and displayed before him in garbs, and shapes, and patterns that would turn a much paler lad, let alone one of 'Pedro's' hue. Virtue was as undisplayable as 'marster's' lean wallet; vice as full of promise as the carpet-bags. He swung to the latter.

"Chopping weeds in the cotton was hot work in the sun; rolling dice in the warehouse was lucrative sport in the shade. He swung to the latter. 'Totin' wood to the kitchen was mighty poor fun by the side of seven-up behind a cotton-bale. He swung to the latter. And so on down the list. At ten, as a 'kid', 'Pedro' knew the safest corners of all the warehouses. At fifteen, as a bootblack, he knew which barrooms did the biggest business. At twenty, as a procurer, he knew exactly where to locate the best-looking yellow girls. At twenty-five, as a roustabout, he knew every pilot on the river and every engineer on the road. At thirty, as a jailbird, he knew every chain-gang from St. Louis to New Orleans, and at thirty-five, as a vagabond, we find him in Pike (his stand-by haunt during a blow-over), an adept in every black art, and a stranger to the rudimentary elements of decency. Long years of vice have made him a villain; long years of rascality, a rogue; long years of dissipation, a drunkard; long years of white-vice example, a menace to female virtue, and long and notorious proficiency in a game known as 'Cinch,' 'Fifty-two,' 'Set-back,' 'High Five,' but most commonly 'Pedro,' has given him a soubriquet that carries with it a kaleidoscope of deviltry."

The book is full of excellent things, and many of the pages are very bright and entertaining. It, however, lacks finish, and at times gives the impression of haste in its preparation. This is to be regretted, as the author impresses me with possessing more than ordinary ability. We have too few novelists to-day whose work shows care, finish, and scholarship which is a delight to the reader and which, when thoughtful and imaginative, will live in literature. The novels of Mrs. Humphrey Ward and of James Lane Allen contrast boidly with the great majority of the much-advertised and widely-puffed alleged great novels of our time. Young writers should strive to follow in the footsteps of careful thinkers who care more for good work than for mushroom and sensational notoriety. Lynching is the principal presentday problem discussed in this novel, which as a story is interesting, though I imagine few readers will be satisfied with its ending.

TH

HE Twenty-fifth Volume of THE ARENA closes with this issue. It is conceded by its oldest friends that the magazine was never better than it is to-day. In no period of its history has it been a more vital factor in the molding of advanced public opinion or in the introducing of higher ideals in the realms of economics, religion, government, and social upbuilding. It is candid, fearless, and unbiased in its treatment of all questions that bear even remotely upon the progress of American civilization, and has achieved a unique distinction in American literature for its aggressive attitude toward the imperialistic, monopolistic, and materialistic exploiters of the masses.

In preparation for forthcoming numbers are contributions designed still further to emphasize the ideals of and best means of establishing justice and peace among our people. Perhaps the most important and significant of these is a series of seven papers by Prof. Frank Parsons, of the Boston University School of Law, on "Great Movements of the Nineteenth Century." The first article will bear the title, "The Sweep of the Century and its Meaning," and will open our new volume next month, preceded by a frontispiece portrait of the author taken especially for THE ARENA'S use. The other six articles will treat of the following subjects: "The Great Conflict," "The Century of Democracy," "Industrial Progress," "The Intellectual Movement," "The Moral Development of our Time," and "Striking Contrasts and Indications for the Future." These papers will challenge the attention of thinkers, and will be read and preserved as intellectual treasures by students; for the foundation facts were largely obtained by Prof. Parsons in his preparation for college lectures on modern history.

In our July issue, "On the Stoa of the Twentieth Century," Prof. John Ward Stimson will discuss the ethical and utilitarian value of art. Prof. Stimson is a graduate of Yale and of the French National Academy of Art, and is now director of the Art and Science Institute of Trenton, N. J. To the same number a sketch of this author's life and work will be contributed by Editor Flower.

Miss Kellor's sixth article on "The Criminal Negro," and Dr. Keyes's "Geology in the Twentieth Century," have been unavoidably crowded out of this issue. They will ap

pear in our July_number, together with a most suggestive paper by Prof. Thomas E. Will, A.M., on "A College for the People," and an able and timely contribution entitled "Poverty and Social Decay," by Alfred M. Colwick.

Our opening article this month on "Imperialism" is a fitting and conclusive rejoinder to Prof. Prince's "Passing of the Declaration," which appeared in our April issue. The author, Judge Parks, was appointed associate justice. of the supreme court of Idaho by President Lincoln in 1862; he was appointed associate justice of the supreme bench of New Mexico in 1878 by President Hayes, and was transferred to the supreme court of Wyoming in 1882 by President Arthur. He writes from the viewpoint of an economist, a jurist, and a statesman, and ably sets forth the false pretenses, the selfishness, and anti-republican tendencies of those who in their greed for gain would pervert the sound democratic teachings of the founders of our government.

In line with the absolutely impartial policy of THE ARENA, we give space in this number to an officially authorized presentation of the doctrines of Christian Science, to offset, as well as it may, the criticisms of its teachings and methods of propaganda that have hitherto appeared in our pages. The first of the two articles is by a prominent thinker and scholar who has long been identified with the movement, and the second is from the pen of the accredited press representative of this growing church. They are therefore authoritative, and are commended to the attention of every one interested in the new spiritual development of

our era.

Editor Flower's character sketch of W. T. Stead is not of less interest and importance than his "Conversation" with that apostle of freedom and justice-two features of the current issue that will attract world-wide attention. In opposing the views of the most powerful British statesmen on "England's Crime in South Africa," the famous editor of the Review of Reviews is characteristically brave and pointed in his remarks, the truth of which is selfevident to unprejudiced minds.

The highly interesting contribution on the servant-girl question in this number is from the pen of Mrs. Walter Vrooman, who, together with her husband, established a few years ago the Ruskin Hall in Oxford, England-a college primarily intended for workingmen and youths of the artisan class. The success of this institution has been very marked, and the number of scholars is now more than fifteen hundred.

J. E. M.

is a Home Remedy; an UNGUENT for external application. It is founded upon the principle that Suffering, Premature Decline and Premature Death are the direct and indirect results of DORMANT CIRCULATION; that rescue can be assured only by its re-establishment by directly charging the controlling Battery-cells with an element imitating the Nerve-force prepared for that purpose by Nature. This imitating element is our faithful NERVE-FORCE, and it will positively re-establish the most sluggish Circulation. It has won for us many Medals for Life-saving in the past eighteen years. We do not advertise it, however, but our NERVE-FORCE Journal. This Publication explains its every detail. We send it free, in plain envelope, to as many addresses as you may send us.

We appeal especially to the "chronically ill," who are wearied and discouraged with "stomach-dosing" as a means of warfare against Disease; to those threatened with cruel operations; to men and women who, in spite of heroic efforts for cure, feel themselves steadily declining; to men and women who are victims of either sedentary employment or excessive "Brain" exhaustion, and to those who have been cast aside as "incurable."

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