The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-14
LITERATURE.
REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS.

LIFE OF MARK NJ. PoMBRoY ("Brick" POmeroy,
Editor of La Crosse (Wis.) Democrat and the
Democrat, daily New York city,. A Repre-
sentative Young Man of America etc. Pre-
pared from materials furnished by Mr..
Pomeroy and others, by Mrs. Mary L.
Tucker, with steel portrait. Published by
G. w. Carleton, New York. Philadelphia
Agents: 7. B. Peterson & Brothers.
Mrs. fuckers principal qualification for
writing this biography is sincere, hearty, and
undisguised admiration for the notorious indi-
vidual who figures as the hero thereof.
less ingenious biographer would have hesi-
tated about giving to the world some of the
incidents which Mrs. Tucker expatiates upon
with evident qualification to herself, for in her
eyes the redOubtable "Brick's' vices are so
many virtues, which are not to be mentioned
except in tones of appreciative commentator.
This deficiency in taste or honesty of purpose,
whichever it may be called, has given us a
more valuable book than we otherwise woull
have had, as 1t represents the man as he
really is.
The nalvetE with which Mrs. Tucker strings
along the anecdotal pearls which constitute the
bulk of her narrative has something posi-
lively charming about it, and if we say that
the lady's style is superlatively vulgar, we
must recollect who the subject of the story is,
and what class of American citizens will pur-
chase and peruse the book. In view, there
fore, of the eternal fitness of things, we are
inclined to rank Mrs. fuckers life of "Brick'
Pomerey as work of high art, for the sub
ject, the author, the style, and the audience
are all in harmonious accord.
"Brick' PomerOy commenced life by read
ing the life of Franklin and the characteristic
story about Washington and the cherry
tree. Although but four years old, he deter
mined to be printer, like. Franklin, and, like
Washington, never'to tell lie. There was no
cherry tree in his fathers garden for him to
emulate the example of the Father of his
Country by experimenting upon it with
hatchet, but the precocious genius of the
youthful "Brick" was not to be balked by
this deficiency. Just as he had finished read
ing the story, his aunt, or adopted mother,
came in from the garden, where she had been
planting flowers. We quote the language of
Mrs. Tucker
"'What nave you been doing, Aunty?' asked
"'Planting flowers; and Mark you little lump
OF mlSCDleI, II you lOucn LleIn VIII WllD
| goundly remember, am in eaTnest!'
"a sim pie request kindly made, woull have
been saeredly regarded, but the proud spirit or
| minious threat. Tue aunt passed on to the
! house, and The little lump of mischier threw
down his book, deliberately walked to tue
garden, touched with his tiny fingers each OF
the forbidden flowers, and quickly returned to
his book.
"As lis eye fell upon the work, he was re-
minded of the Virtuous resolution he had
formed and with IL came repentance for what
| he had con Q. So going boldly to his aunt, he
| told her he had touched every one OF her how-
ers. The kind-meantng aunt was not blessed
with the wisdom and forbearRnce of Washing
ton Is fat er and so the little champion OF truth
was rewarded with a whipping, aud sent sup.
PEERLESS to bed. AS the little victim of circum-
| thought was, Il don't care II did get a whip
pirg, told the truth, and Iil tell IL again. L
! will never tell lie = Ever since that memo
rable night, Mark Nj. Pomeroy has had Tor his
motto:-
"Iruth is onnipotem and must prevail"
Mark was misohievous, as will be seen from
the above anecdote, and his dislike for "nig-
gers'' was developed at an early day. With
regard to these traits and to the bold and de-
fant demeanor of "Brick" when ol-boy,
Mrs. Tucker enteTtains us with the following
characteristic story
] 'One day o little girl laughed aloud during