THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN. PORTLAXH. JANUAEY 20, lOOT.
SI
"I turn again the mellow, sun-kissed pages,
Rich with the light of long gone afternoons, ,
With glint of gold and whispers from the ages
That Helen knew, and all the vanished Junes'
V. S. MILLIKIN.
ItsAi'll msj
17A.SkV' ... .;
rtf
s t V-? -J f
i ji 1 1 ' ', ')h",',v.1
uar- ixzs yj.
Ptillllos ODDonhelm.
IlluHtra-ted liv F. IT. Townsend. SI. SO.
liun, stirewn & to.i boston.
Mr. Oppenhelm Is gradually com. rig to
bo known as a. rapid producer of Ingeni
ous novels which are popular successes.
and. &s each one of these appears one
wonders if the one newest from his pen
is the masterpiece. The latter had ar
rived, critics thought, when "A Maker
of History" appeared that novel which
utilized the Incident of the mistaken at-
tack by Russian warships on the North
Sea. flshlnsr fleet end went on to spin e
yarn of International secret police.
"The Malefactor" Is different from tho
usual Oppenhelm novel, for It displays
to the utmost Its author's wonderful skill
in character construction, latent resources
and love of mystery.
It la a story of an aristocrat's war on
the world, and especially on women, for
revenge. The riot Is woven piece by
piece until a surprising climax Is reached.
The scenes are laid in America and Eng
land, more particularly in the latter coun
try. A society scandal starts the action in
the first chapter, the principal actor be
ing sir rNVin grave Seton. He and Lady
Ruth were in love with each other, and
u'heji the woman's husband discovered
their relations a fracas ensued in which
the wronged husband was heard by wit
rtesse8 to fall heavily. Shortly afterward
he died, and mostly on the evidence of
Xady Ruth. Seton was charged with man
slaughter and sent to prison for 15 years.
Lady Ruth had given evidence which
was morally untrue and when Seton came
out of Jail. His cred was:
My sUm Is to encournce suffarlnf whesr- '
. evor I n It. to create It w hern 1 css.lt
and to makn elnnere and thieves of lion est
people. I suppops i was born with the
usual moral Mntlmonti and tho usual feol-
InifH of klnahlp toward my fellow-creatures.
I'lrrumitanooi, however, have wholly !?
t r.)yed them. To m, men have become the
puppet and women the dancing dolls of
life, aiy interest in them, If U exists at
all. Is malevolent. I should like to fee them
To all outward appearances. Sir Win-
grave vas a monster to Ws Klnfl. In tho
interval Lady Ruth had married again
and Ston does his bes( to enguK the
woman's new husband In the mueletrom
or stock: exchange speculation. As a
financier Suton creates ruin and disaster
wherever he operates and his business
tisalinBTs are marked by several black Fri
days. Only- one ray of llht shines
through the gloom-nig decision to adopt
a H-year-oM girl Juliet Lundy. whoso
father, a vll.tj.tto organist, had recently
died, leaving her unprovided Tor.
So kiirully is Sir Wlngrave Sc-ton'S
character as t man of evil painted, the
reader is disposed to believe all that is
111 or him. and it comes like a shock to
know that in reality Sir Wins-rave was
ell the time heaping coals of tire on hits
enemies" heads. In other words, he was
a ministering- anarel in secret. On Lady
Ttuth B&rrtnsrton. the woman who had
lurgely ruined his life, Seton wreaKs a
tnost inlooked lor revenge, of n charac
ter distinguished by Its benevolence and
forartveneas- A subtle, pervading Influence
le an the time silently acting on Soton's
life, and the reader unconsciously won
ders where Ae woman In the case Is go
ins; to appear.
Then Juliet Lundy. by this time a young;
woman, takes care ot the story. But
10 cleverly Is the real state of affairs
concealed that It is not until the very
last page is reached when the intima
tion is given that she emerges as the
healing Influence reforming Seton through
love. In the words of the novelist: "She
came into his arms with" all the graceful
and perfect naturalness of a child who
lias wandered a little way from home."
For keen satire and yet tenderness and
pathos, combined with the old sentiment
of chivalry for a woman, "'The Male
factor" wll be pleasantly remembered.
It has reached front rank In the wonder
ful Oppenhelm gallery of fiction portraits.
Tbe Viper of Milan,' by Marjorle Bowen.
McClurs. Phillips Co., New York City,
and The J. K. QUI Company, Portland.
A really talented historical novelist
eems to have arrived in the person of
Mlsg Bowen, who before her lath birthday
wrote this romance of Lombardy, "The
Viper of Milan," which, palpitating: with
the spirit of old Italy and pulsing with
love, war and adventure, recalls the style
of Scott and Dumas.
Few historical novels by a new writer
have boen launched more ausplcously
than this one. Five editions were printed
during; the first month of Its publication
in England and It recently created a sen
sation In London literary circles. The
success that this fascinating romance has
already achieved will surely be duplicated
in this country.
Curiously enough thin novel ia Miss
Boven'a first effort. "Marjorio Bowen,"
It may be explalne.1. Is "a pseudonym
adopted by her to prevent confusion with
lier mother's name lier mother being
well Xnown as a writer of popular serials.
Marjorle wis educated as an artist and
rf!r
mi V LiJ
a i is
V f
r i
.v1.v.,sv.vyoViVW'vw?T yt
- Oyi;. rjTV!'
studied both In Parts and London. It Is
related that she began writing; "Tho Viper
of Milan" with no thought of having it
published, but the story was submitted
to literary advisers, who advised that It
be put on the market
The story extends to 362 pages and In
terest continues from cover to cover. The
plot is of tho Brood old-fashioned lclpd
plenty of queer-sou ndlns: Italian names.
