New-York tribune., 1909-04-03


U2tb over 100 drawings BY Ernest Thompson
seton. tor ismo. pp 2cs. The Century Company
sT1cKEEN. By John Muir Narrow 12mo. PIP. "a
Houghton Miffiin Company
MY PETS REAL HAPPENINGS IN ny
AVTARY By Marshall Saunders. Illustrated
l2rno, pp 2s3. The Griffith & Rowland Press.
N.r. eton tells, in his new book. beautiful
story Of welded love and high courage and
that fox is its hero does not make 1t less ap-
healing 10 humans" Domino is splendid
fellow. and we follow his fortunes with keen
interest and with genuine anxiety; in critical
places Perhaps he catches chickens 10 feed
his Snov vrrT and their beloved cubs-that Is
sad for the chickens and exasperating to the
farmer. but then Domino is by way of being
the good provider" celebrated by all judicious
persons. He is merely working out his destiny
To his wife he is the most loyal and faithful
husband all his days and is ready to lay down
his life for her What John Thomas could
do more? The author gives us to understand
that the psychologically important incidents
are all true, though observed IN different re-
gions Put together. they form tale which is
half idyllic half dramatic. The most censorious
contemner Of the modern animal story will
hardly take exception to the framing of these
incidents. A characteristic episode is the hunt
ing of the wild geese meadow by the mar
ried pair:
a
the Domino hid unseen, while Snowyruff went
the other side and walking into view began set
,f s f.eAee t:,rned ali beaks that way
wondering what in the world the strange perform
StiIi SnowyrufT went on tumbling and wrigglng.
The Geese nothing to fear, the Fox being SO
far away. Their curiosity aroused; they stood
10 gaze and SnOwyruff. at the next tumble, rolled
little nearer This she did again and again TIL
the old gander. alwayes suspicious realized that
tins vas a ruse Of approach he sald nothlng, ne
gave no alarm as there was yet nothing aiarnlng
Seese-his family really~r1oved with him. and still
that silly Fox kept rolling in the stubble like a
yind-olow.. bundle Of dry grass, some animated
tumble e-weed. Yes. IL very amusing but old
fong-nerk did not propose TO be hoodwinked He
moved again and again and at each insidious ap-
proach Of the tumbling Fox he went sttll further
Geese had been worked across the field nearly to
the edge 4 the & sn r @ a4d v Sens o tho 6e
brush when ont lea @mnI cd sn STP and {an make
away he had CID Lons-neck by the throat
MI seton's drawings are charming-true to
life, yet not without suggestions of sentiment
In ..Stickeen" Mir. Muir sets down his remin
iscences Of a real dog. little black creature OF
rondescript breed who went exploring
trip with him among the glaciers of Southeast
ern Alaska He was in no sense dog Of the
Kipling sort, this Stickeen; nevertheless he was,
as Mr. Muir says. queer character-odd. con-
cealed. independent, keeping invincibly quiet
and doing many little puzzling things" things
not at al beyond dog-nature. but showing the
hest dog mentality Not that he was Of an;-
Sc whatever save that he was interesting rs
. study Though he apparently as cold as
n glacier and about mpervious to fun" says
the author Il tried hard to make his acquaint-
ance guessing there must be something worth
while hidden beneath so much courage. endur-
ance and love OF Wid-weathery adventure No
slperannuated mastifT bulldog grown old in
Office surpassed this fluffy midget in stole dig
nifty Ee sometimes reminded of a small.
squat unshak2ble desert cactus" There came
time in = wild-weathery adventure on a gla-
cier when the creatures courage seemed to
break down in the face of q frightfui danger.
dog worked their way the perIous ice
Bridge across a rnonstrous erevasse is calculated
TO give the reader more than one thrill No
wonder the cold. self-contained little dog
screamed and sobbed and rushed about in wild
whirl of ECSTASY when safely over. And for
one man he cold more; he was thence
forth the devoted shadow Of his cornrsde In
danger. -Stickeen" is book. which like thar
cf Mr. Seton. is well worth preserving.
Can a little bird have characteristics orin-
ions, eccentricities personal and peculiar to it.
/ self2 Miss Saunders's descriptions of her
winged friends and companions offer TESTIMONY,
I n the affirmative. The native robin Is one Of
the most interesting OF the wild birds in an
aviary- With the necessity of getting his oy.,,
meals eliminated he has leisure to deyeIo,, lis
mind He discovers ingenious methods of fen