s
u
LAST WORD
JJ
Henry Seaton ' Merriman's<
l "The Vultures."
?Through the Heart of Patagonia;" "San Fran
1 cisco and Thereabouts;" Galdos' "Eleo
tra" and "Marianela;" "The Old
i -, School-House."
NOTES AND REVIEWS OF NEW BOOKS
Virginia Authors at Work on New, Fictiofi?Altsheler's
Story of the Fall of Richmond?Julian Ralph's
, Unpublished Work?Mrs. Henry Dudeny.
Jarnes Lane Allen. Other Notes.
I
CHE LAST "WORD. By Allce MncGowan.
L. C Page and Company, publlshers,
Boston, Mass. For sale by Hunter
and Company and tho Bell Book and
Stationery Company.
I am sorry to say that I was disap*
?polnted ln "The Last Word." lt Isn't at
all bad, but tt la not the wonderful novel
that tho lady rcvlewers of hero nnd ,thero
"who had flrat go at the book hn/rc crack
cd lt up to be. In tho parlance of the
!m?,rkot place, the ladles are long* on
Jieart and short on crlticlsm. Havlng
xead tho book, I can easily aee why thelr
Bwcet senslblllties wore melted, flrst for
tho herolno, Carrington West, and then
for the author. For tho book ls obvlous
ly autobiographlcal, nnd slnce tho nuthor
is an unmarrled woman, the Inference Is
traglcal, lf, porhaps, untrue. Let us hope
lt Is not a true Inference .
Accordlng to Goetho. however, a man's
wrltlngs are a hlstory of hls life. He
meant, of course, that a man's slncere or
thoughtful wrltlngs must have been llved
by hlm ln the raality or worked out In
that creaOve thought whlch Is to the
wrltlng genlus as real as llfe.
The author ls clearly a sincei-c writer,
and so wo say that a woman of such
lovefnl eapacltles ought not to be allowccl
to waste It nll In Idlc splnsterhood.
The.Last Word sbows by its tltlo that
lt Is a woman's book. The outcomo, too,
is ln keeping, for, of course. the herolnc
has thlngs' go her way before sho wlll
consent to marry her astonlshing sultor.
The author makes her herolno hold out
for a sort of marital socialism, which,
llke polltical socialism, is a beautlful
thlng ln the abstrnct, as rare as lt ls
beautlful. but which must continue to
1>e about the rarest thlng' on earth so
long as the Creator and Oulde of tlils
TInlverse permlts humnn naturo to con?
tinue. Women, in thelr tlear, inconse
quentlal way, are forerer showlng thelr
wllful dlaapprovnl of the plans of nature,
scheming out alr castlos In whlch they
havo "with Him conspired to grasp tlie
sorry schemo of thlngs entlrc, breaklng
lt to blts and rcrnouldlng it nearcr to tlie
hcart's deslre." CBy tlie way, the hero
ine Is at the Kuhaiyat stage of her de*
vclopment. There's the wholo story, lf
you have been through It.)
I llke to rnmble on about a book llke
this. Mr. Chnrlle Lummls sald ono tlme
that a man ls not of much account who
hasn't a blt of the fcmlnine In hls corn
posltlon. From thls not untonablo hy
ptthesls it may be argued both iways that
Ihcre aro comparatlvely few men of much
account. Certainly them would be yery
few lf men had to have enough femlnlni
~ty to revel ln Miss MacGowan's book.
Women read lt with great intercst; and
by stretchlng his Imnginatlon untll it Is
almost capable of the '^agarles of intul
tlon, a mon_ may got hlmself Into an
ipprectatiye undoratanding of the author's
polnt of vlew. but not, I fenr, lnto the
activo sympathy whlch grlrls and young
womon have for lt.
"The Last Word" Is opon to a good deal
of crlticlsm. It should be pralsod for its
real origlnallty of concoptlon and plc
turesque narratlon. and for what the
author would call its hunks, chunks, wads
and slathers of local color, both in Texas,
"where tho herolno comes from, and In
New York, where, sho goes "to succeed
in Journalism." Beyond that there ls not
much to say except thnt Mlss MacOowan
shows unquostionablc talent, nnd to hope
that friendly crlticlsm and rlpening ex
lierlence wlll persuade hor from the wllds
of reportorlal extran-aganco lnto a sure
and certain posltlon in our llternture. To
make the compartson clear to her: Wo
all know the vlrtues of the broncho, but
who would not trado ono for n .thor
oughbred.