Intrigue, murder and battle. Taking;
mediaeval Italy of EM years ago as her
central theme, the novelist chooses a
somber flirure for Illustration, that of the
last of the Viscounts Glan Galeazzo.
Maria, the Duke ot Milan, whose courage
was as rreat as his cruelty was inhuman.
His Just the personality to tempt an
Imaginative writer. The principal subject
Is the revenge of Delia Scala. whose court
at Verona the victorious Duke of Milan
had destroyed after taking; the city and
leading Scala's wife, Isotte d'Este, as
prisoner Into his stronghold. It Is with
satisfaction we ultimately read that the
bloodthirsty monster Is ptabbed In the
back by a convenient avenger.
It Is refreshing; to meet with such a
strong; piece of literary work. None of
the many tense situations suggest the
hand of the amateur, especially when It
Is remembered that up to the time of
writing; this story Miss Bowen had never
oeen in Italy. She has srone over a well
tried field and plucked roses where the
toil of others has been the reaping; of
weeds.
Pfiwi.tlTe Btyltm and Periods in tho Home.
by Helon Churchill Candea. 127 lllustra-
I Hons. M Fred A. Stokfta Co.. New York
Clt3 and The J. K. GUI Co., Portland.
It Is related that an elderly miser whoae
soie pleasure naa oeen to amass sold,
ones boupht at an auction an oaKen door,
and having; bought the door he bought
a house for the door and ultimately s
wife to adorn his pre'voua two purcna-ses.
So much for one form of misguided art.
Helen Churchill Candea approaches the
subject from a more dignified viewpoint,
presenting- a book literally brimming over
with artistic ideas telling the story of
the furishlnja and embellishments ot
our homes-a book which Identifies
styles In furnJ'ture, at once & valuable
resume for collectors and makers of slt-
tlstK: homes. It will be found useful to
the young couple who are graduating
from the miseries of furnished house-
keplng rooms, where the lone refrigera
tor la a. box pitched on the window sill.
The hook ia also notable for the num
ber and unusual beauty of Its excellent
Illustrations. Louis XIV furniture. By
Kantiue carving-, Gothic chairs. Italian
tapestry, Blis&bethan tables. Queen Anne
mirrors are written aCout with easy skill.
One very interesting chapter is that
which discusses what Is known as L'Art
Noueau, another name for the new art,
and m BpeaRlng of this topic, the au
thoress, observes, that In many ways the
American expression of the new art sus
srests the art of tile Japanese, who have
ever turned to nature for their lines of
beauty. The book is also a fairy wand
tracing styles in furniture of various
ages and their evolution from a storied
past to our day.
Grr.it Fortunes; The Winning the Lotting,
. by Jeremiah W. Jenks. Ph. D.. L. L. D.
McClure. Phillips se Co., New York City,
and The J. K. Olll Co.. Portland.
Professor Jenks is known to students
of economics and civics as occupying the
chair of political economy and politics in
; Cornell University. Thle little book of 85
pages represents the substance ot what
was originally a series of lectures given
at Meadville, Pa., and the general v;ew
taken on the Ideas advanced as to the
desirability of curbing great fortunes and
j checking wrong- methods of accumulation
I are somewhat similar to the well-known
' expressed opinions of President Roose
I veit. The lessons elucidated are tem
: pered with optimism and high Ideals. A
I suitable book for thoughtful young peo
ple. An interesting proposition advanced
is a life annuity for the man who de
votes his life to publlo service.
American Problems, by James H. Baker,
L.L. D., president of the University of
Colorado. SI. 20. Longmans, Oreen Ac
Co.. New York City.
In the 8CODB of a srrnnn of Assnve nnri
1 addresses on ideal, sociological and ed
ucational subjects, President Baker
presents a helpful, healthy book with
a keynote of cheerful optimism. These
addresses have a college atmosphere,
for many of them were given at Com
mencements,, and emphasize good cltl-
. zenshlp as related to the ethical
standards of a Iemocratlc state and
I the growth of civilization.
President Btker Is not a muck-raker.
He believes that history is making:
rapidly In our republic, and that the
educated youth equipped Cor eeir help
and service, mindful of tho God of tliclr
fathers, and Inspired by the Ideas that
made ua a distinct people, and have
thus far preserved us In arood and evil
days, will shape Its destiny.
One of the most thoughtful para-
i T
)
M V V
il
' if ,
grraphs In the book te that1 which de
scribes a national university.
I mean by a National university a great
post-graduate institution a greater thah
Berlin wonderfully equipped -'with profea-
ora, representing the culture nd progress
of the world, with thousandaof graduate
students from all parts of the 'country and
from all countries of the - vrorld. stand
lnc as &n Ideal Interest of; Congress a.a3.
of the American people. In touch with tbe
people and helping the peopia come to a
consciousness of the true ideals of Democ
racy, and spreading- those Ideals over the
civilized world. -
As a present to a youn cerson of
T
serious purpose, this book tan be cor-
amtiy comxnenueu. '
The Gate of Death: A Dtarv, f i.23. a. P.
Putnam's Sons, New York Otty, and The
J. K. Gill Company, Portland.
Bombre, yet dignified and sympathetic.
The author was brought to the grate of
death by injury sustained toy falling- from
a ladder which wasi placed against a fir
tree. Ha fell 20 feet upon his back, and
for a week was more or Hess uncon
'scious. -He tells of the relative value of
things when seen from the valley of the
shadow and of the state of, mind with
which he confronted the njoment that
seemed to' be his last. Tle diary ex
tracts, for a cultivated style of expres
sion, recall "An English Woman's Iove
Letters." v
WUnhlre Editorials, by Guy lord Wllshlrs.
