Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-06-05
NEW BOOKS.
stephen Dane.

Just puDliSHeu ny Lee Snepard. Boston.
1t was written by Amanda NJ Douglas. au-
thor Of = In Trust" and other works. Al
though the volume is by no means free from
bIemsles both III style and sentiment. il il
80 much superior to the ordinary novels which
ind many readers. that it is pleasure to
read it and to commend it. The scenes of
the story are laid in Pennsylvania. Stephen
Dane appears in the narrative at the age of
twentv-thrce. He and his cousin who are
prominent characters are thus introduced to
the reader
This day, towards the close of March. was
warm enough for Mav-one Of those still
halmv suggestive days, reminding YOU ol
Indian summer. for the March crispnc>s was
not in the air. For nearly fortnight the
weather had been unusually mild, and every
body was predicting Il forward spring Sea
Son- were earlier in this little Pennsylvania
town. where the high hills 10 the north
shielded it IN some measure from the fierce
blasts Already the young grass had taken
on an emerald tint and birds were twitterin.-
I'm tho budding trees. Some of the harder
flowers Lad appeared. Joe had a saucer Of
trailing arbutus on the window-lcdgc. She
bad been down t. the woods that morning.
thcir own merit; but she knew Stephen liked
them. - here they were. crocuses blue
hcpaticu the arbutus. and some curl ,us green
waNen leaves Stephen had taken them al
apart, and arranged them over -ta>tefullv
vpU would have said. and maryclled at IT,
s>ring the man. She had remarked it. and
wished. in her dull way. that She knew how
fclplc gave those wonderful touches of grace
- everything There was q sInouldcriu4
pain iu her heart she glanced 1T Stephen.
Was it these bright days that driftcd them
apart For somehow he seemed slipping
out Of her reach, and. with the dosged te-
uacity of "a narrow mind. she clung to him
She bad taken tircsomc ramblc through the
woods going ankle deep in the rank mosscs
wirhout ever seeing their beauty, and brought
home the flowers for him. They were a
pleasant surprise, although rudely tumbIeJ
int old broken bowl. i bright light had
come into his face, and he had said :. How
good of ypu bat the shady, far-of look
IN his eyes had never changed He wanted
-1mcthing higher and kecner than She could
5c~t1w- She felt this through the sluggish
brain. bait she lacked mental force to put il
int' words. There was a torpid sort Of per
cepti1u. hUt physical sensations were tie
strongest clements in her nature \ half
developed kind Of human life it was
stephen Dane stood there in the doorway
That Was low and narrow; he was tall and
hrawry- though thin, lacking the rounInes4
AMI crmpactneSs the next decade would bring
him. for hc was but twcntv-three still. he
Qc;rly filed the space
His ewes were wandering riverward Did
v1u ever experience the curious sensation on
looking over river. that some help woul,
come from the other side. an indistnct. but
Ionged-tor blessing? That peaceful country
L.. -. L. 4
like "a nearer heaven. instinct with spiritua
life
lie was s.ancinE over there now. ana in a
vague way felt this lie did not know wLa
1t wa, hc wanted. only the luminous atnos-
Thcrc floating there on the silver stream oi
drifting beyond. up the shadow slopes
stirred his soul with -,methIng tangible
perplexing For twentv-thrcc years lie hae
Vc1etatej i'm content Slept eaten, worked
that was all. Not loved nor hated. nor
struggled nor hoped. am not sure but
men live these lives ottencr than women.
the picture before him was beautiful
enough t. speak 10 any soul that had not
been born deaf and blind. Few are | think
Tiny lived ON the outskirts of the town
trchibald Dane. stephen. his son. and ar
orphan niece. his dead brothers, child This
had been their home ever since Stephen coulo
remember At first .Joe's mother was alive
tut his own. dead. For several wears Joe
hu'i been -plc house-keeper.
From thi- beginning. from which the styl,
IF the book and the power Of the writer may
he fairly Judged, the story is developed Dane
l. foundry man. and in many places in the
volume there l. serious discussion of the re-
lation~ Of capital and labor. question iust
n,v creating much agitation throughout thie
country and Europe The author. however.
treat, this subject in practical, rather than
theoretical and philosophical way. and
Dame solves it by faithfully serving his en-
ployers until his genius enables him To better
serve himself Iy Independent labor. Wher
prosperity has visited him he rcscues tn,
daughter Of his former hard and exactina
master from wretchcl poverty. and suHse-
qUcntlv marrics her. The deyelopment ol
biz character from the uncducated, dull young
man of twcntv-thrcc. into the strong. intel
li-ent. successful man Of forty, is portrayed
with naturalne~S and force and freshness.
which give a real charm to the book The
book aI~o exhibits an unusual power Of touch
In- and pathetic description which Is well
displayed III the tender story Of Joe's long
unavailing love. a love which carried her t,
her grave. and which Vet reached its greatest
triumph in an almost spiritual transforms
lipn. that Fitted her immcasurably above hcI
former self The last scene in her life is thus
told Mr.. Leighton was her minister. and
Hope was afterwards stephen Danes wife
- You have found peace Mr. Leighton
aid. in Il low tone.
Yes and rest. 1t is so good, Only
don't know whether dare believe or not
have been 50 foolish and ignorant all my life
could not see the path God made for me
until now. | didn't know needed His love
until all others had failed me-
:. As many Of do. We trample OF
thorn- that pierce us, never dreaming there
i a better way, until, in the midst of oul
darkness and pain. we cry unto Him, anc
lie shows Us the light
- cs. she answered. nusinglv. - there
isn't happiness enough for us all here. And
to those who sit in the ~hadow God comes a
last
He knew then that somewhere there ma,
been a void III the woman's life. a hunger ant
w,arincss. The large sad eyes, wandering
out OF the open window t. the soft blue be
vond, told wordless story. And the touch
ii- Ihtti'N 81 tIti Npfu-- mere ISL nap
piuc-> enough for us sll here
We cannot penetrate Gods mysteries. h
said with sweet seriousness. :. WY som,
are blessed, and all their days golden ones
why others are made to look on, to see tho
cup of JOY pass by them, and never quencl
their thirsty lips in tho sparkling draught.
- He means it vou think? 81 that wher
one goes all through the desert he is not t,
look back with weak regrets that he did no
take some other path That God directs on