THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, MARCH 24, 1907.
It
QEE&nM TH-SK THE
PRINTED WORD:
We mav live without poetry, music and art;
We may live without conscience, and live without heart:
We may live without friends; we oiay live without books;
But civilized man cannot live without eooks.
He may live without books what is knowledge but grieviiigf
He Diay live without hope what is hope but deeeivijtjrT
He may live without love what is passion but pining?
But where is the mail that can live without dining "
Selected.
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Bilma, by William Tllllnghast Eldridge. Il
lustrated. 1. SO. Dodd, Mead & Co., New
York City.
To an accompaniment of jingling spurs
ud clattering tiwords, blessed by lovers'
meetings In the pale moonlight, and a.
fight for the throne of a mythical king
dom, tucked away somewhere In the
heart of Europe, this romance by a com
paratively unknown author grows In the
rending- until one falls In love with a
dushing novel that has the ring of An
thony Hope's "Prisoner of Zenda."
How many "Zenda" novels are there?
Their number by this time must surely
be legion, but one of the brat of these
1b Mr. Eldrldge's "J-lllma." The book has
much to commend it. The author'B style
In dramatic and sparkling yea, to the
depths of brilliancy. The story makes the
blood dance all the taster, and the setting
Is picturesque. The fine Illustrations are
by Harrison Fisher and Martin JuBtlce.
Then tho book-cover It Is an artist's
dream of delight, blushing in the beauty
of a Spring dress of blue-gray, with a bor
der of violets and a girl s face pictured
In the center. The face is that of a pretty
Itlrl with a look suggesting aristocracy.
She wears a cockade, over waving brown
hair.
Mr. Hope's mythical country was Ruru
tani. and his principal .characters were
Princess Flavia, Rassendyl, Colonel Sapt,
Fritz and Rupert the Ready. Mr. Kl
dridge's mythical country is Scarvania
a Journey by rail of two days and two
rights from Paris and his principal char
acters are Princess Hilma von Cedra of
Rulfburg; John Harold Converse, a patri
cian New Yorker of ease, good looks and
millions: the Orand Duke of Kurlmurt,
Kail von Merlder, and Heinrlcb. Vankle,
general scoundrel.
Although "Hilma" now and then shows
inexperience in construction and dialogue,
yet the plot is so fresh and natural that
one is compelled to pursue the mystery
to the last page.
The plot is briefly this: While hunting
In the western part of the United States,
Mr. Converse is advised by his sister Pol
ly to come home to New York to find out
why a girl that he ought to have married
had preferred instend to marry Sir
Charles Bander, tho British, Minister at
the capital of Scarvania. On the Journey
to New York Converse makes the ac
quaintance of a fellow-passenger. Karl
von Merdler, whom he subsequently meets
on board the Majestic en route for Eng
land. Karl had brought with hhn docu
ments secured in this country showing thfe
illegitimacy of Prince Joachim, claimant
to tho vacant throne of Scarvania. Karl
does an unlooked-for thing and one hardly
probable he entrusts these priceless doc
uments into the security of Converse, a
stranger, and asks the latter to hand the
papers to an unknown woman whom he
will meet in a certain London hotel. This
Is decidedly a weak part of the story.
Although he did not know it, the order
on which Karl was acting had been
forged by enemies. We are hurried to
Pcarvanla. and by this time Converse and
Karl are sworn conspirators to forward
the claims of the Princess Hilma, the
direct heiress to the .throne.
The tir"t time Converse meets the Prin
cess, he speaks of her in this reverent
fashion:
I lnoked up as I took her hand and real
ised I speaking to a woman not only
beautiful but one who poke but to be kind,
who thought not of herself but Pf others.
There was something; In the face that t had
never before seen in any woman's face. Her
eyes were deep and clear and yet so full of
latent power and nrc. She was tall, straight
nd slight. Her light golden brown hair
railing back from her forehead was colled
low at her neck.
Rival factions at the court fight for the
Princess Hilma and Prince Joachim. Al
mot needless to relate. Converse comes
out enthusiastically for the Princess. The
new enemies he makes try their best to
drown him and fill him with lead, but he
rejoices like the cat In nine lives, and
conies up smiling for the next fight. Joa
chim's men abduct the Princess so that
she cannot be found for the approaching
coronation, and place ner in a castle sur
rounded by a moat. Single-handed, brave
Converse storms this castle, and is large
ly instrumental In rescuing Hilma. with
whom he has fallen in love she recipro
cating his affection.
Search ensues for the missing docu
ments proving the Illegitimacy of Prince
Joachim, and Converse beats all the other
bloodhounds in his successful hunt. At
this period Converse like his prototype
Rassendyl discovers that his Princess
owes a duty to her country, and that they
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itesiiBiiiiBSil
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two should not marry. Hilma is crowned
Queen, and in saying good-bye to his
ladye-love Converse utters these words:
"My Queen. I cannot stay. I am for you,
forever."
On her part. Hilma says: "I shajl abdi
cate, if not today, a month or a ' year
hence; and then I shall come to you. it
you will not to me. , . No other lips,
no other love but yours." Converse de
parts, to be a restless wanderer, living
In a some day that he hopes will be.
These romantic lines are quoted in
"Hilma":
Two shall be born the whole wide world
apart.
And speak In different tongues, and hare
no thought.
Karh of the other's being, and no heed:
And these o'er unknown seas, to unknown
lands, ?