Si. Wllshlre Book Company, Nw Xorlc
City.
This volume consists almost exclusively
of socialistic' editorials Mr. Wllshlre has
published within the past six years in
two magazines with which his name has
bevii essociatsa. His principal argument
Is that an Industrial cataclysm is about
to appear In tills country as the result
of over production, and that our present
Industrial prosperity will probably cease
about November of the present year. Mr.
Wilshire writes with ability and hia
views are cleverly expressed, although
they conflict with the opinions of the
majority. . j. M, q.
IN LIBRARY AND WORKSHOP
Tbe chief distinction of William B lane's
'The Silent Una" is tho tort that , Hie
tofmt In It were written on the diamond
fields of Klmberley, and the frold fields of
Johannesburg. several of the eplsrammatlo
taniaa are happily twined. .
The current Uaue of Ltpplneott's Mag: mind
Inaugurate! Its 40th year of publication, the
first number bavins; appeared In January.
3 80S. It was the first monthly to publish
a complete novel tn each Issue, which plan
It adheres ta today. During this long period
many well-known novels have made their
first appearance in its pa ks.
In tbe recent death of Robert Pearsall
Morton, (he American book ana publishing
business loses a figure that has been prom
inent in It for half a century. Mr. Morton
was born In 1SU1. and was an Intimate
friend of the late George W. Chllds. JJe
was secretary and treasurer of the J. B.
Llpplncott Co., publishers, of Philadelphia,
with which bouse be bad been connected for
06 years. , f
Th Century Company will 000 Is
sue a work on 4,Th Dangers of
Municipal Ownership, by Robert P.
Porter. which will present In con
siderable detail facts and flarurea to the
credit, or discredit, of municipal ownership,
or "Municipal Trading;1, as it Is termed In
Kngland, In the countries and cities where
it has been tried.
James B. Connolly, author and & former
famous athlete, has enlisted In the Navy
as yeomen at the request of President
Koosevelt. in order to get material for writ-
I tng up the American Navy. His home Is
in South Boston. The President Is desir
ous of having; the Navy written up by &
competent person and Mr. Connolly will per
form a duty for this country such as Rud
yard Kipling did for the British Navy.
Lord NorthclifT, formerly Sir Alfred
Harmsworth. of England, may bo entitled
the greatest newspaper, magnate of the
world. He owns and actively directs some
40 prosperous dallies and other periodicals.
Lord Northcliff has lately secured for his
publications the services of Pomeroy Bur
ton, one of the efficient young editors who
has won a reputation in this country. Mr.
Burton Is to receive In bis new position tbe
alary of $20,000 a year.
V
An edition of "God's Acre' by Rev.
James Burr ell, L.L.. D., has lately been
issued by The Tiffany Studios, New York
City, the publication being attractively de
signed by Morgan, Shepherd Company. The
central thought, of course, la the erection
of monuments to the dead, and a gentle
hint is given at the end that the Tiffany
people are In the business. you atart at
the first pa (re and read on, but so dignified
Js the reading that )t is not until you reach
the last page of tho pamphlet that you
become aware of the advertisement.
A. book of
to libraries has Just been
issued by the Library of Cons-re
to portraits (about 120,000) contained In
printed books and periodicals. The work
was compiled by the co-operation of many
libraries for the Publishing Board of tbe
American Library Association, and edited
by William C hint, librarian of Harvard
University, and Nina E. Browne. The col-
if
it.
v.
n ii
" I..1. W.Y.V.'.V .V.
$1
Mr
13
-,
1 I
A1
4 4
1181 titles, or fiome 6216 volurpei. The
indexing of current periodicals to In moat
canes brought down through 1904. hut not
further. ,
Shade of Washlnffton! It la a matter of
faith with the American achoolboy to belicvo
that tory about Washington and the cherry
trco, wltll Its well-known climax : "F'a.ther.
cannot tell a Ho; I aid it with my ntti
hatchet." But now comes the iconoclastic
memoir digger, and tn Harpor'g we have i
some of Oaneral Washington's letters re -
pubitsneo. ana one or tnem. at least, mat- j
tor his claim to unimpeachable veracity.
Writing to one of bis Generals, he says that
he is forwarding a corps of riflemen, and he
advises his correspondent to circulate news
about them in such a way that it may reach
the enemy, and the Father of the Country
adds: "It would not be amiss, among other ,
things, to magnify their numbers."
Anne Warner French, the author of the
Susan CI egg- stories, has dramatized her
popular story of "Tho Rejuvenation of Aunt
Mary," and the play will be produced in
New Yorfc next Fall. In a recent inter
view she told a reporter that she wrote
1.000.000 words In the first year she com-
pose a ror publication, ana sne ciumea
ability to write in .les-lhle longhand 1-900
words an lsour. tier claim on public recog
nition as a writer of humorous future sto
ries, however, rests on "Susan Clegg and
Her Friend. Mrs. Lathrop," and bar other
"Susan Clegg" stories.
mm
Tbe accusation often brought against
the readers of manuscript for publishing
houses that they do not really read half
the manuscripts submitted, may or may not
be true, but the Dial alleges that there used
to be a puWithti'i reader m New York who
would rsjeot a parcel of msnuserlpl without
untying It, on tli. grsuno of smll. If It
exhaled fumti Of teb&cce mud whisky, he
concluded th.t no rurthor lcnowledstt was
nceseary ot the inspiration under which tho
work vii written. Such tort ef snapshot
Judifment, had It been always In force. I
would, nave played havoc with our litera
ture. Pot and his stories. Barrls and "My
.Lady Nicotine to say nothing of Tenny-
ion, who constantly tucked a strong clay
pipe, would hav suffered, -
Rudyard
Ilnllna iDnt a Wlntr
Waahington,
IX C., some years ago. On
day no was found peering around in tho
corridors of the Stite, War and Navy build-
in
"Whst Is it. Mr. IClpllns T"
tt&a wbo
Knew ii i iii uHea.
