The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 27, 1902, Page 12

12 HE SUNDAY CALL. Ceondlgted by B. G. Lathrop. we received pen of Miss Ellen her novel. ““The Voices > a story of con- vear thern life, it was prophesy for th literary career. This e er book, “The Battle-Ground, s our expectations. Al- Voice of the People” was st books of the year, this life in the South Civil War is even with more mature power, w terary finish, and to the re a better production ( work shows the ¢ is in the total 1 lay” that is s s to excite " lack i th ary fireworks p goW 2 a novel without She ove story, the ul- ¢ ch is evident from puges; and yet you read 2 with the v & Ve v s ld plantation life r are inimitable. Her bat- ’ lism tha: roade ne. The ureat been hinted, = or climax us n ment of char- T er of making ar directly Upok a ¢ of the free pe- the slaves on the character and nded and kindly that of the rafficked in hu- rsonal gain and v s this is most deii- powerfully done. Miss v without partisan- the right strongly con- o Anot point ability is shown nt of her ends t bore often in- ent novel reader, the life and fortunes no means to the copie just as deserv- & His flancee, Betty Ambler, most lovabie chara of w be ult to imag- & cters of the Southern gentlemen than g t C rior Ambler. i of the you s f the alier t We me walf trampin grandfather s the m married 1 disowned son ercy of the s ith ¢ he ma rms, and Dan is rite, with ~ll ng spoiled ndthrift th. Zoes to throw ning point mean ruin fights an unsav- 7 and re- h wouse, where from grace has al With two such fiery major's and Dan's ct the inevitable happens he house in a rage and make his own way in the s time that he realizes 1 devotion of Betty Am- th into a life so for- with the strength wit servant t 1, who runs away from ajor to be with his young master, &nd together they go to make their way in e world. The outbreak of the war finds Dan and Big Abel enlisted in a com- pany of volunteers waiting impatiently to_go the front The ure that Miss Glasgow draws of the hot-headed youngsters of the volun- teer regiments at this time is splendidly done. They little realize the troubles ehead, and to their minds the possibili- ties of the war are merely one grand lark. They scorn the discipline, and, of course, il expect to be colonels and generals in 2 few weeks. Dan has Big_Abel do all his camp chores for him and is still the young Southern gentleman, as vet un- gobered by the acts of hard fate, The campaign soon changes all this, andl Miss Glasgow brings her hero throtgh a #chool of stern practice severe enough to make or break any man. But Dan has the right stock in him, and though he comes out of the war a private as he went in, still the reader will find no fault with the suthor for not crowning him with temporal honors where she does so much for him by givi him the hand and heart of Betty Ambler, after first having made him worthy of her. He goes into the fight for the South filled with all the narrowness_of preju- @ice and belief in caste comn®n to the voung Southern cavaller. At first he scorns the young Tennessee mountaineer, “Pinetop,” who fights by his side—un. couth, {lliterate, but with a heart as true for Bie native State as the best of them ut the ri gors of the campaign soon level all class distinction. One of the last scenes in the book pic- turing the rebel army routed and defeat- ed and yet with its stragglers still ready 1o go on the awful battle that has left them but a maimed mob of sick men, is printed below. This will serve to give an idea of the virility of Miss Glasgow's pen: but the work is so evenly ggod throughout the book that this selection must not be looked upon as having deserved any particular mention above any other of r An Exhibition F. HISTORIC ~ CHINA » 200 Rare Old Picces, never be- forc scen in California. « «» Colleclors and Students will apprecialz. Wrile for Catalogve. EXHIBITION Irom April 28th lo May 3d. - Eider and Shepard, ' 238 Post Street, San Francisco. l the many fine situations in “The Battle- Greund.”’ 