The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-31

A new book by Henry Wallace
Phillips, The Mascot of Sweet Briar
Gulch has just been published in
sumptuous style by the Bobbs-Merrill
company.
A straight appeal to the sympathies
through the faith of childhood, the SUI
preme, universal appeal. A brave
story, full of action and honest senti-
ment, compact of simple emotions
and elemental virtues-courage kind
ness. the never-say-die friendships of
men close to nature. and love of the
open reaches and the steep places. A
remembrance book, for people do not
forget the stories which aim their eyes
and mellow their lives. That is The
Mascot OF Sweet Briar Gulch
The author, whose robust humor is
no less because his tenderness is
greater than ever invites you to know
the heart of man, the heart of a
boy and the heart of a girl The man
is hOmely and plain and big-hearted,
the kind of man who belongs to his
name, Jim. And the boy, too, wears
the same name with just as good a
right. The man is out west. You're
not formally introduced to him; that.
somehow. amid these plains and
mountains, seems unnecessary. The
boy Jim is adopted by the man Jim
after he has run away from the cruel
people who call themselves his par
ents, but who obviously are not and
who have beaten and starved him in
the slums of New York The part
nership and the mutual devotion of
the two Jims-that's the story, plus
the woman in the case, of course.
the east, and his love of her is the
underlying motive of all that occurs.
Well. 1t Just weaves its spell around
your heart. until you're laughing one
minute and crying the next or more
likely. doing both at the same time.
And when Little Jim rescues Big Jim
from the sunken shaft, you want to
get up and yell your delight, and you
actually do 1t when the girl decides
she Will have Jim after all
The Mascot Of Sweet Briar Gulch
Is one of those rare stories that have
the happy effect of making people
think better of themselves and of
each other, of lifting ones estimate of
human nature. of unconsciously melt
Ing barriers and of leaving a sweet
taste in the mouth. 1t is. therefore
particularly appropriate as a gift in
the holiday season. and the extremely
attractive appearance of the volume
increases and heightens this appro-
priatenesS. 1t is long since we have
seen In any book better illustrations
than Mr.. Cootes's charming pictures
for Mr.. Phillips charming story
The Macmillan company is publish
Ing this week THE Ladies' Pageant. &"
by e. V. Lucas; DE Libris." by Aus
Tin Dobson; Uncle Tom Andy Bill. -
by Charles Major: "Fairies-Or
Memoirs Volume V. by Alexandra
Dumas; 1.-THE Origins of the British
Colonial System" by George Louis
Beer; Corporation at Home and
Abroad" by c. r. Fay.
The latest writer to get into the class
OF Conan Doyle and Anna Katharine
1reen as a concocter of mystery hc-
tlon Is Mary Roberts Rinehart author
of The Circular Staircase This hook
of curiously intricate plot had IFS
origin In a familiar experience. ASK
nine persons out of ten to describe n
spiral stairway, and they will leave off
speech and begin making frantic ges-
of this amusing spectacle suggested IN
Mrs. Rinehart that the circular stair
case was an architectural device of ro-
mantle possibilities Then one sr,n
mer, the Rlneharts took large coun-
try house, near popular golf course
It was an ideal scene for rnvsterious
happening, and over In the right wing
was the circular staircase ITSELF The
story was worked out in this propi-
tious atmosphere.
A striking feature of the Noyernbar
Worlds Work is a photograph taken
at night Of Mr.. Orvllle Wright's aero
plane in flight. This photograph was
taken sLteT O'CLOCK on september g.
just before Mr.. Wright descended from
a flight. 1t was dusk and the moon
had risen. Mr.. A. Radcliffe Dugmore
was making pictures for The WORLDS
Work and. not caring to carry home
one unexposed plate, took a chance
snapshot OF one-hundredth of a second
at the flying machine Three hours
were required for developing the mega.
tive. The fastest plate and lens to be-
had were used. and made possible this
remarkable photograph which render:
even the delicate shadows of the moon
Boys-girls. too. for that matter
may soon add to their adventure book.
The Young Alaskans. which the Har.
pers are about to publish, an excitins
and novel story by Emerson Hough
@hS wrote The Story OF the Cowboy