Fhsli cross, escaping wreck, defying death;
And all unconsciously shape every act
And bend each wandering step to this one
end
That one day out of darkness they shall
meet
And read life's meaning In each other's
eyes.
The Sovereign Remedy, by Flora Annie
Steele. $1.30. Doubleday, Page & Co., New
York City, and the J. K. Gill Co., Portland.
It Is easy to understand after reading
"The Sovereign Remedy" that the novel
was recently among the six best selling
books In England. It is an exceedingly
subtle study of personality and its fine
ness of perception reminds one of the best
work Of George Kllot.
Nobody but a real poet could present
such a pure picture of a troubled soul.'
Had the character work been crude in
stead of sympathetic, the novel would
have been like a broken column. It Is
typical English. The first words you
read are: "Oh! Dash it all. I'm so sorry,"
and the tale proceeds with the descrip
tion of a collision between two bicyclists
Lord Blackenborough and Ell ward Crut
tenden. The motif concerns unalterable
love existing between Lord Blackenbor
ough and Aura Graham, who afterward
married Cruttenden. A motor-car acci
dent is cleverly utilized to end a perplex
ing situation and avoid a Zola conclu
sion. Bettina, by Eleanor Hoyt Bratncrd. SI. 25.
Illustrated. Doubleday, Page & Co., New
York City, and the J. K. Gill Co., Portland.
If you are a young man and Idly stood
at a New York ferry, what would you do
if a charming girl you didn't know toid
you to run to the boat with her the girl
mistaking you for an unexpected college
chum of her brother? This is what hap
pened in this amusing," dainty novel to
its two chief characters Wllloughby
Prentiss Payton and Mlra Bettina Mor
ton, patricians, who fill star parts in an
jinusual love episode. Bettina possessed
''a waving mass of red-brown hair with
golden lights in It; a dainty little ear
set close to a well-shaped head; a soft
line of meek and chin; lips with sweet
ness lurking in their clear-cut lines"
but what is the use of saying more about
this pretty picture of healthy, happy
femininity? The plot ia unusually well
planned, the society element predominat
ing. JuHt the merry tale to make a quiet
hour happier. The illustrations are by
Will Grete. .
The Brigbt Side and the Other side, by Rev.
Albert E. Cook. Illustrated. Jennings A
Graham, Cincinnati. O.
Mr. Cook, a missionary of the Metho
dist Episcopal Church, has demonstrated
that something new can be written about
the marvelous progress that Christianity
hae made In the mission fields of India.
Vnr ten long years Mr. Cook has labored
in the foreign field and his book is a
living witness that he has lived there to
good purpose. He shows that India Is a
Civilized COUniry wiuium uuc "1 miss
ion of its own. rlinaooiem. Monammea
anlsm and other vfaiths are described. The
book has IT illustrations.
Wireless Telegraphy, by Professsor A. K.
Kennclly. SI. Moffatt. Jara ft Co., New
York City, and the J. K. GUI Co.. Portland.
Wireless telegraphy is ubiquitous in
range, and in writing an able treatise on
this subject Intended tor the consider
ation of persons not technically versed
In electricity or Its application Professor
Kennelly. who fills the chair of electrical
engineering in Harvard University, pre
sents his facts clearly. The little book
of 211 pages with 66 illustrations is a
valuable contribution to special litera
ture of a fascinating subject. The author
speaks particularly as to the relations
existing between wire and wireless teleg
raphy. He states that in the year, prior
to January 31, 1906. American wireless
stations sent and received, with ships.
15,000 messages comprising over 200,000
words. It is calculated that the total
number of recorded ship and shore sta
tions is about 440, exclusive of many war
ships ot various nations. The Index of
given subjects is arranged in convenient
form.
The Hypocrite, by Bingham Thoburn Wil
son. $1. L.yccum Publishing Co., Brook
lyn. X. T.
To protest against the money marriages
of today and particularly instances
where unwilling youth is linked to de
crepit old age, Mr, Wilson presents this
ambitious poem to the length, of over 50
actual printed pages. The. scene of the
story lies upon the island of Manhattan,
and the fair femininity who is the subject
of adoration is one Clarice.
The verse suggests the style of Sir
Walter 8eott, but the quality is very
much after, that poei-w-a. long way a-ftcr-
Indeed. Mr. "Wilson's meaning is some
what difficult to understand at times.
His hero falls in love with a married
woman, is racked with ill health of
"Shlps-That-Pass-ln-the - Night" brand,
and it is a relief to ultimately know that
the woman's aged husband dies, creating
a good excuse for the asbestos love that
follows. M.r. Wilson transfixes divorce,
with a 'barbed spear.
How Poth the 8imple Spelling Bee, by Owen
Wlster. Illustrated. 30 cents The MacMil
lan Co., New- York City.
A most amusing account of a conven
tion organized to regulate spelling, and
told in Mr. Wister's own inimitable, origi
nal manner. A few months ago this little
book would have crea-tol quite a, furore,
but since then the question pf simplified
spelling has ceased to be fashionable.
Still. It Is a fad and in this instance
Owen "Wlster is Its prophet. At the spell
ing bee described those who attended sang
this ode:
My spelling 'til of thee.
Sweet land of spelling-bee, '
Or thee I alng.
""- .Lind of the pilgrims' prlrte,
Land where my fathers dide, .
For spelling aimpllflde
tet freedom ring.
