The Republican journal., 1908-10-29
Literary News and Notes.

President Roosevelt has signed con-
tract with The Outlook to act as an asso-
ciate editor after his retirement from
the Presidency in March next. This IS
made subject to the existing contract to
write the story of his African travels Tor
Charles Scribner's Sons. His work IN
connection with the Outlook is to cover
political and economic topics.
William Dean Howells, Mary .. Will
kins Freeman. John Kendrick Bangs,
Mary RAYMOND Shipman Andrews, Mary
Stewart Cutting, Alice Brown, Henry
van DYKE, Elizabeth Stuart Phelps,
Elizabeth Jordan, Edith Wyatt, Mary
Heaton Worse and Henry James have
written composite novel. The story is
entitled The Whole Family, and will be
published next week after having run as
a serial in Harper's Bazaar, where the
puzzle was to find which author wrote
what chapter. The plot hinges on the
engagement of pretty Peggy, the daugh-
ter of the house, to tickle youth who is
in love with her aunt, and the whole
family gets delightfully."- tangled up about
it. As a literary device this book IS
bound to create pleasant little stir.
The November Everybody's is an cleo
ton number. That is, three out OF the
seven articles in it are particularly per,
tinent at this time. First of all, real
national election issue-''The lndepend-
ence of the Philippines '-is discussed by
William Howard Taft and William Jen-
nings BRYAN, while Eleanor Franklin
Egan contribute plain statement of the
work that has been done by the United
States in the Islands. William Hard s
series. 1.-THE Woman's INVASION" has its
first instalment in this number. 1t really
involves, at bottom, the question: What
is the effect of four millions of working
women upon this country, upon men,
upon children? And is the working
woman a success, physically, economical
". morally? This is going, undoubtedly,
to be the most talked-of series OF articles
of the wear. In all it is a notable num-
Der, with thoroughly distinctive Every
body's articles, strong and remarkably
illustrated.
The Maine Historical Society has been
favored by another valuable contribution.
At the request of the librarian of the So
cietv, Mrs. Elizabeth Akers Allen, whose
nom1ne de plume was FLORENCE Percy"
has contributed to their already valuable
collection of manuscript an autograph
copy of her famous poem, ''Rock Me to
Sleep Mother" signed. Even the pa
per on which it is written has history.
1t is from lot of paper made. for bank
bills during the presidency OF Andrew
jackson, and rejected because 1t was too
heavy. 1t was made from silk bandanna
handkerchiefs of different colors and is
very strong. The threads of silk can be
T1D oofnv
ruined and the paper was never called
for While in Washington Mrs. Akers
secured some of the paper for her own
use. The poem, "Rock Me to Sleep Moth
err was written in Portland and Flor
ence Percy's first book was published in
Portland. The second was mostly writ
ten there and of the third, the scene was
laid there and the contents were strongly
local She now resides in Tuckahoe, N.
Y.
James Otis has begun another series of
books for boys to be called ''The Bust
ness Venture Series" The first volume
has been issued by Dana, Estes & Co.
of Boston and is called 1.-THE Cruise OF
the Phoebe, or Lobster Buying on the
Eastern Coast" 1t is most realistic
and interesting story of the lobster buy
ers, who leave Portland in stout power
boats, cruising along the intricate and
hazardous coast line, even as Tar as Hall
fax, buying Holsters and bringing them
back to be shipped alive to Boston, New
York and the west The boats are from
ten to fifteen tons burden, carry crew
of three or four, and are stout, sea-
worthy craft, as indeed they must be to
cruise off this coast in all seasons. This
particular story, dealing with the adj
ventures of three boys, who have taken
up the pursuit during their summer va
cation, follows closely the facts and
figures of the real industry described
above, and is crammed full of interest
and excitement from cover to cover.
Th' ir dealings with the hardy fishermen
along the coast, their adventures with
the smugglers, the picking up of a
brollen-down yacht at sea, and their
hairbreadth escape from total shipwreck
all combine to make the story one that
no boy, once starting it, would be con-
tent to leave until he had read every
word