"The Last Word" has practlcally no
dramatlc quallty, or plot actlon. It Is
rather a collcction of charnoter sketches
dependent upon the herolno, who Is n
remarkablo embodlmont of all the fomale
perfections under all elrcumstiuices. The
hero, a Vlrglnlnji named Francls Garnctt
Randolph, is Just a llttlo absurd. Ho ls
not qulte as much of a prig as Mlss Car?
rington West Is a prlgess, but the dls
tlnctlon ls miflty. Tho emotlonal valuea
of tho story are not well, proportlonod,
nor balanccd. tho sketchy sootlona of lt
nre roughly knocked together, tho lan
guage of lt Is aa frankly crudo ns Texas
oil full of "strange thinga about famlllar
matters," reploto with extravagant nd*
Jectives. ln fact it 1s done in the tone and
style,of thu flippant Joiirnullsm to suc?
ceed. 1n whlch Miss West gix<s to New
York. For InBtance, ln a Japancso store
she falls "under the fasclnutlon of n
colleetlon of hlrds. snakes, bugs, anl
muls and goblins, in plaster, fur, feathcrs
nnd Bcales, nveraglng abnut the sisso of
one's thumb. and welghlng an .ounco or
so aplec<*. The very least of these?no
blgger than a thlmble?were ao pxpros.slve
so bliratlng with character and slgnlf?
ennce-. that it would make you jump to
suddenly wicounter the sophlstlcated
gase or thern. From thls gay and fes,
tjve. company, thls gang of wlld, scrmip
ish, demorallr?*d cynlos, this Ilecate's rout
of leerlng, glbing itoology, othnology n'nd
fancy-run-rnad, I only e-scaped away
?when I had beggared both myself nnd
rny companlon." From thls speclmen |jn.
ngine then the pltch to whlch the lady
must go In rtescrllung ?onx>tlilng renlly
of vajtiu nnd ImpoVUnoo ln her story. lt
ls all out of drnwlng, as tlie artists ?ay
But, after all. there is oompn-hensloi)
of llfo nnd flppreclatlon or lovn and yoiitH
nnd Btrength and capaclty for Uie'hard
Btubborn work of wrltlng, ahown in thls
Iniok, and with thoso boundlega resources
the author of "Thft Laat Word" mny be
?r>octed to produco. y<n aomothlng whlch
TwlJI llva lont'or ttmn a bciuoii or two.
THE VTTLTrjRES. By Henry Soton Mor
rlmnn. Harper & Brothers, publishers,
New York. *,150. For sale by tho Bell
Book and Statlonery Company.
Ono of the most romarkablo works ln
Rot-lon of the lattor part of tho nlnotoonth
century waa "The1 Sowera," from the
pen of Henry Seton Merrlman. The man
who wrlte lt waa Instantly aecorded so
'high a place among Englishmen of let?
ters that the books that havo sueceeded
'"1'ho Bowers" apparently havo not at
tnlnrxl tho standard of popular:ty whlch
. they hnve see-med to deservo.
Mr. Morrlman's latest venturo, "Tho
Vultures;" might explaln the mystery
tn ctreful readers. It ls a story of Foland,
ln whlch dlplomats of three natlonalltles?
Ensllsh, French and Amerlcan?play thelr
parts in oliaractorlstlc foshlon. and in
whlch tho tragedy of a people who for
many years led In Europenn affalrs is
made tho more hnpelcss by a 'rain strug
gle ngalnst thelr enslavors.
All tho consummnle art njid flncsso, nll
tlio subtle suggestlvenoss and play of
power at Merrlmnn's command appear
here. ln hls dellneation of charactcr, in
h'.s introductlon of porsonages, ln the
drnmatlc cllmax to which hls book tenda
from the llrst to tho two hundred nnd
olgrhtleth pajre, where, in a few terso sen
tences, pregnant wlth feellng, th assassl
nntlon of the late Csar of the Russlas ls
descrlbed. Mr. Merrlman writes aa ;f he
m'aht be standlng looking down upon the
Czar's mutllnted body, whlch he puts so
plalnly before tho eyes of hls readers,
whon ho says:
'VHe had done the right?asrainst the
counsel of the wlse, agalnst his crown
nnd hls own greatness, agalnst hls purse
und hls fnther's teachlng. Ho had fojlow
ed tho dlctatos of his own consefcneorf
He had done moro than any other Czai*
beforo or slnce, for tho good of Russla.
And thls was tho paymont."
Tlie sombreness of envlronment and at
mosphcrc of n scene lald lnrg-ely ln Po
land. ls somewhat rellevcd by tho un
consclous humor of Joseph Mangles, the
reprcsentatlvo of the Amerlcan Gorern
men, ln "Tho Vultures," nnd hls slster,
Mlss Mangles. Tho Amorioan nlece, Mlse
Netty Cahers, nrpears somewhat Pan
dora, wiso ln scTSng nro through mls
chlovlous splte to a traln whlch sweeps
a broad track ln its work of destructlon.
