Literary Notes

A Cliristmas Magazine must have a special Christnias story, and Harper's for December lias a capital one written by Grace Kiuy. It is called " The Cliristmus Slory of a Llttle Church." Full of pathos aml tenderness, yet, like all stories approiiriiite to this season, it ends well. As a matter of course, in this day and generation, there is a negro dialect Story in Harper's Magazine for December. It ia called " Sosrus Dismal," and was written by William AV. Archer; but it is not mere dialect. lts interest and strength consist largely in the deüneations of negro character. " Sosrus" and the " Black Prophet" are sketcbed in a masterly way. The story is liberally llustrated with full-page nnd hall-page cuts. The next nuuiber oí The Centurv is to contain Henry Ward lleecher's last manuscript - an uncompleted paper on bis trip to England in 18U3, whlch he was writing for The Century War Bonk the last weekofhis life. The article is supplementen by a brief paper by tbe Itev. J. M. Buckley, D. D., who was ati eye-witness and hearer of the fameus speech which Mr. Beecher delivered in Liverpool, in 13G3, iu tlie presence of a bowling mob. Klizabeth Robina Peunell, wife of Joseph Pennell of Philadelpliia, and hi& companion tbrough Europe on a trycicle, will hove a paper on "Wells and its Caihedrals,'' in the December number of the Magazine of Art, In this same issue will be the liist of two papers on che "Portraits of Dante Gabriel Uossetti,', by Win. M. Rossetti. The portraits of the poet-pai nter in this nuniber cover the )eriod from hll sixth to II II twenty-lifth year, and are by hiniself, Holman Huilt, John Hancock, J. E. Mi 11 all ind others. The Quiver for December is a notewoitliy number. Froni the colored 'rontispiece to the last page it is one sticeession of attractive features. Peihaps :he article thnt will attrack the widest atiention is the oue on tbe life, and every day work of London's famous preacher, the Rev. C. II. Spurgeon. Few clergyman In England are better koown in tliicountry tlian Mr. Spurgeon, and this account of his public work and domestic ifewill be found of great interest. A new serial is begun i 11 this nuniber, ca'.led 'An Aniicable Arrangement," by Annie S. Swan. Auntherimrestingbiographic;il arcicle is "A New Vork Philanthropim," wUlcli glves a sympatlietlc account of the great work of Henry Bergh in the defence of the rtcfenceless beats agalnit .lic brute man.- Casseli .L. c.,'x„York, 15 cents i nuniber, (1.50 n j ear in ¦idvance. The froQttaplcce of the Magazine of Art for December is one that evcryone who does not keep the numbeis from month to month to have bound at the end of the year will cut out and frame. It is an etcbing by G. Bicard trom MeUaooler't famous picture. '-The Paintei-," and it is so capitally done that one alniost sees the color of the original. At any late he fcels It. The opening arlide la on the sculptor, All red Gilbert, and isby that e!l-kiiown art critic, Cosino Monkhouse, and it is illustrated ivllh the best examples of the sculptor's work. There are two articlos in this number that are bound to attract special attention: one is on "Wells and its Cathedral," by Ellzabeth Robins Peunell, wife of the Philadelpliia elcher, and niece of Charles Godfrey Le'and. The other is the firat of a series of papers on "The Portraits of Dante Gabriel Ross-etti," by bis brother, Win. M. Rossetti. We have alio in this number llustrated articles on the "Insignia of Mayoralty,1' and on " üld Arts and Modern Thoughts." - Casell & Cotnpanj', 35 cents u number, $3.50 a year in advance. In the October number of the Forum Archdeacon Farrar made a narrative of Tolstoi's remarkable career, explained the religious meaning and the flterary value of his great novéis, and criticised hls religious teachings. Both American and English readers expressed h deelre for a more ppeclllc explanation by so high an authority of tbe diffcrence between Tolstoi's rigid interpretation of the teacbings of Jesus and the interpretation made by themassof Protestant believers. This second article will appear in the Forum for December. In tiie same namber, Dr. Austin Flint will discuss the evhlence that all infpctious diseases, Including yellow fever, are caused by bacteria, and the possibility of eliminating all contaglous diseases from the ills that flesh is hcir to. Mr. George W. Cable, tollowing the line of argument of his recent article on the Negro, will discuss tbe relations' between' the races at the South. Mr. EJwah] Atkinson's ppntribution will be on "The Prlce of Lite, ' and Mr. Z. R. Brockway, Superintendent of the Eimira (N. Y.) Beformatory, will write aboiit prison-couvict systems to show the necessity of giving convicta selfsustaining work. There will be six other timely articles. The is sonie delightíul literatura about the I iuli : iis In the November Wide Awake. The appeal to the children to build the dining room of tho Ramona Industrial School at Santa Fe Is repeated, and a list of those who have contributecl the last month is punlished - about onetwentlcth of the needed sum is alreaily raised Then there is a touching truc story by Margaret Owen Fostcr, entitled "The Ivittle Captlve Chief." The incident hiippeued In Oregon about thirly years ago; It shows how completely the Indian nature may be revolutinnized by life among clvlllzed people, and also how readily the civilized nnture relapscs when thrust back into barbarism and savajery. " An Eyening at Carlisle,1' by MlBI Sparhawk, a teacher In the Indian school, describes an entertainment given by the Indian girls, and pleads eloquently for the education of all our young Indians. In Mrs. Upton'8 " Children of ihe White House," a line chapter is given concerning "Tho Household of John Quiney Adams," full of anecdote nnd fre&il historical matter, and very valuable for its tenty-seven Illustrationg - many of theni portraits wholly new to the public; the fiontisplece is a bewitching fiill-len lti li portrail of "The Dorothy t. of Today," a great-great-great-gramklaughter of President John Adatns, and a relative and namesake of Dr. Holmes's " Dorothy Q."