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NE nice, warm, sunshiny day in the Spring-time does not make a vacation, but it is enough to make us think of one. Very opportunely, too, appear at just this time the books that carry us away to the mountains and lakes, where breezes are cool and the fishing good.

The past month has brought quite a stock of literature. Of course, Western Roads are calling attention to the

with the least possible outlay. This little book does it to a nicety. For the inside, two colors are used. A tint block, not quite the size of the printed page, forms the background for the illustrations and the reading matter, both of which are printed in black. Light yellow is used for a tint. The treatment is not new, but it is always effective, and the man who has once turned his thoughts toward the Centennial Exposition is very likely to be convinced that he ought to go there

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San Joaquin Valley, and of the fertile lands south of Tehachapi. All of these are profusely illustrated with half-tones. The descriptive matter keeps very close to facts, and each town or district has its own paragraph in which its attractions are well set forth. These are books that are of especial value and interest to the home-seeker. One of the cover pages shows a striking design and is reproduced.

Resembling a pocket manual are three little books sent out by the M. K. & T. The managers of the "Katy" realize

TOPINABEE

MULLET LAKE
MICHIGAN

road are "Sights and Scenes of Old Mexico" and "The Story of San Antonio."

But while hundreds will go to these far off places, it is the resorts nearer home that will catch the thousands. Those who will go away just for a few days, and want outdoors, the smell of the fine breezes, and, always, good fishing, will be interested in the booklets sent out by the Michigan Central. If Michigan were on the map for no other purpose than to furnish summer resorts, its existence would be amply justified.

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Cover Scheme in Brown and Green. that the traveler wants to be assured that the "inner man" will be well taken care of on a trip, and one of these books is devoted entirely to the topic of eating, its caption being "Travel follows good eating houses." The book is printed in black and green, black being used for the illustrations; and the impression left with the reader is that if he tackles one eating house along the line of the Katy, he will tackle them all, for certainly they all appear as good as they make 'em. Other books issued by this

Half Tone Cover in Two Colors.

One of the little books sent out by the Michigan Central calls attention to Topinabee, Mullet Lake, Michigan. The half-tones have been well selected and the general effect of the book is pleasing; and any man who loves the haunts of the grayling and the trout, will give this booklet more than passing notice. This is only one of the books sent out by the Michigan Central and all of them are good.

Of course, if you are going to have a vacation, you think of boats, for what would a vacation be without boating? One of the handsome catalogues is that sent out to call attention to Mullin's stamped steel boats. The illustrations are all fine half-tones and are well printed. The printer, however, did not take quite so much pains on the text, and evidently used type with face considerably worn. The cover represents something of a novelty, being in two parts. It attracts attention, but we doubt

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Life Double Number Cover.

Life has sent out a very attractive little booklet for its special double May number. The cover design is by Ericson, and is reproduced. This little booklet is filled with some good advertising talk and its special plea is made for continued advertising rather than one time insertion. In a recent compilation of automobile advertising it is noticed that Life stands second in the amount of space used by these firms.

Collier's May Fiction number will have a cover page by Gibson, and his admirers will hardly recognize as a Gibson Girl the pensive maiden who is trying to decide whether her answer shall be "yes" or "no."

Munsey is sending out a little circular, calling attention to its new offices in the Flat Iron Building.

Other advertising matter has been received from the Saturday Evening Post, New York Independent, McClure's and Success. We take the following from one of the advertising pages of McClure's, which advertisers cannot fail to appreciate:

"We believe in our advertisers and recommend them.

"We will not knowingly deal with any concern which is not reputable and wor thy of patronage. We exercise great care in the acceptance of advertising Our space isn't for sale to an advertiser who is willing to take your money and not give you a fair equivalent.

"It is, of course, impossible for us to pass upon the relative prices charged by our advertisers for their wares. But we can confidently assure you that in buying from our advertisers you will get what you pay for, just as you will get what you pay for at the best store you know.

"If you send your money to one of our advertisers and do not get what the advertisement led you to think you would get, report it to us. We will see that the advertiser lives up to his bargain.

"If in the press of investigating and estimating the honesty and reliability of hundreds of advertisers, our vigilance or judgment fails for the once, we will do all in our power to make amends.

"When an advertisement is submitted to us, the first question we ask ourselves is: Would we recommend this advertiser and his goods to a personal friend? If the answer is, yes, the advertisement is accepted; if no, rejected."

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print of Chasmar-Winchell Press, Pittsburg. The other Book is sent out by the Henry R. Worthington Pump Co. and it, too, is certainly a handsome sample of typographic art. A pasted cover is used, thus furnishing a covering for the wire stitching and giving an extra fly-leaf on the inside of the book. How much more effective this is where both sheets are of the same cover stock, is seen when one compares this book with the catalogue of Rogers Bros. The artistic impression of this latter book is lost, in a measure, due to the fact alone that ordinary book paper has been used for the inside lining of the cover.

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Title Page of Gleaner Booklet.

Wright & Joys Co. send out a little book entitled "When You Cannot Fish, Mend Your Nets," and we are further told that it is "a little talk on the strenuous art of angling for the elusive dollar." The book is quite novel in arrangement and binding. Alexandria book crash finish is used for the inside and the cover shows both embossing and printing. The front cover has a half-tone in three colors, tipped on. The book strikes one as being all right for a novelty, but the expense would be too great to warrant one in sending out a large edition.

