The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-11-26


- Henry Ward BeecAer. l2mo Cloth. Illus
tied t2eo. Qnforn edition of the authors
Vsrks New fs!k: :. 3. r~d 4 Go. Chicago:
In 1867 when Robert Bonner, proprietor
Of the New York Ledger, announced that
he would shortly commence the publica-
ton of novel by Henry Ward Beecher,
many well-meaning people stood aghast
with holy horror What! preacher write
q novel. and love story at that? Yes, q
minister to write novel, and he not only
wrote it, but he wrote it well, as is attest
ed by the many thousand copies of it
whicc were sold.
Norwood is charming story of New
England Village Life previous to and
during the war. 1t is written in the au-
thor's most fascinating style. and contains
a great deal of information to the thought
full reader, much fine fancy, many beauti-
full specimens of word painting, and sew
eral interensly interesting descriptive
passages, especially the bombardment of
Fort Sumter, and battle Of Gettysburg. A
stirring chapter is that which tells of the
receipt of the news in Norwood Of the
surrender Of Fort Sumter. We quite .
portion Of it, as follows:
ION Sunday morning, the 14sh Of April,
it was known that Sumter had surrender
ed. The scales fell from mems cyesl
There ac1s Udr!
The flag Of the Nation had been pier ed
by men who had been taught their fatal
skill under its protection! The nations
pride, its love, its honor suffered with that
flag and with it trailed in humiliation!
Without concert, or council, the whole
people rose suddenly with one indigna-
ton TO vindicate the Nations honor. II
came as night comes, or the morning
broad as a hemisphere. It rose 40 the
tides raise the whole ocean, along the
whole continent, drawn upward by the
whole heaven!
The frivolous became solemn; the wild
grew stern; the young felt an instant man
hood.
It was the strangest Sunday that ever
dawned on Norwood since the colonial
days when, by reason of hostile Indians.
the fathers repaired to church with their
musket! All the region round about came
forth. Never had such an audience
gathered in that house. Every face had
in it new life DR.. Buell. was not wont
to introduce into his Sabbath services
topics allied to politics, nor did he mean
to change his habit to-day.
His sermon, weighty. ard on themes
which usually are accounted more solemn
than all others, yet sounded light and emp
ty in mems ears. Nor had he ever
preached with so much difficulty He lost
the connection, hurried passages which
should have been deliberate, and after
wards owned that he was never SO glad to
get through sermon.
TWAS in the prayer following that the
stream burst forth. A mighty tide rose
within him, and he poured out his soul for
the country He prayed for the Govern
ment. for the men in Fort Sumter, who
had been like the thre- children in the
fiery furance. for the flag, and for hll in
authority that they might have wisdom
and COURAGE to vindicate it!
The house was still-so still that the ear
ached between every pausr. The word
Amen set loose an army of handkerchiefs.
and people wiped more eyes than were
ever wet at once in that house just as
Dr. Buell. rose to give out the closing
hymn. he saw the choir rising as if to give
an anthem. The minister sat down; but
he quickly rose UP again. and every man
in the house. as the choir sang the Star
lSpangled Banner. Such a scene had
never been known in sober Norwood.
And when the last strain died. it was with
difficulty that the minister could repress
an open cheer"
The two principal characters in the book
Barton Cathcart, and Rose Wentworth
go to war, Cathcart as captain who
finally becomes a General, and Rose as a
nurse in the hospitals. They are followed
in their varying fortunes Of the war until
they come home and are married, Of
course. There are many beautiful
thoughts in the pages of this volume, and
a great many ideas can be CLEANED from
the book which has appeared, and is the
9TH volume in the uniform edition of the
authors works now being issued by Messrs
Ford & Co. It is a handsome 12mo volume
of $40 pages, and is beautifully bound in
cloth, beveled edges. 1t will be sent post
paid to any address on receipt of the price
by the publishers.