The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-11

IFSFVSYSsal X. WINSTON CHURCHILL,
HWW when asked recently to ex-
press his views on contem-
MI porary fiction, said: "Of late
years the novel has assumed
great variety of forms 1
am catholic enough to enjoy them all.
Provided the novel is the natural ex-
preston of the man or woman who
writes it, it is interesting, no matter
what form 1t takes. 1 am speaking, of
course, of good, or rather, we'll writ
ten novels. However. 1 would say that
one marked tendency of late years
Is 70 shorten a novel. 1 suppose many
people have observed the phenomenon,
when they conffne themselves to SER
ious books for long period of time,
or when on long and leisurely so
journ in the country, they find it cas-
Ter to read the old fashioned novel of
three volumes. Our forefathers not
only read serious books, but they had
also their leisure. The modern novel
has shown a tendency to adapt itself
to modern conditions, by having elm
mated from the story what might now
be deemed inessential and little jour
neys aside. 1t is apt, especially in the
many novels that deal with the sub
ject of the relations of the sexes, to be
a mere thread confined to the princi-
pal personages in the story itself.
But it is impossible to generalize such
has been the expansion of the func-
tions of the novel, which 1 think is the
ma in change-this expansion, I mean.
Mr.. Henry James has hewn out a new
path; Mr.. Meredith, who may we'll be
called modern, another And the pos
sibiiities of this expansion seem to me
to be Iimitless. All true efforts such
as these are entertaining, all are use
full; all were undreamed of once
The title of James Lane Aliens
forthcoming book. hitherto announced
as "A Brood of the Eagle has been
changed. It is now given out as 1.-THE
Ell
1.-THE Ship-Dwellers." a new book
by Albert Bigelow Paine, might be
called the New Innocents Abroad"
same general way; visiting almost the
same countries as Mark Twain's imag
mary party and, like them lived in
one ship which moved forward from
dedicated ''to Mark Twain, Hero of
My Childhood, Inspiration of My
Youth, Friend of These Later Years"
The book was published but a few
days before Mark Twain's death.
The midsummer number of the De-
lineator presents life from many con-
trasting points of view and all who
turn the pages of the magazine must
find not only much that is entertain
ing. but, better still, much that is con-
ducive to serious reflection First,
there is the editorial page, "Conver-
sazione," in which Erman ]. Ridgeway
touches the keynote Of universal kim
ship.
The origin of the title of "The Wild
Olive" the new novel by the author of
1.-The Inner Shrine" is not mentioned
IN the text. although the heroine her
self is THE Wild Olive" The title is
quoted from ST. Paul, "And thou being
a wild olive tree" ar alfusion to the
girls origin which places her, as
growth of nature, apart from the Gull
tivated trees of the orchard-society.
One of the out of the way places
described by Mr.. Arthur w. North in
his Camp and Canoe in Lower Cal
ifornia" (The Baker & Taylor Coz is
Magdalena Bay, which is regarded by
certain naval authorities as the most
important strategic harbor on the Pa
cific coast. Certain it is that with the
opening of the Isthmian canal the i'm
portance of this whole region will be
greatly enhanced.
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, i'll the new
book, "In After Days." sums up her
philosophy of death in a calm but not
at all uncheerful way. "If death is
treated as an neutrality-suspicious. as
an episode, reunion as a prospect
grief can ba borne as momentary