Mr. Merriman's love story ls rathcr
more Plalnly told ln "The Vultures" than
ln other of hls productlons. Hltherto he
has always dropped the curtaln before
tho "Holy of Holles." respectlng tho
sacrednoss of great emotlon Voo much
to put lt lnto words. Hera. he nllows
hlmself frcer aoope, and the attnehment
between the Engllshwoman Cartonor ,and
the Pollsh Countess Wanda, ls oxpressed
not Impllod. Ilut he doclares in regard
to tho love that these two felt the one
foT tho other, that: "It was devold of sel
f-Sihnese, and they looked for hnpplness
not In an l-mmedlate gratlllcatlon of aTl
tholr deslres. and an lnslnnt fuinilment
of thelr hopes, but ln a mutual falth that
should sunvlvo nll separntlon and brldge
tho longost span of years. Loyalty was
to ho tholr watchword. I,oynlty to self to
duty, and to oach othor."
In thls paragraph may be found the
reason why Mr. Merrlman wlll he al?
ways road by a class rathor thnn a whole
H.s stanrtards nre set too high for peol
Plo in general. ospoclally peoplo of the
prosont, to appreclato. Tho twentleth cen?
tury publlc ls too .solMndulgent to enter
aln houphts of sett-sacrinbe and devo
anj thlng eso and take evcrythlng else
lnto account. A jj ~_
THROUGH THE HEART OF PATA
GONIA. By II. Ilnsketh Prichnrd,
iltitlior of "Where Black Rulos Whito"
(Ha.vti). lllustrated by J. O. Mil
lnis. T). Appleton & Co., publishers,
Now York. Hoyal Svo. $5.50 not.
The famous expedltlon lnto the henrt '
?or Patagonin undertakon a few montlis
iiro for tho purposo of Investlgatliur the
theory that thoro mlght stlll oxlst hid
don ln tho rlepths.of tlio forests of tho
soutlu.ru Andea a survlval of tho pre*
hlslorlo mylodon hns recontly roturnod
nnd Mr. 11. Hoaketh Prlehard. who dl
rected lt, has now 6ivon to n,fl pu^|Cl
ln thls Important book of travel th-* ro
sults of hla dlscoyerles and bxplorailona.
Mlnute ae80ri|>tldns aro glven of tho
daily llfe. ninnners and cimtoms, ami
huntiiig incllimis of the Tohuelohe In
dians, the largest raco on enrth, ln,,.*
fabjodyto bo giants, Tholr niodo of nf,.
la curlous. nnd so ninny conl'lctlng nc
counls ?l them havo beon Ijrounht lo
Kngland from KUzabetlmn umo. up to
tho preaent Umt to havo the eaolauea
and tholr aliinaa brought beforo the eyes
of th.* renrler In u sorlos of remorkuhlo
photographa and drawlnga InveatM the
work wlth excoptlonal Interest.
1'ho book has nJready reaehod tlio ?on
don revlewera, and, aocordlhvf to a ea
bjo dtspatcb l0 ,*,? Now york Times,
seema tn wiunl thelr hlg-he-jt oxnociii*
tlons of it* Interest nnd valuo. Althduirh
Mr. Prichard dld not flnd tbe mylodo
-of wlilch ho wftnt ln Bearoh, he nayanhn
less Ic-arnod nun-e about Patagonin thun
any one ovor kne-w beforo. nnd hla new
ninp of Uint stiiingo count ry wlll he n
gulde to fiituir. travelors nnd n bo m
to geofjraphers. IIo found also a now
and Imjiortant varlety of ,lllmil Whloh
Ib even u?llor In tempor than othor knowi
variotiiix, and lie dlsoovored the oxlBtetica
of mlles of inyKlcrioiiH forosts on iho
slopos of tho Cordllloras never peno
lnito<l bjr mnn.
Tho lilstorlcal und geographlcnl Jmport
ance of this work ean hanlly |M. ,.v,r.
0Htlmate<l. i'ata?,-oiiia in a country aUtiut
whlch little ls known to tho world ,n
general, as tho ilterature on tlie kui,.
Ject 1h dooldodly moagor, whlln tho n?
peet of that qitalnt uii ot' Soiith Am*jri?
ut and l? wild deniznis liaa pructlcully
novcr beforo beon plctorlnJly proaont
0(1.
Tho voliimo ia a flno ommplo of modorn
Iwok-maklng, Tho p11.bll4h.ara havo real*
Ized thnt a work of such pormanent
vnJuo ahoultl bo proparod tn a mannor
commonstirato with Its lmportuneo. lt
is printod on coatcd paper from largo
typo in ono roynJ ootavo volumo of Md
pn*os, Includlng a glossary and Indot.
Of tho forty supcrb full-pago Ithis'rii
tlons, slx aro ln colors nnd four aro
photogravtirofl. Thoro aro elghty-fo'ir
text drawlngs, boaldOB two double-pn^ro
lllustratlons, and three largo foltled maps,
also ln colora. The wholo ls onoompaasod
ln an attraottve cloth blndlng, with a
handsomo gllt-covor dealgn.