I want to And the person bere who
knows most about .team engineering."
They referred him to Chief Gnslneer Mel.
vllltj. the croat steam expert. "What Is
It?" s.ked Melville, after KlpllnsT had been
Introduced.
"I want to flnd the man who knowi most
about steam engineering.'
'Jim' Prry' your man," said SsCelvllIs.
and he rav tCipllns- a card to Perry. Klp
ltns went down to see Perry, talked to him
for half ii day. and tlion wrote his story,
''Between the Devil and the Deep Sea."
Hamlin Garland's thrilling1 story of life
on the far Western frontier. "The Captain
ot tin Gray Horss Troop," in which, a ram-
0U8 company of United States Cavalry fig
ures prominently, will probably acquire) new
Interest slnos the promulgation OC the Ver
Deoortraent order tli.t no more grsy or
white borae are to be purchased tor the
ctvalry arm of tho aervke. Even th bu-
Klsr In troops with mounts of the nnusj
colore will now lose some of his dlatlntlon.
or St least consplcuousness. when the white
naa now used by this Important ruuotton-
ary bivo ctssed to bo useful. Ths reason
for tho change 1 alonn the earn linos as
substltutlns; the olive drab for the historic
blue uniform ana bfiffbt equipments In or
der to mails the men less conspicuous
marks (or hostile eharpBtwoter.. This plan
was adopted for the artillery some time
Putnam's Magailne has been investigating
tha prevalence of the reading habit through
out the United States, and, as might have
been expected. It flnda the habit more pro
nounced In New England than in any other
section. In New England, taken as a whole,
100 person! drew from libraries an aver
age of 243 books In a year. The nearest
approach to that number Is found In Cali
fornia, where the average was 207 books.
Xew York counts next with only 1B5 books.
All of the other itatet fall far behind these
marks. Putnam's, which ii, aa far as Its
conscience goes. New England In Its ten
dency, prides Itself on this showing; with
fine Xew England egotism, saying: "Tbe
preponderance of "New England In the mat
ter Is the logical sequence of Its Intellec
tual hegemony. It 1b the race whloh has
given the Nation its poets, whloh now
does much of Its abstraot thinking, nearly
all Ha dreaming." Which ta to ear, mod
estly, that New England la the United
States!
es
Recent controversies about the compara
tive merits of Holman Hunt's early draw
ing and later painting or the -Lady of
Shalott" recall Tennyson's criticism of the
original design as It appeared In Moxon's
edition ot hie poems, says the Manchester
CEZng. Guardian. Holman Hunt has ds
scrlbed the conversation, which was the ft ret
he ever had with Tennyson. After tome
reneral Halt he said: "I must now auk
why did you make the 'Lady of Shalott' in
the Illustration with her hair wildly tossed
about as If by a tornado?" Rather per
plexed, ( replied that I had wished to con-
vcy tlio Idea o! the threatened fatality by
reversing the ordinary peace ot the room
and of the lady herself; that while she racog
nlsed that the mom nt of the c&tavatroph
had coma, the spectator mlgbt also under
stand It. "But I didn't Bay that her hair
vat blown about Ilka that. Than thara ia
4 1
another Question I want to aak you. Why
did you male the wet wind round and
round nr like the threads ot a cocoon?"
"Now," I exclaimed, ,-uroly that may be
Justified, for you cay;
Out flew the web and floated wide;
The mirror cracked from elde to side
a mark of the dire calamity that had come
upon her." But Tennyson broke la. "But
I did not say It Boated round and round
her." My defense was "3Iay I not urge
that I had only a half-page on which to
convey the Impression of weird fate, where
as you use about 15 pases to clve expres
sion to the complete Idea?" But Tennyson
laic) It down that "an Illustrator ougnt
never to add anything' to what be flndi In
the text."
This tale Is from Arthur Train's new
took, "The prisoner at the Bar":
"There- is a atory told of a practitioner
with a laxce Italian following who was ac
customed to dlspla.y prominently upon a
table in fals office a small Testament and a
huge Webster's dictionary. After his clients
had stated their case he would turn to them
and ask: -
" Lo you wish the law from the bis book
or the little book?
"The clients would Inquire the relative
coat, ;
"The law from the little book Ii $10;
the law from the bis book is $2.V
The clients would consult toguther, and.
on the assumption that the tj 1 k K ' r the book.
the better the law, would almost Invariably
pay their $23 and procure tin belt advice
which Noah Webater could Kv.,, .
WL.Y etAralrara or Frances A ym.rn.T- Miittli-
ews, the novuiut, tail to remember whether
she has an "e" or "I" In her first name, End
bo me correspondents, deeming: that the fiov-
ilat Is 4a. man. wrltn lr the -most P'cul lar
IttT. A. In.nlfh clernyman, ar lTtjacs.
wrote her and toJ4,-er tbat a lady uf liis
consregatlon who m herself a poet, had
fallen In lovo'wlth Mr. Matthews, and d(!-
&lrecl tils ncqualntanco. Jk. 1J"k 'Wt art
putltahlTi(r hou.ia wrote to M-r and told tneir
Lriax a, lady of his coiiBregatlon v-tao wn.s
hcrselt a poet, had fallen o love with Mr.
