THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, FEBRUARY 2, 1903.
11
fvua
Autobiography of Oliver Otis Howard. 'In
two volumes. Illustrated. The Baker &
Taylor Co.. New York City.
Portland peoplo who knew Major
General Oliver Otis Howard, of the
United States Army, when he was a resi
lient of this eity as commander of the
Department of the Columbia, and more
recently when he delivered public ad
dresses here, would hardly believe that
the calm-voiced, modest-bearing old gen
tleman of civil life could have been the
fierce soldier on the field of battle, a
skillful army commander, a Mars Incar
nate. Yet it is so. His two volumes of auto
biofrraphy. amounting In all to 1220 pages,
prove It. They are In every way credit
Hble to their author, being informing,
scholarly, reminiscent, yet never blatant,
and shed new light to us younger men
on the history of our own country. He
(lives a thrilling review of the Civil War,
for was not Major-General Howard one
one of Grant's, greatest war chiefs? The
books, splendidly written, also form an
important contribution to American mili
tary history, and lead so far among the
hooks of personal experiences of the publishing-year
of 1907-08. Tho illustrations
re finely executed and are sure to he
highly esteemed for their wealth of In
tercut. Volume one. containing Major-General
Howard's school days in Maine, where
he was born, his college life in Bowdoin,
and part of his army life up to the battle
of Teach Tree Creek. In July, 1864, will
be reviewed first. The future warrior,
patriot and exemplary citizen was born
on a farm at Leeds, Me., 1830, and says
that his earliest recollection was when
he was 3 years old. Company had ar
rived at tho old farm, and the little' boy
was Invited to "speak his piece." He
made his bow and said:
"You'd scarce expect one of ray ajc.
To tpfak In public on the stage
And if I chance to fall below
Tmnsthenes or Cicero,
iHm't view me with a critic's eye.
Hut pats my tmDerfectlons by.
The. dedication of the book Is signifi
cant of tho author: "Dedicated to my
wife, whose abiding influence for 60
years has supported my efforts to under
take and accomplish the work given me
to do. Children and grandchildren have
already risen up to call her blessed, and
her husband honors her affection and
strength of character."
One of Howard's ancestors was a John
Howard, who was an aide and helper to
Miles Standish. This John Howard came (
troin England to this country shortly
after the arrival of the Mayflower, and
the author adds: "It Is a source of grati
fication to a man to find his family tree
representing men exceptionally Indus
trious and respectable."
As a boy. Howard had a keen ambition
to be a leader, and at 8 years of age, on
realizing that he personally had .not the
physical strength to subdue 16-year-old
Rufus Knapp, he organized a band of
small boys, whom he trained to throw
Knapp to the ground. Howard's father
died April 30, 1840, and his mother after
ward married Colonel John Gilmore, a
wealthy farmer. Young Howard became
x school teacher at $14 per month, and
worked his way through college, as
many a sturdy New England boy had
done before him. One college friend was
Chief Justice Fuller, of the United States
Supreme Court.
In the Winter vacation of 1&46, young
Howard met at her cousin's house "one
who was but a girl just budding into
womanhood." This was tne first glimpse
of the girl who was In the years to
come to be his wife, and our author is
so shy about his friendship with Miss
Y alte that he almost dismisses the mat
ter, aa If it were too sacred to appear in
print. In 1850, Howard, who had about
made up his mind to be a lawyer, was
prevailed upon by his uncle to try for a
indetship at West Point, and In August
of that year he entered that historic mili
tary academy, where he seems to have
been a diligent student. Imbued with,
latent patriotism. "Tobasco sauce'" days
were not for him.
When Howard was a cadet at West
rolnt, one of the superintendents was
Robert K. I.ce. afterward commander-in-chief
of the Confederate armies. How
ard graduated in June, 1854, In a class of
4fi members, and secured fourth place.
He chose the ordnance department of the
I nited States Army, and reported for
duty at. Watcrvliet Arsenal, N. Y.
Next year Lieutenant Howard was
married at Portland, Me., and two years
afterward came what he terms his con
version to a Christian life. While Lieu
tenant Howard was Instructor In mathe
matics at West Point, the ante-bellum
period which culminated In our Civil
War took shape, and of course the young
lieutenant espoused the cause of the
loyal North. In May, 1S6I, he received a
dispatch from James K. Blaine, then
Speaker of the. Maine House of Repre
sentatives, asking if he would accept the
colonelcy of the Kennebec Regiment.
The offer was accepted, and Howard's
real military life began.
The story of the Civil War has been so
often told already, and so well by Major
General Howard, that It Is not thought
advisable to refer to It at length on tho
present occasion, by taking leaves from
these historic, volumes. Suffice It to say
THE FACE OF A MAN GIVES US FULLER AND
more interesting information than uis ton
cue; for his face is the compendium of
all he will ever say, as it is the one rec
ORD OF ALL HE HAS THOUGHT AND ENDEAVOURED!-
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HOWARD,
UNITED STATES
tliat our author fairly catches th pa
triotic war-spirit of the time, and that
his war pictures throb with real life.
Prior to the disastrous battle of Bull
Run, Howard was made a brigade' com
mander, and he draws a lurid picture of
the mingled patriotism and army-mutiny
of the dark days of '61. Ho says: "It
was at least two weeks after our Bull
Run panic before much reliance could
bo placed on our troops." September 3,
lftil. Howard was commissioned brigadier-general
of volunteers, and It was
at the. battle of Fair Oaks that he was
shot in tho right arm, necessitating its
partial amputation.
