New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-04-28
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
EDMUND KIRKFs NEW BOOK

~ 4.
,,b;ob sr.t brought tho name Of the author 70
the notice of the public, has tempted MN 70
another venture in the same department VI
composition. In the present WORK, winch iur!
sr,ts;r, the reputation of its predecessor, we
-. ,,oyv of Southern life and character
,,h;ch bv its Conference, naturalness, and
.gactys grouping of incidents, shows that 1t is
Che fruit of personal observation and experience,
IA well az of profound conviction of the value
Of the principles to the illustration of which 1t
is devoted Mr.. Kirke is evidently not pro-
fessional author. In the art of boOkmaking
he has no pretensoDs to being an adept. The
scenes which he describes are not got up Tor
dramatic or picturesque effect He makes no
use of yarnsh or veneer to conceal any deieoIS
in his material or his workmanship. there Is
no occasion for this. His simple Downright
way of telling bis stOry--lke that OF man
who is relating what he has seen, who is 'er'
ribly in earnest as TO the character OF MS OWL
pictures. whose blood has mantled with fresD
vitality at the sight of horrors which come 70
light as the secrets of tho great prison house
are laid open-clOtbes his narrative with vivid
reality beyond all the resources OF literary art
The intensity of his sketches, however, is
happily relieved by the quick sense OF
4he udicrOus with which 1t is COM
bued. He never fails to seize the
comic aspect which often turks beneath the
erayest scenes, and thus dimnishes the painful
suppression which his tale Of human misery and
wrong il calculated to produce. The incidents
of the story are embodied in a slight and mar
tifcial plot, sufficient to engage the notice OF
the reader, but not to divert his attention from
the main purpose of the work. After couple
of preliminary chapters the writer sets foot or
Southern ground, and gives graphic account
of his first experience on revisiting the land o
The slave.
It was five years after the events recorded in th.
preyious chapter, when, one day late in October,
Started on my annual tour among the Southern cor
respondents OF the mercantile house OF which wat
ellen a member. Arriving at Richmond shortly aftel
moon, took basty meal at the wretched restaurant
near the railway station, and seating myself In on
OF the rckety cars proceeded on my journey As thu
Grain moved off from the depot, hand was PLACED
on my arm, and a familiar voice ssid
"Lord bless me Kirks, is this youl'
Looking up, / saw Mr.. Robert Preston-or as h,
was known among bis acquaintance, Squire Pres
Non of Jones "a gentleman whose Northern bust
meas had transacted for several years. lie haG
S,een on a visit TO some Virginia relatives, and wa
returning to bis plantation on the Trent, abou
lswenty miles from Newbern. Though had neve
been at his home be had often visited mine, and WI
swere well-in fact, intimately acquainted soor
explained that / was on the way 10 Newt Orleans
and mentioned that might, on my return, seek The
route to his plantation. He urged me TO visit l
~ avd Epu llxa cd IN do Va rcN
Dn by the carr Sc far Goldsboro, and there after
View hours rest, and light breakfast OF oorn-cake
hominy, and bacon, took seats on the stage. whicl
rben was the only public conveyance TO Newbern.
J Preston was intelligent, cultivated gentleman
nnd at that time, appeared to be about thirty-tbre
years of age. He was tall, athletic. and Of decided
Jy prepossessing appearances and, though somewba
careless IN bis dress, hsd simple dignity about BIZ
shat is not furnished by the tailor. The firm line
about bis mouth, bis strong jaw, wide nostrils, an
Sarge nose-straight az If cat after O bevel-ind
Gated residue, determined characters but bis large
dreamy eyes-placed far apart, as if to give fit pro
portion TO bis broad, overhang1Dg brows-showeC
That his nature was gentle and tender
woman's. He spoke with the broad Southern &C
cent, and his ut erance was usually slow and hest
Eating, and his manner quiet and deliberate;
but I bad seen HIN when his words came
like torrent of hot lava when his eyes flashed FIRE
his thin nostris opened aud shut, and his wholc
frame seemed infused with the power and energy Of
Ihe steam-eDgne.
EOuCate0 IOf the UlulbtTY, 10 udu Deeu III early
life popular preacher III the Baptist denomination
but at the date OF which am writing be was deyOt-
ing himself TO the Of bis plantation, aud
preached only now and then, when away from home,
Or when the little church at Trenton was without 9
pastor, Altogether he was to be remarked
upon. A stranger casually meeting him, would turn
back and Involuntary ask: "Wbo Is he r.
Only five Of the nine seats inside the stage
were occupied, but as tie day, though cold, wac
clear and pleasant, we mounted the box, and took
i Il. 4 IlxS--
was rough, surly character, with talent for pro
family truly wonderful. His horses were lean half
starved Quadrupeds with ribs protruding from their
aldes like hoops from a whisky barrel, and he &C.
counted for their condition, and for the scarcity OF
fences on the highroad, by saying that the stage
constant curses be discharged at their heads, had
worried the flesh off their bones, and induced the
fences TO move to less dangerous latitude.
On the top Of the coach, coiled away on pile OF
horse blankets. wRs woman whose dress and APP
pearsnce designated her as one of the species Of
F' white trash" Known i'll North Carolina as "clsy.
eaters" She was about thirty years OF age, and,
IL her skin bad been beached and her teeth intro
duoed 10 scrubbing brush, might have passed for
being tolerably good looking After number OF
preliminary cracks Of the whip, and sundry oaths
1n1 loud Shouts administered TO the leaders" the
driver got under way, and we were soon jolting-
at speed Of sbout four miles hour-over the
- slews and rut made by the recent rains. Short
iy after we started, the woman said 10 me:
"l say, stranger, ye han't no hacker bout ye,
hev YER
was about to say had none, when Preston
BANDED her paper OF Richmond Sweet" With
out pausing TO thank him, she cooly stuffed nearly
10 half of il iuto her mouth. My companion did
not seem at all surprised, but remarked:
"Yo do not smoke, then, Madam"
"0h yas, 1 smokes; but l burned sight d'ruther
chew"
Let me give you q cigar" / said taking one
from my pocket, aud winking at Preston.
- II never smokes them sort o. ihngs: takes nat.