Matthew., and .desired hU acQUalntance. A
ltWS" Weateril - publinbln houso wrote to
lin- -anrt besed h-r "uia a, well-known hti1
aucr.nairfiU mlurfLttonaltB.- coUMfl mu.n. tc. .
to wsiie ait .article for their encyclopedia,'
Onfi; ft hen Mies Mhwi m in Paris, fihft
found. herself Invited to makt one of a merry
Iu i t y r as, dinner give u ly I'arlalan adltora.
eho Iin T tlo rUf f ill occasion (julckly ber.
and on thft ' ap u r of th moment sin u in-
vented a tick ffiiu. a reason lor flew
lne the Bohemian cotirtasy,
A is.tirs of the Bookman, ptifellshod In
London evory month, is the giving of prize
for tho best Quotation, from Shakespeare
which may he nptly applied , to any book
whlclr 1 rcv1ewd i a that month) lsau or
th maKUlne. Recently thtt book choe n
was "The Junfle," which ottered a. flus op.
portunlty for the hunter of Quotation, The
one that gained the prize was:
T I tania tia.y. w t love. , what thou 5-
tr-t to cat. t
Bottom I had rather have a bandfnl or
two o Urled vwn, . f
Midsummer Vtfhi' Dream.
Other quotations that were submitted as
catclilnB the spirit ot the novel about, the
bf trust were:
And now about the cauldron sing.
Enchanting all that you put In.
Macbeth.
Another Rrood. but short, ono was :
Sir. I will eat no moat.
Antony and Cleopatra.
And tbe last, which some will, deem tho
mopt apropos, la:
By my troth. I cannot abide- the smell oC
meat since. " " "
Merry Wives, of Windsor.
. , ,
To Jeremiah Curjtln, who died roeently at
hl home In Bristol. Vt. , more than -to
anyone else, la the JSns-lish-ftpeslcln; world
Indebted fox the opportunity of reading Pol
ish literature, particularly the writings of
Henry Slenklewlcz. , It was Mr. Ourtln who
first translated the works or this famous
Polish novelist and no one better ojipru
elated his ability, in a letter to Mr. cur-
tin, Mr. Sienklewlci said; "I have read
with diligent attention all the volumes or
my works sant me American edl tloo) . I
understand how great tbe UlfficulUes were
which you had to overcome, especially Jn ;
translating tho historical novels, the lan-1
fuate of which ts somewhat archaic In
character. I admire not only the sincere
conscientiousness and accuracy, but also
the skill, with which you did the work.
Tour countrymen will establish your merit
better than I; as to me, I can only desire
that you and bo one else should translate
all that I write." Long before Quo Vadls"
attained popularity, Mr. Curtin had trans
lated Slenkiewica's stories as a labor of
love, and when one considers the length ot
'With Fire and Sword' "The Deluge" and
"Pan Michael," known as the Trilogy, the
task hi translator had to face required
nerjry aod abilities of aa exceptional order.
Post Wheeler, the cynic and poetv and
Malll Krmlnie Hives, the young novelist,
who were lately married In the American
JCmbauy at Toklo, first met In Washington,
O, C. That waa only a few years ago. They
have been together there a great deal, and
a dose woman friend of the bride states that
the poet ' popped tha Question" to the nov
elist at a 'White 11 outre reception. Improb
able as this may sound to persons who know
what crowds and confusion characterize
White House receptions. It Is nevertheless
vouched for by a Washington literary wom
en, who has been much In the company of
the couple. The bride, by the way. Is not
a Virgin. un by birth, hut a Kcntuckian. 6ho
In only remoUly related to the Virginia
RIvesM. one branch of whose family pro
duced the author of "The Quick and the
Dead ? who married the hero of her novel.
a grandson of old John Jacob Aster, a
Chanler. from whom the wa9 divorced In
order to become the wife of a Russian
Prlnc. Tha clever woman, who Is now
Mrs. Poat Wheeler. was Introduced to
Wanhlnsrtoii society by (Senator Ulackburn,
wtio Id turn uned Ills Influence to tsecuro tor
Whtelr the position he now holds aa sec
ond seoretsxy ot the Amerlcsn Embnsir at
Toklo. It Is eald by tholr WaehltiKton
friends tli.t Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler will
continue their literary labors in collabora
tion. In point of fact, It Is known here
that they have been collaborating; two or 1
three yours. Hence. J ust how much o t" the
work known as that of Miss Rlvra Is really
tiers, and how much of the work known as
Wheeler's Ii really his, their friends are un-
ablo to atate. 1
&I las Florence B- Low lately contributed
to the Nineteenth Century a duquieting ar
ticle on ,(The Reading of the Modern Girl."
Now M las Constance A. Barn I coat takes up
the Question statistically In the same maga
jtlne. Through the Leagu of tbe Empire
tho following questions have been sent to
thousands of colonial high school girls be
tween the agn ot IS and 1 8 :
I. What books do you reaal for recrea-,
tlonT
9. Which novels have you read of the
following writers: Scott, Thackeray Dick-
ens, Klnrsleyf
3. Of tbe following- living; novelists : Mer
edith. Kipling. Rider HagKard, Gilbert Par
ker. Conan Xoyle, Sarrle ? 4
4. Name- any novels you have read by the
following women ' writers: George Eliot,
Jsn Austen, Charlotte Bronte.
S .Name any navelt that interest you by
other writers than these.
0. WtUcti English claries do you liko
beat?
