The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-03-11

Literary News and Notes.

Literary News and Notes.
Frank T. Bullen, the English author
and lecturer, died March LIST at Madeira.
He was best known as writer of sea
stories. among them 1.-The Cruise of the
Cachalot, ''IdylIs of the Sea" "Deni-
zens of the Deep" He was 81 years
old.
The world at ones fireside describes
the contents of the March number of
The Wide World Magazine, which in
clude bristling true stories of adventure
in all parts of the globe. From cover to
cover this magazine encompasses the
world in narration, description and ex-
position. Humor and pathos. nerve and
grit, love and hatred, and thrilling ad-
venture fill it's pages. Although every
number of The Wide World Magazine is
wonderful. the March issue is remark
ably so for its ;rueli tales. Don't
miss it. Glance at the map-contents and
encircle the globe by reading one issue
of "The Magazine tor Men,
The publication of the March number
of The Strand Magazine introduces Wen
dell Phillips Dodge as the editor of this
periodical in America. Also, at the
same time, this we'll known young writer
and literary director for the vast and
important theatrical enterprises of David
America of The Wide World Magazine,
and as the sole American representative
of the Messrs. George Newnes, Limited,
of London, the publishers of both maya
zines, besides a. large number of other
op1 n nj nor,olioolS tho cpcnnH
largest publishing house in the world.
The March number of The Strand
Magazine holds forth much that is likely
to prove interesting and highly entertain
ing to it's readers. To begin with, its
fiction is headed by story by Tom Gal
Ion, and others contributing short stories
include Gerald Villers-Stuart Richard
Marsh, Morley Roberts, C. Fleming
Williams, Elsie Lenton and W. J. L.
Kiehl. Among the interesting articles
are to be found the adventures, views
and experiences of the late Thomas J.
Barratt, a pioneer of advertisers; an
"under the skin" contribution by R. l.
Pocock, F. R. S., Superintendent of the
Geological Society's Gardens, of Lon
don, on furs, and the animals that pro-
duce them. both real and fake; an article
on Madame Tussaud's famous "charac-
tiers" and her equally famous and his
toric museum" In London, by the pres
ent head of that world famous institu-
ton, John Theodore Tussaud; the ninth
of the series of "Real-Life Romances,"
dealing with Lochiel, by H. Greenhough
Smith; a theatrical article by Wendell
Phillips Dodge; symposium by Eng
lands greatest naval and army officers
on the ten greatest sailors and soldiers
in the history of Great Britain; and sew
eral other features.
The Game of Life and Death, by Lin
coin Colcord. (Macmillan.) This book
consists of eleven short stories of the
sea-each in its own way little master
piece. They are not the usual rollicking,
'yo-heave-ho" type, nor are they ro-
mantle descriptions of moonlit seas.
More than half of them are dipped in
tragedy, tales of dread and terror; of
the strain and tussle of life; of ''wind
and sea, rain and lightning, the blowing
away of sails, the smashing of boats .
the handling Of canvas, the bracing of
yards" What the author does not know
about seamanship is not worth knowing,
and to less gifted mortals it seems almost
unfair that he should also be past
master in the art of writing short stories.
For why should one man excel in two
trades? His stories are strong and vivid,
built up by arresting, clear-cut phrases
which lead up so untalteringly to the in
evitable climax that the last sentence
goes swift and sure to the readers brain
explaining, completing and driving home
the whole. Where all are SO good it is
difficult to point out the best of these
tales, the more so as some of them are
grim to the last degree, and some are in
lighter vein. 1.-The Measure of a Man.
is a very clever bit of work. carrying
Sail which ends in broad smile-is
bad to beat, although the slightest in
the book. Perhaps the finest is 1.-The
Game of Life and Death" itself, in which
Lee Flu Chang, grand seigneur, if ever
there were one, and another Chinaman,
a pirate chief, play a game of poker,
with the life of Lee Flu Chang himself
and that of an English captain as stakes.
Thirst" is terribly vivid account of
men adrift on the Pacific,
and 1.-The Moths" is equally sleep des-
troying. But behind the somber realism
of many pages of this book is that knowl
edge for which philosophy is too dull
term-a sense of Glove and honor and the
soul of man, which are not bought with
a price and do not die with DEATH" If
mysticism were not such hardly work.
ed word at present, we should say that
there is trace of it in most unexpected
places. But we are quite sure that the
author would fatty contradict us. -Coun
try Life.