The Sunday Oregonian., January 26, 1908, Magazine Section, Page 11, Image 53

THE SUXDAY OREGOXIAX, ?ORTLAXD, JANUARY 26, 1W)S.
11
"Imagination is not thought.
Thought paceth.like a hoary
wings as an eagle. Tupper.
The nihln Flfta. hr Roy Norton. Illus
trtd. H.r.O. D. Apple.lon & Co., New
York Citv.
What would you think of a flylns
machine, defying the laws of Vravlta
tlon, able to nctzi- a niishty, 20.0U0-ton
liattleshlp In its grip, and luair it tip to
wards the lcy, as if It were a balloon?
This is thu supposition "Mr. Norton
alls Into being in thiH, his rtcw novel,
which In the most sensational aii'l
fitins; of all the -season's romances.
The plot is fashioned with a ilarlns:
and a swtf-p that hears everything be- .
fore. It. and while one scientitlc sur
prise after another is unfolded, its
American patriotism is rampant. When
the . story recently appeared In serial
form, syndirated as it was to different
newspapers, the instalments were re
ceived witli breathless Interest, t '
It is noteworthy that Mr. Norton was
.recently a newspaper man in this city
Rnd Seattle, and'that his wife Is Mrs.
Anna Selkirk Norton, the well-known
contralto slnuef.
In composition and "jreneral llterafy
treatment, the novel bears the stamp of
a. master and will hold its own as n
brilliant tale showing how. in fair fiRht,
the ITnited States whipped Japan. And
all because Dr. William Uoberts, Amor
lean, was skillful enough to invent a
flyins machine -which rcvolutionied
tho, world's history beVause it made
war impossible and reduced battleships
to helpless toys. The idea is so boldly
expressed as to have a touch of Verno
In It.
The period of the story is undoubt
edly the present, and Japan is pictured
as Insolently provoking thi country to
fleht, so that the mastery of the Pacific
Ocean may be determined once, and for
"all. America is in her usual unprepared
state, with a smalt standing army, but
conscious of the bravery of lier hastily
raised citizen volunteers. Japan strikes
nulekly by. attacking the Philippines
and the Hawaiian Islands, but to every-
one's astonishment, except those "inn
the arame,' these islands are surren
dered by. the Americans without the
tirlnc of a shot. The world stands
Htcbast at what is supposed to be the
nfwardli'e displayed by the great Itc
publlc. Meantime, Important world history is
iiakinsr. At Malmi. Fla.. Dr. Uoberts
has been secretly working to perfect
a new plate, which, when applied to
cruisers, will make G-l knots an easy
,?ait for them, the plate practically
rtvercomlng friction. y the merest
nccidt nt, .however, lr. Koberts is able
to make an alloy of metal and
metalloids by which he creates a new
iubstnnec, so that when an electrical
current of certain potentiality is
passed through it. becomes intensely
radioactive Infinitely mure, so than'
radium.
Roberts was able ta produce elec
trical manifestations hitherto unsus
pected and unknown. The metal itself,
wlilie radioactive to a certain degree,
did not become intensely so without
the application of tha excitant current.
For years he had experimented on an
Insulation which passed no current of
electricity, and which no known heat
can destroy. By accident, ho learns
that it is also an impervious screen
to radioactive emanations. In subse
quent experiments he so charges the
alloy In a. lower plate that it merely
'offsets gravitation, and lie places his
sheet of insular substance between.
The result is leyltation.
Thee two plutes are therefore work
ing against each other with nearly
equal force, the balance being dis
turbed only in ratio to gravitation.
I'tiderstand it? Further, the machine
furnishes - its own. propulsion, because
by the use of the apparatus behind ltH
Us radioactivity can be excited to any
degree that might be safe. The mo
ment .1 current excites and therefore
increases the power of the lower plate,
a lifting energy can be exerted which
destroys the equilibrium of levitation.
and drives the plates into the air with
a force corresponding to the strength
or character of tne current. On the
other hand, when the upper plate is
similarly excited, thus liberating its
corpuscles, the plate is driven- toward
the earth.
It would not be fair to expose any
more ot the secrets of the Roberts
flying machine, in case Mr, Norton
nilrht object. Anyhow, Pr. Roberts
inn. his assistants construct a num
ber of radiupl.ines or. flying machines
cap-iblc of traveling at the rate of 00
miles an hour, but Just at a critical
moment the -venerable Inventor be
comes ill. His daughter. Norma, wfio
liss beer his principal laboratory as
sistant, takes his place in the principal
radloplare.' and the aerial host speeds
forward to meet the Japanese fleet,
which by this time .is sailing to bom
bard the Pacific Coast.
The huge flagship To heads the
Japanese advance, followed by battle
ships, cruisers and destroyers, while
bringing up the far rear are colliers
in whose hulls are carried fuel for the
great armada. The Japs send a storm
of shells at the advancing airships,
and on of tiie latter is hit. but only
Klii.-h.tly Injured. The Norma airship
rtaehej. at the It', crumples the lattcr's
stacks and masts as if they were pa
per, attaches Itself to the turrets, and.
.with phenomenal power, lifts the flag
ship as if she were- a bird: The great
wingless terror picked her up Into the
air, before her engines could be
stopped and with her screw beating
the atmosphere like the fluttering fins
of a fish captured by a marauding
eagle, sailed off with her Into the'bluu
above." 1
The captured Japs, with their ships.
' deposited on the waters of Lake
7 '7V7 P F
-m ----- sr.
-i v W -
Neither is fancv reflection, a
- sage, bat imagination hato,
J 4
, - as
Washington, at Seattle, where they are
screened from molestation by an Ameri
can Army corps. America cuts all tele
graps and submarine cable lines with
the outside world, and a British fleet
sent on a tour of possibly hostile obser
vation is carried off by Roberts eagles.
