CURRENT LITERATURE.
GIFT-BOOKS.
'The Century Magazine. May, 1891—October, 1891. (T. Fisher Unwin.)—The half-yearly volume of this well-known magazine scarcely needs any recommendation. The very first article will be a great attraction to many readers,—a most spirited account of fishing from the Florida reef. It is a case of the hand-line v. the rod, and the hand-line has the best of it. Mr. E. Eggleston's story, " The Faith-Doctor," is brought to a conclusion. Among the miscellaneous articles are three on Indian wars, and as many which appear under the title of " Present-Day Papers." One of the latter, on " Pensions," contains some curious facts. In 1818, Congress passed a Bill to provide for the survivors of the War of Independence. As thirty-three years had passed, it was calculated that an annual expenditure of $40,000 would suffice. Three millions were actually wanted; and in 1822 there were 12,331 pensioners on the rolls. At present, 106 years after the termina- tion of the war, there are still names on the rolls. Of the war of 1812, there are nine thousand pensioners (so, at least, we understand Mr. W. M. Sloane's language). There are now 489,000 names on the pension-list of the late war. And the total appropriation of revenue under this head for last year was $167.824,733. The volume is full of the most interesting matter, and is, as usual, admirably illustrated.
Previous page