Howard's force bore the brunt of the
Confederate attack the first day's right
at Gettysburg, and the battle Incidents
are narrated with fine descriptive power.
But chief Interest hovers around his1
description of the battle of Chancellora
ville. May 2, 18S3.
It will be remembered that. In his rem
iniscences, Carl Schurz asserted that in
the battle referred to, Major-General
Howard was responsible for1 the Federal
defeat on that occasion, because he,
Howard, had neglected to prepare for
the turning movement of "Stonewall"
Jacksort. In his defense, Howard now
says:
Wa were able to cheek Jackson's advanced
. It has been customary to blame me
and my corps for the disaster. The impu
tations of nesiect to obey orders; of ex
traordinary self-confidence; of fanatical re
liance upon the God of battles; of not en
trenching these and other charges are far
from true. My command was by positive
orders rivetPd to that position. Though
constantly threatened and - made aware of
hostile columns in motion, yet the r woods
were so dense that "Stonewall" Jackson was
able to mass a large force a few .miles off,
whose exact whereabouts neither patrols,
reconnaissances nor scouts ascertained.
Part of my force was away by Hooker's
orders; part of each division fought hard,
aa our Confederate enemies clearly show;
and part of it became wild with panic, like
the Belgians at Waterloo and like most of
our troops at Bull Run. I may leave the
whole matter to the considerate judgment
of my companions in arms, simply asserting
that on the terrible day of May 3, 1863. I
did all which could have been done by a
corps commander in the presence of that
panic of men largely caused by the overwhelming-
attack of Jackson's 26.000 men,
against my isolated corps of 8000 without
Its reserve thus outnumbering me three to
one.
Now we commence the second volume.
It consists of 610 pages, and for IBS
pages a continuation is given of the op
erations of the Civil War from the battle
of Atlanta to the battle of Bentonville
and the surrender of General Johnston,
the celebrated Confederate chief. This
part of the book Is more thrilling than In
the previous volume, because It breathes
the spirit of continuous victory, and sees
the rise of General U. S. Grant and de
tails the part our gallant author took in
the march with Sherman to the sea. It
also describes the capture of Fort McAl
lister and Savannah.
For the next 2S3 pages, the reconstruc
tion period in the South following the
war Is the fopic. Major-General Howard
was made commissioner of the Freed
men's Bureau, and he achieved addi
tional renown as the founder of Howard
University, an Institute of learning for
the colored race. One chapter Is devoted
to a review of the Ku-Klux Klan. At
this period enemies attacked Howard's
unblemished reputation, accusing him In
his government administration with
wrongful expenditure of money, but
after an exhaustive inquiry he .was pro
nounced blameless.
In 1S74. Major-General Howard received
an order from the War Department to
proceed to the North Pacific Coast and
take command of the Department of the
Columbia, and it is at this instance that
the second volume begins to be interest
ing about Oregon. Howard had with
him his two aids. Captain J. A. Sladen
now clerk of the United States District
Court in this city and Captain Melville
C. Wilkinson. Captain Sladen had three
children. Captain Wilkinson two, and
Major-General and Mrs. Howard five,
and it is recorded that the party took
quite complete possession of a railway
car, making the journey from Washing
ton, D. C., to San Francisco in seven
days. In the latter city the party had
their first experience with the depre
ciated "greenbacks." As the traders
would only tae what was then known
as hard money, for every 100 the How
ards received In exchange but $60 in gold
or silver.'
The journey northward is thus de
scribed: We went by steamer to Oregon passing
through the Golden Gate. We accomplished
the voyage in four days. During this sea
trip we were fortunate to make several new
and valuable acquaintances. I recall Hon
Henry Failing, of Portland. Or., among
them. Some of these ever after remuln,i
constant friends. They warned ua against 5
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the country we were going to how rough
it was; how extensive tho fir forests, and
how interminable the rains. They told ns
the people there, were usually called "web
feet," because of the abundant water.
Coming to Portland in August, wo found
the country not only clear of storms, but
very . dry and dusty. The city had then
about SOOO peoplo. Nearly all the streets
and walks were paved with planks. . . t
Today there are (1907) 100.0OO inhabitants
within the city limits.. Portland has every
modern improvement in electric cars( trolley
line, railways passing in and out, and
hard pavements. The new churches, bank
buildings, hotels and splendid houses wttli
beautiful grounds give to Portland, with
the "Willamette at Its foot, a picturesque
appearance equal to that- or any city of its
else in the TTnlon. Of course, the hills still
remain, each crowned with a few trees.
From any on of these heights the view of
the lofty, snow-capped mountain peaks is
upcrb.
What was called' the O. S. N". Co. (the
Oregon Steam Navigation Company) was at
tne time of my arrival a monopoly. It held
the transportation of the Upper Columbia
in its hands and could regulate the prices
not only of grain for hundreds of miles in
land, but also of passenger transportation.
In on of the buildings owned by this
company, the headquarters of the Depart
ment of the Columbia was lo'-ated. I as
sumed command August 23, 1874, relieving
General Jeff C. Davis.