Emperor William, of Germany, and
King Edward, of Great Britain, -vlth
several of their Ministers, are conveyed
in. radioplanes across, the Atlantic where
a peace parley takes place. Japan sues
for mercy, and world peace is estab
lished. The United States, to guarantee
this, keeps secret the methods employed
in constructing Roberts' radioplanes. -
"The Vanishing Fleet" Is not all
science, however a pretty love storj fs
unfolded, the chief actors in it being
Miss Norma Roberts and Guy Hilllcr an
English diplomat. vThe American Ad
miral is "FlfThtlng Bob" Kevins, and
the Christian . name of the American
President is given as "Paul.'
T you entertain doubt as to the possi
bility jf the radloplane as sketched by
Mr. Norton? Go slowly. He says that
the scientific plan he has presented is
indorsed by Hudson Maxim, tbe most
eminent authority living on high explo
sives, and the most daring .investigator
of kindred sciences.
l.lttle Pilgrimages Among Old w Kng-
lajid Inns. J4y Mary Caroline" Crawford.
Illustrated. L. c. Page & Co., Boston.
This part of the country is too now to
possess romantic old inns rickety,
swaying with the wind. and. it must be
confessed, without modern plumbing
that hark back to the history of revo
lutionary days, and latterly to the stir
ring days of our grandfathers. But
in such a land as New Kngland, these
inns are many, and even those that are
no more are remembered by elaborate
drawings in the archives of the nearest
historical society.
Naturally, considerable space is de
voted to Boston inns, where the land
is rich in revolutionary houses. Con
cord history is also drawn from, and
speaking of the Wright tavern of that
city, it is related that these prices ruled
in that house about the year 1779: One
mug of West India flip, 20 pence; one
mug of New Kngland flip, 12 pence;
one good d-inner, 12 pence; breakfast
and supper, each, 15 pence, and lodging
4 pence.
Of the Wayside Inn at Sudbury It Is
related that, when one of its landlords
died in 1796. the appraisal of his estate
amounted to J3531.4S. The value of
his coat-of-arms was given at $4; Are-J
arms at fS; library at $10; clock at $30;
silver tankard at $25; the "other plate"
at $30; and the homestead of 240 acres
of land at SB500.
Among, old Inns and taverns In New
England towns arc those of Hart
ford. Providence. Duxbury, Bradford,.
Shrewesbury. Pelham, Fitchburg, Am
herst reerfleld. Boston, Arlington,
Shirley, Woonsocket. Smlthfleld, Spring
field, West Brookfield, Newburyport, Ips
wich. Groton, etc.
The pasing of the stage coach is
treated with rare sentiment:.-,
When the long rains of . Autumn set in
-' from the went.
Tho mirth of the landlord was broadest and
best.
And the straneer who paused over eight
never knew
If the clock on the mantel struck ten. or
struck two.
Oh. the songs thety would sing and the tales
they would SDln"
As they lounged In the light of ths old
fashioned Inn;
But the day came at last when he stage
brought no loAd
To the sate, so it rolled up the long, dusty
road.
Adele Hamilton, by Ielia Buford -Elliott.
The Neale Publishing Company, Washing
ton, D. C.
A wholesome story of a family whs
left the Southland and made a new home
In California. The first chapter shows
Mrs. Hamilton sitting in her library and
dressed in deep mourning for .her hus
band who had recently died and left his
widow and live daughters almost nothing
in the way of financial support. Mr.
Hamilton had engaged too extensively in
cotton planting. Mammy Harriet is the
widow's comforter, and aaya "Aw, now,
honey, doan -lake on so. Yo' 'a still got
yo ole niggah. - Yo baa to leab me now
but I s boun' to fiin' yo' some day. Noth
in' sin' gwine sep'rale us. De war could
n' do it; an' nothln else 'gwine ,t.' At
that period. Adele Hamilton is a girl
of 16.
Mrs, Hamilton and daughters leav
their Southern .mansion of 21 rooms, and
reach a little California town which was
"in a beautiful green valley, almost sur
rounded by lofty mountains, many of
them capped with snow. On the side of
one mountain "was a distinct "i.d gigantic
arrowhead, so perfect that it could be
seen for miles." An amusing picture is
drawn of the Hamilton family's first
brush with California life, how they, first
meet Chinese, Mexicans, etc.. and where
they make their first attempts at cook
ing. AdclB is her mother's help, and
makes tattins. one piece of which she
sells for $2. although the purchaser offers
her $10 which she refuses. "I thank you
very much." says Adele. coloring, "but I
ask $2 for It. It ) accented more It
would be charity." From which remark
it may be inferred that the Hamiltons
were proud. They befriend a poor
wanderer who afterward turns out to be
Peter Wprk, a Ventura' citizen who
makes millions by a lucky "strikfe" In oil.
and Just to show that he Is grateful to
the Hamiltons for past kindness -received,
he sends them a check for $50,000 as a
Christina gift. Ad.le becomes a school
teacher, and as . nurse she takes care
of sufferers 'at the period ot the San
Francisco earthquake. And she also
1
at
Iwins the heart of Deputy SherifT Elwood.
So it wduld seem that the Hamiltons
bettered their condition by settling In
PaciUo Coast have their luck! The story
has a pleasant, home atmosphere and will
appeal to girls and women. -Its best
charm is its naturalness. The authoress,
Mrs. Delia Buford Elliott, resides at Los
Angeles, Cal.
Wild Animal Celebrities. By .Ellen Velvln
P. Z. 8. Illustrated. Price, tl. Moitat.
.Tard Co New York Citv.
All who love animals, and may their
number be as the sands of the .sea
shore, will enjoy the authoritative life
stories of many celebrated animals now
living and .on exhibition in various
zoological gardens -and menageries
tlirougho-.it the world.
The authoress says that the facts re-'
lated in her book of 266 pages have
beert given her at first hand from the
naturalists and trainers in charge and
that most of the animals described are
old personal "friends'" of her own- She
takes the view that she does not be
lieve in,-the taming of any wild ani
mal, no matter how real it may sraem
to be. She argues that a wild anirnal
is always, a wild animal and that no
taming, care or kindness can ever
actually eradicate .the inherent savag
ery and fierceness of his nature.
