The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-06-10
BACHELOR Ren.

for some time of Bachelor Ben Without reading
any of them more than to learn that Bachelor Bel
was the title of q book of which Miss Ella A
Giles, young daughter of Hon. II. Fl. Giles, 0
Madison, was the author. Then came lette
from Atwood and Culver of Madison saying:
1--WE send you by mail copy OF Bachelo
Ben, new novel issued by US and written by
yeung lady of this city.
Please accept the same with our compliments
and should you deem it worthy notice 1t as MAJ
seem proper to yeu.''
Then came the book, which we received abou
equally progressed against the title, Bachelor
Ben, and in favor of the author, Ella Giles
ana balanced In its favor by the names OF thu
publishers. On removing the wrapper we fount
book in elegant and substantial binding and OF
opening 1t found that the paper was good and the
print clear and fair, and thought that book %
elegant and we'll executed should be worth read
ing. And we were confirmed In this opinion BY
seeing that The copy. Ight was secured and that
the volume was respectfully inscribed to Hon.
David Atwood, Editor of the Wisconsin State
Journal, as token of regard, by the Author!
This secured the reading of the first chapter, and
the reading of the first chapter secured the read
ing of Bachelor Ben.
s'Benjamin Grant and Theophilus Steele are bust
ness partners. The firm name is known as Steele
y co.. steele was rich Grant was only moder+
ately well off. Steele was church member
Grant was not Steele was uncharitable and newt
er gave except to obtain name for beneYolence
and piety: Grant was charitable, and always gave
to do good. Ste ele was widower: Grant was a.
bachelor.
Steele intended to marry again and paid
his attentions to rich lady who encouraged
him. To make success certain and to prepare a
suitable home for the lady he built large and
favored BIZ succeeding, as was generally thought
in the death OF his only child. an infant daughter.
in charge of q nurse at some distance, as children
in charge of nurses often do die. But after all
the lady re fused him and married another, as he
afterwards believed she always intended to DO
Under these circumstances he got his mother-ln1
law, Mrs Sharp, TO keep house for him. Mrs.
Sharp was not the most amiable of women, ands
as she had never been invited to see or take care
of her infant granddaughter, she did not feel the
most pleasant towards Steele.
Grant lived in a cottage alone and never shewed|
any indications of desire to marry. AS he was
home enc cold stormy night woman
asked of Kim money and as he gave 1t to her she
slipped into his hand paper on which was writ
ten, ''If you would save life open your door toll
q stranger at the hour of midnight" At twelve
o'clock he found waif at his door which proved
to be beautiful little girl which he determined
to bring up himself. TT enable him the better toll
do it he obtained for himself and child board and
rooms at Steeles. One day as the child was play
ing In the yard poor forsaken boy spoke to herr
through the fence and she opened the gate and
let him in. Bachelor Ben, finding the boy to bel
truthful and honest In some small mat ter, con-
Guided to adopt and educate him.
Benjamin Grant, Theophilus Steele, Mrs. Sharp,
Bertha Grant and Harry Dumonde are the FIVE
principal personages of the story
The plot is well laid, being sufficiently but not
too complicated to be interesting, and 1t is well
carried out in It's development, The most ques1
tionable part of the story, as to it's proprety, is
getting Bachelor Ben into the church that he
might do ere for religion. after having success
fully acted religion nearly all his life out of the
church. But the author has as much right to get
him into the church as she has to leave him on
IF it, If she has as good reason for doing it; and
It is for her to decide which ia tie better reason
The work is not entirely free from inaccuraciesl
rs done Tor did or have done, lay for lie, things
occurs for things occur. and had better for better
Of the last we quote the following You had bet
ter retire, we had better postpone it, public en-
bad better flourish on ashes.
Altogether Bachelor Ben is good work. The
author. Notwithstanding few faults, has done
her part well-better than the authors OF many
novels of much greater pretentions have done
theirs. And the publishers have done their part
well, unless they may be responsible
for some of the faults OF composition. Bachelor
Ben is a Western Book-a Wisconsin Book. And
IL does credit to the West and to Wisconsin. And
it Will well repay the reading and is worthy Of q
place in libraries of fiction and romance.