George W. Jacobs & Company, of Philadelphia, issue in a tastefully decorated binding and with attractive illustrations, a little Christmas story* by Dr. Weir Mitchell. It was written for children, and grown-ups may find it rather mild, but it is undeniably very pleasant and pretty. *Mr. Kris Kringle. By S. Weir Mitchell. pp. 48. Philadelphia: George W. Jacobs & Company. BOOKS RECEIVED. Paynton Jacks, Gentieman. By Marian Bower. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company. Dark Care Lightened. By Rev. S. F. Hotchkin, M.A. Philadelphia: George W. Jacobs & Company. TO BE REVIEWED. The New Minister. By Kenneth Paul. New York: A. S. Barnes & Company. Heart Beats. By P. C. Mozoomdar. Boston: George H. Ellis. Xmas Sketches. From the Dartmouth Literary Monthly. Edited by Edwin Osgood Grover. Concord: Republican Press Association. Wayside Music. By Charles H. Crandall. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. Authors and their Public in Ancient Times. By George Haven Putnam. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. Within College Walls. By Charles F. Thwing. New York: The Baker and Taylor Co. The Divine Comedy of Dante. Translated into English verse by Thomas W. Parsons. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company. EDITOR'S TABLE. We have a general and abstract belief that our four years at Yale is an "ideal life." We tell our friends that we know the future can hold no such happy period, and that it is going so fast that we cannot realize its charms until all is over. But not one man in a very large collection is analytical enough to calculate just why and how this comes to be an "ideal life"-to separate this glittering abstraction into its concrete parts. When you stop to do this and get some sort of an idea of what academic life consists on a scale and figure basis; then you wipe your heated brow and wonder how any man blessed with this chance can see ought else in it than a young Elysium. I mean the average collegian in this discussion-the uniformly happy medium. The hard student who really works over his books for many hours every day, or at the other end, the conscienceless youth who is always on the razor edge of being dropped; these disturb the even way of my calculations, and must not be included. But the average Yale undergraduate who makes up the larger part of each class, the man who keeps safely within the condition limits and takes in the social and athletic or literary sides of the life here as he chooses is under discussion. For eight months of the year he is in New Haven, "preparing for his life work." He must attend fifteen hours per week of class room exercises, which is all that can be called compulsory in his campus life. Allowing for the cuts that he will take or be occasionally surprised with the gift of, his day's work is something over two hours on the average. For these class room hours, in his last two years, he will study outside an hour a day-a generous and optimistic allowance. You can now see that three and a half hours each working day for eight months will make the sum total of the regular toil for a large number of the class membership-not all, of course. That overworked brains may not be taxed to a dangerous degree, four months of vacation are allowed, judiciously distributed throughout the year. Now this modicum of intellectual labor in term time is just enough to keep the mind in a healthy condition and fit it to enjoy with zest the other features of life. It is well known that absolute idleness is simply unbearable boredom to the young and energetic, and this wisely furnished motive and directing diversion. for the intellect is an ideal sort of a foundation to build on. With this three or four hours a day of ostensible work I have no fault to find except that in these class room hours there is a large amount of time given to mind wandering and time beguiling occupations. But not to be scrimping, let it all go as "work" pure and simple. We thus are left with eight or ten hours out of the day for other occupations. These the average man finds to be in the social and athletic lines, with a small proportion of reading. He is surrounded as he never will be again in life, with young men of similar tastes and time to gratify them, and all that is good and pleasant in the communion of one man with another can be his. If there is anything in friendship he above all other men should find it out. His life is ordered in perfect and ideal fashion for the cultivation of his being as it can be broadened and matured by contact with his fellows. Enough variety in his life to prevent stagnation; enough purpose and motive to bar ennui, and every inducement for the finest and best kind of social life. I do not think that a more ideal existence than this could be ordered in Utopia, and certainly it is to be found in no other condition of life on this sorrow-darkened planet. Compare it with the life into which each one of us must so soon step out. Four hours a day and a third of the year holiday is contrasted with eight or ten hours of real out-and-out work, and two weeks out of harness in the Summer. Then the men with whom you are in contact all day will not be picked and chosen by your autocratic self. They will be next you, congenial or not, by force of circumstances, and there is no ministering to affinity of mind. Each one of us knows all these things, but there is a tendency to lose sight of them, and often a trifling unpleasantness will be magnified through forgetfulness of the greatness of our gift. So Saint Elihu has willed to preach a little, and try to impress the fact that a college man has more than most men to be thankful for. Here is a bit of verse from an exchange. WE E have everything to furnish your room comfortably. Our Prices are low. THE AMERICAN PARTRIDGE. Neglected minstrel of the single song, Piping at twilight through the russet fields, Rich with the careless joy that nature yields, Far from the chattering flock or warbling throng: American! All hail my countryman! Thy treble, sweet or shrill, delights my ear; A challenger of conquest loud and clear WM. FRANKLIN & CO., IMPORTING TAILORS, Cloths for the coming season now ready. 40 Center Street, New Haven, Conn. The M. Steinert and Sons Co. 777 CHAPEL ST., NEW HAVEN. Steinway and Sons, Ernest Cabler and Bro., Hardman, .. .. AND OTHER FIRST-CLASS PIANOS. All these make pianos to rent for scholastic year. SHEET MUSIC. THE TREAT & SHEPARD CO., Wholesale and Retail Music House, IMPORTERS OF SMALL INSTRUMENTS AND STRINGS, 849 CHAPEL STREET. State Agents for MATHUSHEK PIANOS, and the WASHBURN GUITAR and MANDOLIN, and the FARRIS and FAIRBANKS & COLE BANJOS and BANJORINES. New Pianos to Rent. New Music Ordered Every Day. 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