J. M. Q.
IX LIBRARY AND WORKSHOP
Althouirli the Mntity of the n ov! r.tr
who calls herself Victoria Cros Is still heM
a arret both here and In England, thnre
in prospect of Hfl dlsrlonuiw not far In the
utur It Is' now known that th InftUlfl
her pen nam V. C. are identical with
her own Initials.
Tlr latent addition to the SHenee Serl
(Putnam U A. Forel'a "The Jervou anil
Mental Hygtane-. The author of thin book
lia a European reputation as a neurolor.int.
His position nbrond Is not unlike th'. of
Ir. S. Weir Mitchell in America. The t.ork
hero in question i a comprehensive, and
concise summary of the result of. , science
in ita chosen field.
The continuous popularity o"f Thotnaa
TTardy is attested by the new editions ' hta
novels that from time to time ara Issued.
Recent reprints Include 'Teea of the D'Ur
l.ervillcs." "far From tha- Madding Orowd."
"A Iaotllcpan" and "Desperate Remedies,"
the )ant naiived dating; from 1871 and bln
his flrtt.nna; tory to appear In book form.
It was ''Far. From the Madding Crowd."
however, that cava hi repute Its flrtt start.
-
'Ackroyd of the Faculty" in the tUla of
the new novel by Anna Chapln R.y that
announced for approaching publication. Mis
Kay h&a written of the life In one of the
larger American universities, embodying In
her novel a study of social maladjustment.
Intellectual vipror brings the hwro, born of
the masses and wholly loyal to his kin,
into close contact with a social class for
whose life he had had no previous training.
Mien Ray is a well-known Connecticut au
thor. Tho Century Company will publish
Wednesday. Charles n. Stewart's new book.
"Partncru of Providence," some parts of
which have already been published serially.
It is a story of life on the Mississippi and
the Missouri steamboats, set down, as was
"The Fugitive Blacksmith." In the first per
eon. Bam tells the stoy in a racy vernacu
lar that adds to the flavor of the adven
tures he recounts; and C. J. Taylor's pic
tures, of which there will be over a hundre.
in the book, are altogether In sympathy
wiiij. tne spirit -oi me iexi.
Almost simultaneously with the publica
tion or Arthur stringers new novel, "fr.an
torn Wires," will occur the presentation of
the dramatization of his previous book, "The
wire Tappers, ' at the Lincoln Square The
ater, Nnw York. As its title signifies, "The
"Wire Tappers" is the account of the ami:
ing adventures of'JIm DwWn. an electrical
Inventor, and a charming English slrl, who
were for av time engaged In wire-tapping In
New York City. Owen D'avla, the dramatist,
is said- to have made a very strong play
from this popular novel. "Phantom Wires
narrates the further adventures of the char
acters introduced in "The wire Tappers.
In "Sampson Hock of Wail Street" Edwin
I.efevre pursues still further his - way
through the devious financial thoroughfares
that he has enli-ened and made picturesque
In his previous series of short stories. Mr.
Lefevre Is a New York journalist whose
profession has enabled him to make an es
pecial study of Wall street and Its denizens.
and his powers of observation have re
vealed themselves at their keenest In the
tale that ha nas evolved out of his own
knowledge and experience. "Sampson Rock
of Wall Street" is probably his first venture
at the writing of a long novel for "The
Golden Flood" was scarcely more than an
expanded short story.
John Oxenham. whose new novel, "Th
Long Road,' is to be published soon, an
Englishman who seems to -have tecome an
author in spite of himself. A few years ago
he was a prosperous young buslenss man.
and took to writing only for relaxation and
amusement, it was only a short time, now
ever, before he found himself so absorbed
in his new occupation that he abandoned
business altogether. He has bean 'a great
traveler, having visited nearly every part of
Europe and America, and having lived for
some years in France and the Vnlted
State. At one time he went to the South
era States with the intention of becoming
an orange grower, but abandoned the pro
ject. Prinr-e Kropotkin'e "The Conquest , of
Bread, will appear shortly in translation.
The book, first of all. aims to show the
weakness of the position of those who as
srt that, because Jhe .schemes of ideal
states that have haunted the thinkers of
all ages have, not realised themselves, we
are therefore to conclude that communistic
or socialistic systems ara not suited to the
needs of human nature. . It aims also to
demonstrate that communletlc and social
istic Ideals have been, despite setbacks and
reactions, approaching nearer to practical
realization. After this, the book proceeds
to the exposition of tha communism for
which Us author stands a communism era
bodving a strain of anarchy, and of course
many of the tenets of orthodox socialism.
F. Gilbert Webb, in a preface to W. H
Breare's new book, "Vocal Faults and
Their Remedies," writes: "There la no de
nvlng that hundreds of voices have been
ruined by bad teaching. There is faulty
training in every branch of education, but
the results are rarely so tragic as In sing
ing. The vocal apparatus is so delicate
that it can be ' irretrievably Injured by
straining and ba4 habits. ... It is be
cause I believe this book will be to many
as a light In darkness that I write this
preface. I should add, perhaps, that my
belief Is based upon my having had for
over 20 years to investigate the various
methods of vocal production, not as a
teacher, but as a cltlc and. consequently,
have had countless opportunities of watch
ing the effects of the methods on public
singers. 1 hold no brief for this book. The
author was unknown to ma until a few
weeks ago.
