The Land of Nada, the scene of this charming fairy story, is an enchanted country, ruled over by King Whitcombo and the beautiful Queen Haywarda. Prince Trueheart and his blue-eyed baby sister, Princess Dorothy, and their wonderful adventures; the enchanted cows and chickens, the wonderful lemon tree whose trunk yields three different kinds of beverages, are some of the wonders of this delightful land; as are, also, the doings of fairies, genii, goblins, and enchanted hawks. How the blind prince recovers his sight, how the baby princess is spirited away, cared for, and finally restored to her home, and how the wicked goblin and the two hawks that spirited her away are punished, may be read in this delightful fairy story, which teems with graceful conceits and charming fancies, and which can be read, not only by children of tender years, but by those of larger growth.
The style in which the book is gotten up makes it very suitable for a Christmas present.
Cloth, 75 Cents; Paper, 25 Cents.
The Arena Publishing Company,
Copley Square, Boston, Mass.
NICODEMUS: A POEM.
By Grace Shaw Duff.
In this fine blank-verse poem, written by the well-known New York authoress, Mrs. Grace Shaw Duff, is given, in autobiographic form as from the lips of Nicodemus himself, a poetic account of the two episodes between that ruler of the Jews and Jesus, as related in the third and seventh chapters of John's gospel. The poem is full of local color, and opens with a striking description of sunrise on the morning of the last day of the feast of the Passover in Jerusalem. Then follows a picture of the unusual stir in the city due to the crowds attending the feast, after which there is a fine word painting of the scene in the temple, with its motley throngs of maimed and halt, of venders of unsavory wares, of idlers, and of graver men.
The description of the midnight visit of Nicodemus to Jesus may be quoted in full as a typical specimen of the tone, manner, and fine musical versification of the whole poem:—
|
"One night from sleepless bed I rose, and went To where He lodged, and bade the porter say One Nicodemus—ruler—came, and speech Would have with Him. There was no moon, but hosts Of stars, and soft, pale glow from shaded lamps Made silver light. The air was still, with just Enough of light to waft at times a faint Sweet oleander scent, and gently float Some loosened petals down. I heard no sound But sudden knew another presence near, And turned to where He stood; one hand held back The curtain's fold; the other clasped a roll. No King could gently bear a prouder mien; And when I gracious rose to offer meet Respect to one whose words had won for Him Regard, I strangely felt like loyal slave, And almost 'Master!' trembled on my lips. A deep, brave look shone in his eyes, as if He saw the whole of mankind's needs, yet dared To bid him hope; and when he spoke, his words And voice seemed fitted parts of some great psalm." |
The book is beautifully printed on first-class paper, and is finely illustrated with numerous half-tones, after sepia-wash drawings by that excellent artist Fredrick C. Gordon; and each section of the poem has a charmingly artistic vignette for the initial capital letter. The binding is in keeping with the general get-up, and the book would make an admirable Christmas present.