Birmingham Age Herald

IN THE LITERARY WORLD.

"Suggestions for Novelists and Poets,"
by Edgar Fawcett, is the leading article
in the May number of The Authors'
Journal. Among the other subjects
treated in this number are "The Writer's
First Step," by Tudor Jenks; "Literary
Competitions," by Clarence Herbert
New; "Business Rules for Authors;"
"The Author's Guild;" "Cash or Royal-
ty" and "Magazines for Rejected Con-
tributions." In the department "Among
the Periodicals" the latest prizes for sto-
ries are described, and one or two mag-
azines are announced. Under the head-
ing "The Manuscript Market" is given a
list of periodicals that pay for contribu-
tions, and the departments, "Replies and
Decisions," "Current Literary Articles"
and "Notes of Authors" are as interest-
ing as usual. One dollar a year. The
Authors' Journal Publishing company,
New York.
The public will be greatly interested
in the appearance in the literary field
of "Gleanings from
Southland," a
chronicle of the days that are dead, ex-
cept to memory.
The writer, Miss Kate Cumming, is
not a stranger to the reading world, hav-
ing contributed to the literature of the
south an invaluable work entitled
"Hospital Life in the Confederate
Army.
No one is better qualified than the tal-
ented author to speak understandingly
of the days of carnage and battle. Miss
Cumming is a woman of rare culture and
attainment, having been for years iden-
tified with the educational interests of
Alabama. Her present literary work
should meet with encouragement not
only from her own people, but from those
north of "the line," for she has stated
facts in clear, concise language, not in
bitterness, nor yet palliating any of the
evil that follow in the train of war. The
appearance of the work is neat, clean
and taking, and should be a success in
every way.
In the North American Review his em-
inence, Cardinal Gibbons, speaks of the
preacher and defines his province.
Charles Dickens, the younger, writes of
his illustrious predecessor, and E. L.
Godkin, that scathing editor of the New
York Post, scores the jingo publications
unmercifully. The Japanese minister
at Washington treats of the somewhat
interesting subject, "The Future of Ja-
pan."
The Cosmopolitan contributors for the
month are Frank Vincent, Maud Lyons,
F. Hopkinson Smith, Edgar Fawcett
and Edgar Wilson Nye. It is an inter-
esting number, though falling a little
from its usual interest.
The American Historical Register is a
journal devoted to the study of heraldry,
pedigree and other neglected features of
American history. It is thoroughly pa-
triotic and will do a good work if it
points the minds of American citizens
to the fact that this country has much
to be proud of and little of which it must
be ashamed.

THE READER.