It took several days to find a house, but
at last we secured a small cottage on
Washington street, and there made our
selves very comfortable until the next
Spring, when we found a larger house on
Tenth and Morrison streets, vacated by my
Adjutant-General, H. Clay Wood. This
house we enlarged, with the permission of
the owner, by building a corner tower; its
grounds adjoined those of D. P. Thomp
son, who had been Governor of- the State,
and were opposite to the home of Harvey
W. Scott, who was at that time collector of
the port, and has since been for years the
editor of The Oregonian.
The military department of the Colum
bia was very extensive. It took in all of
Washington, Oregon, a part of Idaho and
Included within Its limits the Territory of
Alaska. About 1000 troops were then sta
tioned at different posts of the command.
The central station was Vancouver Bar
racks, only six miles from Portland, but
weat of the Columbia River.-
In Portland, Or., there were two large
banks on First street; one was the First
National, of which Henry Failing was the
president, and the other a private banking
house of which Ladd & Tilton were the
proprietors. Ladd's bank was at the time
of my arrival probably the wealthiest, and
had the largest circulation of any in Ore
gon. Mr. Ladd was a Christian man and
wanted to do a kindness to the Young
Men's Christian Association, then very small
in numbers and in possessions. He gave it
a room In the roar of his bank building in
the second story, and there our young men
met from time to time. ... It was not
long before I found myself associated with
several active workers, such as Dr. Lindsley,
William Wad hams, Mr. Wakefield. James
Steel and others. At that time. Captain
M. CJ. Wilkinson, of my staff, was very
active and earnest tn Christian effort. Soon
we rented a large set of rooms on the
lower side of Front street, where there had
been a saloon and extensive gambling ar
rangements. In addition to Interesting himself In
the local Young Men's Christian Asso
ciation,, Major-General Howard was a
worker In the First Presbyterian
Church, of which Rev. Dr. Ltndeley
wa then pastor, and It Is related that
on one occasion, at a chapel meeting,
our author helped in the conversion of
an Indian scout named Ned Chambreau,
who had come from Canada in the
early days of Oregon. Chambreau had
married a young girl of 15 years of age
and her husband said: "My wife prays
me out of any difficulty I get into
and my difficulties are many."
In dwelling on his Portland exper
iences our author further writes:
Owing to my pecuniary condition on
leaving Washington. D. C, I was forced to
do something to earn money over and be
yond my pay. as the needs of a large family
would not allow me to save much. It was
then that T began to write for publication.
My first effort was "Donald's school Days."
an attempt to put the New England school
life of my youth into a story for boys. My
publishers succedod In getting quite a cir
culation. In the Winter of 1878, at tho request of
D. H. teams, during his absence of three
months, I wrote the editorials for his
paper. The Portland Bee. This work did
not require much of my time. I have pre
served the editorials until today. I re
member thinking I would try an experiment
and so wrote sketches of our public men of
the past. Of Presidents and other states
men of that day who were well known to.
the country. My efforts worked so well that
the paper Increased in circulation. One day
Judge Deady. of the United States District
Court, -met me, and not knowing that I was
connected in any way with the paper, said:
"What has happened to the Bee? It seems
to have taken on a new life." His compli
ment pleased me and made me redouble
my efforts to give interest and strength to
the editorial work.
One day in Portland I was invited to give
at the Y. M. C. A: rooms a lecture on
Gettysburg. It was then that I made my
first efforts in the war lectures. I spoke
without notes and told the story of .Gettys
burg as well as I could from my on
polnu of observation. , . .We took our
E 9
1
s. -ft
letters to the First Congregational Church
and here uniting with our friends in that
connection. I did what I could to assist the
minister. Rev. Mr. Eaton, 'in biB arduous
work.
As much of my duty had to do with the
various tribes of Indians,' I spent much time
in going front one post to another of my. ex
tensive territory. The three Indian wars
with the Nez Perces, the Plutes and Ban
nocks, and the so-called "Sheep Haters"
touk three Summers and 'much planning
during my command of the Department of
th Columbia.
We bad been in the Northwest not quite
a year, when, having to visit Alaska, I toole
my family -with me to that territory and
we were on the June trip of the steamer
Columbia.
After our return. October. 1S75. T received
word that a British General was moving
along our border between Canada and the
United states to make Inspections, and that
be would be in the vicinity of Fort Walla
Walla before may da3's. Taking my staff
with me, i went up to meet him, October
12. Just as we were setting out from the
fort, mounted, my aide-de-camp, Captain
J. A. Sladen, undertook to ride a horse that
had not. been recently used. Tho horse bad
only a snaffle bit, and the Captain, who
was a good rider, had hardly reached tlio
saddle before the animal sprang forward
and leaped a newly opened ditch, just
gracing a tree against which Captain
Sladen was thrown. With a leg badly frac
tured, he could see the bottom of his foot.
and as he lay on the ground he cried out in
prayer: "O Lord, help me!" Just aa I
reached him. he looked into my face and
smiled, saying: "We always do so, when we
get Into trouble."
I remember that I answered: "Sladen,
some times tho trouble is permitted for that
reason."
It Is related that in the Howard family
In this city there was a young Chinaman
of slender build, very dignified and ap
parently independent, his name being
Moy Yu Ling. One day the General gave
him a Biblo printed In Chinese and it is
stated that for 25. years he has been a
consistent Christian and a local mis
sionary to" his own people in this city.
