The Southern mountaineer is, in the minds of many people, associated mainly with the illicit mountain still and general lawlessness. Their spirit of hospitality, generosity, and sterling qualities of independence are much less known. In the early chapters of Mr. John Fox's short serial which began in the September number there were some fine descriptions of the mountain region and of certain local types, and the promise of a most charming romance in the life of a young engineer and a venturesome Northern girl known to her friends as "the Blight," who is on a journey through the wild passes of the mountains.

No writer has brought out the droll and picturesque phases of the mountaineer with so much truth and appeal to the sympathies as Mr. Fox. This story, which will run through three numbers, has all the delightful charm of sentiment and humor as well as those little touches of individuality that made this author's "Little Shepherd of Kingdom

Whether or not it actually occurred, the situation was one that was in perfect keeping with many of the known humane acts for which Lincoln was famous. Mrs. Andrews will contribute another short story to the October number. This one, called "A Messenger," will deal with an

incident in the life of a

young army officer who is sent on a dangerous mission into the Indian country.

Jesse Lynch Williams, who has made his famous story of newspaper life, "The Stolen Story," into a successful play, which will be given its first performance in New York this season, will contribute a characteristic short story, "The Girl from the Machine," to the October SCRIBNER. The hero is a young reformer of political aspirations, and a very nice girl and automobile are other prominent factors in the story.

Few first plays ever received more flattering notices than those given "The Stolen Story" when it was produced in Boston last

It is only once in a while that an author succeeds in so profoundly stirring the feelings and appealing as convincingly to a national ideal as did Mrs. Andrews in her fine story, "The Perfect Tribute." This has been praised far and wide for its spirit of reverence in dealing with the character of Lincoln and for its stimulating effect in cultivating among the younger generation of to-day a wider spirit of appreciation for his essential nobility of character. It has been, also, the cause of some discussion as to whether the incident in the hospital was based upon fact.

If a vote should be taken as to which of the characters of latter-day fiction might claim the greatest number of real friends, certainly Mrs. Wiggin's always delightful and fascinating little heroine, Rebecca, would be one of the leaders. She is one of those creations of fiction universally recognized as a charming acquaintance and one that most readers would be very glad to number among their friends in reality. In "Daughters of Zion," another story by Mrs. Wiggin, which will be published in the October number, Rebecca organizes a band of home mission

aries with her characteristic love of "doing things," and they have some very amusing experiences. Mr. Yohn, whose very happy illustrations added interest to the first story, has also made the drawings for this one.

One of the specially interesting articles by Ernest Thompson Seton on "The Great Horned Game of North America" will be that about "The Buffalo," in the October number. No animal is more intimately associated with the romance of the great Western plains, with the old trappers, Indians, and early hunters, than the buffalo that once existed in practically countless numbers. For many years they afforded abundant food supply for the Indian, and clothed him with their robes, which often, decorated with paintings, were among the valued possessions of famous chiefs. Mr. Seton estimates that not very many years ago the number of buffalo in the West reached the almost incredible figure of forty-five millions; to-day it would be probably hard to find a scant two thousand.

Much as we may regret the destruction of these animals, the author says that it was inevitable. They, like the Indians, have had to give way to advancing civilization, and the country they ranged and grazed upon is now the home of the farmer and the ranchman. This article gives a most interesting account of the buffalo's history, and of its habits and characteristics as an animal. As in Mr. Seton's other articles, there are a number of his own illustrations.

All of Mr. Seton's articles have met with very wide interest among lovers of animals in general, and they have specially attracted the notice of many naturalists, sportsmen, and explorers, who are familiar with the game and regions he has described. George Bird Grinnell, one of the foremost authorities on the animals and the Indians of the West, made the following comments in a recent article contributed to Forest and Stream:

All old plains people, and many other hunters of narrower experience, will read with very great interest Mr. Ernest Thompson Seton's article on the 'Prong-Horned Antelope," in SCRIBNER'S MAGAZINE for July. There is gathered together here a wealth of interesting and valuable matter about a vanishing species which, I am glad to think, will appear in permanent form. We have heard for many years of the millions of buffalo that used to range the Western plains, but so far as I recall it, there has never been an intelligent attempt to estimate the numbers of buffalo in the country at any time, and in fact such an attempt could never have been made intelligently. They were countless, but for many years I have believed that in early days the antelope were more numerous than the buffalo. To be sure, I have seen buffalo in numbers that could not be computed, and have travelled for weeks through the multitudinous herds, but I am very sure that I have seen far more antelope than I have ever seen buffalo, and in this

view, I am upheld by the opinions of a number of men whose experience has been as long and longer than mine

A most interesting incident in our national history, and one the details of which are not very well known, was the attack upon Washington and the burning of the Capitol and other public buildings by the British early in the last century. The second of the articles, dealing with "The First Forty Years of Washington Society," by Margaret Bayard Smith, describes in detail" Washington in the Hands of the British," including the exciting conditions attending the defeat of the undisciplined and badly managed American troops and the occupation of the city. It is a vivid presentation of the anxieties, apprehensions, privation, and terror attending the condition of actual warfare. Rarely has a more impressive picture been pre sented of the effect of a state of war upon a community than in these contemporary letters.

Few countries in the world present more unusual aspects to the traveller or offer more opportunities for an artist to study the picturesque than Spain. Edward Penfield, whose delightful little articles about Holland, illustrated with his own color drawings, have made so many friends, will contribute the first of the announced articles describing his Spanish experiences, to the October number. It is called "Between Towns in Spain," and is written with his well-known sense of humor and capacity for delineating the little drolleries of unconventional travel that have proved so entertaining. As in the Holland articles, the illustrations for this will be printed in colors.

There have been a number of articles written about the teacher's position in the community, and the disproportionate compensation that he receives for his work. In an article which he calls "A Professorial Meditation," contributed to the October number, Grant Showerman discusses the problem from the "inside" with a degree of sanity, sense of humor, and broad philosophy that, if not conducive to a cheerful acceptance of the salary question, will at least show the way to a proper spirit of resignation in making the best of conditions as they are.

On one of the advertising pages in the front of the Magazine attention is called to some of the exceptionally interesting features that will be published in the four fall numbers. It will be well worth the while of readers to look over this announcement, for no one who cares to keep abreast of the representative literature and art of the time. should miss the opportunity to read the contents of these particular numbers.