The Board of Trustees now set to work in earnest; discussions arose as to the best method of bringing the association before the trade. All sorts of plans were set in motion to swell the membership, the trade papers published our proceedings regularly, but it was up-hill work.

Of the 283 signers on the original papers, but 154 became members of the association. A year later, June 1, 1880, when the first annual meeting was held, our membership numbered but 237. Since then the association has steadily grown year by year.

It soon became impossible for me to give the work the attention that my position as secretary demanded. I had repeatedly stated this to the board, but owing to the difficulty of securing a proper person who could devote the necessary time to the office, I was forced to retain the secretaryship for a much longer period than I had anticipated. Finally, Mr. W. D. Myers, then with Messrs. Harper & Brothers, was secured for the office, August 31, 1881.

Before concluding I must also mention that the association is greatly indebted to our worthy president, Mr. C. T. Dillingham, who has been one of the most active workers from its formation to the present day, and to Mr. B. H. Ticknor, of Boston, Col. J. H. Ammon, now of New York, J. H. May and E. Meeks, of Philadelphia, R. K. Smith, of Chicago, and many other members, for the interest they have taken in bringing the matter to the attention of their friends and thus helping to swell the membership roll.

Mr. Vogelius' narrative takes us only to the formation of the association and leaves us there

on the threshold.

The remainder must be written largely from memory.

The total amount paid out of the death fund of the association since it started to date has been $22,497.00, while the entire cost of starting and running the association to date, including commissions to agents, has been $2327.27.

Mr. Vogelius held the office of Secretary until August 31, 1881, when press of business forced him to resign. Every member of the association owes a debt of gratitude to Jos. F. Vogelius for the hard work he did in getting the association under way. Few members of the trade are busier men than "Joe" Vogelius, and the valuable hours he so freely gave in behalf of the poor and needy of the trade had to be made good by working overtime. No one can sum up the amount of good the association has accomplished. We do not wish to go into details in matters like this, but few, very few of the thirty-five members of the association who have been summoned to the "silent camp" have left one dollar to keep those left behind. Often and often has the President been appealed to by wife or friends to guarantee the funeral expenses of the deceased before the claim had been presented and passed upon by the board.

The association has been a great blessing to many a home. Its great and only object is to relieve the distress of a deceased member's family. No red tape, no standing on technicalities, but help at once has been given. The founder builded better than he knew, and if there is anything in fame, if the good deeds done in the body live after us and take with them a sweet

perfume down through the ages yet to come, surely the memory of the founder of the Book

sellers' and Stationers' Provident Association will have perennial fragrance. May it be many years before we mourn his loss.

W. D. Myers was elected Secretary to succeed when he in turn was succeeded by John A. HoldMr. Vogelius, and served until June 27, 1883, en. Mr. Holden held the office of Secretary one

I, 1887, 920

66

64

64

6, 1888, 978 By the above list it will be seen that while the association gained 420 members in 1884, it did not hold its growth, for it only gained 20 during the next two years. The great gain as noted above was the result of the hard work of John H. May and Edward Meeks, of Philadelphia, who made a Western trip together, and gathered into the association all they could.

B. H. Ticknor and Col. J. A. Ammon, of Boston, worked among the members of the trade in that city with great success.

The result was to put the association solidly upon its feet, and though many of the new members dropped out, there has never been a time since when the officers have not felt sure of

tion.

The first and only President of the association is Charles T. Dillingham, and the position the association has attained to-day is due in great measure to his fostering care; time, money, his personal influence, the influence of friends, have been freely used to help the association. Mr. Dillingham is known in the book-trade from one end of the country to the other; no man has a greater influence, and in all cases and at all times he has been ready to use it for the good of the Booksellers' and Stationers' Provident Association.

O. M. Dunham was elected Treasurer of the association at the first meeting of the board, and he has served in that capacity ever since. No better man for the position could be found, and the Board of Trustees would never listen to any suggestions of a change, and we trust they never will.

Of the present Board of Trustees Messrs. Geyer, Vogelius, Dunham, Dillingham, Cunningham, Ryan, and Morris have served continuously since 1879, while Thomas R. Knox and Daniel Pritchard were elected in 1880. John A. Holden and George J. Leary have served since June, 1883.

The Board of Trustees and officers of the association for 1888-89 are:

OBITUARY.

EDWARD PAYSON ROE.