In the year 1878 a policy was begun
by the War Department, -with a view to
economize, to change the headquarters
of each department from the cities in
which they were located to the nearest
Army post. Accordingly, the headquar
ters of the Department of the Columbia
were moved to Vancouver Barracks,
where Major-General Howard went with
his staff officers and family to remain
two years. In 1879, General Grant with
some of his family and friends, re
turning from his visit around the world,
arrived at Vancouver Barracks. The
Grant incident proceeds:
We gave General Grant and bis party an
evening reception, having Invited public
men from the Territory of Washington and
the State of Oregon to meet him. When
General Grant and his wife rode up with me
from the Vancouver dock to my quarters,
he had many observations, in the way of
reminiscence, to make, concerning the sit
uation. For example: "That is the Ingalls
house, where I lived for some time." After
looking at the house for some moments, he
turned to the right In the evening twilight
we could see quite a distance up the river
and said: "Julia, that is the field where
I planted my potatoes."
She said: "Did you raise a crop,
Ulysses?"
"No, I got little more than the seed."
As we passed through the town, he no
ticed a tall brick structure that lie had
not seen before and he said, addressing me:
"What is that. General?"
I answered: "A brewery, sir."
Then he said: "I think, Julia, that must
have been put up on Howard's aooount; it
wasn't here In my day."
On instance showed Grant's humor. He
and his wife were standing near the gun
wale as we approached the otty of port
land. The houses, including the roofs, and
the docks were thronged 'with people. No
ticing them, General Grant said to his wife:
"Julia, look there; see those people. This
turnout must be on your account, because
when I came here before there Were not
three people on the dock.".
While the Howards were In Vancouver.
Wash., In September, 1878, their daughter
Grace married Captain James T. Gray,
son of the missionary W. H. tJray, histo
rian of Oregon. In the Fall or that year.
President Hayes accompanied by General
Sherman and others paid a visit to Oregxm
and Washington. Howard met the dis
tinguished party at Roseburg as they
came up from California and they bad in
teresting journeys up the Columbia River
and to Puget Sound.
The President was greatly Interested in
the various Indian tribes met -.with and
had a characteristic council one day with
the Puyailups at Taooma. The Indians
selected their speakers with tgme care
and after the interview was over, Presi
dent Hayes remarKed: "What orators
they are! Every one of these wild men
has made a speech that would do honor
to a member of Congress."
At that time, Howard says he had diffi
culty in preserving a small tract of coun
try to Spokane Lott and bis people. Lott,
who was a remarkable character, was
the chief of a band of Indians and when
a youth had been taught Christianity by
Father Boles, an old missionary. Howard
was with Lott on one occasion in a meet
ing where there were two Presbyterian
ministers holding a communion, the habit
being for each communicant to make a
confession of his sins. The Indians told
in their simple way what they had done
that was wrong. "I have stolen two
horses," said one Indian, "I will never
steal horses any more, and t have given
back the horses to the Indian owner.'
Several other public confessions one after
another were made until one woman far
back in the room arose ami in. a quer
ulous voice began to talk. Lott, who In
stature resembled Abraham Lincoln,
slowly arose from his Squatting position,
and at his full height stretched out one
of his hands, palm down, and motioned
it toward the woman, as -he said some
thing in his own language. The inter
preter near Howard whispered: "Lott
says. 'Sister, sit,, down. You can con
fess your own sins, but you have no
business to confess other folks' sins.' "
Howard began to worry because he
could not properly protect Lott and his
lands against what he calls "the en
croachments of avaricious white settlers."
He carried the case to General Sherman
and showing him an order setting apart
a portion of the public land, where Lott
Was. for a reservation, this order was
afterward approved by General Sherman
and signed by the President.
Lott and his peoplo were very grateful.
When a few months later. Howard was
obliged to leave for the East, being under
orders to go to West Point as Superin
tendent, Lott heard of the news and came
500 miles to this city to see the Genera,
and said: "You no go; no leave. You
leave, we have trouble: you stay, we have
peace." Previously. Howard had asked
Lott as to giving the land in severalty to
the Indians and Lott answered in the
negative. . His argument was: "There is
hardly an Indian who could take up land
according to law. They do not have tile
energy or the education. If you will let
me take the reservation, I can raise
enough with the help of tlte old" people to
support them well; and this is the way to
do till the children grow up and are
taught to be like other Americans."
Serious trouble had occurred at West
Point on account of a colored cadet
named Whittaker, who had been injured,
as ho asserted, by young men hazing him.
and President Hayes had an idea that
Major-General Howard was the proper
man to settle such a case. T-he news
papers had made mucti of the incident,
and there was sharp excitement for and
against the colored cadet. This was in
the Fall of 1SS0, and the Whittaker case
was settled by a trial In New York In
which the young man was pronounced
guilty of physically injuring himself with
the view of placing his cadet com-ades in
a bad light Howard was superir tendent
at West Point for the two years, 1SS1-2,
and says that he found it to be the
hardest office to fill he ever experienced.
He found the social undercurrent unpleas
ant, because of a determined effort on the
part of those interested to so awing mat
ters that West Point should cease forever
to be a military department. Howard
was next ordered to take command of tho
Department of the Platte, witU headquar
ters at Omaha, Neb.