THE OLD SCHOoIThOUSE, and Othor
Toems nnd Concelts In Vorsc. By T.
S. Donlson, author of "Tha Iron
Crown." &o. T, S, Donlson, publlah
er, Chlcago. $1.00.
Mr. Denlson seems to have found tlme
from hts play, wrltlng and proso n-utlior
shlp to wrlte somo very Interesting and
credltnlblo vorso, not a llttlo of whlch
1s pootry, for Instance "Hasten, Lovo,
Hnstan." on p. f>9. There aro pooms of
lovo, poemR of travcl, pooms of wnr,
and varlous conrpofiltlons "gravo and
gay, eplgrnmmntlc and otherwlso." n
fnir oxrumplo ot whlch la "Tho Runnway
Slnve."
In a sweet-gum treo the mocklng bird
sits, '
"Peelno, poeloo," Tio slngs, nnd he fltts.
"Ho thoro, nlggcr, cuttlng in tho cano,
Bucklo to the work now, mlght nnd
maln,"
Stops to llston. for thoy want him, too.
Negro plcklng on the old "bnnzoo"
Down ln the Rwamp iho honrs the rcfraln,
Of the master's call to tho slnves ln the
cane.
Down ln the swamp, by the baiyou's aldo,
'"Ole Masser flnds me he'll tan mah hlde."
There ln the swamp, 'mld tho cyprcES
kneea,
On a moss-grown Islo Is a bowor of case.
Woodjpecker taps in n plne tree's top,
Negro llstens for tho chase to stop.
Deep in tho woods thero Is penty of
room,
Where the rnro. aweet Jasmln spends its
bloom.
Woodpeckor batp?t on a holler troe?
"Bless yo\ honey, dah's a houso foh
me!"
Rnt-tat-ta ln the ghlmmerlng noon.
And the "banzoo" strums to a negro
tune,
Mr. Donlson ls a Virglnian, and that
he ls proud ot It Is shown by the sym?
pathy and flro of "The Chaxge of
Pickett's Brlgnde." That he has llvcd
away from homo for a long tlme Is
shown by his rhymlng tune with moon.
Doubtless he usos the inclogont expros
slons noo and stoo for new and stew
and sn on. We often wondor why the
Northern peoplo do not say foo for fow,
But detwlls nside we must compllment
our conipatrlot upon this little book of
verse. especially upon "The Old School
House." "Pickett's Charge" and "Hasten,
Love."
SAN FRANCISCO AND THEREABOUT.
By Charles Keeler. Published by the
California Promotion Committee, San
Francisco. Sent on npplieution.
This handsomo llttlo book, turned out
In the best of taste. written moat attrac
tlvely and beautlfully lllustrated, showa
us what tho wealth of tallfornla can do
towards advertlsing that State and Its
metropolls. It is tha acmo of municlpal
advortislng, a subject whlch thls papor
l,as dwelt upon edltorlally with consld
orable inslstence. It ls a book for the
rlchest or most cultlvated famtly's ll?
brary table, and one the home-seeker and
tho lnvestor would prlze. Tons of "lltera
turo" have been sent out by tho Cali?
fornia State Board of Tradi, the San
Franclsco, Los Angeles and numberless
lesser Chambers of Commerce, yet noth?
ing to equal th-ls gem ln Its llne and crl
terlon of the art of clvlc advortlsemont,
lt glves brief pictures of the stlrrlng
past of San FranclBco, of the days of the
Spnnlsh mlssions, of tho plonoer days,
when tho splrlt of adventuro ln the un
paralloled quest for gold Bucceedod the
romnnco of Mexlcan llfo. A chaptar is
devoted to the bonanza and railroad klngs,
nnd the reniainder descrlbes San Fran?
clsco as it appearB to-day. The author
takes us about the olty streets, leads us
through Chlnatown and the Spanish quar
ter, shows us the bay ln nll Its moods,
jcurneys with us to Burllngnme and its
fnmous country club, to Stanford Univer
slty and Palo Alto, and even as far as
tho garden clty of San Jose, Mount Hamll?
ton and tho matchleBs valley of the Santa
Clara, lntroduclng us to tho charms of
the oak-olad hllls of Berkeley, tho home
of tho great Unlverslty of Cnllforn)% nnd
tho woodlands. of Motit Tnmnlpnis.
Tho book concludes wltli a chapter on
the grent posslblllties for growth in the
clty?lndustrlally, commerclnlly and from
the standpolnt of art. literature nnd cul
ture.
