Somehow Long" by the author of Alice in Wan derland (Somehow Good and Alice for Short, by William DeMorgan).
 The book is very funny, particularly so it will be to those who have read the original best sellers.
 "Linooln, the Man of Sorrow" by Flu
 gene w. Chain, IL. B. Lincoln Tenn
 perance Press, Chicago.)
 MT. Eugene W. Chain, the nominee for the presidency by the proh ibition marty. made a speech on February 25. 1oO7 on MT. Lincoln at the Ebenezer M. E. church. Philadelphia. He has now had that speech, together with MT. Idpcoln's temperance speech, his first inaugural address. his second inaugura. address, the emancipation proclamation and the Gettysburg address put in book form and sent forth.
 In MT Chafin's speech there are some new things told about MT. Lincoln's life. new at least to the average reader. For instance that MT. Lincoln was very much in love with a beautiful girl. Miss Anne Rutedge, and was engaged to marry her when she died. August 25. 1885, of typhoid fever. Ther Mir. Lin-