1t has been chosen for two rea- first because it is complete in itself; and second, because it brings out so ade- quately the sentiments of the Northern and Southern soldiers: on t fternoon of the third day, as the little company drew near to the Appomattox Courthouse, it fount-the road blocked with abandoned guns and lined by exhausted travel- ers, who had gone down at the last halting plece. As it filed Into an open field beyond a Wwooded level, where a few campfires glimmer- ed, a group of Federal horsemen clattered ross the front, and, as if by instinct, the column formed into battle line, and the hand of every man was on the trigger of his musket “Don’t fire, you fools!” called an officer from behind them. in a voice sharp with irritation. e army has surrendered!” “What! Grant surrendered?’ thundered the line, with muskets at & trail as it rushed into the ‘open. = “No, you blasted fools; we've surrendered shouted the voice, rising hoarsely in a gasping indignation ““Surrendered, the deuce!" scoffed the men, as they fell back into ranks. “T'd like to know what General Lee will think of your surrender.” A little colonel, with his hand at his sword hilt, strutted up and down before a tangle of dead thistles 4 “I don't know what he thinks of it, he did he shrieked, without pausing In his walk. “It's & damn lie!"” cried Dan, in a white heat. Then he threw his musket on the ground and fell to sobbing the dry, tearless sobs of a man who feeis in his heart crushed by a sud- den_blow. There were tears on all the faces around him, and Pinetop was digging his great fists Into his eyes as a child does who has been pun- ished before his playmates. Beside him a man with. an untrimmed, shaggy beard hid his dis- torted features in shaking hands. “I ain’'t blubberin’ fur myseif," defiantly, “but O Lord, boys—L'm Marse Robert.” Over the field the beaten soldiers, in ragged gray uniforms, were lying beneath little bushes of sassafras and sumach, and to the right a few campfires were burning in a shady (hicket The struggles was over, and each man had falien where he stood, hopeless for the first time in four long years. Up and down the d groups of Federal horsemen trotted with cheerful unconcern, and now and then a pri- vate paused to make a remark in friendly tones; but ihe men beneath the bushes only stared with hollow eyes in answer—the blank e of the defeated who have put their whole strength into the fight Taking out his jackknife, Dan unfastened the flag from the hickory pole on which he had placed it, and began cutting it into little pleces, which he passed to each man who had fought beneath its folds. The jast bit he put into his own pocket, and trembling like one gone spd- denly palsied, passed from the midst of his silent comrades to.a pine stump on the border of the woods. Herc he sat down and looked hopelessly upon the scene before him—upon the littered roads and the great blue lines encir- 1ing the horizon. Down the road a line of Federal came driving an ox before them, and he eyed them gravely, wondering in a dazed way if the taste of victory had gone to their heads. Then he turned slowly, for a volce was speak- ing at his side, and a'tall man in a long blue coat was building a little fire hard by. “Your tomach’s pretty empty, Johnny 7% he inquired, as he laid the sticks crosswise \With precise movements, as if he had measured the length of each separate piece of it, he said, eryin' fur rivates ain’t it, wood. He was lean and raw-boned, with a shaggy red mustache and a wart on his left cheek. When he spoke he showed an even row of strong white teeth, Dan looked at him with a kind of exhausted inGignation. “Well, shortly The man in blue struck a match and held carefully to a dried pine branch, watching, with a serious face, as the flame licked the resin from the crossed sticks. Then he placed A quart pot full of water on the coals and turned to meet Dan's eyes, which had grown rayenous as he caught the scent of the beef. “You sce, we somehow thought you John- it's been emptier,”” he returned manner, “'so we made up our minds we'd ask you to dinner and cut our rations square. Some of us are driving over an ox from camp,’ but as 1 wes hanging round and saw you all by yourself on this old stump I had a feeling that 3 ¢ in need of a cup of coffee. - You tasted real coffee for some time, I The water was bubbling over and he meas- ut the coffee and poured it siowly into the quart cup. As the aroma filled the air he opened his haversack and drew out a gener- ous supply of raw beef, which he brolled on Iittle sticke and laid on a spread of army bis- s would be hard up,” he said in an_offhand s, I've a sweetheart—God bless her!” “'Well, you take my advice and go home and tell her ‘to cure you, now she's got the chance. 