Occasionally a manuscript of unquestion
able worth is received which Is not always
accorded exhaustive treatment by publish
ers. It is not necessary, because, by tbe
first, the second or the third reader, some
thing extraordinarily familiar Is detected,
and with suspicion aroused by this striking
similarity with something else read some
time, somewhere before, it becomes an easy
matter to trace its origin. In nine' cases
out of ten the ambitious but unscrupulous
young writer has devoted his energies to
Tarsnhrasing some well-known story. It
hardly occurs to him that H is plagiarism,
and that the plagiarism, once detected, will
discredit him for the rest of time with the
house to which be submits his copy. He
s Intent on seeing a book published that
bears his name. For example, the Bobbs
Merrlll Company, of Indianapolis; recently
received a manuscript submitted by "Viola
Cloud" whose residence waa stated to be
In Alabama. M!m Cloud evidently had
read and been much impressed, by "Jane
Err." Forthwith she made a copy of "Jane
Eyre." and, changing only the names of
characters and places, submitted tt for pub
lication. The manuscript, which waa en
titled "Wiilie May," fell Into the 'hands of
a reader employed by. the house, who at
once detected the similarity, certified his
suvpiclon and reported that the work was
a copy of Charlotte Bronte's famous novel.
A new book Is "The Life of Walter Pa
ter." by Thomas Wright, author of "Tho
Life of Sir Richard Burton" (tha first edi
tion of 'which, by the way, was exhausted
within two weeks after its appearance). It
will be published in two octavo volumes,
with 70 illustrations of singular interest,
only three or four of which have as yet
been seen by the public. Tt is but plain
truth to say that the appearance of the
work, which will be even more fertile in
surprises than - the "Burton" and will con
tain, in circumstantial detail, biographical
matter the vary existence of which ha
been known to but few, will be recognised
as an. important event in the world of let
ters. It will be only less remarkable for
the great number of fictitious statements
regarding Pater which It will disprove
tnan jor trie unsuspected wealth of new i
facts -that it wtll bring to- light. It will I
be found, as Mr. Wright says, that "of th i
vents that are dealt with In the "first 1?
chapters nothing has previously been re- i
corded beyond what might be put in half ;
a dozen lines." The author of the present
volumes has secured, too. a wealth of infor- 1
niation from live intimate and confidential
friends of Pater s friends respectively of ,
four, five and seventeen years' standing,
who were almost dally In his company.
'
A unlaue work"in many wars will be the
volumes of Queen Victoria's letters which
A. C. Benson and Viscount Esher have been
editing for tho last four or five years. It
M unique, -first, because of the nature of
the book It will consist chiefly of letters,
with an Introductory preface to each group.
cut lining tho history of .the period; second
ly, because It, la tha first time that a reign
ing monarch has sanctioned tha publication
of the correspondence of his predecessor,
and. thirdly, because King Edward VI T baa
supervised the proofs. So well have the
editors done the work, that King Edward
has made very few corrections in tho
proofs. Most of them ara just pencil al
teration, where His Majesty thought It
itccewsary to delete or to add a word. The
correspondence will be issued in three vol
umes at about f1A net. magnificently Illus
trated with portraits of statesmen and per
sonalities of the times, chiefly supplied by
the King himself. It is to be understood
that no intimate personal letters are to be
included, but many will " be found that
parsed between Jueen Victoria and the
J'rlnco Consort, as well as wuen Victoria's
correspondence on the historical snd polit
ical events of her long reign. The book is
l be published In October next, and it may
be saf-ly rwimec that a work of such
worldwide Interest will be translated into
mot European languages. ,
'
Enlarged ofTlces of Robert Grl-r Cooke.
Inc.. have just been opened in New York,
and a reception was rerently held in them,
at which a .group of the editors, authors,
artists and c lleuts . amoclated with that
house were present. Many recant workd
Issued by Mr. Cooke were on exhibition.
Including platee from the J. P. Morgan
porcelain catalogue, reproductions of the
heavily jewelled cover of the Linda tier
EvangeUar. now In Mr. Morgan's collection,
original caricatures from Caruso's book, and
a epectal display of bookplates, stationery
snd engravings. Gardner C. Teal), who he
just resigned the-, treasurership of the firm,
and who has been elected vice-president,
with Walter P. Trumbull, secretary, has
juet lft for Kurope for a tour or five
months or more. Important publishing ar
rangements will be made in London, Pari,
Berlin and Naples. Mr, TeeU will inci
dentally study typographical and color work
and allied matters, with a vie to utilising
this knowledge In his work upon his return.
Kobert H. Van Court, general office man
ager, has been elected treasurer of Robert
Orier, ;CooK Inc.. to succeed Mr. Teall.
Frederick L. Perlno' Is in various waya In
terested In the vrork of this house, having
been recently elected a director. Frederick
Sherman, well known for his Individual
work with Charles rJcrlbners Nona, will be
In charge of the manufacturing and art
departments of the firm.
e
Has It ever been noticed what a great
proportion of present-day novelists ara Cana
dian by birth?
Most notable, of course, lg Sir Gilbert
Parker, whose novel, "The Weavers." Is now
appearing serially, and who won such fama
with "The Right of way" and other books.
Then there is Basil King, who imitated
Gilbert Parker not only by being born in
Canada, but by marrying an American wife.
He is about to publish a new novel entitled
"The Giant's strength."
Elinor Olyh, too -whose most recent
novel is "Beyond tha Hocks," and who I
also well known for her "Vlclssjtudes of
Evangeline" and ' "Reflections of Ambro
sine" in Canadian by birth, her father be
lng the late Douglas Sutherland, of Toronto.