'. In 1884, Howard went on his long
deferred European trip, in "which he
also visited Egypt and portions of
Turkey. When he saw the battlefield
of Waterloo, he readily conceded the
favorable military position which
Wellington took into his view when he
was preparing for battle. Of the ap
pearance of Naples, Italy, Howard
wrote: "How like our Seattle are the
shores and approaches to the City of
Naples and the city itself." It is not
clear in this connection that Howard
did not then merely make an ironical
remark. Howard's impression of Con
stantinople: ' "People, people. Dogs,
dogs. And a city on hills." Ope of
the congenial travelers the Howards
met with . In France was General
Kuropatkln. subsequently the Commander-in-Chief
of the Russian armies
in the recent Russo-Japanese war. Of
Kuropatkln, Howard writes:
"He was very handsome and spoke
French so slowly and clearly that
with my limited knowledge of tho
language I could understand him. He
well illustrated a high order of com
radeship, often telling of his odd ex
periences in Russia and pointing them
with happy illustrations."
March la, 1886, following the death
of General Hancock, Howard was pro
moted to be Major-General in the
I regular Army and he was ordered to
California to assume command of the
military division, which then included
the entire Pacific Coast. In Novem
ber, 1888, he was appointed to com
mand the military division of the
East, with headquarters at Governor's
Island. After a visit to Spain, mainly
to secure more material for a life of
Isabella a biography lie had in mind
: Howard had a perilous adventure at
sea, when the steamer in which he was
returning; to this country met with an
accident. The mairi shaft of her pro
peller broke, sending large fragments
through the bottom of . the steamer
and a semi-panic ensued. One of Howard's-
fellow passengers was Dwlght
L. Moody, the famous evangelist. The
drifting. wreck was saved just In time
by the steamer Huron, crossing from
Canada, and was taken back to
Queenstown, Ireland.
Howard ultimately reached this
country by another steamship, having
overstayed by two months his leave
of absence. His retirement from the
United States Army occurred Novem
ber 8, 1904, on the occasion of his
64th birthday. He pathetically says
that this retirement, although he had
anticipated it, finally came like a shock
and that It took him some days to be
come used to the situation "witb no
one to command." The Howard family
spent the ensuing Winter In this city,
living with their daughter, Mrs.
James T. Gray, and her family.
So ends an excerpt showing the lights
and shadows of a busy life of a model
American citizen, soldier and. patriot
Think of this one circumstance
Major-General Howard actually served
In 48 battles of the Civil War! Surely
what he did so courageously to pre
serve this Nation of ours must be his
most enduring monument. In this
autobiography it is noticeable that he
only briefly refers to his military op
erations against warring Indians In
the Oregon country that story is left
for another volume of his, which will
also be reviewed in the near future in
these columns. -
J. M. QUF.NTIN.
IX LIBRARY AND WORKSHOP
A biography , of "liomaa A. Edison has
been prepared by Francis Arthur Jones,
and will appear in a few days.
The author of the latest Napoleon bonk.
Colonel Theodore Ayrault Dodge, has been
elected president of the American Club in
Pr,s- . . . .
A new series of stories for girls, written
by Gabrtelle E. Jackson, will commence wiia
'Three Little Women." which is on the
press.
Rudyard Kinlinir haa lately finished a
series of letters about Canada which. It
is announced, will shortly commence to ap
pear In a London daily paper. Mr. and
Mrs. Kiplins: are meantime on their way
to Cape Town, to which part of the world
they pay regularly a Winter visit.
A TOlume of hia poetry 1b now in prepara
tion for the press by William Stanley
Braithwaite, and it will be published early
next -month. It will be called "The House
of Falling; Leaves," which la also the title
of the opening group of four sonnets in
memory of Frederic LawTenca Know lea.
The Glapgow Herald, having discovered
that "Miss" Kate Douglas Wiggin has writ
ten a book about Scotland. "Penelope's Ex
periences," to wit. publishes an editorial,
which, after touching lightly upon Hakluyt's
"Voyages," Samuel Johnson. Kiuglake.
Klngsley and- half a score of others, who
have written dooks aoour. oeouana ana
other places, gravely says that it Is "charac
terized by a strong literary personality," and
that it la the "truest book about Scotland
tnat baa come from an alien hand."
A new edition of "Plutarch's Livea." con
taining the most accepted English text with
an introduction by Hamilton W. Mable, will
be issued in Winston's "House Library of
Standard Works." The "lives' will also be
Issued In the "Winston Ideal Classics" serlos.
small pocket-size books, which includes "Lea
Miserable." "Lorna Doone." "Komelo."
Macaulay's "History of England," and Car
lyle's "The French Revolution," "The Inter
national Encyclopedia of Prose and Poetical
Quotations to be Issued, Is a book of 1100
pages, carefully Indexed, and promises to be
one of the most satisfactory compilations of
the kind. For Bible students "Hurlbufa
Handy Bible . Encyclopedia," with a com
bined concordance, subject Index and dic
tionary, will prove an Invaluable aid in the
study of the Scriptures.
"
Besides the novels already published, the
Spring list of Little. . Brown A. Co. will
include Htorie-by Mr& Mary Imlay Taylor,
Miss Anna Chapin Ray, Miss Grace Denio
Litchfield, Harrison Rhodes. Roman Double
day, Fred M. White and Miss Ada Wood
ruff Anderson, making ten In all.
-
"Historic Houses and Gardens" Is an
nounced In "The House and Garden Se
ries." The book will contain 8H illustra
tions of exteriors and interiors, written by
authorities, among whom are the Dowager
Countess Delawarr and the Hon. Miss Sack-viiio-West.
Famous . homes In England,
France, Spain. Italy, ancient Rome, Corfu.
