Since the publication of Mrs. Wharton's first sketch, "Mrs. Manstey's View," a charmingly sympathetic study of character that appeared in SCRIBNER'S MAGAZINE for July, 1891, she has been a constant contributor to its pages. Before that she had already been represented by some poems of marked originality and literary quality. Her work from the first attracted more than the usual attention granted to new writers and her progress has been marked by a steady increase of interest. This fact has been made more than ordinarily apparent by the instant and widespreadattentionawakened by the announcement of a new novel by her, which will appear in the Magazine during 1907. "The House of Mirth" was accepted as a powerful and masterly presentation of certain phases of contemporary life. The title of the new novel, "The Fruit of the Tree," is one to pique curiosity, and there has already been much discussion regarding its application and the possible direction the story will take.

F. Hopkinson Smith, whose serial "The Tides of Barnegat" delighted so many readers of the Magazine and whose short stories appear in

day until the setting sun makes it impossible to continue the work. He is always a learner in his art and delights to show you the new effect that he has accomplished by dint of persistently keeping at it; moreover, he takes perpetual delight in his work and is as gayly interested in each new day as though he were not a veteran in the art. This is the charm of his personality. The accompanying picture shows him starting in his gondola on one of his painting excursions, with

current numbers, is, as everyone knows, for several months of the year not a writer but a painter. With all his readiness and extreme cleverness Mr. Smith works persistently, and works hard, at both his writing and his painting. When he is in Venice, which it has been his habit to visit for a month every year for the past twenty years, Mr. Smith leaves his hotel on the Grand Canal at half-past nine every morning and paints all

Luigi, the gondolier who

has been with him for so many years and who has appeared as a character in his stories.

It would be difficult to mention two books that have given more real pleasure to their thousands of readers than Henry van Dyke's "Little Rivers" and "Fisherman's Luck." No need to tell this fact to lovers of the woods, for you would probably find both books in the libraries of most of the hunters and fishermen from Maine to California.

Thereare very few who write about sport and recreation in the open who bring to their work the enthusiasm, knowledge, and literary skill that gives these volumes such charm. Dr. van Dyke is the true sportsman who takes to the woods with him a mind alive at all points to the influences of the natural environment, together with the connoisseur's appreciation of the fitness of things in the matter of fish and the best flies to catch them with. In the series of papers which he will contribute to the Magazine during 1907, under the happy general title of "Days Off," he will describe a number of varied expe

riences during recent years. These will cover a wide field of interest at home, and as well take the reader into some less familiar haunts on the other side. They are as delightfully full of humor, romance (several of them are really short stories), and "the rigor of the game" as anything the author has written. Each paper will be illustrated. The first article, "A Holiday in a Vacation," will take the reader on a fascinating canoe journey through the heart of the Maine woods.

Winfield Scott Moody, whose short story, "Buying a Sideboard," introduced the reader most delightfully into the charmed circle of the collector enthusiasts, is himself a devoted member of the fraternity. For years he has been a prowler among the old curio shops, and has acquired both the connoisseur's scepticism and the true hobbyist's hope eternal of always finding some long-sought treasure. He has certainly succeeded admirably in surrounding his characters with the atmosphere of expectancy, the willing spirit to make sacrifices for a particular piece, and drawn some amusing pictures of dealers in antiquities. These "collector" stories are distinctly in a fresh field and a great part of their charm for the reader lies in the fact that the author knows his subject so thoroughly, and can write about it with appreciation of

interest and a most important contribution to the history of the war. Nothing that has been said on either side will make a stronger appeal to the spirit of national patriotism or shows the breadth and liberality of the author's attitude more plainly than the short introduction to this first article. 44

A holiday gift of a subscription to SCRIBNER'S MAGAZINE is always welcomely received and it offers a pleasant reminder of the giver all through the year. Any reader of SCRIBNER'S who will take a few moments to look over the announcement of some of the features promised for 1907 will appreciate perhaps more than usual how much the Magazine offers of permanent value and interest during the coming twelve months.

its fascination as well as its humorous aspects.

THE first of the articles by Gen. E. P. Alexander, which will appear in the January number, deals with the Battle of Bull Run. A West Point graduate, General Alexander entered the Confederate army at the beginning of the war in 1861 as an engineer officer and contributed important services to the signal service during the day of the battle described. No account of this famous engagement has ever given a more comprehensive and careful analysis of its various movements and the causes that contributed its failures and successes. Frankly written from the point of view of a military man whose only intention is to present an unbiassed and authoritative professional opinion from the best evidence obtainable, the article is full of vital human

to

Besides the literary contents each number contains work by the best illustrators of today, and through the year there will be printed a number of drawings in color by the newest processes.

The

One thing that gives SCRIBNER'S a unique position among periodical publications is the way in which its subscription business is handled. publishers of SCRIBNER's have always believed in maintaining prices, and they have accomplished this with regard to the subscription price of their Magazine by placing every subscription agent, every dealer, every news agent who takes subscriptions under contract not to sell the Magazine for less than $3.00 per year-and while they pay liberal commissions, they will not allow their subscription price to be broken. That this has been good policy for SCRIBNER'S is evident, for in the face of a most remarkable rate-cutting campaign on the part of almost every publication in the market, SCRIBNER'S has gone steadily on making substantial gains in it direct subscription business on a one-price and a full-price basis. The one great advantage of obtaining subscriptions in this way is that the publishers keep them after they get them. The subscription list is not made up of bargainhunters. It is rather refreshing in these days of extraordinary competition and a cutting of rates which seems almost suicidal, to find that it pays to maintain not only literary but business standards.