Norman Duncan,--also, whose new novel
will shortly be published by tha Harpers,
H a Canadian,, having been born at Brant'
ford in 1871. -
other prominent names might be added;
and it Is a point of great additional Interest
that the Canadian literary workers do not
all go to England or all to the Vnlted
States, but : that while some, like Elinor
Glyn and Sir Gilbert Parker, are fascinated
ny X-ondon. others, like Norman ryurican a
Basil King, are more strongly attracted by
what, outside of our own borders, la often
denominated "the States."
Varied opinions regarding the value of
literary criticism In . all Its phase are ap
pearing In the Ixndon press, apropos Presi
dent Roosevelt' enthusiastic appreciation
of Victor Berard's work on the Phoenicians
and the Odyssey. Will he set the English
to reading tt as lie set ui to the reading
of "The Simple Life" of Pastor Wagner?
Probably the answer Is, In this particular
case, says a writer in The Reader, in the
negative. There was a good deal In the
last-named book that appealed to the peo
ple to whom he appealed. There is little
of such In the first-named. In the same
way, "Tho Woman Who Toils." by the two
V an Vorsts. has met with but scant con
sideration over here, although it received a
free advertisement from the President In
his "race suicide" letter. Other Instances
where books lauded by people more or less
famous have failed hopelessly might be
quoted almost Indefinitely. "When It Was
Dark" was, . on the other hand, certainly
"made" by the Bishop of London, Just as
was "Wine In the Lees." by the late Dr.
Parker. Mr. Gladstone boomed "Robert Els
mere." and forthwith the name of Mrs.
Humphry Ward was on everybody's lips.
Just how much, again. Miss Marie Corel U
owes to the fact that Queen Victoria found
pleasure in her books, and said so, cannot
be known; but it undoubtedly did not tend
to shorten the long rows of figures stand
ing to. her credit in her publishers' ledgers.
It waa Sir Edwin Arnold's Insistence, sea
son and out, upon the transcendent genius
of Zola, that in the end made the English
readers take an interest in his stories. Hugh
Conway's "Called Back fell dead until Mr.
Labouchere brok forth In praise of it. Ed
ward FitsGerald's "Rubatyat of Omar
Khayyam" remained unknown and ' unno
ticed until Roesettl and Swinburne "discov
ered" It almost simultaneously, and praised
It from one end of the kingdom to the
other, " and beyond. Marcus Clarke's ex
ceedingly clever story. "For the Term of
His Natural Lire." was "made" by Charles
Dickens, who publicly alluded' to It as "that
most unforgetable of books." When "The
Jungle" was first published In England,
hardly anybody read ft. Then came the
American President's message concerning
it. and instantly Mudle's was besieged by
subscribers demanding to be supplied with
it forthwith. . . . But a celebrity, if
only he is a big enougn eeienniy, may eas
ily boom a book by "slating" it. Tha Ger
man Emperor's fierce condemnation of poor
Lieutenant Blise'a "Life in. a Garrison
Town" sent the circulation of that novel
bounding Into tha millions, and caused it
to be translated Into practically every
European language.
XEW BOOKS RECEIVED.
"Mexico Coming Into Light," by John
Wesley Butler. 35 cents ; "The Hereafter
and Heaven," by Levi Gilbert, and "Perse
cution In the Early Church." by Herbert B.
Workman (Jennings-Graham).
"Fanshaww of the Fifth." by Ash ton Hll-
lers. $1.50 McClurg-Philllps).
"Christ's Secret of Happiness," by Lyman
Abbott, 75 cents (Thomas T. Crowell Co.).
"Forest Friends," by John Madden, M. D.
McClurg). .
"Katzen jammer Stunts," 25 cents (Gold
berrv. Chicago).
"The Far Horixon," by Lucas Ma let, $1.50
(Dodd-Mead and Tha J. K. Gill Co., Portland).-
"Frost and Friendship." by George Fred
eric Turner, illustrated. SI. 50 (Little-
Brown). .
Concentration of Sun's Rays.
Kansas City Times.
There is an apparatus which concen
trates the rays of the sun from more
than 6000 small mirrors on a spot about
seven inches in diameter. The heat gen
erated is about 7000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Iron can be melted in less than a minute
and fireclay fused in about three minutes
by this machine. Magnesia, one ot the
hardest things to melt, requiring a heat
of about 630 degrees Fahrenheit, can be
melted in 20 minutes.
THE PRICE OF PROSPERITY
INTERMEDIATE SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSON FOR
TODAY IS "THE WIVES OF DRUNKENNESS"
BT WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
T HERTS is a peculiar pleasure in dis
covering a familiar quotation in an
unexpected place; it is like meeting
an old friend In a strange country. Every
body knows the phrase, "precept , upon
precept, precept upon, precept; line upon
line, line upon line; here a little there a
little." Not everybody knows, however.
that it occurs in connection with this
passage upon drunkenness in the Book
of laatah. -t .
The connection is appropriate. There
are. few better texts for a discourse on
the present temperance situation than
thla. For the old, old sermon, over
which so many brilliant minds have
grown eloquent. - still needs to be
preached, "precept upon precept, pre
cept upon precept; line upon line, line up
on line; here a little, there a little," urvti!
the whole world has been won to the goal
of sobriety. That is why. once eVery
quarter, the Sunday schools are given a
temperance topic to consider.