Persia, India, Japan. Mexico and the United
States are .described. The book is edited
by Charles Francis Osborne, assistant pro
fessor of history of Architecture of the
University of Pennsylvania.
Ford Maddox Hueffer's ground of com
plaint against ltK7' literary output is that
It has jriven us no novels dealing with the
actual life of people of today. Every one.
according to Mr. Hueflfer. writes about
freaks instead of giving a real picture of
tho time. Will the novelists of 1'JUS also.
Mr. Hueffer rtuestions. "find a line of leas
resistance ending in tna conventional novel
of executions or the closed castles of liter
ary pruriousness and provincialism? . . .
Will this year show no English literature
registering and presenting in a great body
modern Hie?
At the time when Sir Gilbert Parker went
into Parliament it was prophesied that he
would neglect literature, and that his im
agination might be affected by the material
surroundings of ooUtlcal life. The actual
difference seems to have been only that he
lias produced fewer works and fewer stories,
and has become convinced that slower pro
duction la better for his work. "The Weav
ers." still another edition of which the
Harpers have just announced, is testimony
to the success of thlr method for Sir Gilbert
at least, whether or not other novelists can
afford It in the face of te moling present
day rewards for best sellers.
The London Spectator, Implying although
not expressly asserting Ignorance of Mrs.
Abell's narrative on which Miss Helen Leah
Reed founded her "Napoleon's Young Neigh
bor," guards against any misleading of the
youthful Briton by warning him that Na
poleon thought It worth while to He when
he said to hla "young neighbor" that the
Due d'Engheln "was a conspirator and had
landed troops in the pay of the Bourbons
to assassinate him." Also, it disclaims any
sympathy with Miss Reed's complaints of
British treatment of the Emoeror. "If he
had surrendered to any other power he
would have been shot at once." says the
Spectator.
The first volume of the new edition of
Tennyson Just published by th Macmillan
Company promises to arouse no little In
terest by reason of its new material. The
present Lord Tennyson haa at last allowed
a number of poems to be published that
have never before appeared In any. of the
collected editions, and in addition be has
furnished the volumes with a series of
notes left by his father, which are full of
personal Import. The poet therein de
scribee the origins of some of his most
famous poems, and comments with his
well-known frankness on various interpre
tations suggested for disputed passages.
.
At least two publishers have arranged to
bring out more books this Spring than last.
One of these published a year ago seven
new books In all between January and May;
this year, during the same period, he will
"bring out 20 books. An almost similar
rate of increase is shown in the other case.
Still another publisher, representing a Large
Kngiish firm, will bring out in this country
this Spring over 50 books, while last year
at this time scarcely anything was done
by him with new books. These three cases,
mark the most radical examples of Increase
in this Spring's publications; but nearly all
the New1 York firms have prepared to bring
out more books this season than they did
a year auo. although among most of them
the proposed Increase is not very great.
neaafrs or airs. v iison Wooiirow I new
novel. "The New Mlwioner," sre In violent
oisagrecment an the conclusion of that
story, in which Frances . Benson, the
woman missionary to the mining camp of
Zenith in the Rockies, renounces1 the love of
iit mair wno wishes to marrv her. for the
sake of her work. The discussion which has
been provoked by this termination involves
the whole question of woman's duties and her
sphere in life. Those who believe that her
place is in the home, hold that marriage held
tor Mrs. woodrow s heroine the hltrhtr des
tiny. roubtlew they will characterize her as
one critic has characterised Ann Majendle in
May Sinclair's- new book, "Th Helpmate." as
"a spiritual sensualist. On the other hand.
thera are an equal number who regard her
renunciation as. a loft and ennobling act. and
Frances Benson as a type of the woman for the
xuiure.
The popularity of president Roosevelt and
his, eligibility for re-election have brought
the "third term" and the popular attitude
toward it, as they are generally under
stood, to tho front of public attention. They
are not, however, mere questions of the
day, nor do they hark back solely to the
time when tne first President of ail ex
pressed his view of the matter by declining
a third term. One striking historical illus
tration, cited by Professor W- A. Punning
in his volume of "The American Nation"
series, which the Harpers have announced
as complete, was at the opening of Con
gress in December. 1S75. "At that time,"
writes professor Dunning, "a resolution
paseed the House by a vote of 24 to 18,
declaring that a third term would be 'un
wise, unpatriotic and fraught with peril t
our free institutions. '
Comparatively few people among those
who handle decorated books have any Idea
of the caro and thought expended in their
production. In the case of "The Other
Wis Man" of Henry van Dyke Harpers)
the rather remarkable form in which this
tale has appeared this season, suggests the
sort of value such a volume may represent.
The parchment paper, for examole, was
prepared In imitation of ola monastery
scrolls. The type was patterned from the
letters found In some flne old manuscripts
of the Roman Vatican library and tne
Laurentlan Library in Florence, after per
mission had been obtained to photograph
these pages. Those who were to set type
for tho book were tutored In the pen
drawing of ancient letters, their Illumina
tion and design, as it prevailed before the
invention of printing. The young Italian,
Enrico Monetti, who did the illuminating,
was brought from the Florentine library to
this country tor the work,
mm'
Mr. Kester In his "John o Jamestown."
has not overlooked the important pai t
played by the Indian maid, Pocahontas,
riot only in the personal history of Captain
John Smith, but tn the destinies of the
colonists. She It was who came bringing
relief to- the latter in the dire famine
which threatened utterly to elimiuate the
little colony, and who tempered the savage
disposition and treacherous dealings of her
father, the Indian emperor, with the set
tlers. One cannot but -feel In her conduct
evidences of a deep romantic passion for the
person of Smith himself, though " it
was reserved for another white man, Rolfe.
