The March Atlant1c opens with a brief and wellconsidered editorial article setting forth clearly and dispassionately the present international situation, and the rights and duties of the hour. Dr. John Fiske in " Some Cranks and their Crotchets " details at length and most entertainingly some remarkable phases of what he denominates as Insane, or rather as Eccentric Literature. William Goodell Frost, in describing our "Contemporary Ancestors in the South ern Mountains," depicts a strange condition existing in a series of communities on the Appalachian Moun tain slopes. Miss Marion Hamilton Carter's sprightly and amusing protest as a primary teacher, against certain kindergarten methods and kindergarten chil dren, will furnish entertainment to all readers. Pres ident Hyde of Bowdoin College discusses earnestly and intelligently the wonderful career for thirty years of President Eliot of Harvard University. John Bur roughs and Bradford Torrey for once forsake the book of nature for the books of man, and discuss respectively " The Vital Touch in Literature," and "Writers that are Quotable." Grant Squires in his "Confession ofa Government Censor " reveals a striking chapter of the secret history of the war. "Comida," a touchingly realistic Cuban sketch; entertaining short stories; a group of brilliant poems, and other timely and interesting articles make up a number of unusual variety and value. Harper's Magaz1ne for March contains "The Spanish-American War. Part II. The Coming of war," by Henry Cabot Lodge; " Major-General For rest at Brice's Crossroads." by John A. Wyeth, M.D., an account of one of the most brilliant and deci sive Confederate victories of the Civil War. " Eng lish Characteristics," by Julian Ralph; " The building of the Modern City House," by Russell Sturgis; "The Massacre of Fort Dearborn, at Chicago, in 1812," by Chief Simon Pokagon.The author is a son of the Chief Pokagon who, though friendly to the whites, was present at the massacre. The fiction in this number is "On the Steps of the City Hall." by Brander Matthews; " Without the Courts," by Sarah Barnwell Elliott; "The Way of the Cross," a story of Siberia, by Stephen Bonsai; " The Rented House," a psychological story, by Octave Thanet.
WHAT SHALL WE READ? A new book has just been issued, entitled White Dandy, which is one of the best stories we have read, giving a horse's own story and teaching kind ness to the horse as well as to other animals. It is announced as a companion to " Black Beauty." the noted book of which over two million copies have been sold. The author is Velma Caldwell Mel
ville, a very competent and pleasing writer, and the book is issued by J. S. Ogilvie Publishing Company, 57 Rose Street, New York, and is sold for twenty-five cents per copy. NEW LAW-BOOKS. A Treat1se on the Law of Bu1ld1ng and Loan Assoc1at1ons, w1th Forms. By Charles N. Thompson of the Indianapolis bar. Second edition Callaghan & Co., Chicago, 1899. Law sheep. $6.00 net. The rapid growth of Building and Loan Associa tions during the past few years, has required on the part of our legislatures and courts especial attention; and the recent enactments and decisions have re corded many new and important changes in the law regarding their control. This new edition of Mr. Thompson's well-known work covers exhaustively the entire field of building associations. It has been en tirely rewritten, new chapters have been added and a vast amount of valuable new matter has been in corporated, so that the treatise is brought fully down to date. A complete set of forms is given, taken from those in use among the best managed societies in the country, and covering every style of document used by them; so drawn as to be of service in every State. We commend the work to our readers as one that they will find invaluable if they have occasion to familiarize themselves with the laws of building societies. The Law of Bankruptcy, including the Na tional Bankruptcy Law of 1898: the rules, forms, and orders of the United States Su preme Court, the State Exemption Laws, the Act of 1867, etc., illustrated by the Bank ruptcy decisions under the Act of 1867. By Edw1n C. Brandenburg, LL.M. Callaghan & Co., Chicago, 1898. Law sheep. $5.00, net. Having prepared and annotated the bankruptcy laws for Congress, Mr. Brandenburg has been led by numerous requests to prepare this compendium on the law for the benefit of the legal profession. The work is a very comprehensive and complete treatise on the subject. The Acts of 1867 and 1898 are largely parallel, and the decisions under the earlier act will largely control the interpretation of the pres ent act; the author has therefore under every sec tion and sub-division of the law of 1898 placed analagous provisions of the law of 1867, and the decisions of all the courts based thereon. Much labor and necessity for frequent cross-reference is thereby avoided. The treatise is in every way admirably adapted to the practitioner's needs, and should be heartily welcomed.