1 like your face, young man, but if I ever saw . half-starved and sickly one,-it is yours. Why, 1 sheuldn’t have thought you had the strength o raise your rifle.’” ‘'Oh, it deesn’t take much strensth for that; and besides the coffee did me good. I was only hungry.'” ‘‘Hungry, hump!"" grunted the Union soldier. It takes more than hunger to give a man that blue look about the lips; it takes downright starvation.” He dived into his haversack and drew out a quinine pill and a little bottle of whisky. / “‘If you'll just chuck this down it won't’ do you any harm,”” he went on, “‘and if I were vou, 1'd find shelter before I went to sleep to- night; you can't trust April weather. Get into that cow shed over there or under a wagon.' Dan swallowed the quinine and the whisky, and as the strong spirit fired his veins the MADAME ALVAREZ THEY SAY THE SNGLE QLT LOVES THE WOIMNAN OF MADRD Playgoer’s Edition of Soldiers of Fortune. HARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS of New York have just issued a play- C goers’ edition of Richard Harding Davis’ charming story, ‘Soldiers of Fortune.” Every one who reads at all remembers this fine story of love and ail- venture in one of those South American republics that Is forever having a revolu- tion all its own; and remembers the strong character of Robert Clay, the American mining engineer, and Hope Langham, the fascinating heroine. That the book possessed splendid dramatic possibilities has been clearly demonstrat- ed by the success of the play in the East —we of the West must still live In the hope that it will at last cross the Sierras and then we can judge for ourselves if Augustus Thomas’ dramatization equals the book in interest. The present edition can be our consolation in the meantime, for, besides containing a list of the orig- inal cast of characters, the book is filled with half-tone repreductions taken from photographs of the principals in the drama and of scenes in the play. Judg- ing from his photograph in costume, Robert Edeson makes an ideal Rebert Clay. Some of the pictures that ge té make the present edition so attractive are shown on this page. With such pletures as these there is much added to make the story a living quantity in one’s imagina- tion. Price $150. < e cuits. The larger share he offered to Dan with the steaming pot of coffee. “I declare it'll do me downright good to see you eat,” he said, with a hospitable gesture. Dan sat down beside the bread and beef, and, for the next ten minutes, ate like a famished wolf, while the man in blue placidly regarded him.” When he had finished he took out a little bag of Virginian tobacco and they smoked to- gether beside the waning fire. A natural light returned gradually to Dan's eyes, and while the clouds of smoke rose high above the bushes they talked of the last great battles as quietly as of the Punic Wars. It was all dead now, as dead a# history, and the men who had fought had left ihe bitterness to the camp followers or to the ones who stayed at home. “"You have fine tobacco down this way,” ob- served the Union soldier, as he refilled his pipe and lighted it with an ember. Then his gaze followed Dan's, which was resting on the long blue lines that' stretched across the landscape. “You're feeling right bad about us now, he pursued, as he crossed his legs and leaned back against a pine, “and I guess it's na ural, but the time will come When vou'll know that' we weren't the worst you had fo face. Dan held out his hand with something of a smile. “It was a falr fight and I can shake hands," he_ responded “Well, 1 don't mean that,” said the other thoughtfully. “What I mean is just this, you mark my words—after the batfle comes the vultures. ~After the army of fighters comes the army of those who haven't smelled the powder. ~ And in time you'll learn that, it isn't the man with the rife that does the mobst mi: chief. " The damned coffee bollers will g their hands in now—1I know ‘em.’” ““Well, there's nothing left, 1 suppose, but to swaliow it down without any fuss,” said Dan wesrily, looking