Literary Notes

Ex-Minister 8. O. W. Benjamin wil contrlbute a paper on ' Tlie Txii, r Passion of Pa," to the February Ilarpert. The Wide A wake for January is eijua to the December issue, and that is saying a good deal you know. It is one of the very best publicatlons in America for the young folks. Always pure, it leads the miniis of the children and young folks in the right dircctlon, making them better and nobler. No family luit would be better for having It. The "Blue Grass Kesjiou" of Kentucky is famous for many other things besides itg whiskey. lts inhaWtanta constder it "one of the rery beautiful spots on tho iace of the earth," as is chronicled by Mr James Lane Alleu, who is to have a papel on It in the" February Harper's. Aecompauytng his desoription, the-r. will bo some notewortbv UltMtrationt by Mr Julián Rlx. GeiioRil John NewUjn, Chief of Engineerg, UnltcU States Ariny, originator of the plan and director of the work, has preparad a complete account of the operations for the removal of the obstructions at Heil Gate, from their beginning to the explosión of Flood Rock, in October last, which wfll appear with full and new ïllustrations as the leadlng article in the February nuraber of "The Popular Science Monthly." A paper on "Manual Training," by Charles H. Ham, of Chicago, which is to be printed in the February issuo of Harper's Magazine, will gire an Interesting summary of tne practical work done in schools turouguout the country in this direction. Horace Manu endeavored to start reform in this direction as far back as 1840, but the resistance agalnst It was effective. Mr. Hitm dates the new Interest in tba subject In this country to the Centennial Exhibitlon, where lome models of iron working in itg successiye stages suggetcd to Dr. Runkle, President of the Hassachasetts institute of Technology, a plain way of combining school and practical instruction. There are now courses in manual training in more thau forty of our educational instltatious.