The Republican journal., 1912-11-28
Literary News and Notes.

Owen Johnson began his literary ca
reer at the age of 6, when he contrib
uted a short story to St. Nicholas, for
which he received the sum of 81.
Norman Duncan, who discovered DR..
Grenfell of Labrador to the literary
world, has just returned from New
foundland, where he completed his new
sea story, "The Best of Bad Job"
Three very clever stories in which the
main characters are boys are found in
''W anted, and Other Stories" by James
Otis. The author knows the juvenile
character thoroughly and the manner in
which he envelops them in difficulties
and then extricates them is most ingen-
ious. Each story is just long enough to
retain the interest from the first para
graph. New York: Harper & Bros.
Miss Sophie M. SWEET, who wrote
numerous books for juvenile readers,
died recently in Arlington Heights,
Mass, where with her sister, Susan
Hartley SWEET, who died several years
ago, the two were engaged in author
ship. Miss Sophie wrote chiefly short
stories and juvenile books, and Miss
Sophie, who was at one time associate
editor of children's magazine, has two
score of volumes of children's stories to
her credit. Her first juvenile published
was Captain Polly" in 1889, and from
that time on she had regularly written a
book every year or two, besides continu-
ing her general literary and editorial
work.
Many stories and articles of an excit-
ing and informative character appear in
the December issue of the Wide World
Magazine. Jules Legrand describes IA
Gorilla Hunt in Equatorial Africa and
tell how monster gorilla which had
been devastating the plantations was
slain by the natives of Central African
village. Herman Scheffauer gives a
charming description, beautifully illus
trated, of San Franchises open air
theatre, and Nichol Lee tells of an excit-
ing visit which he paid some time ago to
our western "China Town. IA Battle
with Bees is very remarkable narra-
tive by Frederick Lees. Clifford Halle's
King Menelik of Abysinnia reads like a
Years in the Kulu Valley" by E. A.
Joseph, describes little known but high
ly attractive section of India. The
magazine is profusely illustrated-m most
ly by photographs.
| H. Rider Haggard commences a new
story in the December Strand entitled
'sSmith and the Pharaohs, which prom
Uses to equal in interest the best of his
former famous stor es. Arthur Morrison,
F. St. Mars, Austin Philips, c. c. Andrews,
! E. Nesbit and other well-known fiction
writer's also contribute stories. The
articles are more than ordinarily inter-
esting. Mary Shaw, the actress, dis
courses amusingly on the subject of
''Stage Hands" while T. c. Bridges con-
tributes startling article on Record
Breaking Run Riot. Herbert Du Parcq
writes on 1.-The Early Days of the Brit
ish Chancellor of the EXchequer" and
pays fine tribute to the genius Of Eng
lands foremost statesman, Mr. Lloyd
George. "Fox Farming" is the history
of a curious new industry which has
lately sprung up in Canada and which,
according to the writer, is more paying
than gold mining. Lieutenant J. P.
Muller, the crack athlete of the Royal
Danish Engineers. writes on Fifteen
Minute Exercises.
| The December Womap's Home Com
panion contains remarkable account of
the birth of Christ, written by Washing
ton GLADDEN.. 1t is simple, straight
ive-interesting and full of an ex-
traordinary sense of wonder. Reading it
is like reading about Lincoln or any
other great real figure in history. In
the same number there is an intimate
personal account of the little Princess
Mary, who is the only daughter of the
King and Queen of England. Princess
Mary is fifteen years old and has five
brothers. The photographs that ac-
company the article make an unusual
feature. The magazine contains six or
eight special contributions that have to
do with Christmas-particularly articles
showing how to make various kinds of
Christmas presents. The fiction is es-
pecially adapted to Christmas number,
and a special point is made of tine art
features. Many of the illustrations are
in color. The regular departments de-
voted to dressmaking, cookery, and the
household, are filled with good reading
and suggestions of money value to those
who will take them up and make use of
them.
The December American Magazine
marks an important epoch in the history
Of periodical making. With this num-
Der The American goes to new size
IL inches by IL. This permits of
three columns Of reading matter to the
page, much larger and more beautiful
illustrations, book practically as thick
as the old standard sized magazine and a
greatly improved physical appearance all
around. OF the ninety-two illustrations
in the number, twenty-four are in color.
David Grayson, F. P. Dunno, Helen
Keller, Ida M. Tarbell, Ed. Howe, James
Montgomery Flagg, Emerson Hough,
and Oliver Herford are among the nota-
BILE contributors of articles to the first
number of the new sized magazine. On
the side or fiction, Arnold Bennett leads
the way with the first chapter of a new
serial entitled ''The Regent" a theatre
cal story, lively and stirring. Other
stories are by Harris Merton Lyon,
Frank Barley Copley, Henry Oyen,
Wexford Beaton, Mary Brecht Pulver
and Ralph Straus. The principal de-
partments, Interesting People, ''The
Theater" and the Interpreters House, "
are full of good reading.
Every issue of Popular Mechanics
Magazine brims with tidings of what
we are doing for one another in these
days; of the mistakes that have been
made and the disasters which have fol-