Amos Kilbright, with other Stories. By Frank R. Stockton. (T.
Fisher Unwin.)—This volume bears the name of an English publisher, but has been produced in America. Mr. Stockton's humorous stories are well known, and two of the five here given are up, we think, to his best level. " Plain Fishing," indeed, is scarcely a story. It is rather a sketch. But the author is most entertaining as he describes his own angling experience, and gives the views of Peter Gruse, an old fisherman who much scorns the ways of modern anglers, with their fine tackle. " Do you know," he said, " if things go on as they're going on now, that there'll come a time when it won't be considered high-toned sport to shoot a bird slap-bang dead. The game gunners will pot 'em with little harpoons, with long threads tied to 'em, and the fellow that can tire out his bird, and haul him in with the longest and thinnest piece of spool thread, will be the crackest sportsman." "The Reversible Landscape" is also very good, especially tho account of the great art manufactory. "Amos Kilbright" is a moderately entertaining extravaganza of spiritualism ; but we found ourselves unable to appreciate the " Expositions."
Previous page
