LIBER'S NOTE BOOK

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 114, 7 February 1920, Page 11

LIBER'S NOTE BOOK

Stray Leaves. There were three or four new R. Arthur Rackham's books this .last Christmas, but I fancy the fiack'ham craze is subsiding. There is a dreadful sameness about all his .work of late. His illusM.itions to "Cinderella," published recently, 61,0w a quite marked lulling off as com pared with so.T.e of his earlier work, notably the delightful pictures he did for "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens." . "I like old Linkumdoddie," he cail "I've a kind of pull with him, for 1 spoke a word in the right quarter about his peerage, aud I think he knows it" "Linkupdoddie," murmured Lady Penelope Wyper, "I'm sure there's no such name in the peerage." "You'll find it in the Proiitcerage." Mr. Normand whis-pered.-"The Island of Sheep," by Cada.us and Harmonia. ~„,,, L "Punch," on Mr. H. Or. Wells s latest literary enterprize: "Mr. H. G. Wells is reported to be writing allistory of tr.e World from Bible times down to. ulr. Arnold. Bennett." "Dealing with a man," said the nightwatchman, thoughtfully, "is as easy as a teetotaller walking along a nice, wide pavement; dealing with a woman is like tile same teetotaller, arter four or ihv whiskies, trying to get up a step that ain't there. If a man euli't get is own wav he eases 'is mind with a little nasty language, and then forgets all about ;t; if a woman can't get 'er own way she Hies into a temper and reminds you.oi something you oughtn't to have done ten years ago. Wot a woman would do whose 'usband had never dene anything wrong I can't think."—"Deep AVaters, ' bv AY. W. Jacobs. Sir Henry Lucy seems to have an inexhaustible fund of reminiscence upon which to draw for "copy"-nmking purposes. His latest book is called "Men aud Manners in Parliament," and is said to be as rich in anecdotes as its many predecessors in the same genre. The professional politician continues to be a standing .dish on the menu of the' American humourist. Thus Mr. Doolcy in his latest book on the politician tribe: " "lis as much as a man's life is worth these days," said Mr. Dooley, "to have a vote. Look here," he continued, diving under the bar and producing a roll of paper. "Here's I'll' pitchers iv candyclules I pulled down i'r'm th' windy, an' jus' knowin' they're here makes me that nervous f'r th' contints iv tli' cash dhrawer I'm afraid to tur-rn' me back f'r minyit. I'm gom' to throw thini out in the back yard." Apropos to Mr. Stanley AVeyman's recently published novel, "The Great House," "A Man of Kent," in the "British Weekly" (Sir AVilliam Hobertson Nicol), sajs: "I am of opinion that very strong measures should be taken against people who write about 'a sickening thud'—say. six months' hard labour. I am very sorry to say that Mr. AVeyman is guilty." AVho first used this expression 'i "The Sydney "Bulletin" used it many years ago in satirising the sensationalism ' then in voguo in Australian journalism, but it had. I think, an earlier British origin. As a good hostess, Lady Stoneborough made a hurried tour through the rooms before her guests arrived. . . . "T hops Tom won't make any mistakes," she said. "Dickie calls us 'Ma and Faux Pas'; I'm sure I trust he won't say it bi-oadeast."-"Tho Dean," by Lady Clmrnwood Home papers record the death of a once popular novelist. Miss Jean Middlemass, who recently passed away at Cue fine old age of eighty-six. In mid-Vic-torian days h'T stories had a considerable vogue. lier most successful novels were "Poisoned Arrows" and "t'allu'i From favour." Her last published novel. "At tho Altar Steps," was written when she had reached tho ago of seventy-seven.