The Republican journal., 1912-12-19
Literary News and Notes.

Hon. John Francis Sprague Of Dover,
author of several well known books, is
now working on new one which is soon
to be issued from the press of Burleigh
& Flynt, the Augusta publishers. Back
woods Sketches is the title of the new
est effort of Mr.. Sprague and it will con-
tain many things of interest to Maine
people and especially to those living in
this immediate section Of the State. 1t
will be in reality, collection of sketches
of real Maine life with the woods and
places familiar to Piscataquis people
playing prominent part. Among the
sketches will be: The Indians of Maine,
Some Sidelights on the Romantic Life of
the Beaver, Game Notes on Arnold's
Expedition to Quebec, How John Smith
of Lower Broadway Regained His
Health, Impelled by Force That They
Wot Not Of, A Day With 1zaak Walton,
Authors and Dogs. The book will be
handled by A. J. Houston of Portland,
we'll known book dealer.
A strong Yule-tide spirit pervades the
pages of the December Lippincott's and
good cheer predominates. There is
complete novel, of course-''The CHM
mer Glass;" by Augusta Kortrecht,
whose recently published book, IA
Dixie Rose in Bloom" has made some
thing of stir. 1.-THE Glimmer Glass"
is breezy love-story, remarkable not
only for the newness of its plot, but for
it's admirable local color, for it's repres-
sion. and for it's fidelity to life. The
scenes are laid in Tranquil Harbor, a
quaint village on the New Jersey coast,
which gives the author a rare opportuni-
ty to display her skill in character-delin-
cation, of which she takes full advantage.
Short stories that breathe of the holi-
day season are "a Christmas Blessing, ;"
by Harriet Prescott Spofford; 1.-The
Woman at the Door," by John Nicholas
Beffel; "Two-Tails, by Owen Oliver;
and "Mercy's Goodness" by Ellis O.
Jones. Lucy Copinger contributes
"Gurls is Fierce" a funny story of
primary school children. while Temple
Bailey is responsible for clever and
touching little tale entitled 'Grandma. -
Then there is another "Short-Story
Masterpiece" THE third of the Russian
series: IA Long Exile" by Tolstoi. AS
usual, there is an introduction by the
editor.
The most important article in the De-
cember Atlantic is discussion of 1.-The
Drift toward Government Ownership of
Railways" by B. L. Winchell, president
of the Frisco lines. After a fair-mind-
ed comparison of conditions in America,
where railroads are privately managed,
with those prevailing in countries where
government ownership is practiced, Pres.
Winchell shows that privately owned
railways pay more in taxes than public
ly owned railways d.; in dividends, and
then makes the interesting suggestion
that the United States government
should obtain national control over
American railways precisely as individ-
uals do, by buying in a moderate proper
ton of the shares If the national gov
eminent should purchase. say, rs per
cent of the railroad shares of the coun-
try, it would control the railroads with
out the burden of owning or managing
them. In this issue there is another gen.
erous installment of the Letters Of
Friendship" by Charles Eliot Norton.
This group Of interesting and charac-
teristic letters is chosen from his CORE
spondence with James Russell Lowell.
John Muir continues the story of his re-
sourceful and imaginative boyhood.
Gamaliel Bradford, Junior. contributes
a Confederate Portrait of James Long
street. There is a sane paper on The
view oCleHSe VI IuSeilleo NY oolluei "
Smith, wicked skit on the same sub
ject by Simeon Strunsky, an essay on
The Excitement of Friendship by
Randolph S. Bourne, stimulating at
tack on present-day methods of depart
ment store advertising by Elizabeth c.
Billings, a discussion of the philosophy
which underlies the labor unions by Will
bur NJ Urban. and delightful essay by
Elizabeth Taylor, entitled The Valley
of the Others, not to speak Of another
essay in more serious vein, s. Hungry
Generations" by W. M. Gamble. This
December number begins a new serial,
Evan Cleve and his Friends" by Mary
S. Watts, we'll remembered for mel
"Nathan Burke" The present story
seems no whit behind it in its character
istically American qualities. Lorin F.
Deland contributes very amusing tale
from his own experience as political re-
former, and there is full Contributors
Club. The poems in the issue are by
Fannie Stearns Davis and ]. E. Richard
son.
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