ELECTRA. By P. Perez Galdos. Editod
by Otls G. Bumnell, M. S., of the
Flesner School, Loulsvllle, Ky. The
Amerlcan Book Company, publlshers
Nbw York. 70 cents.
Thls drama, whlch wns flrst prosented
at Madrld on January 30, 1D03. mado a
deep imprcssion on tho Spanish people.
It waa written to givo cxpresslon to tho
author's ambitlon for his country and
hls countrymeii. nnd to urgo them to so?
clal aind polltical roribvatlon, lt ls es?
pecially tlmcly and Interesting to Amerl?
can readers, ns showlng the contompora
noous troml of oplnion ln Spain. which ls
hut llttlo understood on thls slde of tho
water. ln Its present form, lhe Ilrst
school cdltlo*i published ln thls country,
the book contalns the necessary notes,
as woll as a complcle voc.ilmlary.
We have also recelved a copy of G'alilos'
"Marlanola," ln tho snmo school sori"s,
adlted by Edwnrd Gray, A. B. uotli
theso books are prlntnd ln th,; Spanish
langunge, but wo are aufllclently ac
nualnted with them ln Uie orlgjnal and
In translatlons to clescrlbo them for otir
roadors.
This touchlng nnd pathotlo story of tilf.
popular niodi'rn Bpanlsh author Js here
proBonted with the necessary aaBlatanco
fnr readlng in olnrnentnry cJaaaes. Thq
Bubject-mattor ls auch ns tn nroima tlio
Interest nnd hold tho attcnMon of nle
reader, and tho st>-i<, is ..i,.,,,., vjB0,.ous
nnd HUfllclfiitly eolloquial lo givo hdln*
fui drlll ln lujomatlc phraaos, Tho notoa
cxplnln dlillcult graminatlcal polnts and
llterary alluslons, nnd <'<n>t:iin roferences
tn tho lendlng Spanish grnniniars. Tha
Yocabulnry ls CO|np|eto,
BOOKS AND AUTHORS.
NOTES AND COMMENTS
Wo learn from our Porrosj?ondon| at
Or,arlotte?v?la that Mr. H. |,. ,',,? 5j
niiilyMr. Kennelh Brown havo wrlttoil an
nthcV novel of Virginia llfe. whlch wlll
I..- iMiVllsh.-d thlH Bprlng hy thc' ,,, *"
lt Is Ynied "Tlie lleUKoklB Sucoeaslon"!
und ls Slaced ln tlu- Bamo. Virginia nniu-ii
borhoodl of thelr ilrst book ?'! ,.v'. '
InlrodiicVl to us i,i ''ICas...ve C,' rt
g?-Ss.SSS?^t ,M "?,'^
it Wim) tlmi thero |3 much moro .ploj
ln thla book thnn thoro wns ln the au
thor's malden effort. Thcro is an ln
volvod Iwvo motlve, and tho liook ls moro
a study of oharacter than of locality. Tho
hero ls the aon of a Vlrglnlan who haa
jrono Ncrth to llve, Tlio youngor mnn
haa hnd a hard tlme of lt in Now York,
nnd whon ho Inhortta n ilno old eBtatc
from an unole he gooa to llvo on it. Ho
inlle ln love wlth tho lifo; ns many hiuco
dono l)ofore hlm. but, at the holg-ht of
hls eatisfaotlon thore ontora nn oldmont
into hls possosa'tm of "Rodf.-oldfl," whlch,
for a time, maro hla whole happiness,
It Is reported alao that' tho two au
thora may brlng out lndlvldtial booka
durlng 1008. Mr. Boon la at present at
hls father'B home ln Fall Rlver, Mass.,
puttlng the flnlahlng touohcs to a novol
?Vh'oh may appear Borlally thls sum
mori while Mr. Brown haa a ehortcr
novol oallod "Contrariwlso" well under
wny, Mr. Boono haa not yot named hls
nonrol. Both theae booke deal with dif*
ferent aspoota of Virglnia lifo. '
And stlll thoy comel Othor perioda o-f
Virginla'e hlstory havlng beon eo thor
oughly threshed ovor <by the harveaters
of romance, Mr. Josoph A, Altsheler's
latest novol troata of n tlmo oxrplat-nod
by the Utlo of his Ibook, to l*> called "Be?
foro tho Dawn: A etory of the fall of
Blchraond."
Mr. Altsheler Is sald to havo ooeuplod
hlmsolf chlofly ln thls, hls most nmtoltlous
effort. wlth doscrkptions of tho soclal life
ln Rlehmond durlng the last days of tho
Confederacy. Hls non-el wlll appear ln the
sprlng, and Rlehmond peoplo wlll then
be able to Judgo just how much or how
little knowlcdgo Mr. Altshelor had of
soclal condlt'ona hero durlng 18G4-C6. In
many lnstancce books written concemlng
tho South and the Southern peoplo nre
often consplouous only through tho glar
lng Inaccuracles of tho stntemonts they
contaln Tho lnst work dono by tho lnto
Jullnn Ralph, author and war correspon?
dent, who dled in New York the other
day, was for Harpor's Mngnzlno, and
hns not yet ibeen published, It conslsts
of a number of artlcles on Amerlcan suh
jocts, undortaken for that magazlno and
to bo printed durlng tho ipresont year.