over the field where the slaughtered ox was roasting on a hundred bay- onets at a hundred fires. ““You're right, that's the oniy thing,’" agreed the man In blue. Then his keen gray eyes wers on Dan's face. “‘Have you got a wife?" he asked bluntly. Dan shook his head as he stared gravely at the embers. A sweetheart, T guess? T never met a Johnny who didn't have a sweetheart.'” utter hopelessness of his outlook wuined hin into silence. Dropping his Head into his open palms he sat dully staring at the whitening ashes, After a moment the man In blue rose to his feet and fastened his haversack. I live up in Bethlehem, New Hampshire,” he remarked, ‘‘and if you ever come that way x‘z hope you'li look me up; my name's Moriar- y Your name’s Morlarity, I shall remember," repeated Dan, trying. with a terrible effort, to steady his quivering limbs. ‘'Jim Moriarity. Den't you forget it. Any- body at Bethiehem can tell you about me. T keep the biggest store around there.”” He went Off ‘& few steps and then came back to hold out an awkward hand in which there was a little heav of silver “You'd just better take this to start you on your way,” he said, “it ain't bit ninety-five cents—I couldn’t make out the dollar—and Wwhen you get it again you can send it to Jim Moriarity at Bethlehem, New Hampshire. Good-by, and good luck to you this time.” ‘“The Battle-Ground” jis published by Boslahledlly. Page & Co., New York. Price e = Lachmi Bai. Michael White has written under the title “Lachmi Bai” a novel dealing with the part played by the Rani of Jhansf in the Indian Mutiny. The story follows the historical account of the Rani, although her cruelty in massacring the British garrison is glossed over here. The story opens at the time when the rebellion was about to break out in Jhansi. The Rani was the widow of the last Raja of Jhansi. Through a compact which he had made with the British Government, as he died without heirs, the state of Jhansi reverted to the Britlsh crown. The Rani saw in the uprising of the Sepoys a chance to galn possession of the throne of Jhansi, s0 she joined the native movement. When { the native troops at Jhansi broke out in revolt the foreigners sought shelter in the British fort. For a few days they hela out. At the end of that time lack of food and ammunition compelled thém to ac- cept the offer made by the Rani. They were promised that if they would open the gates of the fort and, would lay down their arms they would be allowed to de- part from the state in safety. On sur- rendering they were all massacred. Ac- ('nrdln{f(o the romance of Mr. White, this act of Treachery was the act, not of the Rani, but of her lieutenant, Ahmad Khan, who had conducted the siege of the fort- ress. Ahmad Khan was a Mohammedan who hoped to make the rebellion the means of gaining for himself the throne of Jhansi. To further his ends he en- couraged Lachmi Bal in her determination not te yield to the British.. When it be- PROBERT L WaVDLER [F7 WOTED [ [AE 7D BE PICTATOR OF OLANCHO. . TANEW EDITION FPUBI.I SIFED =Y - riches cannet obscure the skeleten that pursues him and prevents his rise in the social scale—that is, the memory of his days spent in gambling and at the race- course as ‘“Alf Harris,” bookmaker. Then, too, his make-up is not one that can forswear the class to which he nat- urally belongs. The efforts he makes in that direction are for the sake of his motherless son, Philip Gordon, from whom he conceals the bookmaking days. The boy’s college days are clouded by this knowledge,which gossip finally brings to him, for he is made of finer stuff than his father. On a vacation trip he falls in love with®the pretty daughter of an Bnglish officer, Colonel Madryn of Pentash, a vetean as proud as his name, one of the proudest in England. Morti- mer Gordon in his efforts ‘o get amcng the best for his boy's saka CZAY CETAS came known tnat Jhansi had revolted, bLriush troops advanced to its assault. In spite of the heroic eiforts of tne sam L place was captured by the British. Lachmi Bal escaped to the army of Tantia Topi, and by her wonderful courage helped that general to prolong his struggle against the British, Lachmi Bai even fought in the Indian army clad in male attire. Before +the rebellion was brought to an end she was kiiled as she fought