buyers among those interested in the Philippines, but there has been little demand for it yet. Books on the Louisiana Purchase continue to make their appearance, and interest in this subject is increasing. The sale in New York of "The Virginian," "The Crisis," and "The Heart of Rome" in the new paper binding has been very limited. To what extent this condition prevails in other parts of the country it is too early to say, but locally they have fallen very much below expectations. "A Woman Errant," by the author of "The Garden of a Commuter's Wife," is announced for the near future, and there have been many inquiries for it. When this is published, the spring market will be practically complete. "The Crossing was easily the best selling book of the month; the others follow in order of their popularity: "Four Roads to Paradise," by Maud Wilder Goodwin; Tillie, a Mennonite Maid," by Helen R. Martin; "The Villa Claudia," by J. A. Mitchell; Bred in the Bone," by Thomas Nelson Page; "The Memoirs of a Baby," by Josephine Daskam; "The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come," by John Fox, Jr.; "Rebecca," by Kate Douglas Wiggin; The Deliverance,' by Ellen Glasgow; "The Silent Places," by Stewart Edward White. 66 F. R. H. PHILADELPHIA, June 17, 1904. COMMENCEMENT exercises have helped to keep things going this month so far, and business, since the first, has been better than usual. "The Crossing" made its appearance at the time announced, and caused quite a commotion among the local trade on the day of publication. It appears that all the dealers had bought largely, direct from the publishers, and expected to have the book on the day of issue. But when the morning of that day came, the only store which had "The Crossing was a department store that has been cutting prices on A. P. A.1 books. Naturally the regular dealers were thoroughly provoked, and quite justly, too. For when a man, who has the regular avenues of the trade closed to him, gets protected books, through an outside source, the day before the regular trade gets theirs direct from the publishers, there is good cause for a strenuous "kick." Indications point to something being exceedingly loose somewhere along the line of the A. P. A. One buyer remarked that he thought that some of the publishers were not honest in their dealings with the others, and were members of the association in name only, not in spirit, and were guilty of having the front door closed, and the back door open. That some publishers are in earnest about this matter is evinced by the publishers of Hallie Erminie Rives's wellwritten novel concerning Lord Byron, entitled "The Castaway," which is issued at a net price, and bears a printed notice about cutting. So far so good. If it is a success, then it is a step in the right direction, and may lead to the breaking up of the promiscuous price-cutting. Among the heavier books, "Herbert Spencer's Autobiography" is selling steadily. Francis Curtis's "History of the Republican Party" is creating some little interest; Henry W. Elson's "History of the United States" is making friends, and is selling better every week. Quite a demand is growing for guide-books and books for tourists. Paper novels are being asked for more frequently, and from the success of "The Virginian," and other books of the same series, it looks as though there would be a revival of the old 25-cent retail line. And from the fewer number of 50-cent books put out they look as if they were being forced into the background. The tendency of the publishers to take their old novels, and issue them in a cheaper edition, to retail at forty-five or fifty cents, may mean that the day of the $1.50 novel is on the wane. There are so many of the recent $1.50 books to be had now at a cheap price, that the public will, perhaps, hold off from buying the newer books, and will either get them from the library, or wait until they can get them at the cheap price. "The Crossing" is selling well, although not so largely as "The Crisis' did when it first was issued. Robert N. Stephens's "The Bright Face of Danger" has taken a spurt, 1 The American Publishers' Association, composed of the leading publishers, in order to protect the regular bookseller from the competition of undue price-cutting, agreed, among other things, to refuse to supply books to