7. Which poets?
' 8. What are your favorite poems ?
t. What is your favorite study? What
book 8 do you read in connection with it?
10. What is your favorite hobby? What
books do you read In connection with It 7
II. Do the daily or weekly newspapers
Interest you T If so, what parts T
12. Which of tha monthly magazines do
you read ? '
From the answers received it would ap
pear that colonial sir is spell better than
British girls, and are less restrained in their
answers. According- to Miss BarnI coat's
statement, they are also more mature In
their reading, but from this table of favor
ite novels s:lven by her, the reverse would
appear to be true:
BRITISH GIRLS. COLOJCIAI' AND IX-
X. sana Lyaii dian girls
1 Henry Seton Mer- 1. Edna LyaJl
rtraan 3. louisa M. Alcott
S. It. I. Stevenson a. Mrs. Henry Wood
4. Stanley w eyman . riose Couchette
0. Anthony Hope
Carey
6. F. Mrion Craw-
T. Mrs. Qaskell
nsarly always
Cranford)
8. Lytton
. Maria Corellt
10. Allan Ealna
5. CHarlett M.
Yonga
T. Marie Corelll
8. Stanley Wtyman
8. Karrar
10. Lytton Henty
Xi:W BOOKS RECEIVED.
Enoch Stone and a Sleeping Memory, rt-
fasti of two of the earlier novels of K.
Xrillltps Oppenbeim. Illustrated. XI. 54 ea.cu.
( 1.1 tt If. Srown 4c Co.
The Man of Property, by John Galsworthy.
$1.50. (Putnam'i Sons and Tha J. K. Gill
Company.)
Studies tn Character, by Carol Norton, C.
S. IX. 91. (Dna Este A Co.)
Animal Faoie From too uarK continent,
by A. 0. Stafford, 30 cents.
(American iJooK
Company.)
Common Mistakes Made by Authors
Respects in Which Women Writers Often Err Sources of Many Familiar
Quotations Confused. -
jaA EX, aa a ,rule, give themselves
some trouble In verifying; facts, but
women rush at conclusions and lose
sight or the. necessity for research. They
are content to paint the emotional side
of life, or to deal with erotic ai)d objec
tionable subjects, and In so palntlns; and
so dealing- with physiology they Ignore
the lessons of science and the. merciless
laws of nature. Very ew women, eaya
"Rita-' In the London Chronicle, bring- to
their art the patience, the insight or tho
logic of man. To write a book Is to them
nothing more than-settlng aside of a cer
tain number of hours for a given pur
pose a passionate egoistic desire to see
their efforts In print.
N'otd novelists have produced tedious
and lengrthy volumes whose theology is
so absolutely absurd that it has called
down both ridicule ana contempt. There
was no reason why they should not have
submitted their proof sheets to some au
thority on tl-ia subject., but possibly they
wera too self-satisfied with their own
achievements to desire correction. It is
always the "fools who rush in where
hesltiite ! 'When women meddle
with law, science, astrology or art they
invariably make mistakes unless content
to consult an authority on tho special
svxbject selected for description. "
X wonder how many ti&ve confounded
Frankenstein with his monster; have
COflfuscd Chiron, tho centaur, with
Charon, the ferryman of Creek mythology ;
ha.vo supposed Chateaubriand to be a
hook or culinary secrets; have persisted
tfaf -a uttie Knrase la a dangerous
thing' Is a correct rendering of Pope's
Immortal phrase, "a little learning .
I'oor Shakespeare has been saddled with
many a quotation or which he Is guilt-
Mi.
Confnslon of Authoi
Ak any one who wrote "Neither fish
nor n?sh nor good re. Herrlnj," and t&o
Bard of Stratford Is authoritatively an
nauncad. So also with "The ren It
mightier than the sword.'
Invariably
snaKcspcare, not uulwer Lytton, is given
as author. "The more the merrier la an
other atumbllns block to vcrlficr-.tlon.
though that Is pardonable, seeing: it can
claim three sources. "Honesty Is the
best Dolloy'1 Is rarely assigned to Don
cjulxote. and Ford a oft quoted
monde cut diamonds" Is Invarthbly writ
ten or spoken as "Diamond cut diamond."
"By hook or crooK" Is rarely acknowl
edged as an excerpt from the "Faerie
Queen" op a plagiarism in Beaumont and
Fletcher's play of "Women Pleased," and
"Comparisons are odious" from Burton's
"Anatomy, of, MeiuacholvliJs-constantlv
Lcswrfnsecl with "Comparisons are 63ormisr,V
Is'othlng." The latter definition Is also
frequently ascribed to the famous Mrs.
Malaprop.
. "-Ail tiia.t KTtltt.rs to-not -srerte."--clft-me
the X3a.r3 of Avon ft a sponsor, ana "A II,
they say. Is not gold that glitters,"
comes from Dryden. ' Rarely are the
fruotation -and tha author - grivea cor-,
rectly. Bible Quotations are notorious
ly wrong", yet "one would fancy there
could be little difficulty In verifying
them. In describing: the marriage ser
vice I have noted many an author make
the mistake, "Those whom God liath
joined," instead of "joined together."
These are trifles, of course, but life
and art are built up of trifles. It is
only their importance to graver Issues
that invests them with responsibility.
Our ComjHex Grammar.
Of course, grammar la too complex
and troublesome & thins to trammel
the ambitions of authorship. It is
only fit to be thrown aside as undesir
able luggage. The critic may pick It
up if he pleases, but the writer fore
goes rules and dinars to exceptions.
I have seen "pachydermatous" written
"pachydermatose," and "palsolithlc" as
paleothlc." Even well boomed literary
llgrhts have fallen to the snare of cii-
ferent to," and the split Infinitive be-
lovod of some authors is a' veritable
"red rag to a bull" for critics.
