e War Department for its failure
to appoint to the regulars any of the colored officers who did well in
the Forty-eighth and Forty-ninth Volunteers. Every colonel of volunteers
was allowed to designate for examination for appointment to the regular
army the best officers in his regiment. Hundreds of white officers were
selected in this way, but not a single colored officer was given an
examination,--not even Lieutenant McBryar, with his medal of honor,
or Captain Baker. Similarly fault has been found with Secretary Root
because no new colored regiments were established under the law of
February 2, 1901, increasing the army by five regiments of infantry,
five of cavalry, and a large number of companies of artillery. The
excuse most often heard is that the negroes already have sufficient
representation in comparison with the percentage of negroes to white
persons within the borders of the United States. But the sterling
characteristics of the colored soldiers, their loyalty to the service
as shown by the statistics of desertion, and, above all, their splendid
service in Cuba, should have entitled them to additional organizations.
To say the least, the decision of the War Department smacks considerably
of ingratitude. Nevertheless, the negro regiments have come to stay,
both in the regulars and in the volunteers. The hostilities of the last
five years have dispelled any doubt which may have existed upon this
point.

BAXTER'S PROCRUSTES by Charles W. Chesnutt

Baxter's Procrustes is one of the publications of the Bodleian Club. The
Bodleian Club is composed of gentlemen of culture, who are interested
in books and book-collecting. It was named, very obviously, after the
famous library of the same name, and not only became in our city a sort
of shrine for local worshipers of fine bindings and rare editions,
but was visited occasionally by pilgrims from afar. The Bodleian
has entertained Mark Twain, Joseph Jefferson, and other literary and
histrionic celebrities. It possesses quite a collection of personal
mementos of distinguished authors, among them a paperweight which once
belonged to Goethe, a lead pencil used by Emerson, an autograph letter
of Matthew Arnold, and a chip from a tree felled by Mr. Gladstone. Its
library contains a number of rare books, including a fine collection on
chess, of which game several of the members are enthusiastic devotees.

The activities of the club are not, however, confined entirel