retailers who sell at a greater discount than twenty-eight per cent. from the published price of what are called "regular" books, within a year from the date of their issue, For example a $1.50 novel must not be sold for less than $1.08. Also no books published at a "net" price may be retailed for less under the rules of the "A. P. A.” THE EDITOR. which was brought about by its being run as a serial in one of the local newspapers. Olive Latham," by the author of "The Gadfly," is a disappointment, as it is not selling at all well. "The Issue," by George Morgan, is going well. Thomas Nelson Page's Bred in the Bone is doing nicely for short stories. "Tomaso's Fortune," by H. S. Merriman, and "The Byways of Braithe," by Frances Powell, will have a good, steady sale for some time to come. "The Deliverance," by Ellen Glasgow, is still very much in demand. "Tillie, a Mennonite Maid," by Helen R. Martin, is still among the leaders. "Sir Mortimer," by Mary Johnston, is picking up. "The Silent Places," by Stewart Edward White, "My Friend Prospero," "He that Eateth Bread with Me," by H. A. Mitchell Keays, "The Flame-Gatherers," by Margaret Horton Potter, "The Queen's Quair," by Maurice Hewlett, "The Singular Miss Smith," by Florence M. Kingsley, and a host of others of a like nature, are selling steadily, but not too well. The best selling books, next to "The Crossing," were "Rulers of Kings," by Gertrude Atherton; Bred in the Bone," by Thomas Nelson Page; "The Villa Claudia," by J. A. Mitchell; Memoirs of a Baby," by Josephine Dodge Daskam; "Four Roads to Paradise," by Maud Wilder Goodwin; "The Castaway," by Hallie Erminie Rives; "The Bright Face of Danger," by R. N. Stephens; "The Deliverance," by Ellen Glasgow; "The Silent Places," by Stewart Edward White, and "Sir Mortimer," by Mary Johnston. J. B., JR. BOSTON, June 15, 1904. A NUMBER of books of interest have been published during the month, and business has improved considerably. "The Crossing" is selling steadily, but there is not, as yet, a noticeably heavy demand for it. "The Castaway," by Hallie Erminie Rives, a romance of Lord Byron, is selling well. It is charmingly illustrated by Christy. A unique feature of the book is its price, it being published at $1.00 net, instead of the usual $1.50 regular list price. Stephens's new book, "The Bright Face of Danger," is a return to the style of his "An Enemy to the King," and is, perhaps, his best work since that volume. The book is very well made, and is in demand. "Bred in the Bone," Thomas Nelson Page's new volume of short stories, is having a well-deserved suc cess, as the stories are all good, and the book attractive in appearance. “The Cost," by David Graham Phillips, is an interesting story, and has been well received. The Byways of Braithe," by Frances Powell, has not shown, as yet, the popularity of her earlier work, "The House on the Hudson," but that, even, was not prominent at first, and only gradually won its way to favor. 'Fort Amity," the new Quiller-Couch book, is having about the usual sale of his previous volumes. "Olive Latham," by E. L. Voynich, while selling, perhaps, better than "Jack Raymond," has not yet shown signs of being a worthy successor to The Gadfly," in point of sales. "The Darrow Enigma," Melvin L. Severy's detective story, is selling quite well. Hamlin Garland's new book, "The Light of the Star," does not seem to be a sucHis readers naturally expect from him a strong romance of Western life, savoring more of nature than the stage, and they are not inclined to try his new venture. Connolly's "The Seiners" is a good, strong story of the Gloucester fishermen, and will fast work its way into favor. Issue," by George Morgan, is having a fair sale. Givers," Mary E. Wilkins Freeman's new volume of short stories, has not been received with the interest that usually attached to her earlier works. cess. "The “ The Mrs. Dana's "Wild Flowers" continues the most popular of the flower books, although the Lounsbury, Matthews's Field Book and Nature's Garden," have many readers. Among the bird books, "Hoffman's Guide," the Chapman books, the new field book by Matthews, and Bird Neighbors are equally popular. "The Baby Pathfinder to the Birds" should also be mentioned, as it is well liked, and has a good sale. "The Watchers of the Trails" is a welcome addition to