Tlio flrst of these artlcles, entltled "The
Amerlcan Tyrol," wlll appenr ln the
?March mimber of Harpor's. Another pa?
per, to appear latcr, descrlbes a trlp
made by the author through parta of
Now England In company wlth a tln
peddlcr. Mr, Ralph hnd but recently re?
turned from a trlp to Kontucky, mnde
ln tho Interests of Harpor's for tho prop
arntlon of an animated deserlptl-on of
those lonely, remote "cabln" Kentucklana
who seem to llve rjulte apart from clvl
llzntlon. Thls wlll 1>o lllustrated by Les
ter Ralph, son of tho author.
Mrs. Henry Dudeney ls the author of
a now book, "Robln Brilliant." whlch
wlll shortly be brought out In tho United
States. If Mrs. Dudency's lator work Is
anythlng: llke her prevlous productlone lt
soema a plty that tho reading publlc of
thla country should have to auffer an?
other lnfllctlon from her pen. She ls
enlled strenuous, free-handed nnd logl
cal by somo crltlcs. In roallty, she oc*
cuples herself in deplctlng .phasea of llfe
that have nothlng onnobllng or elovatlng
In thom. She seems to be unable to de
tach herself from an envlronment and
a looallzatlon that oppresa her readers
with a senao of belng morally atlflcd.
A new volume from Mr. James Lane
Allen ls promlsed by Tho Macmlllana
sometlme durlng: the sprlng. Dennlte de
talla about lt have not yet been Issued,
but hls puTillahers look upon <t as llke
ly to prove the most .Important ncrol
that Mr, Allen has yot written; and they
also tell us that lt wlll be ln many re
specta a departure from the current sohool
of Amerlcan flctlon.
Mrs. Nancy Huaton Banks' new novel
has Its settlng ln another corner of the
Kcntucky country whlch ahe loves so
well', and whlch she has iportrayed ln
the settlng of her very succosaful atory
Oldfleld. In all probabllity lt -wlll bo
ready for publlcatlon ln May and a com
plete aimouncement wlll be made of Its
tltle at a later date by her publlshers.
Authors need not be dlscouraged whon
thoy compare tho posslble results of
thelr labors wlth those of buslness mon.
General Lew Wallace has butlt a huge
modern apartment house ln Indlanapolls,
solely out of the proceeds of hls novel
The Prlnce of Indla. And lt ls well known
that tho popular suecess of the latter
has not equalled that of the percnnlal
Ben Hur. lt ls qulte rprobable that Bon
Hiir has aupplled the wherewlthal for a
numiber of apartment houses.
A few chapters of "The Blography of a
Prnlrie Glrl" -wero printed ln The Cen
tury,?only a few, and there are twlce
ns many more in the book Itsolf Just as
good as thoso whfch wero in the maga
zlne. It Is an exciulsite book; lt appeals
to a. chlld of ten as well as to the llterary
crltlc who has sounded tho whole gamut
of noi'ela,? and that ls a great test, to
appeal to a chlld. While ln Ita narrow
cr Bcnso it is just the record of the llfe
of a llttlo glrl and hor blg brothors and
hor mother on a Dakota farm, ln a wlder
senae lt ls a genulno eplc of ploneerslilp
ln the West. And tho story ls told In
such ar. lionest, unpretentloua way. Ju
llan Hawthorne says: "I know of no
eontemporary writer who could havo
dono bettor what Eleanor Gates has
dono hero."
Accordlng to the Boolcman's llsts, the
slx books whlch havo sold best ln the
order of demand durlng tho months are;
Mrs, Wlggs, of the Cabbuge Patch, The
Bluo Plowcr, Tho Vlrgrinlnn, AVantcd: A
Chnperon, An Old Bweetheart of Mlne,
and Glongarry School Days.
The Magazines.
Tho Fobruary Smart Set opens wlth
"The Woolng of Marcus," by G. B. Bur
gln, u novelette whlch ls both brilliant
anrl dellghtful. It sparkles wlth eplg
rammatlc luimor, and yet thore nro fre
ijiic-nt touchca of tendornoss. Tho story
lt out of the usual run, nnd lt dcaerves
hlgli pralso for Its Interest and for Its
llterary graco. Tho short Btorlbs of this
number aro oriually dlstlpgiilshod for
thelr merlt nnd for thelr yarlety,
Tlio Fobruary number of tho North
Amcrlcnn Itovlew In fully worthy of tho
hlgli repulntlon of thnt great perlodlcal
for the tlmeiiuess and aulliorlty of Ita
dlscusslons of o,uostlons that hold a
prominent place ln. the publlc mlnd.
