The Republican journal., 1909-04-01
Literary News and Notes.

The National Magazine has arranged
for series of five articles entitled 'Ihe
Doctors Trust" by Hon. Charles A.
Miller of Iowa. The opening lnstallment
The best things in the April Strand
Magazine are some capital short stories
by W. w. Jacobs, E. Phillips Oppenheim
and Morley Roberts; continuation of
Hall Gaines enthralling 'The White
Christi an important article on Big
Game Hunting in Africa by F. c. Selous,
who is accompanying the ex-President as
far as Mombasa, and an interesting ac-
count of how esprit Drawings" are
made. Harry Lauder continues his
amusing "reminiscences"
The April Woman's Home Companion
is handsome issue. The cover design
is of a small miss dressed up in the old
fashioned clothes, surrounded by the an
Gent belongings of the attic, and is most
attractive. A discussion of "What the
Emmanuel Movement Really Isl begins
in this issue. The stories are good, and
amongsthe authors are Irving Bachelor,
Grace S. Richmond, Ada T. Drake, Mary
Heaton Worse, Florence Morse Kingsley
and Hubert Footner.
The Strand Magazine for April con-
tains startling article on esprit Draw
ings, the illustrations to which are cal
culated to inspire one with positive dis
like for every kind of spiritualistic art.
The author, Mr.. Beckles Wilson, wants
to know if there is any scientific expla
nation for these wonders, and we con-
fess to being obliged to give it up. And
yet the subject is an interesting one and
will probably be widely read by people
who believe in hypnotism, spiritualism
and the like. Spirit Drawings have
attracted the attention Of no less per-
son than the American savant, Professor
subject The examples of spirit draw
ings which the author reproduces and
describes are almost convincing.
''The whole is not greater than any of
its parts" tersely sums up that great
all-around magazine the April Nation
al. If there is straight line to the
hearts and minds of magazine readers,
the National finds it. It is delightful
and refreshing to read what the editor
of the National Magazine saw at the
Inauguration. He seems to have observ-
ed and heard what others did not, and
describes it with the facile discrimination
of the ''letter home' and with the art
of the careful chronicler. We welcome,
in addition, the usual affairs at Wash
ington," written in that distinctive,
witty and personal way Joe Chapple has
of telling the people what they want to
know of pertinent and timely topics at
the Capital.
A year or more ago Rowland Thomas
was awarded by Golfers the prize of
S., 900 offered for the best all-around
fiction story by an American writer. 1t
was entitled ''Fagin" and was story
of the Philippines. Mr.. Thomas has
now brought out a book, 1.-The Little
Gods, series of short stories of actual
happenings in the Philippines. The
authors home is now in Duxbury, Mass,
and he is but 80 years old He was born
In Castlne, Me-, the son of Rev. L. J.
Thomas, Congregational minister. He
graduated from Harvard in 1901 with a
''summa cum laude," and went imme-
dlately to the Philippines. Two years Of
keen observation and careful study of
conditions in the islands gave him the
material he was seeking and he came
home to put his knowledge into interest
! ing form for story readers.
''When today died, an epoch ended.
Inter 1t In the crypt with Alexander S,
with Caesars, with Napoleon's :" Thos.
W. Lawson writes, in the April Every
body's, Enthusiastically stirring APP
probation of Theodore Roosevelt, under
the title, ''The Passing of the Man,"
and the editors add to this brief review
OF the ex-President's career as public
ND AFT
the chief executive. The third Shot and
perhaps the most effective from a prac-
tical standpoint, in the campaign against
Gets You," by John Parr; and added to
it is the confession of a branch manager
of one of New York's big Stock Ex-
change houses. It is called "A Hireling
of Wall Street" There are many other
timely articles and the usual quota of
entertaining fiction.
True stories of plots, abductons, dy-
namiting and attempted murder under
taken against the San Francisco graft
prosecution, form the subject of thrill
ling article by Will Irwin in the Ameri-
can Magazine for April. Jesse Lynch
Williams contributes to the same num-
Der stories by Grover Cleveland and
stories about him. The article is full of
anecdotes showing the great statesman s
dry and lively humor. Ida M. Tarbell,
writing a sidelight on the most lively
question now before Congress, exposes
the various ways of juggling with the
tariff, and practically declares herself to
be in agreement with President Taft,
who favors the appointment of tariff
commission. Professor W. |. Thomas
tells of the colder and Newer Ideals of
Marriage, !" William Allen White de-
scribes ''Prgress in American Cities, -
and Charles W. Wood tells of his expert
ence during the last six months in ''Look-
ing for job" Fiction of an unusual
excellence is contributed by Stewart
Edward White, Richard Washburn Child,
Edward Peple and Olive Higgins Prouty.
The number also contains Letters from
G. ca and the serial, 'Margarita' s
Soul, by the new novelist. Ingraham
Lowell. 'The Interpreters House" and
1.-THE Pilgrims Scrip contain their
unusual amount of meaty reading.