A. playful Indifference to moods and
tenses makes one as & why no author
imagines his characters can speaK and
act and describe themselves speaking
and acting at tne same moment ! Past
and present, first person and third are
sometimes mixed, up indiscriminately.
But trifles such lis these m not
worthy tbe attention of srenlus. even
thouKti that possession lias been defined
Ha "an Infinite capacity for taking
pains."
That writers should pass over mistakes
In HISS, is perhaps excusable, but what Is
wrong with proof corrections when the
heroine s;tarta life as a brunette and ends
as a blonde? When her eyes are blue In
one portion of the book and green in an
other? When the names of characters
are changed and not their Identities
Ttoese are errors ty no means rare in
books ol the present: day, books whoso
authors one would scarcely believe to be
blase with success.
There are autiiors who adventure boldly
into tho regions of art confident in their
own powers of description and regardless
of accuracy. A general Etnatterlng of
terms and phrases la sufficient equip-
ment. What is inaccurate may pass
muster with the general reader; and for
tunately musicians and painters are not
literary critics. If they chance to come
across unprofessional Ignorance, at least
they cannot "slate" It. They may laugti
or sneer, but to such Indignity the
pacliydurmatous writer is as indlfferaut
as to the canons of art. Law. theology
and medicine are great subjects for no
tional errors, and music has come In for
specially ridiculous treatment at Its haJid.
. - Ludicrous Mistakes. r
Mistakes as to execution, Vocalization
and composition are the rule not the
exception. Mow often have I read of
a violin solo as representing all the
roaglc and beauty of a full orchestra,
whereas a solo on that Instrument is
most uninteresting, unless accompanied
by piano or orchestra. Bach la the only
composer who wrote satisfactory solo
music for the violin, and the novelist
who gushes of sonatas and fantasias
played alone by a violinist betrays in
excusable ignorance. Vocal music is
also frequently ' misunderstood. Songs
of Impossibly hlgrh compass are writ
ten of as suns by a contralto. Tenors
are confounded with baritones; wom
en's eongs ascribed to male singers,
and vice versa.
Sonata and symphony are also con
stantly confused; a concerto has been
attributed to a band with no solo In
strument An oratorio of Handel's has
been ascribed to Haydn, and the Jatter
composer credited persistently with
English nationality owing to a half-
century of. citizenship In that country.
When an author wishes to particular
ize the painter's art the errors are
more amusing: than important. A
studio is a safe subject for descrip
tion, but It takes a woman's pen to
mako It picturesquely impossible for
work! With the technique of painting
she makes pretty play, throwing; in
"chiaroscuro," "foreground," "shading."
"color Impression," and the llko utili
ties. Given an easel, palette and color-box,
what more does the reader
need? With resrard to military matters the
woman author Is always confident and
invariably incorrect. Of course, it is
not her fault It "drill" will not talce
place at the hours she would prefer,
or if an officer's quarters are not really
as Iuxurioua as a duchess' boudoir.
Neither Is she to blame for the qulto
ineitrlcable tangle called respectively
"corps," "regiment." and "battalion.
But it military matters require skilful
handling-, what ot naval? It Is an un
disputed fact that no woman has writ
ten a crood sea novel. Possibly there
are limits even to her deed3 of dar
lns, and the Admiralty and tho mer
chant service proclaim such a limit.
ChrUtiau Names.
One more Item lUnds in the cata
logue of authors' mistakes, and It is a
very irritating and a very common one.
I allude to the namlnar of their char
acters in similar fashion. How cm
a reader help confusing tho personali
ties or Cliloc and Chlnrls, Marian and
Mary Anne, Maud and Mabel. Anno and
Anna, Ilesslo and li-1 1 y . Rolf and It U -loIph.
Godfrey and Oooffry, and so on?
Surely writers mlg-ht tlnd names for
tncir principal characters mat do not
bejtfln with the same capital letter and
are not an u n s u i 11 e label as they
Journy thrfnig-h tht:ir pagci. In lilto
manner, wliy aru titles po often mi3-
leading? it jj an artistic fraud to
make the label say one thine and tho
book another. Those are a. few of tUo
mistakes in i.ntion which delight criti-.-
and annoy the reader. It may be that
a new raco of authors will adorn th
new century and present the world
with n. literature at once Interest In jr
and accurate.
SALMON FRY PROPAGATION
Practical Good . Aecomplldicd by
Weekly Closed. Time.
SAN FHA.VCISOO. Jan. 11-(T lb Edl-
tor. M v attention having- btn called to sn
rtlds In Til OrrBonlaii or t0- ID 11 X. 1 1 -
"Nurmrles ror the rialrcon Fry, "
in whlen. th
opinion of Gcorjc M, Powers, CommlflPoner
of the United State Bureau of Flsherlei,
Utport d Liy tht or John F. Babcock. Com
missioner or F.tirlea for Che Province .r
British Columbia, In cltcKt, I wish to ittiow
wiicre ttie?c gentlemen err In their ud0mciit,
Both those enionent of the science of
plsictctiltur have J m ra theplr knowledge tmm
th s.mc' wchool uil hav suloptetl t. dic
tum of their teacher, m they five no demon-
atratlon to determlca how thfy liars- arrived
at the conclu loirs net forth. They refer- to
th? prlmenU of Cloudalcy Rutter, m. pron
Tho wan trn.tn-S in m,n atmosphere so 1-
vated that required only a superficial exam-
Inatlon of any subject In order to know all
about It. and who after following fry that
were placed In trie muddy waters, and brl n tr
unable to mc-q where these fry were coins.
as they mada no tlTort to resist tho current
and were driven oWn the stream until lost
ia the estuaries of the Sacramento, presumed
to Itwow- ell aticiut the time when the younc
salmon maile their plltfduiase to the sea.
