AMONG THE HOOKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13393, 23 January 1907, Page 9

AMONG THE HOOKS.

Me. Richard I.r, (tai.i.iknnk, who seems to have made America his home, has a volume of short stories appearing with the De La, More Press. It has the title Painted Shadows," and, as this might suggest, the manner of the stories is as important as their themes. They are poetic prose-stories info which Mr. l.e Gallienne has put feeling. imagination, and felicity of epithet.

Mr. Guilhert Pitman announces the early issue of an Esperanto edition of his little book. " Letters that Bring' Business." The translator is .1, O'Connor, Ph. Dr.. M.A.. the father and pioneer of the Esperanto movement in Great Britain, and author of many standard works in the auxiliary international language. This translation should come at an opportune moment, as the subject is now recognised by the London Chamber of Commerce and the National Union of Teachers, who have incorporated it in their syllabus as one of the subjects for examination, including translation of business letters from and into this language. Mr. Michael Shoemaker, who is an industrious traveller, and has already written accounts of his voyages to "The Islands- of the Southern Seas," "The Heart of the Orient, and his journey oyer the " (ileal Siberian Railway.' has now chronicled the impressions of a motor trip through the Rhine \ alley to Switzerland. It °is not. like so many recent motor books, the story of a wild (light for the mere sake ot speed. He took his journey leisurely, aim visited all the shrine.* on his way. "Winged Wheels in France" is the title ol the book, which describes with pen and jh-ncil the many beauties on the traveller's way. and it will be published bv Messrs. Putnam.

Mrs. Campbell I'racd introduces into one of her novels a Premier of Queensland, who is also head ot a hand of outlawed hush--1 angers. Improbable as this character seems, a Sydney journalist lias discovered that fiction is no stranger than truth. The Hon. Daniel Egan was once camping in the bush with a party and provisions ran short. He sallied forth with his gun, and "held up'' a. settler, made him hand over such stores as were wanted, and returned with them to camp. .Many years after a deputation from that district Wailed on tin 1 Postmaster-General in Sydney, and one of them happened to be- the settler who had been robbed. To his amazement, he recognised in the Postmaster-( his old assailant. Obtaining a private inlei view, the settler taxed Mr. Kgnn villi the crime. The Minister laughed, and said that it watS a case of necessity knowing no law : but he promised to make amends by giving th<; deputation one of the Jincst ucw jiost offices in the colony