REV. E. P. ROE, for the last ten years the most widely-read American author, died at his beautiful home at Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, on Thursday, July 19. During a recent visit to Charleston, S. C., Mr. Roe for the first time became aware that he suffered from neuralgia of the heart, and the second attack of the trouble coming on Thursday, he died within a few hours, after enduring very severe pain. Mr. Roe was born at Windsor, N. Y., on the banks of the Hudson, in 1838, and was in the prime of his happy and useful life. He was educated at Williams College, studying for the Presbyterian ministry. After a year at Auburn Theological Seminary, he took the chaplaincy of the 2d New York Cavalry, generally known as the Harris' Light Cavalry. After serving in the field a year or two he was appointed by President Lincoln as chaplain of the Fortress Monroe hospitals. At the close of the war Mr. Roe received a call from the Presbyterian church at Highland Falls, about a mile from West Point. When in October, 1871, the news of the fearful Chicago fire reached New York on that fateful Monday morning, Mr. Roe was irresistibly drawn to visit the scenes which occupied the thoughts and labors of the civilized world. He started West and was deeply impressed by the bravery and courage of the undaunted though almost ruined citizens of Chicago. He spent several days in visiting the different parts of the city, and then returned to his mountain home and shortly after began his "Barriers Burned Away." It appeared as a serial in The Evangelist and was widely read, and when, shortly after, it was issued in book-form by Dodd, Mead & Co., it had a fabulous sale. Encouraged by this totally unforeseen success, the young preacher was seized with the idea that with his pen he could reach a much wider circle than with his voice, and be enabled to do a far greater work in helping his fellow-men and working for the righting of various social wrongs and abuses. With a heart full of love for his fellow-men, a great deal of desultory information, and a deep knowledge of human nature, Mr. Roe began his

As an

work. He never wrote a line he could not have preached, but he never preached in his stories, and almost every year he finished a book that was eagerly waited for by the masses, and for several years Mr. Roe received the largest income of any American author. These stories were almost all first published serially. They have had an average sale of over four thousand copies, have all been republished in England and the British Colonies, and many of them have been translated into French and German. offset to his sedentary occupation, Mr. Roe rested by working in his garden, and made a specialty of raising small fruits and roses. It was this occupation which furnished the material for Success with Small Fruits" and the delightful text of Nature's Serial Story," which first ap. peared in Harper's Magazine, and provided such charming subjects for the pencils of Hamilton and Gibson. Mr. Roe wrote one story for children for St. Nicholas, called "Driven Back to Eden," which told of city children in the country in a delightful way.

Mr. Roe's latest story, entitled "Love," is now running as serial in the Cosmopolitan. His best-known books are: "Barriers Burned Away," "Opening of a Chestnut Burr," "Culture of Small Fruits,' 99.44 Success with Small

Fruits," Play and Profit in the Garden,” “ What Can She Do?" "Near to Nature's Heart," "From Jest to Earnest," "A Knight of the Nineteenth Century," A Face Illumined," "A Day of Fate," Without a Home," "His Sombre Rivals," "A Young Girl's Wooing," "An Original Belle," "Driven back to Eden," Nature's Serial Story," and "He Fell in Love with His Wife.” A volume of "Birthday Mottoes" has been printed, made up of quotations from his writings. Dodd, Mead & Co. have published all Mr. Roe's writings in very neat shape. Mr. Roe was devoted to his home and family and spent an annual income of $15,000 in making them and his friends happy. Only a few weeks ago he gave a garden-party to the Authors' Club, and on the night he died he spent the evening reading selections from his favorite Hawthorne to a party of guests. Mr. Roe's wife and he had known each other since they were ten years old. The funeral took place on Monday, July 23.

CAPTAIN ROLAND FOLGER COFFIN, author of "The Queen's Cup," "Archibald the Cat," "Old Sailor's Yarns," and other works on nautical matters, and yachting editor of The World and The Spirit of the Times, died suddenly on the evening of the 17th inst., of heart disease, at Shelter

Island.

NOTES ON AUTHORS.

MR. EDGAR SALTUS' latest volume is entitled "Eden." It is a honeymoon episode on Fifth Avenue.

It is reported that T. C. De Leon is the author of "The Rock or the Rye?" the clever burlesque on Miss Rives' "Quick or the Dead?"

IT may not be generally known that the author of "An Irish Knight of the 19th Century," Miss Varina Anne Davis, is the daughter of Jefferson Davis.

letters to Hall Caine, which letters the latter proDANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI wrote quantities of poses to publish by and by, with elucidatory extracts from his own correspondence.

"STEPNIAK," says the Athenæum, "has almost completed a novel-his first-which is to be called The Enthusiasts.' The book, which opens at Geneva, is, of course, a study of revolutionary character and a picture of revolutionary incident and adventure."

with a serious accident at Newport, R. I., on the GEORGE BANCROFT, the venerable historian, met 14th inst. He had just returned from a drive with his daughter-in-law, Mrs. John C. Bancroft, and was about to ascend the steps of his house, when he fell. He was seriously shaken up and considerably bruised. He is feeling better again, but naturally his friends were alarmed because of his age and his decline in health since his wife's death.

MR. EWALD, of the Record Office, has been appointed to calendar the state papers of William and Mary for the series published by the Master of the Rolls. The greater portion of this collection has never yet reached the light, and contains much matter which shows how keen was the personal supervision exercised by the Deliverer not only over the foreign affairs, to which his direction is generally thought to have been limited, but over all the domestic details of government which came before the Council.

JOURNALISTIC NOTES.