at a slightly later period, to marry this
dusky princess. It is, perhaps, not general
ly known that King James of England
came near visiting heavy penalties upon
Rolfe for having violated the law that for
bade an English subject to contract a
royal alliance, so seriously did the Euro
pean monarchs of that period accept the
royal status of their savage brothers in the
new world of America. "
Miss Kate Douglas Wiggin. in explaining
the title of the book of verses. "Pinafore
Palace," and which she and Miss Nora
Archibald Smith have so ably edited, says:
"Every home, large or small, poor or rich,
that has a child In it. Is a pinafore pal
ace, and we have borrowed the phrase
from one of childhood's most whimsical
and devoted . pot-laureato, thinking no
other words would ko well express our
meaning." The poet referred to Is the well
known English writer for children, William
Brighty Rands, and the following' charming
little verse of his appears on the fly-leaf of
the book:
"Public Notice: This Is to state.
That these are the specimens left at the
gate
Of Pinafore-Palace, exact to date.
In the hands of the porter. Curly pate.
Who sits In his plush on a chair of state.
By somebody who Is a candidate
For the office of Lilliput Laureate."
In "Across Wildest Africa." A. H. Savare
Landor thua writes of King Menellk and
Abyssinia: "Menellk certainly had the best
natured. not the handsomest face of any
Abyssinian I had seen. There was some
thing leonine about his countenance, al
though his eyes, very prominent and blood
shot, had more the suavity of bo vines. His
Imperial Majesty's skin was as black as a
coal and rough, but although the face wan
altogether rusted it was absolutely devoid
of vulgarity. Intelligence and sharpness of
wits showed clearly In his expression." Mr.
Landor goes on to dpscribe a luncheon
given by his Majesty "who is always build
ing churches" to 7080 guests, and a spe
cial meal of about the same number of
dishes oiferfid to himself alter the sketching.
Of the A,byssiniana he remarks genially ;
"There Is no 'thank you In Abyssinia for
anything, no matter how big a service has
been rendered. In fact, I do not think the
expression 'thank you' exUts Jn the Ahys
sinlan l&nruace. If It does It is never
used. For absolute and unscrupulous lying
I never found people who could beat them.'
he adds. As to the famous victory over
the Italians; "They say themselves," writes
Landor. "that had the Italians wished they
could any day and at anv moment ha
easily beaten the Abyssinian. This. of
course, emphasizes the shocking misman
agement, the Inexperience of the Italians in.
Colonial warfare, and their absolute Uck
of topographical knowledge of the country
they were traversing."
In the C. N. and A. M. Williamson's
"Car of Destiny" there occurs an amusing
discussion as to the pronounctation of the
name of Spain's most celebrated national
hero, Rodrigo, Ruy Dias. or as he is more
generally called, "The Cld." Casa Triana
and his party, while touring through Spain,
of course came across frequent traces of
this romantic personage, and Triana, al
ways In correct Spanish fashion, pronounced
the "O" in. his name as Z" and the "T"
as "TH." thua "Thith." "Who is this
'Thith' you all keep talking about?" de
manded Dick Waring, a witty young Amer
ican of the party, and on being enlightened,
"Great Scot!" he exclaimed, "you don't
mean to say my old friend the Cld was the
Thith' all the time and I never knew it T
What a blow! I don't see whv C-I-D
shouldn't spell CID, even In Spanish. As
a 'Thith' I can't respect him." The Oid's
full denomination was "Rodrigo Cid Cam
peador," "Cid" being an Arabic title mean
ing Lord, and "Campeador" corresponding
to our conqueror. He lived In the llth
century.
,
The expiry of copyright on "Alice In
Wonderland." and the immediate run of
new editions upon the book, suggest tha
differing attitude on the copyright matter
of English and American publishers. As
a rule, the American publisher keeps hands
off Jn such a case. In somewhat the man
ner that a man will avoid taking another's
accustomed chair. Iu England, however,
there is no such unwritten law. Some
amusing instances are on record of too great
haste in rushing into reprint. A Scotch
publishing house some years ago forfeited
an edition of one of Darwin's works by
such, premature action ; and very recently
another house, also Scotch, havina antici
pated by a month the exolry of "Onr
Mutual Friend." was obliged to withdraw
the entire edition. Of course "Alice" la
free from .copyright in this country, which
may be one reason why the publishers find
no special excitement in rushing her into
a doxen new dresses every year. The Amer
ican varieties always include the Tennlel
child, naturally, and Peter Ncwell's round
eyed little lady, whom the Harpers made
known a few seasons ago. usually rubs
elbows with her in the line.
Not only in Sweden, her native land, but
throughout Teutonic and Slavonic Europe,
Ellen Key is ,a power, her name a name
to conjure with. In her somewhat volumi
nous and at time verbose writings nothing
stands out more clearly than the fact that
she is pre-eminently a woman In the' com
monly accepted, perhans even old-fashioned,
sense of the term, says Putnam 's Ma ga
sine. The most casual contact with her
genial, cheery, absolutely unaffected person
ality produces a sensation of large-sou led
motherhood that embraces each and all and
is therefore. Indeed, unlike that mother
hood whose hallmark Is a rigid exclusive
ness. confined to its own offspring. Ellen
Key's offspring fill the world they are all
those that labor, that bear burdens, that
have cares that she divines and endeavors
to solace. For love Is the keynote of her
life as of her writings.. The books on which
Ellen Key's European fame chiefly rests.
