The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-06-20

. EOFhAfICE OF
Ae1E ExRAN SION
1.-THE Romance of American Ex-
pansion"
By n Addington Bruce. Published ~ MoH1t
lard Co. New York Price SLI5.
For the readers who think history
dull. II. Addin gton Bruce has written
. book as interesting a. any novel 1t
Is the story of the territorial growth
OF the United States. and IN the telling
OF IL the author has selected the men
who were most prominently identified
with each movement OF acquisition and
has written an interesting biographical
sketch OF each.
Daniel Boone heads the list: not that
he took any active part in the politics
of his day. but he really opened the
famous wilderness road. which was the
first step toward the systematic migra-
ton TO and colonization OF the won
derful Mississippi valley Boone IS fol-
lowed by Thomas Jefferson and the
history OF the Louisiana purchase. An
drew Jackson and the acquisition OF
Florida, Sam Houston and the anneXa-
tion Of Texas, Thomas Hart Benton and
the occupation OF Oregon. John Charles
Fremont and the conquest OF California.
William Henry Seward and the Alaska
cession, and William Mckinley and
the transmarine possessions. The
author will not find favor in the eyes
OF the "anti-imperialists.' as the party
was called which opposed expansion.
for he has been more than generous
in his treatment or men and events
and has INDUCED in no criticism. lie
simply tells OF the events as history
has recorded them, and is broad minded
enough 10 find a word OF excuse now
and then for acts which have been CON
sidersd i'll advised in the light of later
knowledge He is of the opinion that
everything was done with the best in
tention possible and pays many fine
tributes TO our history makers.
Reproductions OF some excellent por-
traits and statues and some fine views
from old prints serve TO illustrate the
volume and make it most attractive.
G>~~>-~~~~~
gives its reasons why. The argu-
ments are interesting. but not always
convincing. Tomorrow Publishing
company, Chicago % cents-)
$. Z. Kiser wrote some amusing Love
Sonnets Of an Office Boy" a few years
ago and on the strength of his success
with that book attempts a collection OF
"Sonnets of Chorus Girl" They are
very labored. very cheap and decidedly
vulgar in a slangy fashion A repeti-
tion OF a popular success is always
dangerous. for il challenges a criticism
which the original never received. These
sonnets tell the story of chorus girl
and her efforts TO catch young mill
lionaire- She is finally successful and
marries him and they are of for gay
d. l.
PIRATE illustrations by Henry T. Eddy.
dodge publishing company, New York
Price 80 eents.l
Tho House of He'll by c. Z. L, is
poem in nine cautos. whose subject
is the sufferings endured by the in
mates Of an insane asylum. which the
author calls by the above title In the
course OF the poem the writer says
that he was confined in an asylum, but
having been liberated. he taxes this
means Of letting the world know what
he was compelled 10 undergo while in
generated.
A glance at the following verses will
convince the reader that the authorities
made a grave mistake in letting him
out:
The doctor we'd give a chance to live.
But it's hard TO forgive him his
1aulJSs
For medical care-it never was there
His only prescription was salts.
For salts he fed when they went to
bed.
And on rising salts By the whole.
And salts he fed until they we're dead.
He gave them salts for the SOUL
Uncle Bob and Aunt Becky's Excit-
ing Trip. and the Strange Romance OF
Tom and Ruth" is a new comic story
OF travel by Herschel Williams. They
start out from their farm in Maine in
an OK cart and finally arrive at the
Seattle exposition. Uncle Bob keeps
Aunt Becky busy watching him Ruth
meets her intended and they all go
to New Orleans. where the romance and
mystery are cleared up and they re-
turn home in an automobile. The book
is for limited audience and is printed
almost solely for train consumption.
Laird & Lee, Chicago. 70 cents>
Rhymes OF the Stream and Forest
byNFrank Merton 1Buckland is a neat
little volume which will appeal es-
pecially to those who delight in ang-
ling. The binding is made to initiate
the fsherman's ny book. with pocket
inside the back cover designed 10 hold
not leaders and other sportsman's ne
cessities. but magazine and newspaper
clippings. The verses. some OF which
are of a high order. viii be best ap-
preciated when read in the same en-
vironment in which 1t was written
that is, by the campfire. in the forest.
beside the stream that has yielded a
day of healthful, clean and exhilarat-
ing sport. forest and Stream pub
fishing company. New York Price
$3.50
The Champion Spelling Book" by
Warren E. Hicks. assistant superin-
tendent Of schools OF Cleveland. o. was
prepared. we are told because the
businessmen OF the country have been