THE August number of Scribner's Magazine from Robert Louis Stevenson, Henry James, Sara Orne Jewett, Octave Thanet, F. J. Stimson, and Maria Blunt. It will also contain two richly illustrated descriptive articles, one of them the third in the Railway Series, entitled "American Locomotives and Cars," by M. N. Forney.

will be a fiction number, containing contributions

THE August Century will be issued on the first day of the month as usual, in spite of the fire which did such serious damage to the editorial and business offices of the magazine. The contents of this issue the Midsummer Holiday Number-will include an account of Mr. George Kennan's first meeting with political exiles in Siberia. Readers of this series of articles on Siberia will be interested in a biographical sketch of Mr. Kennan (with portrait), in this number, written by Miss Anna Laurens Dawes, a daughter of Senator Dawes, in which will be explained Mr. Kennan's peculiar fitness for his task, his previous knowledge of Russian affairs, etc.

THE August number of the Forum will complete the fifth volume; and during the two years and a half covered by these volumes both sides of every subject of great public concern have been treated in its pages by leaders of opinion. The list of contributors contains the names of more

than 250 of the foremost writers in America, England, and France. Beginning with the sixth volume a new feature will be added to the Forum.

Every number will contain a signed article of literary criticism, reviewing the most important recent books in the several great departments of thought, and every writer will be a recognized authority in his department.

THE tariff question is not often discussed in a style that combines serious argument with entertaining reading, and so the article of this character, which is promised to open the August Popular Science Monthly, should have a cordial welcome. It is from the pen of David Starr Jordan, President of the University of Indiana, and is a witty allegory, entitled "The Octroi at Issoire, or, a city made rich by taxation." Herbert Spencer is working again, though with difficulty, | for he says it took him from the middle of March to the first of June to write the article on "The Ethics of Kant," which he will contribute to the

August Popular Science Monthly. Mr. Spencer combats Kant's idea that only right things done in obedience to duty have moral worth, while the same things done from love of the right in and for itself are morally valueless.

THE "July-August" number of The Art Review, published from 31 E. 17th St., New York, begins Vol. III. of the magazine and the new series of bi-monthly issues. The latter mode of publication will not only allow more time and care in the preparation of the 54 "Art Supplements" given annually by the magazine (6 etchings, 6 wood-engravings, and 42 full-page photogravures reproducing American scenery, paintings, statuary, architecture, etc.), but will also be better adapted to the review character of the articles-descriptive and critical accounts of the more important exhibitions in New York and elsewhere. Subscription price has been reduced to $7.50 per year. Encouraged by the cordial reception given to The Art Review, the editor and publisher of the Review (Mr. Geo. Forbes Kelly)

will begin in September next a new art periodical,

entitled The Art Courier, issued twice a month or 24 times a year. This publication will aim to give the art news of the fortnight, presented in readable style, with brief editorial comments. Each number will have, as its Art Supplement, a photogravure, and these 24 plates will be furnished with the letter-press for the low price of $4 a year.

BUSINESS NOTES.

AVALON, Mo.-C. J. Case, bookseller, has re moved to Carrollton.

BESSEMER, ALA.-Ellison & Root, booksellers and stationers, have been succeeded by T. B. Ellison.

BOSTON, MASS.-Lindsay & Co., 36 Bromfield Street, general agents for subscription-books, would like to make arrangements with publishers of fine subscription-books.

HONOLULU, SANDWICH

ISLANDS.-Thos. G. Thrum has sold out his old-established book business to W. H. Graenhalgh.

fire at the Century Company's premises, their NEW YORK CITY.-In consequence of the recent business offices, including the subscription-book and hymn and tune book departments, have been temporarily removed to the fourth floor of Nos. 27 and 29 West 23d St. The editorial and art departments of The Century and St. Nicholas Magazines are in the De Vinne Press Building, No. 12 Lafayette Place. It is expected that their former quarters at No. 33 East 17th Street, Union Square, will be in condition to receive all their offices early in October.

NEW YORK CITY.-Goodenough & Woglom, booksellers, who failed recently, are offering to compromise at 10 cents on the dollar, and a comDrummond, and John R. Anderson, recommended mittee of creditors, consisting of Messrs. Phillips, that the proposition be accepted. at a meeting of creditors held on the 13th inst.

NEW YORK CITY.-Thomas R. Knox & Co. who succeeded James Miller, have made an assignment.

PATERSON, N. J.-Wm. H. Barry has succeedea to the right and title of the Aldine Book-Store 91 Van Houten St., through the death of the former proprietor, Mr. James Stothers, which occurred about six weeks ago.

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.-The Eastern creditors of J. W. Roberts, stationer and bookseller, have voted to accept twenty-five cents cash, twelve and a half cents in twelve months, and fifteen cents in five years.

WASHINGTON, D. C.-Brentano's have purchased the business of the firm of A. S. Witherbee & Co., 1015 Pa. Ave. (which was formerly owned, it will be remembered, by Brentano Bros). They beg the trade to note that all purchases made subsequent to July 18 are to be charged to the account of Brentano's, of No. 5 Union Square, N. Y., and that all bills or accounts contracted prior to this date will be paid by the late firm of A. S. Witherbee & Co. They also beg to remind the trade that all invoices for Washington purchases are to be sent to the Washington house, but the statements of account to the New York office.