other living
characters, of which old _Remnant_, the sexton, with his queerly
American business notions of religion and dislike of the "riff-raff," is
too nicely absurd and human not to have been drawn from life. There is
very good stuff indeed in this book, which seems to me in every way an
advance upon _The Street Called Straight_.

* * * * *

It is all a matter of taste. If you like that sort of book you will like
_The Great Attempt_ (MURRAY), for Mr. FREDERICK ARTHUR'S story is quite
good of its kind. But what sort of a book is it? Well, on page 31 one
character says to another character, "Now listen. Thou knowest that
there is some mystery regarding the heir to the estate. He is said to be
in hiding abroad. The truth is that they have cheated him out of his
inheritance and he can't do anything until he finds his papers." And yet
it is not entirely that sort of book, for Mr. ARTHUR is evidently a
thoughtful student of history, and he has drawn quite a vivid picture of
the events leading up to the battle of Culloden. His sympathies are on
the side of the PRETENDER and his cause, and he can see nothing to
approve of in the ranks of the Hanoverians. I am content to take his
word for the rights and wrongs of the case. The whole matter leaves me a
little cold. I have no actual grievance against the OLD PRETENDER,
though BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE is one of my pet aversions; but I consider
that enough fiction has been written about him already. In the matter of
subjects for novels I should like to institute an _Index Expurgatorius_.
It would contain the two PRETENDERS, the French Revolution, the American
Civil War, NAPOLEON, and most of the other well-worn names and events of
history, and would remove a powerful temptation from the path of the
young author. Missing heirs in search of papers I do not so much mind.
Indeed, I am on the whole fond of missing heirs. But missing heirs with
an historical background make me tired.

* * * * *

[Illustration: OUR CURIO CRANKS.

_Enthusiast (to diner who has just told a good story)._ "WOULD YOU MIND
REPEATING THAT? IT HAS BEEN SO WELL RECEIVED. I WISH TO ADD IT TO MY
COLLECTION OF RECORDS OF GOOD THINGS."]

* * * * *

Doing the Hat Trick in Two.

"H. S. O. Ashington, who won three events last year, was expected
to repeat the achievement yesterday. He figured in the hurdles,