THE FAIR GOD

A Tale of the Conquest of Mexico. By LEW WALLACE, author of "Ben Hur," etc. Holiday Edition. Superbly illustrated with 40 full-page Photogravures, 76 rubricated initials, and 76 tailpieces, by ERIC PAPE. 2 vols., crown 8vo, $7.00.

One of the handsomest and most artistic Holiday works ever produced in America. Mr. Pape's designs are of marvelous grasp, force, and beauty.

THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES

By NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE. Holiday Edition. With 20 full-page Photogravures by MAUDE A. COWLES and GENEVIEVE Cowles, and many headpieces and initials. 2 vols., crown 8vo, $5.00.

A very attractive Holiday Edition of Hawthorne's great romance.

THE BEGINNINGS OF NEW ENGLAND

and

By JOHN FISKE. Illustrated Edition. Containing numerous Portraits, Maps, Facsimilies Contemporary Views, Prints, and other Historic Material. I vol. 8vo $4.00., half calf, gilt top, or half polished morocco, $6.25.

Treated in the same style with the Illustrated Editions of Mr Fiske's "American Revolution" "The Critical Period of American History."

A CHILD'S HISTORY OF ENGLAND

By CHARLES DICKENS. Holiday Edition. With 48 full-page engravings from photographs by CLIFTON JOHNSON. Crown 8vo, handsomely bound, $2.50.

A beautiful book, profusely illustrated with [admirable pictures of castles, cathedrals, abbeys, battlefields, etc.

THE LIFE OF OUR LORD IN ART

With Some Account of the Artistic Treatment of the Life of St. John the Baptist By ESTELLE M. HURLL, editor of Mrs. Jameson's "Sacred and Legendary Art." With about 100 illustrations. Uniform with Miss Hurll's Edition of Mrs. Jameson's Art Works. I vol., 8vo, $3.00.

A WONDER-BOOK and TANGLEWOOD TALES By NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE. Holiday Edition. 8vo, with a decorative binding, $2.00.

An attractive Holiday Edition of these exquisite stories.

With illustrations. Crown

By CLARA LOUISE BURNHAM, author of "Miss Archer Archer,' "The Wise Woman," etc. 16mo, $1.25.

Stories in Light and Snadow

By BRET HARTE. 16mo, $1.25.

Caleb West, Master Diver

By F. HOPKINSON SMITH. Illustrated. Twentyeighth Thousand. 12mo, $1.50.

Penelope's Progress

By KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN. In unique Scottish binding. Thirtieth Thousand. 16m0, $1.25.

For Boys and Girls

The Boys of Old Monmouth

A Story of Washington's Campaign in New Jersey in 1778. By EVERETT T. TOMLINSON. Illustrated. Crown 8vo, $1.50.

In the Brave Days of Old

A Story of Adventure in the time of King James the First. By RUTH HALL With a Frontispiece Illustration. Crown 8vo, $1.50.

The Charming Sally

Privateer Schooner of New York: a Tale of 1765. BY JAMES OTIS, author of "The Boys of 1745 With Illustrations. Crown 8vo, $1.50.

DOROTHY DEANE

A Christmas Story for Girls. BY ELLEN OLNEY KIRK, author of "The Story of Margaret Kent." With illustrations and a decorative cover. 16mo, $1.25.

The Story of Little Jane and Me

A charming Story of Girl Life in New York Fifty Years Ago. By M. E. With a delightful old fashioned picture of "Jane and Me," and a pretty cover. Square 12mo, $1.00.

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In fifteen minutes' time, with only a cake of Ivory Soap and water, you can make in your own kitchen, a better cleansing paste than you can buy.

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DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING.-To one pint of boiling water add one and one-half ounces of Ivory Soap cut into shavings, boil five minutes after the Soap is thoroughly dissolved. Remove from the fire, and cool in convenient dishes (not tin.) It will keep well in an air-tight glass jar. Copyright, 1897, by The Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati.

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SOCIOLOGICAL

MISCELLANY

The Abolition of Hazing... Do Dogs Commit Suicide? Anecdotes...

758 758

BUSINESS AND FINANCE

THE OPENING OF CONGRESS

The President's Message

The second regular session of the fifty-fifth congress convened at noon December 5. A message of unusual length was received from the president, who mentions briefly the prosperous state of the country notwithstanding the burdens imposed by the war. He then at great length details the history of the events leading up to the war with Spain, the operations of our army and navy therein, and the subsequent suspension of hostilities and the agreement upon terms of peace. President McKinley does not deem it appropriate to discuss the provisions for the government of the new possessions until the treaty shall be ratified. In the meantime, he announces it to be his duty to continue the military government existing in the new possessions. As regards Cuba, he says that at the earliest moment after the nation is in assured possession there, aid and direction should be afforded its people to form a government for themselves. He indicates the objects that should be in view in this.

THE NICARAGUA CANAL

As to the Nicaragua canal, the president states that the canal commission is nearly ready to report. "That the construction of such a maritime highway is now more than ever indis

pensable to that intimate and ready intercommunication between our eastern and western seaboards demanded by the annexation of the Hawaiian islands and the prospective expansion of our influence and commerce in the Pacific and that our national policy now more imperatively than ever calls for its control by this government, are propositions which I doubt not the congress will duly appreciate and wisely act upon."

The president fully reviews many routine matters which we pass over to quote his expressions on the most important subjects of his message:

OUR RELATIONS WITH CANADA

It will give me especial satisfaction if I shall be authorized to communicate to you a favorable conclusion of the pending negotiations with Great Britain in respect to the dominion of Canada. It is the earnest wish of this government to remove all sources of discord and irritation in our relations with the neighboring dominion. The trade between the two countries is constantly increasing, and it is important to both countries that all reasonable facilities should be granted for its development.

THE CZAR'S PEACE PROPOSALS

The proposal of the czar for a general reduction of the vast military establishments that weigh so heavily upon many peoples in time of peace was communicated to this government with an earnest invitation to be represented in the conference it is contemplated to assemble with a view of discussing the means of accomplishing so desirable a result. His majesty was at once informed of the cordial sympathy of this government with the principle involved in his exalted proposal and of the readiness of the United States to take part in the conference. The active military force of the United States, as measured by our population, territorial area and taxable wealth, is, and under any conceivable prospective conditions must continue to be in time of peace so conspicuously less than that of the armed powers to whom the czar's appeal is especially addressed that the question can have for us no practical importance save as marking an auspicious step toward the betterment and goodwill among them; but in this view it behooves us as a nation to lend countenance and aid to the beneficent project.

CURRENCY LEGISLATION

I renew my recommendation of December, 1897, as follows: "That when any of the United States notes are presented for redemption in gold and are redeemed in gold, such notes shall be kept and set apart and only paid out in exchange for gold." This recommendation was made in the belief that such provisions of the law would insure to a greater degree the safety of the present standard, and better protect our currency from the dangers to which it is subjected from a disturbance in the general business conditions of the country. In my judgment the present condition of the treasury amply justifies the immediate enactment of the legislation recommended one year ago under which a portion of the gold holdings should be placed in a trust fund, from which greenbacks should be redeemed upon presentation, but when once redeemed should not thereafter be paid out except for gold.

A NEW MARITIME POLICY

It is not to be inferred that other legislation relating to our currency is not required; on the contrary, there is an obvious