WATCH THE WORLD'S DRIFT.
What is happening on the stage of pub
lic events is Important and interesting;
equally so Is that which is colng on "be
hind the scenes." In watching the out
ward tendencies of the times, the wise
observer will - not forget the inner trend
from which they spring. The'state of so
ciety's mind is not less deserving of at
tention than the course of public conduct.
To many persons who watch the world's
ways, it seems unmistakable that the
world 'today ia thinking thoughts of self
Indulgence. These days ot national
prosperity have brought a relaxation of
the stern sclf-reslralut and self-denial of
other days. AVhile drunkenness on the
whole may "be decreasing, there is . a
noticeable increase in the number of
liquor glasses cm dinner tables. At tbe
largest hotels and restaurant, it is com
mon to eee both men and women drink
ing with their meals. Probably niorc
wine suppers are given in America in a
wfk., at the present time, than were
given in a month, 25 years ago.
Nobody is surprised that negro mam
mies should smoke, or that Japanese and
Chinese women should be as devoted to
cigarettes and the pipe as their husbands
and brothers. Seri'.us-niinded men.
though, do not like to i.ee American wom
en range themselves In this class. That
seems to be coming to pass in these days,
and the amount of smoking done by .wom
en of wealth and supposed refinement
would shock our grandmothers. Like
wise the spread of gambling most popu
larly illustrated by the craze for bridge
whist is a. sign of the samo tendency in
the nation's mental processes. We are
prosperous; we have money and we have
leisure: therefore we revert to the sort
of practices which have always char
LIVES THAT HAVE ALWAYS LIFTED
Terse Comment on' tho Uniform Prayer Meeting Topic of Young- People's Society.
IT IS TRUE that we need lives that are
stronger In the fundamental virtues.
We must first have a devotion to truth
and Integrity that cannot be shaken. Love
for justice, purity and righteousness are
essential to noble characters. Without
these traits a virtuous life Is Impossible.
But having them, there Is still great need
of the lesser characteristics of gentleness,
patience, sympathy, forbearance, kindness
and self-control. A plain brick wall may
be as strons: as the same wall adorned
and beau ti tied, but In a large sense it is
not as useful. 8o our lives should be not
only rir;hteousbut beautiful. By wearing
the graces of Christ - we should make
his gospel attractive.
As one lamp lights another, nor frrows
less, so nobleness enkindleth nobleness.
Lowell.
Think truly, and thy thought' -
Shall the world's great famine feed;
Speak truly, and each word of thine
Shall be a fruitful seed;
Live truly, and thy life shall ha
A grand and noble creed. Bonar.
Cheerfulness is not a little thing- when
it shows men the Joy of the Lord.
. -
Virtue is composite. ' The whollv virtu
ous man is not he of one sterling trait,
but he in whom many excellent traits
abound. To lack any of the "minor vir
tues Is to be weak in some one resDect.
Completeness is impossible in tbe life that
neglects the smaller graces. A statue
may oe mostly rair, nut If it has one un
finished part it cannot be called a beauti
ful statue.
.
Goodness has first claim upon a life, but
attractiveness has second. We owe it to
the world to be winsome; to give pleasure
in all the little ways that we can devise.
The soul that is tender and tactful, as
well as true, is the really strong soul.
Cultivate the little arts of helpfulness,
and a life of great helpfulness will be the
result.
.
What do we live for, if it is not to make
life less difficult to each-, other George
Eliot. . -
He who Is always hearing and answer
ing the call of life to be thoughtful, and
brave, and self-sacrificing he alone can
safely hear tha other cry of life, tempting
htm to be- happy and enjoy. Phillips
Brooks. .
The pillar of granite Is no less granite
because It is polished. A man is no less
a man because he is a complete gentle
man. Howe'er it be. It seems to me,
Tis only noble to be good.
Kind hearts are mora than coronets.
And simple faith than, Norman blood.
Tennyson.
- The spirit of Christ in ;the heart pro
duces the fruits of the Spirit in the life.
The graces that we desire cannot be put
on our life one by one, as we may choose.
They are rather a growth, resulting from
the indwelling of the Spirit. By these
signs may we know that we have In us
the Spirit: love. Joy. peace, long-suffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
temperance.
Be noble! and the nobleness that lies
In other men, sleepng, but never dead,
Will rise in majesty to meet thine own.
Lowell.
I. .
No man or woman of the humblest sort
can really be strong, gentle, pure and
good without the world being the better
for it; without .somebody being helped
and ' comforted by tha very existence of
that goodness. rnunpa jsrooas.
I.Ives of great men all remind ui
We can make our lives sublime.
Longfellow.
We live in deeds, not years; in thoughts,
not breaths;
In feelings, not in figures on a dial. -
Who thinks most, feels the noblest acta
the best.
Philip Bailey.
Tvk on other lives besides your own;
see what their troubles are and how they
are borne; try to think or sometnmg in
acterised rich and idle people, prior to
their downfall, t
DRINKING AROUND THIS WORLD.
This Is no jeremiad: the Western Conti
nent still leads Christendom In its sobri
ety. But it is the part of courage and
sound Judgment always to face the facts.
While in certain directions the cause of
total abstinence Is making tremendous
strides, in : others the reverse Is true.
The number of men whose fathers were
total abstainers who now drink to a
greater or less degree is significantly
large. Since the majority of New World
residents believe that the simpler way is
better, and that
"Where there's drink there's danger,"
it is well to keep open-eyed to the signs
of tho decadence or vitiation of national
character that may be seen o many
sides. i .