Only two other books we will mention and that is all we can do, for space is already taken up. One is "Modern Bathrooms," sent out by the Standard Sanitary Mfg. Co., Pittsburg. The press work, the color combination, binding, all are excellent. The book bears the im

Novel Envelope Used by Gleaner.

The Gleaner is sending out a novelty, which is reproduced.

We acknowledge receipt of books and advertising literature from the National Cash Register Co., and some others are "The City of Albany, Georgia;" "A Man's Proposition," from the Journal of Commerce, N. Y.; "The Peru Para Rubber Co.;" the Kansas City Star mailing card; St. Louis Star mailing card; the Mining and Scientific Press, Orange Judd Weeklies, Leslie's Magazine, Everybody's Magazine, and Literary Digest.

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The Horse That Talked.

By SOLON L. GOODE, President American Farmer Co., Indianapolis.

Recently in a Chicago paper I saw an illus tration entitled "If Things Were Reversed," which showed a "mother" horse sitting at home in an easy rocking chair. One of her colts was seated astride of a rocking horse, or, rather a rocking man--the wooden figure of the man being substituted for that of a horse on rockers. Another colt was just coming through the door, and was saying, "Ma, I want a rocking man, too." It was a ludicrous situation, and it has prompted me to write this true story of "the horse that talked."

I ask, "Can a horse talk?" And you say, "absurd, ridiculous." Everyone will admit that a horse is a most intelligent creature, and the expression "good horse sense," when applied to man, means that the equine displays more sense than many bipeds who sail under the title of man. But can a horse talk? That is the question. At the risk of being considcred, in vulgar parlance, "a little off my base," I tell this story which, whether entitled to full credence or not, may set lovers of this splendid animal to thinking.

The sporting pages of the daily papers are attracting much attention, and more money is wagered on the races than upon almost any other method of gambling. You will seldom, however, see a man with good horse sense betting on races. This may be only my indi

vidual opinion, and I give it for what it is worth, but I'll wager a new Studebaker wagon against a silk hat that the tens of thousands of constant losers on races will agree with me.

But, to my story of the wonderful talking horse. Students of natural history believe that there is some sort of language existing between animals of like species. Nearly all readers will remember that a scientist a few years ago went into seclusion in the wilds of monkeyland for the purpose of studying the language of these grotesque creatures. His report was extremely interesting, and in it he stated that he was able to grasp the meaning of many of the peculiar utterances of the ape. I "disremember" whether he was the author of "Up in a Cocoanut Tree" or not.

And now for the story of the horse that talks. When a noble horse whinnies for his master, who knows what emotions stir the equine heart? Perhaps if it were not for the cruelty of man in putting a bit in the horse's mouth and reining the head of the animal into an unnatural position, the dumb creature might be able to use his tongue in saying "Glad to see you, old man," instead of merely giving vent to horse talk in a whinney. I'll venture that if the horse could talk man talk he would tell man a few things which would make him ashamed of himself and cause him to use a little more horse sense in the way he treats his animals. Unfortunately, all the poor beast can now do is to say "neigh" and register a few kicks.

sense.

All of us have read of or have seen trained horses which could understand almost everything understand said to them, and if they can human language, why can they not by some skillful process be taught to speak? In holy writ we are told of the ass that spake, but no one has ever accused that meek-eyed quadru Now if ped of having even horse Balaam's ass spake the human language it should not be a startling revelation to learn that a splendid horse recently gave utterance to a thought which may be of value to the great human race. Perhaps the reader saw the dispatch from New Orleans last week which told briefly of the death of the race horse Myth. Myth was a beautiful animal-a bay, sleek, high headed and lofty spirited. He understood absolutely everything which was said to him. He had an eye with an expression almost human. He was gentle as a woman. He would put his nose against his master's cheek in a caressing sort of way, which told that although he was only a born beast of burden he possessed a heart of affection which responded to those who treated him kindly. His rider was a noted jockey from Indiana, whose name is in everybody's mouth. This jockey talked to the horse just as he would talk to his dearest bosom friend. The jockey was a great dreamer, and he always believed in dreams. He loved Myth so much that often in the silence of the night his dreams were of his beautiful bay. His dreams nearly all related to talks with his horse, which in turn would talk to him. In his waking moments the dream was so vivid that he was almost sure that Myth had really uttered human speech. The jockey had even partially impressed Myth's owner with the idea that some time, some how, this beautiful, intelligent animal would startle the world by speaking.

The night before the last earthly race which the magnificent Myth would ever enter, the jockey had a strange, sad dream. Indeed, it was next thing to a nightmare, and but for the sex of the animal, would have proven a veritable one. It worried the jockey exceedingly, and if his peaceful couch had only been a little "buggy" he would have hitched up to it and driven away from the scene of his troubles.

On this eventful night he thought Myth came to him with tears in his eyes and with a long pale face, disclosed to him a premonition that his earthly race was about ended. Myth related how in his stall amidst the scent of new mown hay and the fragrance of the clover there had come to him a bright spirit in white from equine heaven who in gentle tones had disclosed to him that he was nearing the goal, and that he would soon cross into a mysterious land, where the spirit of faithful horses would rest. In that land of light all the conditions existing on this earth would be reversed. Man would there be the servant and the horse would

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