READERS' COLUMN.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1915, Page 6

READERS' COLUMN.

(By James Wort ley).

NEW BOOKS.

"It Pays to Advertise," by Eoi Cooper ivlegrue £nd Walter Hackett, New York; Duffield and Co., 1915 (per A. S. Brooker). The paper wrapper protecting the cover of this book displays a big duck and a still bigger egg. Printed at the side is the following query and answer, typical of the book: "Why does everybody eat hen's eggs? Because a hen advertises and a duck doesn't."

The bdok is a novelised drama, and not a dramatised novel, and just as a good novel turned over to the hands of the playwright, loses some of its power and incision, so does this play, in being strung into a novel, notwithstanding that it is an intejisely humorous book, and the situations are cleverly worked out. Peale, the advance agent of a dramatic company, is a great character, and his meeting with Rodney Martin is fortunate for Rodney's father and enables the latter to win his bet.

The clever way in which the old soap manufacturer fakes orders to the new firm, and the manner in which these orders turn the scale and end ill a huge demand for the "13 Soap" is immensely funny. But the brains of the new concern are provided by Mary Grayson, the millionaire's typiste. She has the right idea whenever the directors are cornered, and it is through her instrumentality thatfßodney "makes good" on his own account. Beside her, both Rodney and Peale seem more fools than clever men. The whole conception of the book is not quite ethically sound, but one hardly expects that in a Situation meant merely to amuse, and this it does whole-heart-edly.

"My Friend Phil." by Isabel Maud Peacocke, London; Ward, Lock and Co. (per A. S. Brooker, Devon Street). The dedication on the flyleaf of this book reads: "To my comrades all, the Junior Boys of the Dihvorth Ulster School, Auckland. Now Zealand, this story of a boy is inscribed."

It is doubtless an Auckland lady who is the author of the book, and the northern city is to be congratulated on possessing such an accomplished writer. The book is good in any company—indeed, it is one of the finest delineations of boy character that I have ever read, and, as a story generally, leaves the average novel far behind.

Phil is one of Jhe most lovable little chaps imaginable. We meet him first in the very prosaic surroundings of a dentist's waiting room, into which he brings the sunshine of romance. One might quote at random and find equally good and typical selections of the book. The incident of the dentist's room will suffice as well as any other.

All the waiting ones have been described, among which are a scraggy old maid and the Uelightful "Sketch-girl." To the spinster: "Have you any little boys?" asked Phil.

"No, indeed," responded the spinster. "Any little girls," "No!" "Not even a dog?" There was a world of commiseration in his tones.

"1 should think not," said the spin ster.

"Then I am very, very sorry for you," said Phil sincerely, "an' I would come an' be your little boy, if I hadn't of belonged to someone else 'fore I sawed you."

"You're a dear little boy," said the spinster suddenly, and inclined impulsively towards him, but recollecting herself she sat bolt upright, looking with an air of proud suspicion at the "Sketchgirl" and myself . , . then the spinster said hurriedly: "Would you—would you give me a kiss, my dear?" .Phil considered. I held my breath. Phil did not look like a "kissing" child, and I stiffened to hear the refusal which should congeal the melting heart of the old maid to ice again. But Phil has a heart of gold and the instincts of a gentleman —I trust any gentleman in his situation would have been no more churlish—and he said slowly: "Yes, I think I will —if you like." (i heard a sigh, it seemed of relief, from the Sketch-girl.) "I don't generally kiss strangers." Two sturdy arms went round the withered neck, a round warm little cheek, and two soft lips were pressed against the faded cheek. Then Phil said gently, with a little wriggle: "No, put me down, please. You've cried all over iny face," adding hastily, "but it doesn't matter though." It was as well that, at that moment, the spinster got her summons, for 1 saw the tears on lier cheek as she hurried away into the adjoining room . . .

Just then the Sketch-girl rose to go in her turn. "Won't you give me a kiss?" she asked, holding Phil's hand tenderly.

"No, thank you," he answered gravely, "but I'll pat your dog."

"Oh, but you gave the other lady a kiss."

"Cos she was lonely, and had no one to kiss her—but you aren't like that — plenty of people'll kiss you." "Oh!" I'don't know about that,' she replied with a laugh and a very charming color in her cheeks, Phil turned to me. "You'd kiss her, wouldn't you?" he asked me anxiously, but before I could make a suitable response she was gone."

But that was not the last of Millicent, "Miller," as Phil; calls her. Phil has a happy knack with him, and "Ruddy," Phil's growed up friend, and "Miller" contrive to meet fairly often. Phil is one of those loveable characters that it is good to think of—to laugh—aye, and to cry Aver. Miss Peaecockc is to be congratulated upon her creation of sucli a book.

NOTES. Other novels of outstanding interest that have just been published and which will be noted in due course in these columns are "The Research Magnificent" by H. G. Wells, "The Little Iliad" by Maurice Hewlett, and "Mr. Bingle" by G. B. McCutcheon. Among new novels that have reached second editions, almost upon the day of publication, are H. C. Bailey's "The Highwayman" and Pett Ridge's "The Kennedy People." The latter is spoken of as one of the best books on London folk since Dicken's day.

Mr. Joseph Hocking's "All for a Scrap of Paper" sold at first because of its topical title, as "the first novel of the war." But Mr, Hocking has returned to the glory of his early days. The book has been found to be "the best, yet." Indeed some folks go so far as to say it is the best novel of the year. At any rate, the sales are growing—a sure test of popularity after a book has been published some months.