One ot the best stories told is that
about tho Hon, Wallace, famous as
the star attraction in the Bostock ani
mal show. Bears, elephants, chimpan
zees, big cats, bisons, snakes, seals,
sealions, dogs, etc., all get their inning-
The illustrations are unusually
interesting, i -
Janet of the lune. By Harriet T. Ornn
stock. Illustrated. ' Price. SI. SO. Tattle,
Brown Co., Boston, and the J. K. Gill
Company. Portland.
A girl's story with a fine, healthy tone,
and with 'four effective illustrations by
Carle Michel Boog. Mrs. Comstock has
laid the scenes of her story on the
dunes of Iong Island, in and around the
Summer "homes of a colony of artists.
The heroine, Janet, is the adopted daugh
ter of Captain "Billy" of the fife-saving
service, and fisher folk. life-saving service
men and stalwart lighthouse-keepers are
pictured with "rare fidelity. A simple,; re
ligious atmosphere runs throughout the
talc.. ' .
Tbe Political Opinions of Thomas Jefferson,
by Dr John Walter Wayland. $1.25. The
Neale Publishing Company, . Washington.
D. C.
Not long ago, somebody remarked that
the last word- has by no means spoken
about Thomas .Jefferson, and the chief
difficulty in knowing more about him so
far as the present generation is con
cerned, has been the voluminous books.
All About the
wax is "a crud paraffin mixed' with
organic and various mineral substances."
This report would apply to- beeswax, as
that substance normally contains as high
as 15 per cent of paraffin, the rest being
Organic substances of other cinds. The
mineral substances here mentioned are
1n all probability beach, sand particles
such' as, are frequently tound in the outer
crusts of Nehalem wax. The Scientific
American reported to .Dr. Kinney that
his sample was ozokerite, but the pres
ent writer has been unable to. get from
that paper ajiy statement of the char
acters' upon which their opinion was
based. A sample of Nehalem wax sub
mitted to Mr. John F. Carll.- one time
State Geologist of Pennsylvania, was
passed on to the chemist of a large lll
refinery, Mr. E. B. Gray, of the Tide
Water Pipe Line Company, ' Bayonne.
New Jersey., who made a written report
to Mr. Carlf stating that the substance
was ozokerite, but apparently basing his
opinion upon nothing mure . than the
hardness and melting point of the sam
ple. Mr. Gray, however, when written
directly for further information, replied
that he had no record of any wax re
ceived from Mr. Carll. H. A. Mears, a
mining operator in Southern Oregon, and
a pioneer in the gilsonitc fields of Utah,
has mentioned several competent author
ities to whom he had submitted samples
of the wax with the general verdict of
ozokerite. In all of these eases the at
tempt has been made to get statements
of the exact properties of this wax which
led to the decisions, but without success,
changes of address and other causes pre
venting communication. Mr. Mears own
convictions are based upon physical ex
aminations of the substance, and it is
highly probable that all of his authorities
made the same mistake. Attention Is
again directed to the uncertain character
of all of this evidence as compared with
that offered by Merrill. Stokes, and Dil
ler and two independent analyses given
below, which, by the way, completely
confirm the earlier work by these meh.
It .sometimes happens to the chem
ist in Oregon that, he is consulted with
regard to a waxy substance In which
the finder has an Interest, it may be,
because of the hope that it is an indi
cation of oil in the ground from which
It was taken. The material almost in-
. QMft-j-...-.r-.-.-r...-s-.v....-.-..v.v
Professor O. F. Stafford.
variably turns out to be a mass of
pitch resulting from the slow destruc
tive distillation process which may ac
upmpany the burning of an old fir
stump or root. Such masses ma'y be
preserved in the ground for years, and
have more than once been confounded
with Nehalem wax. A specimen of this
sort was taken in 1906 to Professor C.
E. Bradley, then professor of chem
istry at Pacific University. Forest
Grove. Or., after having been widely
proclaimed in the newspapers as Ne
halem wax. Professor Bradley analyzed
this material in parallel with" true
samples from Nehalem, showed the dif
ference between the two, and incident
ally proved the identity of the latter
as beeswa-x.
Finally, there are the results of a
very thorough analytical investigation
of the Nehalem product as -carried out
in the laboratories of the University
of Oregon under the direction of the
writer by W. T. Carroll, who made this'
work the subject of his graduation
thesis In 1903. The results are tabu-
; latcd in parallel with the well-estab-
llsnea numerical values accepted for
other commercial waxes in the case of
each character determined, so that
comparisons can easily be made. It
should be noted that the values sjiven
for .beeswax are from a study of many
samoles of German. English and Amer
1 -.'
L i':
presented on the subject-books which
busy readers of today haven't time to ex
amine.' Dr. Wayland. who is assistant
and fellow in history in the University of
Virginia, remedies the defect referred to
by giving in brief, "Teadible style the
quintessence of Jefferson's political views
and statecraft. . Dr. Richard Heath
Babney, of the same university, writes an
admirable introduction. The discussion
in the book falls under five heads: Con
cerning government: the American states;
the United States Government; the Unit
ed. States in relation to foreign powers,
and various questions of importance.
Under the fifth head the author takes up
Jefferson's postion on African slavery,
the- American Indians. ' the liquor traffic,
money and banks and expansion of ter
ritory. . v -
The Planollst. By Gustav Kobbe. Price. 41
Moffat. Tard & Co.. New Xorb City,
liave you ever listened to a great .ar
tist like Padcrewski - at a piano recital
and had your cars charmed by the won
drous music he produced, and have you
ever said to yourself: "How I wish I
could play like that?" A quiet hint you
can possibly do so. at least according to
your own understanding, -by fdllowing the
advice given in this admirable little book..
Now, I am not Interested In the sale
of any pianola or piano-player, but it is
now a recognized part of our serious
musical life and should, be treated ac-.
cordingly. This book is a boon to the
musically unlearned, because it tells them
what they ought to know in common
sense language, with dry technical detail
wisely omitted. In Mr. Kobbe's- own
words, his purpose is "to' bring home to
people an appreciation of what this pi
anotist is. whether it Is regarded as a
toy with whjch the business man amuses
himself with two-steps and ragtime after
business hours, or as a serious musical
Instrument." .
At the Foot of the Rainbow. By Gene
Stratton-Horter.' JUuMrated. Price. $1.50.