Mr. Henry James contrlbutos tho soc
nnd part of hls novol, "Tlio Ambnsau
dors."
"No fi John Streot" brought Its author,
Mr, nicliard Whltolng. Intp lininedlato
pulillc attentlon, maklng a wldospreud
and reiiiarlmble linpresslo'n In each. A
sorlnl Btory written l>j* Mr. Whltnlng and
oa||ed "Tho Yellow Van," hns ii.*s begln
nlng ln tho February Conlury, nnd no
doubt it wiu i,0 ?a oumorly reud hh ?ms
"No, B."
'?? ''? I'ngo & Company, of Boston, hnvo
I'oiiKht tho old "Uloniry World," nf tliat
clty, and hereafter it wlll bo lsnued by
thom under tho oilltorBhlp nf Mr. H||N(J
Liirinan, tho Komotlmo poot and orltio.
llln Utornry World wiw pstabllshoil ln
1X70 by Hamuel Crncke'r, who run lt untll
JS77, whon |t passed lnto Iho linnda nf
.Messrs. i.j. |j, i|au,oa & Gonipany, under
tlio cdltorshlp of iOdwnrd Abbntt.
Although not witlrely conlltiod to llt
HFE INSDBANCE COMPANY OF YIRGINIA.
ESTABLISHED 1871*
PREM1UM
INCOME.
'l887-$9a56&0tf
.>
I888S 127049.00'
I889-$I5I.547.00\>
1890-$254.547.00
18 91-$395.44767?
1892-$475.520.24
1893$ 546.151.15
1894-$ 551.794.51
1895-$ 591.580.56
1896 $712.951.92
1897-$752.214.87
1898$ 852.409.03
1899-$957 90079
I900-SI.08Z272.02
1901-$ 1.151.6 62.87
I902-SL339.2I4.I3
ANNUAL STATEMENT
For the Year Ending December 31st, 1902.
ASSETS.
Real Estate, Book Value.$ 77.663.43
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate. 77s!38o!84
Loans on Collateral. 79,326.29
Loans on Company's Policies. 10J412.78
Bonds and Stocks, Book Value. 152.982.52
Cash in Banks and Office. 79.374.33
Bills Receivable. 5.292.52
Interest and Rents Due and Accrued.. 17,555.20
Market Value of Real Estate. Bonds
and Stocks, over Book Value. 33.932.55
Net Uncollected and Deferred Pre
miums and Premium Notes. 43,845,77
Gross Assets.$1,275,766.23
Deduct Assets not Admltted and
Ledger Liabilities. 4,385.52
Total Admitted Assets.$1,271,380 71
LIABILITIES,
Reserve. Actuaries 4 per cent. anc
American 3 per cent.. including
Special Reserve..............$ 981,440.00
Death Losses Reported, but not due... 13,374.00
All other Liabilities. 24.813.13
Totai.;.$1,019 627.13
Surplus to Policy Holders.$ 251,753.58
Total.$1,271,380.71
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DURING 1902.
Qross Income...'..; $1088,248.16
Increase in Qross Income. jp2 479 04
Insurance in Force.$34,416,332.00
Increase in Insurance in Force. $4 565 525.00
Total Number Policies in Force. 308 687.00
Increase in Number of Policies in Force. 38,112.00
Increase in Assets.k. 211049 81
Death Claims, Etc, Paid to Policy Holders.] 464'527.31
Total Payments to Policy Holders gr-,2atlon... $5,014,133.81
J. Q. WALKER, T. WM. PEMBERTON, J. W. PEQRAM, W. L. T. ROGERSON,
President. 1st Vice-President. 2nd Vice-President. Secretary.
crary toplcs, tho February lsstie of the
Crltlc ls somewhat more than usually
representatlvo of tho world of letters,
Wlth tho oxceptlon of Mr. Altaert
Sternor's appcallng pnstel of Mlss Julln
Marlowe, whlch ls espoclally reprodu'cod
In colors, most of tho lllustrations, ns
weli ns tho chlef artlcles touch upon
current phasos of mnttors llterary. The
iiiitlal papor |a n half-humorous, half*
serlous contrlbutlons from a olovor, but
anonymoua author who, ln hls "Letters
to a Llterary Asplrnnt," sntlrlzos tlio va
rlous novols at present affocted by tlie
public, the hlstorlcui novol nnd tho kall
yard novol comlng Jn for somo dellght?
ful parody. It ls fondly to bo hopod that
tho wrltcr's soconrl Instiilmout may prwVe
ns dlyertlng ns has tho Jlrst.
