The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-17
new BOOKS.

Messrs. McC1urg & Co. have under
way for publication in the fall of 1911,
what promises to be one of the most
important fiction enterprises Of tho
year. This is a translation by Frances
Douglas (Mrs. Charles f. Lummis), of
Senior Vinente Blasco Ibanez's great
story of bull fighting, "Sangre y
Arena" Senior Ibanez ranks very high
among the novelists of Spain and his
story is a vivid and realistic picture of
Spanish life, and especially of the ma
tional pastime, which has probably
never been excelled in literature. Mrs.
Lumnlis is an accomplished Spanish
scholar and her English rendering will
have the approval of Senior Ibanez
himself The book will be brought out
under the title Of 1.-THE Blood of the
Arena and will be illustrated in full
color by Troy and Margaret West
Kinney who are spending the winter in
Spain partly to execute this important
commission.
Charles Scribner's Sons have just
brought out in this country a new and
beautiful edition of Robert Louis Stew
enson's Prayers Written at Vailima"
each prayer illuminated in missal
style by Alberto Sangorski, and the
whole reproduced in colors upon ivory
tinted paper. The volume forms an adj
mirable Christmas present.
New York has published a second edI-
ton of the Life Of Japan by Masuji
Mayakawa.
Henry van Dykes story in the Janu-
| airy Scribner has for its hero the
Prodigal Son. DIR. van Dykes jour-
neys in the Holy Land have enabled him
| to give picturesqueness and reality to
the background of his tale.
| E.rnes+ rrhon,nsor, esetor, II, tho yoT,,
airy number of Scribner's Magazine, es-
| Inmates the total number of caribou in
| the barren grounds at 80 millions. He
| finds that the number killed by In
| dams and ESquimauX is of no particu-
J lar Importance with reference to the
natural increase of this great herd.
1t isn't often that one can find out
exactly the presidents attitude on any
public question so readily and cOnven-
iently as is now possible with the aid
| of President Taft's two published vol
umes, Political Issues and Outlooks'
and Presidential Addresses and State
Papers, Both are from the press of
Doubleday, Page & Co., the second vol
ume very recently. CopiouS indexes
by subjects are included, so that one
who wishes to know what the president
has said on any public question can
find it without reading through an en-
tire address or message. 1t is some
| thing very novel for a president to
publish in book form his views on i'm
portant issues while still in the chair,
i and people accustomed to reading the
presidential speeches and messages OF
others will be struck forcibly with the
interesting nature and high literary
quality of what Mr.. Taft has written.
Messrs A. C. McClurg & Co. an
nounce that they have made arrange
ments with Mr.. Charles Carver, well
known for his dramatization Of Mrs.
Evans AT the Mercy of Tiberius,'' for
dramatizations Of several of their
books, namely, Randall Parrish's my
Lady of the South" and bob HamD-
ton of Placer" Chas. E Walks 1.-THE
/ Silver Blade" and VIII Lillibridge's
ben Blair" Mr.. Carver will take the
books up in the order named, and the
first play will be ready in the spring.
Frank Carpenter, rs years old, who
has driven a stage in every state and
territory west of the Missouri since
his arrival in old Hangtown with an
OK team in 1858 and who was a pony
express rider for eighteen months, re-
lates a story Of Mark Twain's early
days that shows grim sense OF
hunlor.
CARPENTER said that Clemens had Just
| arrived in Virginia City and was work
| ing as a reporter on the Virginia En-
| terprise. He and Carpenter were stand
ing on the street talking when they
saw a fight about half a block away
Guns went into action and one mar
dropped to the sidewalk.
Mark Twain said: "Pll bet you 81
he's dead, or I'll bet you SO he's not
1t turned out that the man wa.
dead.
Mr.. Willy Pogany, whose genius il
n illustrating was given full scope in I
: Y. Crowen & Co. s special holiday edi
8 ton of 1.-THE Rubaiyat" last year an
iagain this season in the same firm