The Outing Publishing Company, New
Tork City.
Most of. the action of this idyllic love
story of Central Indiana is laid out of
doors, with rural setting, and the char
acters illustrate the virtues of devoted
friendship, and one or more self-sacrificing
love. Some parts of the book are
almost a. nature study, the heading of
tho first chapter being, "The ratcatchers
of the Wabash." The story is told with
marked ability, and there are four paint
ings in color by Oliver Kemp, with de
signs and decorations by Ralph Fletcher
Seymour.
Mexico and Her People of Today. By Nevln
O. Winter. Illustrated. L. C. Page &
Co.. Boston.
After two years hard -work and consid
Beeswax of Nehalem Beadb
COJiTINI ED FROM SECOND" PAGE
ican waxes, all of which are 'in es"scn- j
tial argreement.
- - ' - . I
Table Showing Comparative Valnes for Certain Characteristics of the More Important
Commercial Waxes and the Wax from Nehalem Beach.
The pairs of figures separated by hyphens indicate the usual limits within which
the value of . the given characteristic lies. Single numbers represent the average
value, and hence the ideal standard. - .
rnM,,..,., ,T w.xii-s Kpeciflo Melting . lodlns -.Add Etheir
uuaMaiiLlAl, Gravity. Point. Value. Value. Value.
.... f
Beeswax lyellow) .908-. 975 61.5-B4.0 7.9-11 17-22 .- 72-7(5
Ideal standard .004 2.r, H.S 2i 74
Beenu (bleached) 056-.970 63.0-6.1.0 , 6.0-7.0 ?0-2S 76-SO
Idoai standard - .064 . 4.0 6.K "24 . 78
Nehalm wax .900-. 072 82.0-04.0 4.S-8.4 T. 7-12. 5 0S-1O.)
ideal. standard .I'70 63.2 5.4 S.4 98. 6
-Annamea beeswax .964 61 . 1-,- 7.K XR.A
Southeastern Asian waxes 6.0-12.2 6. .1-9. II S5.5-!l..
Carnauba wax 990-.090 S3-W1 r - J.I. 5 3.4-4. 8 , 75-76
- Ideal standard ." M 4 - . 73
Japan wax .- 07O-.Si . 50-.-r. ,3-0., -2-6
Idoai standard .7S S4 - 4 4.6 200
Chinese flict wax 920-.H7O S0-M
Ideal standard ...v. tm0 s1 14 6:1
Tallow beef 94:!-. 952 42-4 30-44 4-14
Ideal standard f .9M 4 ..: 4t .t .8 . . liio
Spermaceti -, 1 .DOT.-. 060 . 44-49 l;;o
Id-al .standard -950 46
Myrtle wax -f- 40-44 3-4.4 r,
Meal standard ..: .99.1 4:t 10. T .4 205
Ozokerite 910-.970 - 50,-1 "0
Idf.-il standard ..i ..90 70 I
Paraffin S67-.!"S 44-.14 -
Ideal standard .900- ' W I - I
One Puzzling Discrepancy.
While the identity of Nehalem wax with
beeswax is established in this way beyond
question there exists a puzzling dis
crepancy in tile case of two of the
characters Investigated, the "acid" and
"ether" values. These average for true
beeswax 20 and 74 respectively, while for
Nehalem wax they are 8.4 and 9S.6. It
was at first thought 'that the great age
of the Nehalem material, together with
its exposure for so long a, period to the
agencies which at the sea coast are so
actively destructive to animal and veg
etable matter. would account for the
anomaly. There was an objection to such
an assumption, however, in the fact that
old or bleathed waxes usually give higher
acid values than fresh waxes. It -was a
matter of great satisfaction, therefore, to
learn that a recent Investigation Into the
analytical characters shown by waxes
coming from the south and east of Asia
indicates that these are distinguished'
from all others by a low acid number,
ranging from 6.3 to 9, apd a high ether
... , cV. a AO C O amtr In Cham.
iscne &euung, voi. si, p- ! uti-uai
analysis of a. wax from Annam illustrates
the point and is included in the table
above. '
The significance of the above fact in
Its bearing upon the origin of the Ner
halem deposit is very evident. It is not
only beeswax with which we are con
cerned, but beeswax from the Orient.
The suggestion that the. wrecked vessel
was engaged in the carrying trade be
tween the Philippines and Mexico is by
no means a new one. Professor David
son, who for half a century has been
actively engaged in material to prove or
disprove, the existence of the Davidson
inshore "eddy current along the North,-'
western Coast, is our . highest present
authority upon the matter of what tbe
sea casts up on thj?se shores. In a recent
letter he says: "My present belief is that
the wax from a wrecked galleon
which, by stress of weather on her
voyage from the Philippines, had- been
driven farther north than the usual
route. They frequently got . as high as
43 degrees.- and I know ot one wreck as
high as the latitude Of the QuinibUft
River, Washington." Judge Wlckersham
Is also at the present time of the opin
ion that the wax came from the wreck of
a Spanish vessel bound from the Philip
pines to Vera Cruz by way of the North
Pacific current (Kuro Shlwo), which, by
the way. seems to have been the route
universally taken by eastwardly-bound
vessels.
Beeswax From the Philippines.
Dr. Joseph Schafer, professor of his
tory at the University of Oregon, calla
attention to two particularly Interesting
references In connection with the trade
relationships existing between the Philip
pines and Mexico during early times. The
first is from Blair and Robertson, '"Philip
pine Islands," vol. xv, p. 302: "A Dutch
writer of about 1CT0 in describing tha
Philippines says. "They yield consider
able quantities of money and wax." ""
The second reference Is to Morga, long
a Governor of the Philippines, sailing
from there to Mexico in 1603. His writings
are considered the most authoritative
extant as regards the Philippines of the
early period. In describing the . trade
from the Island to Mexico he says.
In thes classes of merchandise tbrought
from Slam and other Darts of the Orient)
and in the production of the Islands namely
gold, cotton cloth. ..mendrlnaque. and oakes
of white and yellow wax- do the Spaniards
effect their purchases. Investment And ex
ports for Nueva Espana tMexletv).'
