New-York tribune., 1873-06-14
BOSTON.
LITERARY NOTES.

LITERARY NOlES'
WORK" ny LOUISA NJ. ALoorr-MAi'RYlNs foh a
LIvING-RUTH MAXwELI'-E. Q. srEDMiN AND
HIS PoEMs-IANDoR AND HIS AMERICAN Pro
PRIETORs.
TFRou A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TupUSE'l
RosroN. June 7.-Roberts Brothers are about
20 nubI,sh Miss Acott's new novel. Work" II Is a
nav departure for Miss Alcott The gay, almost roll
Hcksome humor which characterzes her juveniles IA
weuigh absent this tale cropping out only In tho
account OF the wilkins family. Instead Of fun ana
froc we have the solemn pithos OF life and death. The
book ia by no morbid however. II Is rs helpful
and earnest as any OF Mrs. Whtney's. The heroine.
Christie Devon, is orphan descended her fathers
side from family OF inherited refinement and culture
on her mothers from sturdy, honest line OF New-Hamp-
shire farmers. certain discomfort with drudgery ana
routine had stung Chrstes mother in her own grhOou
and she had gone away from her NewIlampshire nome
TO teach and to try and dnd her place In the great world
far beyond the rim OF the silent hills. There sue h@u
met, loved, and married &" poor gentleman and hVeu
few happy years with him, not much troubled even ny
care and poverty and then followed him, as Willingly
as she had ever followed his fortunes In fe out OF the
world leaving her little child to the protection oi her
brother Enos. In the family Of this "Uncle Enos
Christie had lived till she wentyone and then she
in urn began to feel that time for declaration
OF ofindependence. Uncle Enos clOse-handed man,
holding fast all his slow gains and believing honestly
wife was naturally loving and klndhearted' nut the
mans was the master spirit and the hone-ife was 80
hard and barren that Christie at tWenty-Onc
felt that she could bear 1t no longer
So she went away and 1t was not long
before she found herself settled in little room ln ta
dreary, city boardin ghouse, kept by Mr.. Fhnt new
Hampsniro born herself and knowing something OF
Christes antecedenis Sac was "a dIedy Womah' WIN
boarlers written all over her sour lace and faded
figure" But Christie made light at frst OF all draw
backs With a hundred dollars, which her uncle had
given her in her UJcket, she felt quite at ease Hcr
first idea was TO be gOYerncss but mere she Iounu He
want Of accomplishments sadly in tue way M''lIl~'
wanted their infants TO war5le Ia French before tney
could talk correctly in English and to draw impossible
Cupds before they knew how TO add couna Oh hSures'
Nothing dauned, Christie resolved to 20 TO service.
Thanks TO Aunt Betsy she could do houseWork WE'LL and
she obtained a situation as sccoudgirl ia the family OF
romantic Inatron Just returned hOm ltay, Nho wore
Roman scarf tcd about her head, rosary Ike sthS
of small cannon balls ut her side and who wished TO can
her new maid Jane" as che was aceusIohed 10 tno
name Here she STAYED for year, until one night she
went TO sleep while reading in bed ana set On ire her
curtains and her mstresss temper Her master put out
the fire and Madame put out Christie, who went back
again TO Mrs Fus to wait there for something to turn
up.
The wheels which turn up the right thing are often
long in revolving. Meantime CLrisues nlauces ana
her courage were alike at cub Ia the house boarded
young actress and her m0hcr actress ALSO and jhey
were generous and helpful after the manner Of their
profession They got an engagement for CArstie to -
on the stage as Queen Of the Amazols. This was the
small beginning or three years career as an actress,
i'm which she succeeded well that her iuture IL tAt
calling would have seemed assured. But an accident
which disabled her for time. set her miusrionsy TO
thinking, and thinking convinced her THAT acting was
not good for her. she found herself growing fond Of
ar,f aud altf IA ,lIl
ambition which she could not forgive IN herself SO she
reluquished her position, sold her theatrical wardrobe
and answered an advertisement for g0yernes3.
This time she was successful and presently she was
installed as manager Of Mrs sionstals children. and
WAS fallen in love with after by Mrs 5alton5alIs
brother, Mr. Philip Fletcher. lie was fine gentleman
somewhat blaze and loved her with an air OF patron
age which her sturdy Ncw-EIslud pride resented
She gave him refusal instead OF tle Yes, Sir ana
thank you, too" which he expected. This Of course
ended her govornessing with Mrs. Satonsa, and her
next position that Of companion 10 an invalid gri'
who proved To belong % family afflicted win heredl-
tary insanity With this young lady sne remained until
her charge died, and then went back again 10 Mrs.
Fint's boarding-housc TO wait for her next oppor-
tunity She had already, you perceive, tried u good
many varieties of Work" she had besn waitress In -
small genteel family" actress In theater goyerness,
Iady's companion Her next trial, when her funds ran
low, was the inevitable needc-w0rk. She entered
fashionable mauLud-ludhllB tstiolsAluAb a. a. e'iii
Stress And there she made her first real friend Among
her fellowworkers was grl whom they called Llchc
shy gentle, sad creature, 10 whom Christie was ire
eistbly attracted. For long time Ricncl resisted all
her advances but at last tender perseverance rumphcd,
and then Christie happier than she had ever been
before for she had Que TO love, some ono whom
her love could make happy. Bat her summer Of the
heart was brief one morning she found strange ex-
element in tine worrOom Tn, head OF the establish
mcnt was sitting in judgment on poor Rachel. IL had
been discovered that the girl bai fallen once from her
high estate Of womanly purity and now with nconsdcr-
ate cruelty these zeots In the interests OF morals were
about 10 turn her into the street again TO live as she
could Christie looked only at Rachel, aud whispered,
Is it true ?" Rachel hadibeen passyey silent before,
but now she made swift passionate answer to the one
woman who had been her friend
It is true that once went astray. but God knows
have repcutcd that for years I've tried 10 c an honest
mi again aud that but for tnis help should be- a far
sIdder creature than am this day Christie, you can
never know how bitter hard ~ is 10 OutLye sin like
mine, and struggle upagain from such fan I clings
10 me- t wont be shaken Off or buried out OF sight No
sooner 40 mad a safe place, like h5 and try 10 forget
The past thau reads my secret n my lace and
bupts me down II seems very cruel very hard yet IL
is my punishment, so try 10 bear 10 and begin again
What huris me than all the rest what breaks my
heart is that deceived yOu. never mecnt 10 do IT,
] did not scek You, did ~ tried TO be cold and suH;
never asked love- although starving for it, l yOu
came 10 me, so kind generous so dear-hOw could
| help tl Oh how could help It then"
And Christie looked in the miserable, beautiful face
aud knew that the soul beneath perishng for
ly help whatever cost she felt that she give
IT, She pleaded wthathe mistress Of the establishment
more ssonacIy than she could have pleaded for her
own fe that she would keep Rachel in the shop, and
give her an opportunity 20 live honestly But her
treaties were all IN Que and another had declared
that they would leave Rachel stayed. and Rachel
20. The girls despairng gaze went round tho rcom
seeing pity aversion or contempt on every face. Chris
ties ewes were bent on the ground, and she thought
even Christie had deserted her. Her face grew hard
IN lrh