Sailing along the China Coast I fell
Into conversation with a tourist from
Nebraska, a typical American. Apropos
of his experiences and impressions he
remarked. "I have never done so much
drinking in my life as I have done since
leaving America. A man can't help
drinking wherever he goes. liverybody
does it." Ot course he was mistaken in
his easy assumption that "a man can't
help drinking." Cor hundreds of tourists
quite as companionable as Jie go around
the world without tasting liquor; but he
was quite correct in saying that the
amount of drinking is astounding. Merely
as an item of expense one marvels at it;
small wonder that in the foreign settlement-of
the largest port in the East is
frequently heard the statement. "Nobody
In- Shanghai pays his bills." While that
generalization is untrue, it is indicative.
The financial as well as moral disaster
which overtakes so many men in tho
East may generally be traced to the wide
spread prevalence of the drink habit.
The haunting look in the cavernous eyes
of a once-brilliant American man whose
career In the Orient is closing in disap
pointment abides with me as a reminder
of a tragedy. For that man's only son
ended a Vfe of promise under peculiarly
distressing circumstances, as a worthless
drunkard; and now. report has it. the
father has turned for solace or oblivion
to the cup which caused ail his bitterness.
It docs seem as If the trail of strong
drink cannot be followed in any direction
without finding disaster.
AVIien the Strong Reel.
The visitor to Port Arthur learns dread
ful applications of the old prophet's la
ment that "even these reel with wine and
stagger with strong drink" I. e.. the
Strong "that turn back the batlle at the
gates." Jlore than once during 4he late
war Russia's chances of victory were far
greater than the world knows, but the
minds and wills of the Russian officers
had -been ualuled by strong drink. - Tha
memorable Dogger Bank Incident, when
this busy world beside the gratification
of small selfish desires; try to think of
what is best in thought and action, some
thing apart from the accidents! of your
own lot. George Bllot.
Xcwb and Notes.
.The only Protestant churches on the
Canal Zona are the Protestant Episcopal,
the Methodist and the Baptist.
Plans for an historical exhibition at the
Jamestown -(Exposition are already under
way which shall show the growth, inde
pendence and progress of the American
nation as influenced by the Freebyterlan
and Reformed Churches.
A new cure for the onlum- habit has
been discovered in the Malay peninsula.
The remedy is a plant which grows freely
in a wild state. The leaves or the plant
are exposed to tha sun for a day, then
chopped and roasted, after which an In
fusion is made and the specific- is readv
for tise. An anti-opium society has been
formed and the spedfto is distributed
free. Dispensaries which have been
opened for the distribution of this drug
find difficulty in supplying the demand,
applicants in one province alone number
ing more than 2000 daily. It is anticipated
that this discovery may materially aid In
the enforcement of the imperial edict In
China abolishing the use ot opium in the
empire.
Religious liberty In Persia, together
with other forms of freedom, are predict
ed under the rule of the new -Shah.
By the enactment of a new law in Mex
ico no religious service may be held in
a private house unless It has previously
oeen registered as a church, nor may a
funeral service be held in a cemetery.
The South American republics are one
by one separating religion from politics
How Sailors Find the Longitude
Sky Clocks Moved Too Slowly, Man Invented Watch and Chronometer.
(Cornhill's Magazine.)
IF the earth did not rotate, says
Professor If. W". Turner, longitude
could be found In exactly the same way
as latitude, for a traveler starting from
a place on the equator where some
bright star was seen on the horizon due
east would, if he traveled toward it, see
It rise In the heavens (Just as be would
see the Pole star rise by traveling due
north and the height to which it rose
would indicate the length of his jour
ney eastward that is, his longitude.
But the rotation of the earth insists
upon carrying him eastward in any
case, so that even if he remained in the
same spot the star would still rise, and
its height would then indicate the time
elapsed since he first observed it, as he
could readily verify if he possessed a
watch keeping correct time. If, being
provided with such a watch," he set out
on a journey, the height of the star at
any moment would be due to a combi
nation of two causes: first, the rota
tion of the earth, for which he could
make allowance by consulting his
watch; and, second, his journey east
ward, the length of which he could
accordingly calculate.
Nowadays tho sailor finds his longi
tude just in this way, by carrying a
good watch or chronometer with him
on board ship. But to make a chronom
eter which would keep time correctly
at different temperatures, and in the
other varying circumstances of & sea
voyage, was regarded in Flamsteed's
time as hopeless certainly as the least
feasible of possible methods for finding
longitude. There is, however, a clock'
In the sky which is Independent of the
imperfections of human workmanship;
indeed, there are many such, for every
planet which changes Its place among
the stars is an indication of the cor
rect time, if we are able to read it.
These clocks have, however, all one
serious defect they moye far too slow
ly for convenient reading. The quick
est of them, the moon itself, takes a
whole month to perform the circuit of
the dlal.and to read thetime correctly
is Cnu3 80 times as difficult as to read
it from the hour hand of an ordinary
clock, which performs its circuit In 12
hours. To read seconds from a clock
we arrange mechanism to multiply the
motion of this hour hand 43,200 times
fishing boats mere fired upon because mis
ts ken for torpedo-boats, is-a modern in
stance of how the strong "err in vision,
they stumble in judgment."