If anything more were needed to estab
lish the hypothesis of a wrecked Spanish
vessel it would have to be an authentic
account of the wreck itself, Since the
erable travel through the greater part of
Mexico. Mr. Winteiv givetf this appreci
ative and instructive' account of the. cus
toms, " characteristics, amusements," his
tory and advancement of the Mexicans
and the development and resources of
their country. The illustrations are made
from original' photographs by the author,
and C. R. Blrt, his traveling companion.
Complaint is 6f).en made that many
books sold on this subject were first pub
lished ten years ago. Naturally, things
have changed since then. and..Mr.. Winter
has taken careful note of the industrial,
social and political developments. He
discusses such subjects as; Aztec land;
across the plateaus; valley of Anahuac;
the trcpics; rootsteps of the ancients; the
Peon; mines and mining: railways and
their influence; -reflgious forces: passing
of the lawless; story of the republic, etc.
The Short Story, edited by: tr. Kranfler
Matthews, professor of dramatic literature
n Columbia University. 1. The American
. Book .Company. New York City.
Twenty-four, specimen stories are here
given to show the development of the
short story and its possibilities, and the
evolution shown through various stases
of education is most interesting. The
stories are taken from American. Eng
lish, French, Russian ad '.other authors,
and valuable notes are appended to each
specimen calling -the student's attention
to the merits or defects of the particular
author under discussion. .The book will
be most helpful to studerTts of literature
in English, and also professional and.
amateur elocutionists. -
government for the People. By Johh -tv
Ten Eyck. Price. 00 cents. Mortal Yard
: .. Co.. New York City.. ' .
Sound advice, directed at voters in
cities who are numerically able to re
form present abuses. If they will take
the trouble to do Jio. The tone used
Is optimistic. Obviously, the little book
of 50 pages is written for Kastern
readers, not for a pure democracy like
Oregon, where direct primaries . take
the place of party, conventions. Mr.
Ten Eyck, who is a New York lawyer,
gives a clarion call to the averago
citizen to Interest himself in city or
town government.
The Great !eeret. By K. -.rhim-ui Orpen
heim. Illustrated. Price., tl.50. Little.
Brown Sc Co.. Boston. ' '
A regular will-o'-therisp -novel of
international politics, the denouement
of which is the barely averted invasion
of Great Britain- by a German fleet
and the sacking of t.ohdon .by 300,003
former German soldiers disguised as
tradesmen. . ,
Mr. Oppenheim seemingly reached an
enviable pinnacle' of success when he
wrote that pulsing bit of fiction en
titled "A Maker of History," but in
only account known is the one preserved
in Indian tradition, which, it may be said.
as Indian traditions-' go, is very definite,
wc are denied such a crowning" bit of
evidence. We do have, however, the
knowledge that exactly such wrecks did
occur. In a. reference kindly supplied by
Professor Davidson. Vinegas' History 'of
California, voi. ii, p. 3SS, there is an ac
count of tho wreck of the San Augusta
In Drake's Bay, 1753, where . was left
"great quantities of wax and chests of
silk."
' How the Stuff Looks.
A most interesting feature of the ques
tion is presented by the uppbarance of the
wax as it is taken from .the sand of the
beach. Some mention of thishas already
been made in tho articles by Merrill and
Diller given above. The irregular pieces
have occtirred in a great variety ot sizes
and shapes, while the '"candles" vary
from a half inch to three inches in
diameter and up to ten inches, in length,
in all cases being broken, apparently,
from greater original lengths. The wicks
are usually entirely missing, an axial
cavity occupying the place. In a speci
men owned by the writer there is to be
seen the conical cavity formerly common,
in candies for supporting .fhem . upon
wooden pegs. -'..;."":
Ai considerable- number of. ..the. - larger
pieces of wax have been in the form of
well-defined cakes ' bearing mysterious
markings. One" of these cakes is pre
served in the Portland City Museurn.-"tp-i
gether with. several pieces qf less regular
shape and some candles. Most of them
have been melted and sold, however, and
the engraved characters consequently
destroyed. r Tracings of the characters
have been preserved in a few cases, while
enough others have been reproduced from
memory to give a ; -fair idea of their
nature. Their meaning is' problematical,
although it Is fairly certain that they are
tbe brands of the ( makers or dealers
originally handling them. In the various
efforts that have been made to get light
upon the orig'in of the wax these char
acters have been submitted to high
authorities among the Japanese and Rus
sians, as well as to Latin scholars in the
Roman Catholic Church and the-libraries
of Germany, but always without obtain
ing the least clue regarding their signifi
cance. . r Through the kindness of Dr. F.
P. "G. Schmidt, of the University of Ore
gon, a special effort was made- during
the Summer of 1907 to get an. -interpretation
of the marks from German sources.
Even men highly skilled in deciphering
old Latin manuscripts, in- wh'leh a whole
word or phrase is sometimes embodied in
a single monogram-like character, failed
to recognize anything intelligible in .-the.
marks. An importer and dealer in waxes,
however, pronounced them marks of trade
sucrf as he had often" seen ujon waxes
coming in. from outside countries. After
all, the trade-mark explanation ' is not
unsatisfactory. The symbols can be said
to have their counterparts -in the
characters devised for branding stock
upon Western cattle ranches, and may
be even less obscure in meaning than the
year-mark , upon a piece of Rookwood
pottery is to the uninitiated.
Occasionally a piece of "sandstone" is
found upon the beach impregnated1 with
Nehalem wax. ; This stone consists of
beach cand, in " the main, cemented to
gether with the beeswax softened enough
at some time by a drift tire, it may be.,
to percolate Into the sand. Mr. Boyakin'
calls attention to the resemblance that
this '"atone" bears to the residues Jeft in
the kettles' used for melting down the
wax foe. market, and it Is.' altogether pos
sible that, these rare- bits of material
were formed In that . way. At any rate it
Is now certain that the so-called sand
stone is a consequence and not the cause
of the wax deposit- .
The Great Secret"; he -has riven the
most absorbing story of death, or glory,
adventure he has yet thought out.