We at Rogue River have had some '
peHenees in turning out salmon fry when th
WKtfm f th9 river wert muddy, bavlnc put
out aeveral "hundred thousand while the river
was In that condition, to find them dead the
next day and scattered along the ocean beach.
Whereu, those turned out in the clear water
irtnelned .1 the Head nf tide water durlnej
t.'io whole Summer end Fa.U eub.eQU.nt to
ttie time they were spawned ths year pre
V'.OUB. '
It hes plessed the Fders.l officials tn chars
of such work to operate when the vrreateec
number of eg(s could be taken with the
greatest ease, and In localities where oclal
advantaces were most agreeable. The off I-
.cials of the state have been misled by such
example. There has been an effort to make a
great showing on paper, without reference to
the effect of rivers. There Is little doubt
that the Increase of hatcherlea If conducted
according- to method which have been In
vogue, will -result in ths extermination of
salmon in ths Columbia. For the past two
or three years, the bulk of the rack has been
taken .from the heretofore practically un
touched eupply that came late In the running
season. These being easily taken and beine;
pursued with visor, can last but s very short
time.
It instead of taklnf a peat number of
eegs at the hatcheries, a few honest million
were taken and the rack then thrown open,
so that the balance of the spawners mlsht
operate of their own volition, while the re
sultant fry from the vw taken artificially
were properly handled, there would soon b
noticeable cliana for the better in auppiy
or marketable salmon. While It is nec-s-
BRry tQ allow a portion of the run of each
month In tha season to reach the SDaKnlnjf
Kroundi, It Is an absurdity to Imagine that
tbe entire run can be Increased by propfit
1ns thoe. which CQme to the river lthr s-t
the beginning or end ot the runnm awn.
Ai an illustration ot tho certainty with
which the salmon reach the rivers at or
about the" same date when due each tnontt.
of the running season. X will atate that my
records far 3D years past win mow w it
on a certain date there was an Increase or
rs.ll Ins off In the run. that the same condi
tion would occur within a day or two ot the
same date In each, year previous or sut-ee-
quenL Tills l convincing to my mind that
tho closing of either end of the running tta-
ion cannot brine the result desired, and that
the weolcly cluHrd time Le tho only rneaui
by which any practical good may be accom-
pilshcJ. The days and hours of inch closed
time may be adjusted o that the fish which
tMcape tbe flphtrmrn on the lower river may
be allowed to pua those located higher u p
the stream. aa to give a clear river to the
spawning ground for the tlnid cloned to fell
Inc.
tJoth OmmUHonera cite the condition or
the Sacramento III vor In proof of the value
or their mt'tticfifl, and claim W great
number of rggs taken at the hatoherlei are)
an Indication of the success of their plan of
operation. Why do they not show the in
crease in the number of salmon taken by the
lUhermen to be In proportion to tha number
of ess obtained ? If this should be done,
a worse ilcreiiu.cy than appear from tha
operation on the Columbia would b tbe re
eult. eioce the decision In the debri casa
rut an end to the discharge of hydraulic
ml nine nto th tributaries of the Facra-
rtienLo, the salmon that bad previously Ix-coni
very much diminished In numbers have shown
a "moderate increase. This baa been due to
t?ie fact that on only one tributary wafl any
hatchery maintained, leaving: others open to
tho natural operations of the parent Rah. The
great number of escs obtained was from aai-
mon which ascended the river during th
autumnal cloned time which has btien in fcf-
fe-.t for years, and baa stocked that portion,
of the run not tak,en for tha market and con
sequently tlirse Mlinon are of not much ben-
eflt to the state. Eel Kiver to also mi m
an Illustration to prove the good effect of
the methods pursued, but no reference is
made to the fact that for t.utte a number of
years, can n In 5 operations bad ceased and no
fishing of consequence was done on that river,
during- which time the salmon multiplied con-
aiderably.
Mr. Babcock denies that the salmon try
are eaten by trout, put admits that alevins
are destroyed by them In great numbers, and
states that they should not be released until
the yolk eaa Is absorbed. In this he does
not area with Mr. Bowers, who insists that
they should be turned out beforo the yoltf
sac Is absorbed and that this haa been the
general practice both at the state and Fed
eral batchertea. I am creditably Informed
that at one state station the eggs were thrown
In the stream to become food for the waiting
predatory fishes. It Is also openly stated that
In a report of the Master Warden of ths
state, more fry were liberated than ecus
taken at one of the stations under his con
trol. I cannot see anything in the argument
that trout do not eat fry, when it Is admitti-l
they do eat alevins in (treat numbers. Ac
cording: to the metrod defended the practice
Is as a rule to turn out yountr salmon when
ale Vina. Such an admlraiun would fecrn to
Justify the retention of the young1 until reach
ing a condition better enabling them to reaiPl
tha enemtei not noted by Mr. Babcock.
I am aware in disputing the theories of
these experts, who from aunerficlal examina
tion o C the subjprt liav drawn conclusions
not warranted by actual conditions, that, I am
JiKely to mem with much opposition to my
views. It l with regret I decry the efforts
of my contvmporarlr, for whom I have thj
neatest respect. Yet I believe that the t
irencies of tl- situation demand I hall nvt
keep silent while one of the greatest re-
eourcep or the Pacific Coast la beliig licit roved,
n. i. HUMB.