Immigration hao tho call ln tho Febru?
ary Isauo of the Southorn Farm Mnga*
zlne. Its most strlklng fenturo, perhaps.
Is a mimber of letters from northern and
woatorn formerH recoKnissing tlio'work
whlch tho iniu-azlno hon dono ln eiilll
vntlng- thoro actlve Interest ln the South
und roveallng a doolde'd lncllnatioii to
mr>i*o soutlnvard,
Thn Fobruary number or Whnt Tn Eat
is londod down wlth good tlilngH. from
tlio brlght attractlvo cover to tha lnst
page.
Tho reader who, n? Mr, Arnold was
wont to observe, "wants crlllclsni," enn
nlwnys bo suro of llndlng It ln a form
ut once Hound nnd reaunblo ln tho At
liintlo Monthly. Tho tradltlnn of tho
Atluntlo :ia nn organ of onllghtoiiod nnd
wholly unhlused crltlclsm la oxeropllilod
ln the January number, whoroln llarrlot
AVatot-B Proston prosonts if pungont ro
vjew Of tho liitest novela of llowells nnd
JaintiH, and Mra. Allce Moynoll, whosu
IIno orltlwil . faculty and oxcoptJonul
gi-ato of utylu aro knowu. tn -utl true
readers, writes ln defcnce of Charles
Dickens aa a marr of letters.
Tho Woman's Home Companlon for
February is unusually rlch antl tlniely.
it has a charmlng eovor deslgn-a skut
ing sceno hy C'harlos Grunwald. Foa
Uiro artlcles nro "Llncoln's Neglected
TJIrtnplaco" and "The BIrthplace ot tho
Amerlcan Fliig." Other fcattires mo
"How Rallroads Fight Snow," "AVhat
tho ConsregatlonallBts Are Doing for tho
Good of Mnnklnrl" and a pleture hy
Goorgo Glbbs Illustratlng ona of Paul
Jones' BTeatost buttles. ? Tho ficllon ln
cliirles atorles hy Clara Morrls, Tudor
Jenks. Rlchard Stlllman Powellund John
H. Jowott.
Another of tho great featuros whlch
aro to distingufnh Scrlbner's Magasslno
durlng tho current yenr heglns ln tlio
February numbor. "The ProBldontlal
Olllce," hy James Ford Rhodo-t, is tlio
oponlng artlclo In tho serles by varlouq
authors on tlio Government of tho United
RtiuoH, lt Is tho alrn of theso pupors to
show our Rovernmont aotually In oponi
tlon; rovortlng to tho past sufllciontly to
traco tho development of power niuUro
HponBlblllty In each department,
Reflectlons of a Rejected Manuscript.
(Dy Waltor Pulltzer, In tho Fobruary
ISookmnn.)
A MS. In the publjsher'a hand ls worth
two In tho nuthor's.
An edltor Ib known by tho MSS. ho
keepa,
Dusperato authors requiro dospenite
romediea,
A poet and his poem aro soon parted.
ln submUtlng a MS. he who he.sltu.tos
?Is a wonder,
A true frlend iu ono who louglis at our
Jojtes,
Nq sa)tlrlst is a horo to hls own opl
giam.
Sporting Anlm'al,
A usefuj conipundlum of sportlng sta,*
tlstlcs is the "Polico Gazotte Sportinf"
Annual" for 1503. It contains tho records;
of all tho prominent puglllsts, athletlc,
blcycle and rwwing records, Includlng all
tho principal features in tho trottlng- nnd
raclng world nnd hlstory of tho yaoht
racea for tho Amerlca's cup. It Is a
verltnblo encyclopella of sporttng Infor?
matlon, profusely illustrated nnd solls
for ten cents.
Have You
A Tumor?
Why not cure . tt7 Have doctors
failed and glven up hope of curlng
you? We wlll CUIIB you?or you wifl
owu us nothlng!
We posltlvely curo Cnncera, Tumors
rmd Cnronle Sores wlthout using a
knlfo. \Vo are maklng wondorful
cures every clay. Como and see what
wo nro dolng, Tf then you aro not
satlsllod we wlll pay nll oxpenBes!
If you cannot como sond for pn'nted
mattor, nnd stato your caao. Do not
dolay?como or wrlte to-day.
Kellam Cancer Hospital
Twelfth nnd Bank Streets,
RICHMOND, VA.
lixcelslor Face nnd Fdbt Powder.
j tfvut for tlio Fucu, 13ody, Dcoropld
Fuut nnd Tuoth. Inslstnn druggistH
l gettlng lt for you. Prleo26o. Sum
jilo t reo?miuled for Btamp.
Inttirimtlonivl Mnnufaoburlng OoM
Guo, H. HurgoBS, Oom'l Agt..
115 W.Om-y Streot.