His recent novels would seem to indi
cate that European politics resemble a
seething cauldron of molten : metal, and
that the principal conspirators against
the world's peace are among France.
Great Britain or Germany, especially
the latter. It we are to believe Mr.
Oppenhtim, the secret police of these
countries are decidedly overworked. and
need-it vacation, but they furnish Mr.
Oupenheim with a theme which, he pro
ceeds to unfold for entertainment, and
he rarely, it ever,, fails.
What is the mystery of "The Great
Secret"? It .can't be guessed outright
It Is too stupendous. Love, crime, ad
venture, death and diplomacy have
each their place in this ro
mance,' and the plot "is so skillfully
woven that the reader can't imagine
how it ail will end until he reaches
the Inst, page. The chief characters are
two spies of International renown, Lord
Leslie Wendpvt-r. alias Leslie Guest.
and Miss Adele Van lloyt: J. Hardrosa
Courftgc. an English aristocrat, and
the t'omte 'de Valentin. Prince of Nor
mandy. Royaltst-. pretender to the
throne of -France. The. action of the
stofy taltes the reader to' this country
and Great Britain, particularly London,
where . German intrigue is killed by
tin recall of the Channel fleet and the
shooting down of disguised German
soldiers who try to sack the city.
- . J. M. QCENTIN.
IV LIBRARY AND WORKSHOP. V ,
The title of the new novel of Massachu
setts politics by Gamaliel Bradford. Jr.. re
cently announced as "God Pave tho Com-Tnonv.-ealth.'
has" been changed to "Mat
hew Porter.'- the hero's name, with a sub
title. "No Wit, No Help Llko a Woman'i." .
These books were received throueh tho
kindness of the J. K. Gill Company, vfMhis
city: "The Great Bee ret," "Wild iWlimal
Celebrities." "Oovernment f or' tae People."
"l.lttle Pilgrimages Anion Old New Eng
land Inns." "Mexico and Her people of To
day," and. "At the -"Foot of the Rainbow." .
"Somehow Good" Is'ihe title chosen 'by
William. Dc Morgan for the novel tbat he.
will Issue next month. Its plot centers
around a -death -by electricity, which un
t'owkrd event happens in tho far-famed
Tuppenny Tube. London's first underground
railway to be operated otherwise than by
steam.
New books received through the courtesy
of tho J. k. Oill Company: "Tha Youns
Acadian." by Charles a. D. Roberts, and
"Tho Country Christmas."" by F. M. Fox L..
C Page & Co.). and "Christmas, Its Origin,
Celebration and ign!ttcance as Related In
Prose and Verse." edited by Robert Haven
Schauffler, $1 (Moffat. Yard & Co.).
.
For early Spring publication Houghton,
Mifflin & Co. announce '-priest and Pagan."
a new novel by Herbert M. Hopkins, au
thor of "The Mayor of Warwick," "The
Torch" and "Tho Fighting Bishop." Its
scene is laid in The Bronx principally. The
same houe will publish next month a new
book by Rev. Washington Gladden, entitled
"Tho Church and Modern Life." ,
.Short iy before Dr. George' F. Shrady's
death he put Into permanent form for pub
lication in the Century his memories of
General Grant's last days, the first full and
authoritative record of these months ot
suffering, marked by unfailing patience,
heroism and kindliness. Dr. Shrady was
much with Grant 1n these months, and it
was fils skill that did much to make easier
the hard days.
A new work of vital interest to the legal
profession is announced. "Great American
Uwyers." edited by William Draper Lewis,
dean of the law department of the V'nlver
slty of Pennsylvania, and published by Win
ston, of Philadelphia. Only one member of
the Oregon bar Is sketched--Matthew P.
Deady ,( 1S4-1S9), the writer of the paper
being Attorney Harrison Gray Platt, of this
city. The work will consist of eight vol
umes, the first of which is now ready.
A conscientious paragrapher proparlng a
list or popular' writers .likely, he thought,
to last for some time in literature, after
Inscribing among their books "The Weav
ers," the little Scotch "Bud," "The younger
.Set" and "Tho Scarlet Car." and nceuratelv
I attaching the names of respectlvo authors.
proiiouncea tnis Judgment- "Kate Douglas
Wiggfn ought to be Included on the strength
of -The Shuttle!" Mrs. Burnett may event
ually come into her own as tho inalienable
author of "The Shuttle." It was only re
cently that her book . was reviewed In an
Kftstern newspaper as though it were Sir
Gilbert Parker's novel, "The Weavers.". '
It is seldom that two sisters are repre
sented simultaneously on the list of a single
publisher. It is therefore a curious occur
rence that here should be, not one. but
two. such casts op the present list of - the
IlcClme Company, once in the case of
George. Madden Martin, whose new "Letl
tia" keeps company with her sister. Eva
Maiiden-a "Two Royal Foes," and agaitt in
the case of Kate Douglas Wlggln, whoso
sister. Nora Archibald Smith, not onlv la
her collaborator in the new volumes of Mc
Clnre'a Library of Children's cii k..(
'n?iJi?,'Ve,!n'!.''n.l au,hor of ne of the most
delightful or the season's Juveniles. "The
-is- . '
A now book that. will appeal to a large elr-
ZQTi if H,,.c:l Ma,,de Wheeler's "An
T.p-to-Dat;- Pauper." It Is the story of a
young girl, reared In luxury. . suddenly losing
an.d Kh"ns 'or auocoM wins?
all the desperate odds that poverty places. In
i -."f-f" JM Prof'8-'"-'ly religious, the seinah
rich, the coldly imilfterent heads of organized
charities will vainly attempt to answer its
argument-s . It bears the undeniable Impreaa
of unvarnished, truth, and In fact some of its
vividly-drawn characters aeem to nt certain
Boston people remarkably well. With alt its
underlying vein of -radness, the Indomitable
pluck and splendid spirit of Prudence Warren,
the heroine, win lr her In the end triumphs
that are sweet, and love that is tender and
true. ' . .
