"It is a romance of clean, warm-hearted devotion to friends and duty. The characters are admirable each in his own or her own way, and the author has made each fit the case in excellent fashion."--_Salt Lake City Tribune._ "In this book Mr. Roberts has well maintained his reputation for the vivid coloring of his descriptive pictures, which are full of stirring action, and in which love and fighting hold chief place."--_Boston Times._ "Its ease of style, its rapidity, its interest from page to page, are admirable; and it shows that inimitable power--the story-teller's gift of verisimilitude. Its sureness and clearness are excellent, and its portraiture clear and pleasing."--_The Reader._ THE BLOSSOM SHOP A Story of the South _By Isla May Mullins_ _Cloth decorative, illustrated by John Goss. Net $1.00; postpaid $1.15_ One of those exquisitely simple and appealing stories of mother love and sacrifice for a little blind daughter, written in a delightful vein, combining humor and pathos. The reader will love little blind Eugene (the child had received the name of her dead father) and will rejoice with the brave young mother, the heroine of the story, when the child's sight is restored. There is a time for rejoicing, too, when a lost will is found, bringing wealth and release from all worries, and the young mother is free to accept the love and protection that in her sorrow she denied herself. Southern types are amusingly contrasted with those of the North; and the simple language and fine sentiment of the story will charm readers of all ages. JOHN O' PARTLETTS' _By Jean Edgerton_ _12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated, net $1.25; postpaid, $1.40_ The reading public is no longer content with the old hackneyed love story, the impossible mystery story or the superficial tale of adventure. It is necessary that a novel to be successful shall appeal to the best in us--shall grip our hearts and fill our thoughts. Few first books by a new writer can supply such an exacting demand, but "John O' Partletts'" is among these few. Its simple, straightforward plot; its able and convincing portrayal of character--real character; the author's mastery of her art--these are the elements which make the book worthy of wide appreciation. No one character dominates the story, neither "Witch" Beevish, the eccentric old woman at war with the village, nor Jim, the little orphan, nor Henry Carruthers, the minister, nor even Kitty Merryweather, the shrewd-tongued gossip. But if there is a hero it is John O' Partletts', "Witch" Beevish's great dog, the friend and protector of Little Jim. This is a story to compare with "Rab and His Friends" and with "A Dog of Flanders"--a story that is bound to make its way. Transcriber's Note: Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=. p12: "drouth" is an old variant spelling of "drought" Retained non-standard hyphenation for several words, as in original text