THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



241 



Rudyard Kipling, which, at the risk of 

 being guilty of rank apostasy from the 

 faith of the present, I must confess to 

 caring little for. The leading story, "The 

 Polar Zone," is the first of a series of 

 tales by John A. Hill, which, it is said, 

 first appeared years ago in an obscure 

 railroad journal. Mr. McClure was so 

 struck with their merit that he intends 

 publishing them. 



Unless you are rather hard-hearted you 

 will find tears in your eyes after reading 

 the pathetic little story of "Uncle Luther 

 Dowell's Wooden Leg." 



SCRIBNER'S 



For May gives another installment of 

 "The Workers;" just as interesting, just 

 as pathetic and just as true the real 

 secret of the story's success as the first 

 chapter gave promise of. The Chicago 

 policemen are kindly spoken of by Mr. 

 Wyckoff, which will surprise them no 

 doubt, being accustomed to blame instead 

 of praise. A good short sketch is con- 

 tributed by Jesse Lynch Williams, on 

 "The New Reporter." Verses by Theo- 

 dosia Pickering "A Bargain" are truth- 

 ful as well as poetical. The bycicle pic- 

 tures by A. B. Frost, will be duly appre- 

 ciated by wheelmen. 



THE REVIEW OF REVIEWS. 



The whole foreign and domestic situa- 

 tion, the causes that have led to the pres- 

 ent war with Spain, and the attitude of 

 the other powers are topics ably discussed 

 in the May editorial portion, and give one 

 a clear, unbiased view of the affairs at 

 present. "Two Great American Treaties: 

 One with Rus?ia ratified; one with Den- 

 mark deferred," by W. Martin Jones, 

 discuss the proposed purchase of the 

 Danish West India Islands and the pur- 

 chase of Alaska, both with especial refer-, 

 ence to Seward's policy of expansion. 

 The war cartoons of the month Spanish 

 and American are one of the many at- 

 tractions of the May number. 



THE LITERARY DIGEST. 



The latest number received is for the 

 week of April 30, which contains portraits 

 of people holding places of prominence in 

 the world at present Gen. Russell A. 

 Alger, secretary of war; Gen. Woodford, 

 Ex-United States Minister to Spain, and 

 Charles Emory Smith, postmaster general. 

 The topics of the day are discussed as are 

 also the recent events of literary interest. 

 Among the latter is "The Eugene Fields 

 that Frances Wilson Knew." Under the 

 review of the "Religious World," is an ex- 

 tract from the Church Standard regarding 

 the proposed change of name of the Epis- 

 copal church. It seems that many 

 churchmen are dissatisfied with the pres- 

 ent name, "The Protestant Episcopal 

 Church of the United States," and propose' 

 changing it to the "National Catholic 

 Church," or the "Catholic Church of 

 America," or some name similar to this. 

 This question will probably come up for 

 discussion in the next general convention 

 of the church to be held next October. 

 "The Inquisition in Modern Times," is a 

 review or series of extracts from Mr. 

 Lilly's work on that subject, and is full 

 of interest. It is astonishing to learn 

 that the inquisition lingered in Italy as 

 late as 1870. 



We are in receipt of Part V. of the 

 Eighteenth Annual Report of the United 

 States Geological Survey for the year 

 1896-'97. It is well bound in two volumes, 

 each volume containing over 640 pages, 

 the first part being devoted to reports and 

 statistics concerning the mineral products 

 and coal of this country. The second part 

 takes up the non metallic products, except 

 coal. In this volume petroleum, natural 

 gas, stone, precious stones, mineral waters, 

 etc., etc., are diseussed, each by a well- 

 known authority on that particular sub- 

 ject. The report is very interesting and a 

 valuable reference concerning mineral 

 matters. 



