WITH PAPER KNIFE AND PEN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1354, 10 February 1898, Page 11

WITH PAPER KNIFE AND PEN.

i. “Manners for Women,” by Mrs Humphrey. (London : James Bowden.) 11. “A Tsar’s GrutitmD,” by Fred Wishaw. Longmans’ Colonial Library. (London : Longmans and Co.) Hi. “And Shall Trelawney Die ?” by Joseph Hocking. Bowden’s Colonial Library. (London : James Bowden.)

The success which attained Mrs Humphrey’s “ Manners for Men,” published last year and reviewed in this column, has prompted that lady, who is better known as “ Madge ” of Mr Labouchere’s paper, Truth, to write a hand-book of etiquette for her own sex—“ Manners for Women ” (i.) —on somewhat similar lines. Mrs Humphrey always writes with point, and has withal a very agreeable sense of humour. In her latest book she gives hints as to the behaviour of “ girls in society,” “ engaged girls,” and girls under all conceivable circumstances. She lets us (the male reviewer, that is) into the mysteries of a “ correctly ” arranged wedding reception, and descants upon the proper dresses to wear at these functions, as also upon street dresses, travelling dresses, seaside and county dresses, bicycling dresses, &c., &c. Hints are given as to “cards and calls,” “ invitations and invitation cards,” wedding breakfasts and dinner parties, correspondence, present-giving, “At Homes,” children’s parties, and goodness knows what beside; indeed, her little book is a perfect encyclopaedia, by a diligent: study of which the up-to-date young lady may be certain, if she follows the advice given, that she is doing the thing. As the price of the book, which is very daintily got up, is only a shilling, there is now no excuse for the thing not to be done. Speaking seriously, we should say that Mrs Humphrey’s book will be found very useful.

Mr Fred Wishaw, the author of “A Tsar’s Gratitude ” (n.), makes a speciality of Russian stories and his latest effort in this field of fiction is certainly not his worst. He tells the life story—and a very romantic story it is—of a brave young Russian officer whose company “ bolts ” at Inkerman, and who, although himself blameless, incurs the Tsar’s displeasure, artfully fanned as it is by a rival in the love of a fair lady at St. Petersburg. Poor Philipoff, the hero of the story, gets into sad disgrace, is arrested as a Nihilist and undergoes great trouble and suffering. He lives, however, to see his luck turn, to be the means of saving the mouarch from assassination, and to become a favourite with his ruler. This is an exciting story, well told, and although Nihilist stories are no novelties nowadays, thss one at least has a good deal of freshness and life about it.

Mr Joseph Hooking’s name is well and favourably known to our readers as the author of * All Men Are Liars,” “The Birthright,” and other capital novels. Ihe title of his latest story, “ And Shall Trelawney Die ?” is taken from a ballad written by the Rev Stephen Hawker, a Cornish parson, early in the century. This was called “The Song of the Western Men,” and had a stirring refrain — And shall Trelawuey die, and shall Trelawney die ? Then thirty th umnd Cornish boys will know the leasou why It was this ballad which deceived no less an authority on ballads than Macaulay, who believed it to be a very old song and who actually introduced it into his “ History of England ” as an example of the sensation and popular indignation caused by the arrest of the seven bishops. As a matter of fact it was not written, as we have said, until the early part of the present century. Mr Hocbing’s hero is a Trelawney who comes to his native parish a pauper boy, and whose ambition it is to possess the home of his forefathers, now fallen into the hands of strangers. He is assisted by an old man, who eventually turns out to be his grandfather, in the discovery of a valuable tin mine and becomes wealthy. At one time he wishes to marry the daughter of the man who holds the Trelawney property, but in the end makes a more romantic and happier match. It would be unfair to Mr Hocking to disclose i the full plot of a very agreeable story. Included in the same volume is a second story of Cornish life, entitled “ The Mist on the Moors.” This is equally well told and with the Trelawney story makes up a very readable volume. C.W.