at the head of her troops. Although in point of dramatic power not equal to some other stories of the Mutiny, “Tachmi Bal” presents an entertaining picture of one of the most romantic fig- ures involved in the great struggle against British rule in India. (Published by J. F. Taylor & Co., New York. (Price $1 30.) The Grip of the Bookmaker. “The Grip of the Bookmaker,” by Percy ‘White, fs a readable novel. It can hardly be called a\ strong one, but it has the merit of being told in a direet, straight- away fashion that holds one’s interest. The dominant character of the story is Mcrtimer Gordon, an Englishman of the lower sporting class, whose accumulated o sets up his household square where lives with her father. £ods in the London onstance Madryn Philip Gordon is re- ceived there and used by the aunt of Constance to excite the jealousy and hirry the suit of Frank Drayton, a rich fellow in love with the girl. Philip loves Constance, but she does not realize that she has that feeling for him. Then it comes to the ears of Colonel Madryn that Philip is the son of “Alf Harris,” the bookmaker who swindled him out of morey in former years. There is troubls, and Philip is treated in a way that makes his spirit rebel, for' the aunt of Con- stance has suspected his love for her. But he accepts matters as they are and de- scends to nothing petty. The plebeian father and his gentleman son are unmer- cifully snubbed by all but Constance, who in the meantime marries Frank Drayton, whom she thinks she loves, but who afterward turns out to be a handsome idol made of very sordid clay. Philip Gordon in course of time rises to be a very successful lawyer, with the image of Constance Madryn ever in his heart. He is thrown with her much so- cially through the plans of a mutual friend, a butterfly woman of society. His father has never forgiven the Madryns of him and his boy and would be glad to Constance make a false step. Neothing of the sort hap- pens, but Philip Gordon grows more and more into the life of C Dra whose lite with her more and more unbearable. The man’s intrigues and petty maneuve fathom the depths of natures far ab him, his hatred of the class that persists in putting him where he belon an: love for his son are well brought out son brings. out the best there is rough father's nature, and never to honor the relationship betwe: Tor their treatment Finally Constance Drayton husband and his gross infideli seeks refuge with her father granted a divorce. Then Philip don seeks her out and the love that has been in their hearts since childhood days i gligh(ed. Mortimer Gordon, who F eared this might happen, and who hates all the tribe of Madryn for their refusal to recognize him as an equal, broods himself into a violent rage during his son's ab- sence and is found d by him on his re- ‘urn. His was too selfish a nature to be nuch regretted. The love story of the book is well handled and refreshing in that it is kept a pure one. (Published by R. F. Fenno & Co., New York. Price, $1 50.) Caesar’s Commentaries. The American Bpok Company of York has recently issued ‘‘Harkness and Forbes' Caesar’s Commentaries on the Gallic War,” with introduction, notes and New vocabulary by Albert Harknes Ph. D, LL. D., professor emeritus in Brown University, assisted by Charles H. Forbes, A. B., professor of Latin in Phil- lips Academy, Andover, Mass. This work is pre-eminently a student’'s edition, and has been prepared with spe- cial reference to the present needs of pre- paratory and secon schools. The tors have had exceptionai opport for studying and appreciating the of such schools. They combine a ough acquaintance with the best m s of classical instryction at home 1 abroad with a practical experience In teaching Latin. This edition is furnished with an i duction containing an outline of the life of Caesar, a description in brief of the scenes of his military operatious in Ga Germany and Britain, and a short treat- ise on the military system of the Ro- mans. In the notes to the earlier books ques- xid tions are interspersed at intervals t the student i adding to his stock knowledge in a definite and positive for: such grammatical and historical infc his mation as the author places with reach. In these questions the 5 especially attention is in the vocabulary