"Love and Marriage" and "The Century of
the Child," havo been published since thi
century turned. They contain the sum total
of her life's thought and experience. She
once laughingly remarked that she bad
been writing "The Century of the 'Child"
since she was 4 years old.
The garden-beauty of Kent County, Eng
land, deservedly occupied prominent plaV-e
in Walter Jerrold s new book: "Highwavs
and Byways In Kent." 'The river
marshes," writes Mr. Jcrrold, "In the north
and the Romney marshes in the south can
scarcely be cited for their healthftilnes.
yet of the greater pa.rt of tho comity it
may be said that health and wealth are
reconcuea together, though the height of
the chalky downs suggests more of health
than wealth the rich meadows of the val
ley of the Medway, the stretching orchards
surrounding houses and farmsteads, the ex
tensive fruit gardens in the part of the
country nearer London, the many thousands
of acres of swaying hops, all poiut to tho
wealthfulnens of the country-r-its very nick
name of the Garden of England suggest
something of the same kind." Htstoricallv
the country looms large. It was the scene
of three of what Dean Stanley culls tho
Ave great landings In English history, fop
It was In Kent that the Romans and Juliui
Caesar, the Saxon hosts under Hengist and
Horsa, and William the Conqueror and his
Normans made their firat acquaintance
with Encland. For these and various other
reasons the native of Kent is Inordinately
proud of his country and its traditions, "of
tho way in, which Kent has stood for free
dom from the time of William the Norman-"
Mr. Jerrold alHo says that tho Kentish
man likes to recall that It was Kent which,
led the forlorn Royalist hope against tho tri
umphant Parliamentarians, and that it was
Kent "which had the hardihood to petition
the government of William ill to be true to
its trust."
In "A Prophet in Babylon," Dr. W. J.
Dawson introduces the "prophet"' as the
minister of a fashlonablo New York City
parish. The church is down town and sees
tho larger number, of Its worshippers grad
ually drift to the suburbs. The minister
suddenly awakens to tho fact that he Is
a mere "seller of rhetoric" and has no
real "message" for the poor. He has this
conversation with a patriarch-heretic:
"Gaunt began to sketch the plan that he
desired to follow. He did not intend to
be driven out of the church; he would
reform it from within. He would make
his church the rallying point of all classes,
rich and poor alike. Pie would substitute
the law of service for the yoke of creeds
aa the sole teat of membership. The old
man listened attentively. When Gaunt had
done there was a long silence-. Then Gor
don said in a gentle voice, 'My dear young
friend, it can't be. done. . . . You can't
reform the church from within. . . .
Jesus 'wished to do it. He was a child of
the church. He loved It, . . . But even
he found the task impossible, and the
answer of the Jewish church to this sweet
reasonableness, was tha cross. Luther tried
It ; he also found it impossible ,and the
wine of new truth had to be put Into new
bottles. Wesley tried. He did not wleh to
break with the Anglican church, and he
died In the delusion that he had not done
o. . , . The story is always the same.
The reason Is that every now truth must
grow by its own roots. ... I would
gladly vote for thfc total abolition of the
church In all its existing forma, and beirin
right over , again from the foundation.
. . For the church in Its present form
Is on Its deathbed, with lights and Incense
and moving music and all that kind of
thing, but the odor of corruption and de
composition Is In the air. The world knows
perfectly well what is goinp on. I know
nothing more pathetfc than the angry won
der so often expressed by all kinds of
ecclesiastical peopie over the fact that the
mas of the people won't go to church.
Surely the inference should bo plain; it 1st
plaJn to every one save the ecclesiastic.
It Is that life has gone out of the
churches. If the church were alive people
would not be able to gtay away from it.' t
Dead Congressmen.
"Washington Letter to the Brooklyn Eagle.
Congressman Foster, of Vermont, re
vived a story of questionable age the
other day. "I had a letter from a farmer
In my district not long ago," said Mr.
Foster, "which read something like this:
'Send me some of those speeches about
dead Congressmen; they are the only kind
of Congressmen I like to read about.1
Ballad of thtt Annual Chan off.
Denver Republican.
The new, fat calendar's on the wall
To the flames with the one we have
ushered out!)
Tis a tricksy thing 'fore which we fall
'Twill coddle the fow and the many flout;
'Twill bring some Quail and most of us
kraut;
If it frowns upon me 'twill smile on thee,
So what is this New Tear we prate about?
It's another chance In Life's lottery.
The -fat, new calendar smiles on high.
Nor hints of surprises held In store;
Tis regarded by many an eager eye.
But who is so wise as to read Its lore
Till, leaf by leaf. It falls to the floor?
Ana we see at the end. as now we see
Regarding the 'year that Is no more.
it s another chance in Lire a lottery.
The new, fat calendar's proud, quite proud.
It Is worshipped by all the human race;
And e'en the thoughtless of the crowd
Will pause to admire its pretty face: -
But soon it will lose its lofty place.
When hopes fall, e en as leaver from tree.
And we'll say. as we fling It far in space:
it s another chance in Life's lottery.
Count Tolstoy, criticising Dante, charac
terized the productions of the Italian poet '