Evening star., 1925-09-25
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL,

How quickly pass the glories OF
books away,
l recently had the pleasure Of buy
ing some volumes, printed in 1873 by
ID. Appleton & Co, in which the pub
fishers had made use of the blank
pages at the end to print advertise
ments of other works.
What particularly struck me was
the page devoted to a library OF
American fiction, when Christian Reid
was in her heydsy. ! have never
read a one of this authors works
and perhaps I have missed some
thing but / ina gine ] am not alone In
this case.
These select novels" We're given in
the following order:
Valerie Aymler'': The Lady OF th'
Ice by James De Mile; Morton
House." by the author Of Valerie
Aylmer'; "Righted at Last; Mabel
Lee" by the author OF Morton
House.: Doctor Vandyke." by John
Esten Cooke: "Ebb-Tide and Other
Stories" by the author Of Morton
House: AN Open Question" by
James De Mile; Spicy" by Mrs.
Martha j. Lamb; "Lakeville. or Sub
stance and Shadow" by Mary Healy
'Nina's Atonement and Other
Stories" by Christian Reid. author OF
Morton House." etc; "A Daughter
OF Bohemia" by Christian Reid :
Hearts and Hands" by Christian
Reid: Little Joanna" by Kamba
Thorpe; "Bressant," by Julian Haw-
thorne; The Land of the Sky" by
Christian Reid; After Many Days"
by Christian Reid; Garth" by Julian
Hawthorne; "Bonny Kate" by Chris
tian Reid.
Ten of these pipeteen novels a rts by
the indefatigable author of Morton
House." who also wrote "A Summer
Idyl" and "A Question Of Honor" "
Christian Reid WAS one Of the best
sellers" of her day---but there IS an
other generation of popular writer's
now. and her works are all but for
gotten.
Spicy" by Martha !. Lamb. hat
a right spicy sound; methiEks II is 3
bit better than some of our modern
movie titles. One would like TO know
if the novel, which was published in
paper at rs cents. and in cloth al
s125. was altogether as peppy az It's
title; but it is far too much trouble 10
look the old story up and. anyway, in
all likelihood it's contents were es
harmless as custard.
Garth" by Julian Hawthorne. il
perhaps the only novel in that list
whose title will be familiar today Il
any sppreciable number. and of that
number not very many will have read
even il.
Rhoda Broughton was another pop
ular author then. Some of her stories
were Not Wisely. But Too Well.
Joan" "Cometh Up as Flower.
Nancy" Goodbye. Sweetheart and
T., ha
Rhoda liked nothing il not pic
turesque titles.
Those who imagine that etiquette
books are a new thing under the sun
have distinctly another think as
the saying is, coming to them. F,
People were all stirred up about
right social usages in 1879, too. Here
is volume, Social Etiquette of New
York" author not given; Is mo.
cloth. gilt edges; price. 81. The table
of contents is interesting:
The value of etiquette-Introduc
tions, solicitations, strangers i'm town
debuts In society, visiting and visit
ing cards for ladies', card and visiting
customs for gentlemen, morning re.
ceptions and kettle drums, giving and
attending parties, balls and Germans
dinner giving and dining out, break.
fasts, luncheonS and Suppers, opera
and theater parties, private theatricals
and musicals, etiquette of weddings
christenings and birthdays. marriage
anniversaries, New Year day in New
York and funeral customs and seasons
of mourning"
We would like TO get that book
chiefly in order to find out about those
kettle drums Morning receptions
and kettle drums"-now / wonder
What on earth that means? Did they
really have kettle drums at these
functions. and were the guests sup
posed to beat upon them In some cere
monial way? Or did kettle drum
mean something entirely different? II
so. we must confess ourselves clearly
unfa least. in the mean
ing Of 1879,
"A frank and sensible epitome OF