The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-24

1 the manner that Monsieur Morice states them.
 WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT SIXTEEN" By James Whitcomb Riley. With many l pictures in color by Howard Chandler Christy The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Indianapolis
 Of the many beautiful Chrisnnas books that have been sent out this season | there is none so beautifully gotten up" and exquisitely presented than James whitcomb Riley's :'When She Was About Sixteen
 There has never been a more popular writer in America than MT. Riley, and anything from his pen has always mer- | tied the deep admiration and widely read clientele that the best demands, and with the addition of MT. Christy's stun ming illustrations the book reaches' per lection.
 In this new Gift Book. Young Loch- fnvar in homespun is the hero.
 It is another tale of the "airly days when hearts beat quite as warmly as they do now and wits were as often taxed that love might have its right and happy ending. The story is told by a l little boy who has just heard from his uncle how his father and mother came to marry, and is so bubbling over with the ] secret that he just has to let is out, stopping every now and then to Hoo ray" with all his might. To child the youth of his parents is always a subject of nexhaustible interest, and when 1t has included any extraordinary event his pleasure knows no bounds. So it Is with this boy as he tells of the time when Ma" wasn't yet his Ma" at all, nor was Pa his Pa but
 list sweethearts, course you know
 With the first line you can fairly hear l ha cbo nf child laughter in which you irresistibly join, only. if you are wise. you will take the young story tellers advice and save some of the laughter for the last. For this is sort of double surprise party, l and at the end you can come on a second climax that is even better than the first one. The poem is as rich in humor as in romance. and it is highly dramatic, for in less than four hundred lines MT Riley | has developed a complete plot, with four | fully drawn characters, and sketched in the nighborhood besides Tender sen i timent and the sweetness of old fash toned things lend their charm. The ac- ton is however, spirited throughout for | an obstinate young lover is opposed by an obstinate old one, who has the ad- vantage of handy gun. Young love l and young shrewdness, of course, win the day, as they should, but in a fashion that mets prejudice and leaves every body happy.
 MT Christys pictures for this title surpass any that he has yet done for a l Riley poem, and the reproductions of them are larger and better than any heretofore issued in the popular Christy- Riley books. The artist has seized upon every dramatic situation and set it forth to the best advantage. His characters are true to life. and one can't blame Pa for running away with Ma if she AT. h. f-t, depicted her. MT. Christy has painted many types of girlhood. but it must be said that he is at his best when the gir to be drawn is about sixteen" He makes the freshness of her beauty stand out prominently. and the quaint old fash toned dress adds charm that is indeed welcome in these days of extremes.
 ITALIAN CASTLES AND COUNTRY
 SEATS"
 By Tryphosa Bates Batcheiler. Long
 mans-Green Company New York.
 In spite of all that has been written about the sunny land of Italy, it has re- mained for an American woman to put on paper the most readable and enter tainng account of this country in a book entitled, Italian Castles and Country Seats" which is among the most unique books of the season. The author, Mrs Bates Batcheller has been described as sort of a modern Aladdin, for when she touches her magic wand all doors in Italy are apparently opened to the lady
 She knows everybody worth knowing from the beautiful ex-Queen Marguerita and the King and Queen, down to the humb1est peasants and she Is as famila- with the treasures of the Albani Palace in Rome as she is with Aldrovandi Pra- toloni in Florence, or the modest sum mer home of the Queen Mother at Gres- soney in the Piedmont Alps
 From the Swiss border to Sicily, she knows the intimate life of the inhab- itants, all of which she regales you with most delightfully."- in "Italian Castles ant Country Seats.'
 In the most buoyant style, but keenly descriptive way, the old way which Cic- ero and Pliny knew so well, Mrs. Batch. eller tells her story which is interesting from first to last
 From city to city she carries you. iron castle to castle. and everywhere she re- ceves a hearty welcome from kings queens, noblemen, ladies in waiting. ant the rest, and she has the privilege be- sides of photographing all the people ana their beautiful estates, if she wishes In a personal letter to the Interviewei of "The Book Shelf" Mrs. Batchellel writes
 'I have earnestly endeavored to merit the confidence of thei, Majestles, thu King and Queen. I think the King hal never before given his autograph picture