possessed the first of all telephone systems, a surprise
quickly followed by Mr. Joseph Harriman's illustrated paragraph telling
of the first street-car, also an Appleton innovation. Among other
articles, that by Miss Torrey on Lawrence College is of unusual
interest. "The Immortalization of the Princess", by Miss Fern Sherman,
is an excellent Indian tale, whose structure and atmosphere well suggest
not only the characteristic tribal legends of the red folk, but other
and more classical myths as well. Though Miss Sherman is not yet a
member of the United, one of such gifts would be heartily welcomed in
the ranks.

* * * * *

=The Plainsman= for December is the most substantial number of his
journal which Mr. Ira Cole has yet issued. First in order of importance
among the contents is perhaps the editor's own prose sketch entitled
"Monuments", wherein Mr. Cole reveals to particular advantage his
exceptional skill in depicting and philosophizing upon the various
aspects and phenomena of Nature. Mr. Cole's style is constantly
improving, though not now of perfect polish, it is none the less
remarkable for its grace and fluency. "To Florence Shepphird", also by
Mr. Cole, is a rather long piece of blank verse, containing many
beautiful passages. The author's skill in stately and sonorous poetry is
far above the common level, and his work has about it an atmosphere of
the polished past which that of most amateur bards lacks; yet the
present poem is not without errors. The passage (lines 10-11) reading:
"calm =days= that =knoweth= not dread Boreas' chilling breath" must be
changed so that either the noun shall be singular or the verb plural.
The double negative in line 23 might well be eliminated. Two lines whose
metre could be improved are the 13th and 50th. The final quatrain is
pleasing to the average ear, including that of the present critic;
though the very exact taste of today, as represented by Mr. Kleiner,
frowns upon such deviation from the dominant blank verse arrangement.
"On the Cowboys of the West" is a brief bit of verse by this reviewer,
accompanied by a note from the pen of Mr. Cole. The note is better than
the verse, and exhibits Mr. Cole's vivid and imaginative prose at its
best. "The Sunflower", a versified composition by James Laurence
Crowley, concludes the issue. There is much attractiveness in the lines;
though we may discover particularly in the second stanza, that touch of