The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-01

the many folk who have loved beyond
all present measure of light music the
verdant memory of Robin Hood" will
rejoice to know that the music for
'Trilby'' is to come from the man who
wrote that merry score.
Many excellent bird books have
been issued dealing with the habits of
birds of one locality or family, but
there has been an untitled demand for
a good complete work not intended so
much for field study as for reference
and general reading. Birds of the
World for Young People (Stokesl JUS
titles its title by dealing clearly with
almost all varieties of birds in all parts
of. the world. 1t is filled with litho-
graphic Illustrations in accurate colors
Of over two hundred specimens. The
text is by Charles r. Knight, one of the
greatest American naturalists, who was
assisted by Ella Hardcastle. It avoids
as much as possible Latin and technical
terms. but at the saGae time is sys-
tematic. presenting the various FAM
lilies. sub-families and so on in their
logical order. Many true and interest
ing stories are given to illustrate the
habits and nature of the birds treated.
The introduction is a clear account of
the structure of birds and their evo-
luton to the present form, and con-
tains many drawings by Mr.. Knight.
The frontispiece is a reproduction in
eagle by Mr.. Knight. The other plates
are Autographs by a German artist,
and are unusually accurate and sat
isfaetory.
Booth Harrington this season has
contrived to make both his audiences
happy. For readers he has written
"Beasley's Christmas Party (Harpers)
the tale of little lad, a candidate and
a purely imaginary, albeit highly dan
gerous Christmas ball; the whole war;
ranted to make glad and mellow even
the lawyer folk, whose hearts, as every
one knows, are the hardest in the
world. Then for playgoers he has pro-
duced drama, "Springtime," this time
with collaboration, Mr.. Harry Leon
Wilson, who was Mr.. Tarkington's lit
erary partner in 1.-THE Man from
Home"
Will Carleton. of whose homely, gen.
ia1 verses the Harpers have SO fire.
quently to issue reprints, was asked at
one Of the clubs the other day his opin-
ion of the use of dialect in prose and
poetry. 1T is largely" said Mr.. Garlic
ton, "a reaction from the old stilted
ways in which the writer felt that he
must strike an approved attitude and
assume conventional style before he
could produce anything that would be
accepted by publishers. But whoever
wishes to be read by many people must,
style of expression and assert himself
in his own way without fear or favor.
OF course he may fail even then, but he
cannot possibly succeed otherwise
Repeated editions of original poems
are unusual in this day and time; but
Oliver Huckels poetic version of
.Parsifal' is proving the exception.
Messrs. Thomas Y Crowell & Co. state
that they ere just printing the TWEEN
fhO11S2nd n
Percy T. Madeira's book on 'tHunt-
ing in British East Africa has just
been issued, bearing the imprint of j.
B; Lippincott Company of Philadel-
erick Courtney Selous. the mighty
hunter, who was one of the advisers of
Roosevelt, and is famous English
hunter of African game. William T.
Hornaday Of the New York geological
society. has seen Mr.. Madeira's tro-
plies, which are pictured in his vol
ume, and writes of them: 81 have
never seen a more extensive or more
beautiful lot of African heads that has
fallen to the rifle of one man.
John Kendrlck Bangs, whose latest
book, 1.-THE Real Thing the Harpers
recently published, has returned to
New York from Cape Neddick, Maine,
where he has his summer home. 1t
really is a hone in this case rather
than a cottage, because here Mr.. Bangs
has his library, which is somewhat ia
nous, and his interesting collection of
pictures. Mr.. Bangs reports late tar
rying in Maine to have been rather
more than commonly comfortable,
since only a few times has the Their
mometer passed freezing, and on all
occasions fire in the authors fire.
place that holds the length of a young
tree, unbroken, has burned with COM
fort enough. Not the cold, but the
necessity of opening his course of lee
lures for the season, dislodged Mr.. !
Bangs from his favorite retreat.