' '
Before Charles G. D. Roberts found him
self a literary lion In London he began a
romance or English . life, but "long before it
was finished: he felt the call of the Cana
dian wild oo strongly that he recklessly
abandoned his purpose and allowed hla in
clination to- lead him Info "The Heart of
the Ancient Wood." The years have flown,
and his English romance still remains un
written, but each succeeding season has
brought forth another and another volume
dealing with nature and animal life, in
cluding "The Kindred of the Wild," "The
Watchers ot the Trails," Red Fox," "The
Haunters of the Silences" and finally 'The
House In the Water." to bo published
March 1.
The. Maemlllan list ef fiction to be pub
lished during the coming Spring season
contains the names of Gertrude Atherton,
P.joinson. the Castles. Winston Churchill.
Marlon Crawford,. Frank Danby. Robert
Herrlck. Albert Kinross. Jack London and
John mother Long.-Mr. Churchill's novel Is
still unnamed, but Mr. -Crawford's la th
long awaited "Prima Donne,," a eeQHel.tn
hair Margaret." Jack London's "The Iron
Heel," which is to appear next month, is a
story of the social revolution. The title of
Robert Herrick's book. "Together," Is said
to signify that It la she story of a married
couple. In "The. Gulr," John Luther Long
turns- from Japan to America, and from
the tragedy of "The Way of the Gods" to
comedy, while "Tales of the Months," bv
the author of "The Garden of a Commuter's
Wife." is a connected series of 1.1 short
Btories. Frank Danby's story will be called
" i ne Heart . or a enna." "Joan of Ga
rloch" Is f-he 'tlrte of the new novel by Al
bert Kinross. Agnes and Kgerton Castle
are represented by a new novel In their
well-known style, and Mrs. Atherton by
now editions of "Patience Snarhawk." "The
Catifornians" and "The Splendid, Idle For
ties.'.' "CoVnrade ohn.' by Messrs Merwin St
Webster, is a. story of religious quackery
which Hi- particularly significant in these
tfaya of Dowlelsm and other kindred isms.
Unquestionably there are religious quacks
in every ago and c'ountry, but the particu
lar brand of emotional chicanery exploited
in this book seema to be indigenoua to our
own country and to hava sprung up within
less than a generation. The story conjures
up 9 seml-rellglous. semi-Industrial com
munity, which resemhlea now Dowie's City
of Zton, and now some of the semi-com-nhunttl
homes of the artaand crafts. The
nasic doctrine of Herman Rteln. the head
.of this community. Is expressed .in hta cant
pnre. iiiuiiij.,, .u.wuigii rie
.teaches the beauty of manual labor and
naturally enlists under hla banner a host
of :.fol'owers. not one of whom has ever
done an honest day's work In his life. Stein
himself is too shrewd not to see the hollow
results of hla own-absurd teachings, and
when he decides - to erect a spectacular
home for his community to aerve as an ob
ject Reason to the -world, he realise that
Tie- must - go outside of his followers for
help. , He engages a younP architect John.
Chance, to build Beechcroft for him, with
the condition that it shall appear to ba-
-- -!- t K. Mtmmiinltv. AnH that Stein
himself shall have all the credit for da- "
signing and carrying otit the work. Chanca
enters Into tha contract thoughtlessly, but
finds good reason for repudiating it when
be learns all of Stein's plans. The. story
involves a girl who has drifted into tht
community and is loved by both Stein and
Chanca. -and eventually the plot revolves
about the atruggle betweeu the two men for
her.
,,.'--' , . .
In view of present-day discussions of cor
porate, combinations of capital. It Is of In
terest to rote the distinctly modern de
velopment of the "Trust,"' as pointed out by
Profeseor "E. E. Sharks Jn.his volume or
"National Development." a late volume ic
Hmlpera' "History of the American Na
tion. Professor sparKs shows mat as tats
as 13S0 . the railway mileage of the-'Vnlted
States was operated by 1514 different com
panies: also that of the 16:1 manufacturing
combinations listed In the report of ths
Industrial Commission of 1P01, only . three
were In existence before l&tjS."
'
"Counterpoint simplified." by Francis L. y
Tork. anil pobllshed at el. 25 by Oliver Dtt- '
son Company. Boston, has been received:
Mr-York deflnea Oranterpotnl as "the art of
ao- writing two or more melodies that they
may be satlslactortly performed at'th same
time." "The style used is simple and can
be readily understood by musical students ;
-who are workers and are striving after bet
ter and moni advanced paths In music than
the dllietante. -.-Helpful exercises . are given,
many of tjiem arranged by the author. The
C clef la omitted, only, tho treble and bs
clefs being used. In every way, a scholarly
presentation.-. - 4-
.
A story is being told of'a woman who nil '
Gertrude Atherton at the recent rereptloa
in her honor of the San Francisco Splniars,
and tried: hard to say something "tit.". A
the tine was pawing along, this woman
whispered to her companion, ''Oh. do tel'
me the name of the book aha wrote some
thing or other about, family .descent." but
tho other aidiuie couldn't recall It. either.
Just as they reached the author of . "An
cestors," "the woman apparently ; remem
bered, and her face beamed. Oh.' Mrs
Atherton" she said, as they shojk handa,
"I can't tell you. how I loved "ur -Fore
fathers! "
..;',.'- ,
Charles E. Russell, author of '."The Up
rising of the Many, Just published, is a
born newspaper man. His father had been
a newspaper man before hiin. a"hd he grew
up in the atmosphere of ink and typ".
Toime Russell's boyhood was- s:ent n "nil
father's paper, the Davenport Clow a) Ga
zette. At 2.1 he went to the St.i Paul Pio
neer Press, thence to th,e Minneapolis Trib
une, Minneapolis Journal, Detroit Tribuna,
tbe Nw York Commercial Advertiser.
World. Herald. Journal; then to the-Chicago
American. That closed Mr. Russell's news
paper work, and since then he has devoteti
himself to magazine work and writlnj
books.