'or Is Russia alone sufferer from this
cause. The ablest military light in Japs a
was recently snuffed out by overdrinking:
and one of her Admirals, whose name the
whole world knows, has an unenviable
reputation at home for the same vice.
America is not guiltless, as more than
one incident in her naval and military
history attests; and it has been more than
hinted that one of the recent great dis
asters to her merchant marine was due
to tho cause which makes men "err in. '
vision" and "stumble In judgment." Tha
Arboroath railway horror in England,
when, a few weeks since. 22 persons lost
their lives, was directly due. the dis
patches stated, to the drunkenness of tin
engineer in charge.
The Reveler's Loss.
The plain speech of the Orient, which
Jars on the sensitive ears of the West,
abounds in the Bible. So this passage de- .
scribes vividly the nauseating appearance
of a scene of revelry. The language il
not wise; but neither is the thing itself.
The fact it that strong drink bestiallzes
men. and destroys all their finer percep
tions. The sensitivo spirit soon becomes
blunted by drunkenness. A crowd of
revelers will- endure and do and say
things of which no Ane of them would -be
for an instant tolerant when sober. There
is a reach and an application not always
appreciated about the old phrase, appl:ed
to one who drinks, "Going to the dogs."
The lessons that mMIl not be learned at
school usually have to be. learned In tha
bitter school of experience. Recently I
ran across a bishop's son who had for.
saken his father's wise teachings; it toolc
delirium tremens in a strange land to
bring hlin to himself. As with indivduals.
so with nations. Corea would not learn
ill liberty how to govern herself; now be
neath the flail of oppression she is find
ing out how precious Is Independence and
tclf-Kovernment. Old China was deaf
to entreaty and counsel; not until tho
ruthless plowshare of armies bad been
run through her highest and most sacred
places did she awake from the sleep of
centuries.
That Is the way God works, as ail his
tory shows. So he warned Israel that if
she would not hear )iis pleadings of love,
then "by men of strange lips and with,
another tongue will he speak to bis peo
ple." The Lord Is bound -to make himself
heard, and to teach his own truth. Th
boys who will not learn the lesson of
temperance In the Sunday school may
have to learn it in the gutter or in tha
Jail.' Every rescue mission in the land
hears almost nightly the pitiful plea. "If
I had only heeded the lessons taught me.
as a boy." And, be it remembered, the
truths that pertain to character can be
acquired in youth.
and are proclaiming liberty of conscience)
to all. Bolivia being the last to fail into
line In this respect.
Three scholarships for Chinese girls have
been offered by Welles ley College and the
Empress of China will select the girls
who shall come to America to accept
them.
Seven Sentence Sermons.
Tamper not with conscience; it Is tha
soul's compass.
They are slaves who fear to speak
For the fallen and the weak;
They are slaves who dare not be
In the right with two or three. Lowell
Know that "Impossible" has no plaea in
the brave man's dictionary. Carlyle.
Thou hast made us for thyself. O Lord:
and our heart is restless until it rests 1b
thee. St. Augustine.
So others shall
Take patience, labor, to their heart and
hand.
From thy hand and thy heart, and thy
brave cheer.
And God's grace fructify through thea to
all. Browning. .
Do right, and God's recompense to you
will be the power of doing more right.
Robertson. .
Wherever souls are toeing tried and rip
ened. In whatever commonplace and
homely ways there God is hewing out
the pillars for his temple. Phillips
Brooks.
720 for the minute hand, 60 for the sec
ond hand, and yet, though the sailor is
especially anxious to read seconds, the
moon only provides him with a clock
moving 60 times more slowly, rather
than 43,200 times more quickly.
Nevertheless, in spite of this serious
defect, tho advantage of knowing that
the time given Is correct is very great,
if only we can properly interpret the
indications of the clock, for besides the
physical difficulty of reading an indi
cator which moves so slowly, there ar9
theoretical difficulties of a grave kind
in . interpreting the indications. Tho
moon docs not move uniformly, but
has countless vagaries or inequalities.
We know now that they can all be
deduced from Newton's great law of
gravitation by exact calculations; but
these calculations require enormous la
bor, as well as numerous observations,
to provide a starting point. But when
Flamsteed proposed the Royal Observa
tory at Greenwich, Newton had not yet
announced his great law. and it was inly
surmised by Flamsteed that If sufficient
observations of the moon were made,
some general law would be found run
ning through tnem good enough to en
able sailors to read the clock.
It must have required immense cour.
age to set out on such a campaign.
Looking back on the history of our
Royal Observatory, we may say that
there was no moro glorious moment in
that history than the foundation.
Will -It Come to This
Bohemias.
He criticised the Know Trust, and '-
He could not g;o to shows;
Tha Clothing Trust disliked him. It
Would sell to him no clothes;
He found fault with tha Food Trust, whte
'Cut off his food supply;
And' as he bucked the railroads, they
Forced him to walk or fly.
In Billingsgate he sought to air
His sad and wretched lot;
But to his sorrow Lawson had
Just cornered Tommy-rot.
The Whisky Trust had felt his taunts.
He eould not buy a drink;
But at no trust bad cornered brains
He still was free to think.
This man then thought unto himself:
"I'll hang me to a limb,"
Tha sympathetic Burial Trust
Refused to bury him.
-Mrs. Alev Tweedle says. In the Tattler: "It
is extraordinary the number of charming peo
ple who refuse- country hune visits beeaus
they cannot afford the host's brldfe stakes
or the servants tips."