Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 11.pdf/642

 Rh a Socialist's Stand-Point," by the Hon. John C. Chase, " Bal des QuatV Arts," by W. C. Morrow, and "An Unwritten Chapter in our Relations with Spain," by Rev. Francis S. Borton. Booker T. Wash1ngton, opens the November Atlant1c with " The Case of the Negro." Apropos of the Philippine troubles, Hugh Clifford, British resi dent at Pahang, Malay States, contributes a striking article, "A Lesson from the Malay States." In "The Good Government of an Empire," William Cunningham furnishes a brief and valuable exposition of the management of great colonial empires. Prof. Kuno Francke discusses Goethe's " Message to Am erica." Elizabeth Robins Pennell discusses the rank of Van Dyke as a painter. Bradford Torrey furnishes an appreciative tribute to '• The Attitude of Thoreau toward Nature." In " Some New Letters of Tourgeniev," Rosa Newmarch comments upon the recently issued correspondence between Tourgeniev and his friend Stassov. There are also a number of brilliant short stories. WHAT SHALL WE READ? A new collection of stories by Bret Harte has just been issued by Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., en titled Mr. Jaek Hamlitfs Mediation.' Bret Harte is a prince of story-tellers, and the eight tales which make up the volume are among the best which have come from his pen. Nothing could be more deliciously humorous than " An Esmeralda of Rocky Canon, " and the other stories are all inimitably told. The great trouble with all novels " written for a purpose " is, that while they depict in strongest terms the evils of our social system, they rarely, if ever, suggest a remedy. In Henry Worthington, Idealist,* Miss Margaret Sherwood has written a thoroughly enjoyable story, the theme of which is the wretched condition of the employes in our large "bargain" stores, and, incidentally, the sufferings of those who are forced to gain a livelihood in " sweater-shops." Annice Gordon, discovering that her father, who has the reputation of being an honorable merchant, is really at the head of two or three large " bargain" stores, in different cities, determines to find out for herself how the business is conducted. Taking ad vantage of the absence of her father, who is called away for some weeks, she enters one of these estab lishments as an employe. There she learns all and even more than she feared. We all know the mis eries of starvation wages, and the strong colors in which Miss Sherwood paints them are perhaps none too forcible, but, alas! she offers no solution to the problem. The story is well worked up, and there is in it, of course, a love affair, which runs not smoothly, but ends satisfactorily to the two concerned. Mr. Zangwill's new collection of Ghetto tragedies, published under the title of They that lualk in Dark' Mr. Jack Haml1n's Med1at1on, and other stories. By Bret Harte. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Boston and New York. 1899. Cloth. 31.25. 2 Henry Worth1ngton, Ideal1st. By Margaret Sher wood. The Macmillan Co. New York. 1X99. Cloth. $1.50.

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ness,* fully maintains the high reputation of this gifted author. The stories cover a wide range, and the reader is conducted through a great variety of scene. No more vivid, and undoubtedly true to life, pen pictures of the tragedy, the poetry, and the dreams of Israel of to-day have ever been offered to the reader, and the book cannot fail to make a deep and lasting impression. One of the most powerful and absorbingly inter esting novels published of late has just been issued by the Macmillan Co. It is entitled Miranda of the Baleony? and while the plot is by no means new. the author has used consummate skill in working up the story, and holds the reader's rapt attention to the end. The principal actors in the drama are a hero who falls in love with a supposed widow, who is the heroine, and a blackmailer, who, knowing the hus band to be alive, uses his knowledge to extort money from the wife. The hero's love has the true ring, as he is willing to hunt up the missing husband, whom he restores to the wife. He has his reward, how ever, as the husband is, shortly after, providentially removed from these earthly scenes, and hero and heroine are happily united. The book is well worth reading, and far above the average novel. In Young April* we have a remarkable story of a young English aristocrat, who, while traveling on the Continent, receives notice of his sudden accession to a dukedom. He still lacks one month of being of age, and he determines to enjoy these thirty days to the uttermost, before assuming the responsibilities of his new position. And surely no greater amount of romantic adventure was ever encountered in so brief a time. " For one April span life led the hero by the hand and taught him every sweet note in her gamut, from laughter to tears and from longing to ecstasy." The book is well written, and there is not a dull page in it. A volume of short stories by Paul Bourget, trans lated by Miss Katherine Wormley, is a pleasing ad dition to the number of interesting books which have recently come to our table. It is entitled Pastels of Men * and is made up of a number of brief character sketches which are drawn by a master hand. Miss Wormley's translation is admirable, and but little of the original French flavor is lost. We commend the book to our readers as one from which they will de rive much satisfaction and pleasure. Another volume of documents illustrative of Amer ican history has been prepared by Mr. William Macdonald, under the title of Seleeted Charters.* It l They that Walk 1n Darkness. By I. Zangwill. The Macmillan Co. New York. 1899. Cloth. $1. 50. '2 M1randa of the Balcony. By A. E. W. Mason. The Macmillan Co. New York. 1809. Cloth. $1.50. • Young Apr1l. Bv Egerton Castle. The Macmillan Co. New York. 1899. Cloth. $1. 50. Translated by Katherine Prescott Wormley. Little, Brown & Co. Boston, 1899. Cloth. $1. 50. 5 Select Charters and other documents, illustrative of American History, edited with notes by William Macdonald. The Macmillan Co., New York, 1899. Cloth. $2.00.
 * Pastels of Men. By Paul Bourget.