Charles G. D. Roberts's works, and to the books of animal lore in general. It is uniform with "Kindred of the Wild," and is well and fully illustrated by Charles L. Bull. One very commendable feature of the book, and one too little used by publishers, is a full list of the works of the author. The "best selling books of the month have been "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm," "The Castaway," "The Silent Places," Memoirs of a Baby," "The Crossing," "The Bishop's Carriage," "Sir Mortimer," "The Real Diary of a Real Boy," "The Adventures of Elizabeth in Rügen," "My Friend Prospero." B. P. H. From the Cliffs of Croaghaun. Robert Crowne. Akron, O.: Saalfield Co. 12mo. 12mo. Il's't'd. Phila Pp. 343. Il's't'd. The Givers. Mary E. Wilkins Freeman. 12mo. Pp. 296. The Island Pharisees. John Galsworthy (John Sinjohn). 12mo. The Adventures of Buffalo Bill. Col. W. F. Cody. With a Sketch of His Life. 16mo. Pp. 156. N. Y. Harper & Bros. The Book of School and College Sports. Ralph Henry Barbour. 12mo. Pp. 438. Il's't'd. N. Y. D. Appleton & Co. $1.75 net. The Book of the Carnation. R. P. Brotherston. 12mo. Pp. 95. Il's't'd. N. Y. John Lane. $1.00 net. Astronomical and Historical Chronology in the Battle of the Centuries. William L. Jordan. 16mo. Pp. 70. N. Y. Longmans, Green & Co. 90 cents. Being Done Good. Comments on the Advance Made by Medical Science During the Past 5,500 Years in the Treatment of Rheumatism. E. B. Leub. 12mo. Pp. 345. Brooklyn: The Brooklyn Eagle. $1.25 net. Our Political Degradation. Rush C. Hawkins. 12mo. Pp. 289. Slav or Saxon. Questions of the Day Series. William Dudley The Poems of Henry Abbey. 12mo. Pp. 359. N. Y.: D. Apple- N. Y. Life Pub. Co. $1.00. Kin o' Ktaadin. Verse Stories of the Plain Folk Who Are Keeping Bright the Old Home Fires Up in Maine. Holman F. Day. 16mo. Pp. 252. Boston: Small, Maynard & Co. $1.00 net. Ballads of Valor and Victory. Pp. 182. Being Stories in Song from the Annals of America. Clinton Scollard and Wallace Rice. 8vo. In Assyrian Tents. The Story of the Strange Adventures of 12mo. 12mo. 12mo. Pp. 330. Pp. 417. Pp. 385. Reprint. N. Y. : N. Y.: N. Y.: Philadelphia: 16mo. Pp. 326. Il's't'd. Nature's Comedian. W. E. Norris. 12mo. Pp. 330. $1.50. $1.50. D. Appleton & Co. J. B. Lippincott Co. $1.50. Olive Latham. E. L. Voynich. 12mo. Pp. 337. The Penobscot Man. Fannie Herdy Eckstrom. A Texas Matchmaker. Andy Adams. 12mo. Pp. 355. TRAVEL AND DESCRIPTION North America. Israel C. Russell. 8vo. Pp. 435. With Maps and Diagrams. N. Y. D. Appleton & Co. $2.50 net. Russia. Her Strength and Her Weakness. Wolf von Schierbrand. 12mo. Pp. 297. N. Y. G. P. Putnam's Sons. Early Western Travels. 1748-1846. Vol. III. Edited by 8vo. Pp. 380. Cleveland: Arthur H. 1605-09. 8vo. Pp. Reuben Gold Thwaites. Clark Co. $4.00 net. The Philippine Islands. 1493-1898. Vol. XIV. Edited by Emma H. Blair and James A. Robertson. 341. Cleveland: Arthur H. Clark Co. $4.00 net. Belgian Life in Town and Country. Demetrius C. Boulger. Pp. 321. N. Y. G. P. Putnam's Sons. $1.20 net. The Gems of the East. A. H. Savage Lander. 8vo. Pp. 567. Il's't'd. N. Y. Harper & Bros. $4.00 net. 12mo. The Territorial Acquisitions of the United States. 1787-1904. An Historical Review. Edward Bicknell. 16mo. Pp. 144. Boston: Small, Maynard & Co. The Penetration of Arabia. A Record of the Development of Western Knowledge Concerning the Arabian Peninsula. David G. Hogarth. 12mo. Pp. 359. Il's't'd. N. Y. Frederick A. Stokes Co. $1.35 net. Narratives of Captives. Robert Eastburn. Edited by John R. Speers. 8vo. Pp. 76. Cleveland: The Burrows Brothers Co. $2.00. The Philippine Islands. 1493-1898. H. Blair and James A. Robertson. I F you could inspect my plant and see my facilities for handling large orders to your satisfaction, you would agree with me that my modern equipment for a high character of work is second to none. My prices are lower than you are paying for the same work; but this is not the only inducement I offer. The good work and efficient service which I can give you should be a strong argument for your favorable consideration. I am prepared to submit estimates on your work, or part of it, for the coming year. H. WOLFF 92-98 CENTER AND 143-147 LEONARD STS. NEW YORK (Long distance telephone connection.) When writing to advertisers please mention THE LITERARY WORLD |