Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-04
Christmas Numbers of London Pa

Christmas Numbers of London Pa
pers.-"The Grand Christmas Double
Number has always been the impor-
tant event of the year with the great
illustrated London weeklies, and this
year they have broken the record of
all past performances in their editorial,
artistic and mechanical excellence.
We may make special mention of the
London Graphic, the Illustrated Lon
don News, Black and White, The
Sketch, and Holly Leaves, which is
the Christmas title for the Illustrated
Sporting and Dramatic News. These
are all notable products of the pub
lishers art, and among the premium
plates that accompany them may be
found some exceptionally fine repro
auctions of well selected paintings of
the highest class, worthy of a perma-
nent place in any home. The Christ
mas number of the London Graphic is
without doubt the best the publishers
have ever issued, in both the quantity
and quality of its contents. 1t has the
spirit of Christmas in every page. The
stories are all of the best. 1t is pro-
fusely illustrated in colors; there are
20 full pages of picture stories and
| humorous scenes that are very enter
: tanning. Holly Leaves is the title of
the Christmas double number of the
Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic
News, and stands well with the best
Of the illustrated weeklies. The stor-
les are all star pieces: "a Mother for
Heroes" by Eden Philpotts; 1.-THE
Race for the Ghost Cup by Ethel M
Primrose; "The Passing of Marcus
lO'Brien," by Jack London, and "The
Function of Scantlebury," by Morley
Roberts, constitute a quartet of liter
airy excellence not easily to be sur
passed. The illustrations and a mum
Der of very clever story pictures. OF
pictured stories. The Illustrated Lon
don News Christmas number main
tains its high record in an all-around
super-excellence. There are three
splendid stories contributed by MAJ
Pemberton, w. J. Locke and Marjorie
Bowen, finely illustrated by Cyrus
Cuneo, Russell Flint and A. Forester
: The art features also include 20 full
page pictures. The spirit of Christ
mas has been crystallized for all time
: by Charles Dickens in "a Christmas
Carol and it is this spirit of Christ
mas that is the keynote of the double
number of Black and White, and, per
haps this is best eXemplified by two
admirable sketches in color by the in
imitable Will Owen, Bob Cratchit's
, Dinner Party" and Mr.. Pickwick or
the Ice;" while Love Locked Out,
by Anna Lea Merritt, and For EVE
and Ever, Amen" by Mrs. Seymour
Lucas, help to tell the same story O
love and goodwill "a House O
Care" by Alice and Egerton Castle
Prince Wawadin and the Gutter Pup,
by Laurence Housman; "Mr. Logic.
Heart by j. J. Bell, and Buck ii
Love-" by Katherine lyman, are al
good Christmas stories, while the pict
ured relation of THE Palace of a Pc
tentate," BY Hansard Watt and Charlie
Pears, is likely to become a classic. |
is good number throughout, very en-
.tertaining for old and young. TIL
Christmas number of The Sketch ha
: some good stories by H. A. Herring
: Edgar Jepson, Richard Middleton an,
/ others, but it is in it's art department
that it excels. The illustrations an,
, illustrated humor are very entertain