The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-25

of supply answering Il demand from
the Middle West and other sections OF
the country. The same may he snic
l Of Horper's Library OF Select Novels
! It's Selected Library OF STANDARD Litera.
) turc. Student Series and story Books
which the history takes into account
The advantage of the associations
former by The House of Harper and
maintained with literary men. prolni-
hent educators ana clorgyncn. is
brought interestingly forward. This
house published Edgar Allan Poos mar
rative OF Arthur Gordon Pym. of Nan
tncket" in 1898. Tho firm history
from this time forward. indeed, is link
ed with that of many or the most
| prominent names In the American
! world of letters. such as John Lathrop
Motley. George William Curtis, Henry
Mills Alden, Lew Wallace, Thomas
4 Mast, William Dean Howells. Villa m
Black, Edwin y. Abbey, Thomas Hardy,
George du Maurier, Samuel L. Clemens
and George Harvey.
] Harpsrs Magazine was begun in June
OF 1850. The history tails that Henry
J. Raymond was appointed managing
, editor, but that Fletcher Harper was
! the real editor of the magazine. and
} personally directed also tho Weekly
and Bazhr, until n year or two before
he died. The history testfnes that the
/ success of Efarper's Magazine and 9TH
/ er periodicals named is largely he
! holden to the insight. foresight and
mastery energy of Fletcher Harper
HIS was the hand of Briareus that
4 mainly shaped and nodded this work"
/ "A graphic description OF the disas-
| trois fire from which Tho House or
Harper suffered In 1859 is given, also
the erection of tho present nrcproof
buildings occupied by the firm on Clin
Street and Franklin Square. New York
Mention is made of the first visit of
Charles Dickens to America In 1872
and that of Thackeruy in 1857 Wilkie
Collins's novel. The Dead Secret"
was begun anonymously Iii iIarpcr's
'Weokly. but was not published in hook
form until 1878, when Collins visited
America and dined with the Harpers
IL Twenty-second Street
The high-class publications in the
output of The House of Harper" bring
back 10 the minds OF the thousands OF
those who have enjoyed what it's mem
bers have furnished the American pub
lie along all lines. educational and
otherwise. Dickens's Tale of Two
Cities" was published serially in tho
Weekly. and, near the end of the year
1889. Adam Bedo" appeared anony-
mously from the Harper press Dinah
Marin Mulock's work frequently APP
peared in the pages of FIarper's Maya
zine, and their list of short story
writer's embraces nearly every well
known American author as well as
those of England. Franco, Germany
and other countries. The history in
mentioning It's contributors unfoids its
individual lines with such wealth OF
i incident. with such happy touches in
reference, both to men and women
that it's entertainment and instruction
can only be realized by fun and care
full pcrusal. Extracts might be multi
piled indefinitely from its pages and
would present a disconnected attempt
( to reproduce what. a whole, Is OF
infinite value in its continuity and
harmonious Adjustment. The history
| OF THE House of Harper is so init
! mntely connected with that OF the au-
thors who have written for them, IT
has been go vital a force in the In
tellectual life of the American nation,
( thnt il takes the reader far aield, in
deed. In It's telling.
| The author OF The House OF Harper"
j. Horny Harper. is the grandson OF
Fletcher Harper and his wife, Jana
/ Freelovc Lyon. He succeeded Joseph
w. Harper whose retirement from ac-
| tive participation in tho business af-
fairs Of The House of Harper" in the
COS, left his position vacant for its
I present occupant. In the closing chapter
Of his history, J. Henry Harper says:
| Fortunate In it's friends to whom 1t
has owed much, having few enemies
J the humble little establishment started
F, by the Long Island carpenters sons on
| Cliff street. has waved stronger and
/ stronger, until finally it has become
! not so much the expression of the in
I d!vidual hopes and aspirations OF it's
founders as a representative Amori-
! can institution"
! No book that will appear during the
| year will he more Important in the
| personality OF the many spoken of In
| its pages. III the period OF time Gov
| cred. and tho relation of that period to
! tlic American people, in tho object les
! SONS furnished OF success achieved.
| aiOn. with the maintenance of high
/ Ideals ana clean standards. Tho
! House of Harper" has secure place
F., In the hearts "f American people. and
/ it's history shows how FAR and wide
/ It's influence has gone as a contrlbut-
! ing power to the unfit of national
| IDEAS and the broadening Of national
! sympathieE
! I'm Desert snd Wilderness"
BY Henry * Sienk,cwicz, author of
1 quo Nadis' Latte, Erowm & Co,
4 OF Bosion, Mass 81 2i net
This Is ii very remarkable story Of