-
Hilalre Belloc, the author ol "Hills and
the Sea," has written in a book called
"Paris" an account of the history and
growth of "that city from the very begin-,
n-ing. , In the preface he. Bays: "There
comes, I suppose, to every one wljo has fell
keenly the modern impression of a place hf
loves, a desire to know Its changing past,
the nature and experience that It draw
lrom the centuries, and the platform upoc
which thcro can be constructed some llttlf
of that future which we will never see
The more vivid be the contemporary eftccl
of'a citv. the more urgently does the ques
tion of Its origins and development prepi
upon one. The sight of onCs.own time '
even If It be stretched to a full lifetime-
Is hut a glance taken rapidly upon a voyase
and leaves an enduring expectation and de-
tnanil for further knowledge. In the effort
to satisfy this a man will read this book
and that, look up old prints, and catch tht
chance phrases of memoirs: he will, for hif
own sake, clear out a rouh sketch of th
whole past of what he loves, and he will
end by making a record tnat Is as incom
plete and fragmentary. Incongruous a
mixture of the general theory of Hie and
of particular trifles, as are the notes and
letters we keep to remind us - of absent
friends."'-
v
OLD POETS AMENDED.
A. W. Macy In Putnam's.
Goldsmith.
"Man wants but llttla hero below."
But this was written long ago.
. The saying now has little viorth.
For in these days man wants the earth.
Tennyson.
"Howe'er it be. It seems to mo
'Tis only noble to be good."
. - If this la true, how very -few
( Care to be noble if they could.
. Shakespeare.
"Love looks not. with the eyes, but with tha
mind;
And tbeiefore Is wlng'd Cupid painted
blind."
Great pity 'tis; if he could only see.
The world would hold far loss of misery.
Dryden. -'
"Happy the man, and happy he alone.
He who can call today hla own."
But by the time he gets his title to it.
'Tis out of date; next day he must renew It.
Congreve.
"Thus Grief still treads upon tbe heels of
Pleasure:
Married In haste, .we may repent at leisure."
A better plan, and one that saves uiuch
sorrow: .' .
Repent today"; leave marriage till tomorrow.
:..'' ...
Tn the preface to the "Northwestern
Fights and Fighters." the fifth volume of
his well-known "Indian Fights ana Fight
ers Series." Dr. Cyrus Townscnd Brady
says: "This book differs from the others
in that I am not the author of all, or most
of it Major-Genarals and acouts, Captains
and sergeants. - frontiersmen and troopers. .
eofdlers and civilians, td say nothing of an '
1I1UIM ClilCt B.I1U ' M UIB11UU, imvv ( toaiu
their say in their owp way." There Is a
long narrative by Chief Joseph himself,
with an Interesting comment on the same
by Major-General Oliver Otis Howard. Major
W. K. Parnell and Brigadier-General David
Perry have both contributed aacounta of
the battle of White Bird Canon and the
other Nez Pereea engagements in . which
they participated, while, to take but a few
names at random, such men as Major J. G.
Trimble. Captain E. S. Farrow, Colonel J.
W. Redington, Colonel James Jackson and
Van H. Applegata. have all supplied de
tailed stortea'of their own personal exper
iences Hi the two great Northweatern cam-,
palgns. The Illustrations of the book have
also a peculiar importance as- coming from
private sources, notably the' collections of
Colonel -J. W. -Ttedlnftnn nml C.n.r.l r 1
Egan. while perhaps most Interesting of all
la a reproduction of a picture of Fort Lap
wal. 'painted ..on the spot by Lieutenant
Robert H. Fletcher,-and by his permission
reproduced here for the first time...
The Youth's Companion has never made
a more brilliant announcement than that
for the coming wear. The contributors will
include: Former President Grover -Cleveland
; Arthur T. Hadley, president of Tale
Cnlverslty, Ira Remsen. president of Johns
Hopkins University: Sir William Ramsay.
Nobel prizeman and professor of chemistry
in the university of London: G..M. -Sternberg.
Surgeon-General United States Army;
Elmer Ellsworth Brown. United 6tates Com- -mlssioner
of Education: Professor W. T.
.Sedgwick, of the Massachusetts Institute ot
Technology; Ellhu Thomson, famous elec
trician and Inventor; L. H. -Bailey,, director
of the Cornell College of Agriculture: Pro
fessor B. T. Galloway, chief of the Bureau
of P.lant -Industry; Professor 8. H. -Scudder,
eminent entomoIogiRt; Governor Joseph W.
Folk of Missouri: Sir William P. Trcloar.
Lord Mayor of London: Dr. W. J. Rolfe:
w. T. stead; Rider Haggard; Frank T.
Bullen, author of "The cruise of the Caeh
elot"; Horace Annesley Vachell, author of
"The HIU" and other popular . ntoriea of
school life: Ma.arten Maartens; Eden'Phill
potta. famous for hla stories of D-?von and
Cornish life; the Baroness Orczy. author of
"The Scarlet Pimpernel,' etc.: Lady Henry
Somerset: the Duke of Argyll; Admiral G.
W. Melville: Admiral Charles D. Sigsbee;
General charlea King; the late -Sir Edwin
Arnold; profesaor T. C. Me'ndenhall. former
president of the Worcester Polytechnic In
stitute: R. H. Edmonds, -specialist on the
Industries of the Southern- States; Professor
-Rodolfo Lancianl. the .great archeologfst;
Sir H- H. Johnston, African administrator,
naturalist, traveler, and Dr. Carroll D.
Wright, economist, president of Clark Col
lege, Worcester.
" XEW BOOKS RECEIVED. .
Colonial Reclpel From Old Virginia and
Marvlantl Manors." by Maude A. Bom
berger,' t 2.1 "Betty Pembroke." by Eliza
beth llaselwoosl Hancock. $1.50; - and
"Swaying Treetops." by Etmer Willis Bert,
$1. Neat Publishing Company, Washing
ton. D. C) - -
"Spanisn Prose Composition." by 3. "W.
TTmphrey. 75 cents; '"Toxtbook In General
I'hysiologv and Anatomy." hy - Walter
Mollis Eddiv. L20 (American Book Com
pany. '
"Tha Blue Ocean's Daughter. ' by Cyrus
Townsend Brady. l.SO. (Moffat." Yard t
Co.).
"Studies in the Gospel of St. John." hy
G.eorge P. Eckman, 91. (Jennlngs-
Graham'l.
L