The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-15

III NMl James Lane AAlCD III SlA
1M years appeared last spring,
another work by him was
promised for the near fu-
ture. This promise is now fulfilled by
the announcement for spring publica-
ton of "A Brood of the Eagle" As in
the others of Mr.. Aliens stories. the
scene is rural Kentucky. The direct
personal theme of the novel is the
noble but unfortunate love of a coun-
try doctor. Carried to its conclusion,
this love settles the future of the doc
tors life and involves that of one of
his children interviewer with this
are other distinct themes, the interac-
ton being managed with the wonder
full skill which places Mr.. Allen so
apart from the ordinary writer's OF
fiction. Incidentally in this story, he
has interpreted for US the new spir-
it of American childhood in its re-
lation to the miracles and legends and
lore of older lands and older ages,
that have slowly gathered about the
Christmas festival. 1t will be remem-
bered that in The Bride of the Mis-
tletoe, the ancient and almost terri
BILE significance of the Christmas tree
is traced back into the dim ages of
the Druids. In his forthcoming work,
Mr.. Allen deals again with Christmas,
but this time it is with the festival
that we know-with Santa Claus the
beloved intermediary between the hui
man and the divine. No one acquaint-
ed with Mr.. Aliens other works will
need to be tC1d how rich such a theme
will become in his hands and with
what poetry the more ideal aspects OF
human life will be brought out.
A young luke wakes UP one morn
ing in London to find that he has
no right to his title, his fortune MOI
his name. He makes d deal with the
lawful holder, secures the use of the
title for another year and sets out
for America to win an heiress. With
a years time and ample money. he
expects to t!rn the trick easily This
is the situation presented in Weymel
Jay Mills novelette,, Her Passionate
Pilgrimage published in the Febru-
airy Smart Set. The action is rapid
and the various phases of New York
society life 70 which the bogus young
lord is presented are pictured with
great interest and Vigor of descrip-
ton. OF course the pretender comes
a cropper, but the way in which il
happens is somewhat unexnected
"Her Passionate Pilgrimage is a good
piece of fiction and shows great IA
niliarity with social conditions on both
sides of the Atlantic.
The question, which until recently
has been purely academic, is now aris-
ing in connection with the probable
increased use of appliances for aerial
navigation: Does a balloon tresnass
on a mans property simply by pa S.
ing over it What is alleged To he
the first case in which an aeronaut
was held liable for trespass was de.
cided in a London court last Jrna
While the defendant was passing over
Priory Lane, Roshampton, his hal.
loon descended. and the grappIine
iron broke several telephone wires
The postmaster general. who sued fo,
the cost of repairing the wires. wa,
held entitled to judgment for los
the amount of the damage This le.
gal question. SO interesting in its com.
plications, Is made to yield both fur
and drama to Herbert Quick's stor,
of the upper azure, Virginia of III,
Air Lanes" just published by Tn,
Bobbs-Merrill company. Craighead. :
character of eccentric humor and viii
Imagination conceives and execute,
the brilliant scheme of securing a ma.
nopoly of the air. He does this h,
buying up the aerial rights of vaI
from landowners. These rights he en-.
forces on the same principle as tha
by which the English postmaster gen
eral secured his los According /,
Blackstone: Land hath also. in IFS le
gal Specification, an indefinite extent
upward as we'll as downward. T.orI
Coke puts 4 thus: Land is no