spec given to etymology. but the treatment made as simple ossible with the aim of aiding the student in unders and apprecia: significant e of words. impo: idloms and phrases rec tion. Among the most striking features of the work are the nine colored plates illust tive of the military system of the Ro- mans, which have been reproduced the natural colors. Besides these the are many other illustrations, eleven plans a of battles, seven campaign maps, general map of Gaul. Price §1 %. and Bright Days in Merrie England. A very attractive and useful volume i one that has been recently published Honeyman & Co. of Plainfleld, N. J. The full title of the book is “Bright Days in Merrie England—Four-in-Hand Jour- neys,” written by A. V. D. Honeyman. The mechanical excellency of the work is of a very high grade—the typography, binding and numerous illustrations being of the best. Those who have traveled In Englar or expect to take a trip, will be equalily intarested; for to take this trip with Mr Honeyman is almost as good as going yourself. He is a keen observer and also h; to a marked degree that happy fac- ulty of description that makes other eyes see what his eves have seen. It has been Mr. Honeyman's fad for a number of years to spend a part of his summers in England and indulge fn the delightfu pastime of coaching—probably the b way in the world of seeing and enjoy the scenery and observing the points of interest. The book is of nearly 300 pages and is fully indexed. The author gives his experiences in charming narration, far from the usual guldebook strle that one is so apt to indulge in, and covers about 200 miles of the besty country of England—the English lake distriet and Middle, Southern and Western England. His trips have been so planned to take in every bit that might prove most inter- esting to the sightseer. The illustrations are different from those generally found in books of this kind, for most of them are from photographs taken by Mr. Hon- eyman’s fellow travelers. Price $1 50. Outlines of Botany. Robert Greenleaf Leavitt, A. M., of the Ames Botanical Laboratory has recently prepared, at the request of the Botanical Department of Harvard University, “Out- lines of Botany,” for the high school la- Doratory and classroom. It offers: 1. A series of laboratory exercises in the mor- phology and physiology of phanerogams Directions for a practical study of typical cryptogams, representing the chief groups from the lowest to the high- est. 3. A substantial body of information regarding the for activities and rela tionships of plants, and supplementing the ldboratory studies. The laboratory work is so chosen that it is adapted both to schools possessing sive equipments and to those with v limited apparatus. The order of ar- rangement follows in the main that of Gray, the standard, and while morphol- ogy and physiology are fully treated, spe- clal attention is vald to ecology, to the relations of the piant with its environ- ment, There are nearly 400 illustrations in the book. The appendix contains de- scriptions of the necessary laboratory materials, with direetions for their u as well as suggestions for helpful exer- cises. (Published by the. Amerfcan Book Company, New York. Price, $1.) Books Received. THE_OPPONENTS.—By Harrison son. Charles Scribner's AMERICA Brewer. 75 cents. GEOGRAPHICAL READER OF EUROPE. — By Frank G. Carpenter. The American Book ew York. 10 cents. STORIES FOR LITTLE PEOPLE 1 t Robert- . $1 50 CITIZENSHIP—By Charles Scribner's Sons, By Annie Willis McCullough. The American Book Company, New York. 25 cents. THE WESTCOTES—By A. T. Quiller-Couch Henry T. Coates & Co.. Philadeiphia. $1 00 AMERICAN LITERATURE.—By J. W Abernethy, Ph. D. Maynard, Merrill & Ca. New York. o “In the Footprints of the Padres.” Fy CH/RLES W/BRI N STODDARD. “——This book is largely reml- niscent. It is comprised of the memortes of one who has spent his life on the Pacific Cd: one who loves California with that pecui devotion that inspires all tha s of the goldem West. Mr. Stodd: has a style that is individual and artistic. ~He writes with a smooth flow of words that forms a fitting setting for his prose songs concern- ing the buoyant youth of Cal nia."—The Milwaukee Sentinel. PRICE S130 NEi. A. M. ROBERTSON, & -Publisher, 26 Post Street. e eeme——