The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-21

| Piled "but your prayer was TOO long Dy half; you
should avoid such long windeo exhortatons.'
sThat is easier said than DONE" answered the
parson; 81 don't believe that you could do a BIZ
better.n "Try me and see." every well, will
let you make the closing prayer this evening"
The time came and the friend walked boidy up
into che pulpit and began the prayer, and such
prayer The congregation got restless the fire
died out and the church became cold; finally
patience ceased to be virtue, and before the
young layman showed any signs Of stopping there
was not person left IN the house. After all had
gone the parson put his hand upon his shoulder
ana told him that ne "should avoid such long,
windei exhortations" 81 was ready 10 stop hall
an hour ago." he replied angrily, "but didn't
know how TO finish the darned thing of ~
The PROFESSOR That is the truth with the ma
jOrity OF people; they can never let well enough
alone.
The MOTHRR-Ellesmere very truly says that tue
men and women who lead society are those who
look up to themselves. don't agree with him IN
what he says about letters from unknown persons
being disagreeable to public characters.
! FRED-No, nor | either; for have heard dlstin-
guished actors, authors and singers speak OF the
great pleasure they had derived from KIND ana
sympatnizing letters rom unknown persons.
FELICIA-That talk about hospitality, making
your guests feel perfectly at home, &C.. is all
very well; but what il they are sefuvitedi
think that have seen trunks driven up to this
/ door that we have wished in the bottom OF the
| sea. Does Sir Arthur Helps mean TO say that we
should receive the owner OF those trunks with
open arms Under such circumstances my arms
hang like weights at my side and my tongue re-
fuses TO frame words OF welcome.
The MoTHER-I fear that Felicia does not inherit
her mother's AVAILABILITY.
FRED MilvertOn knew what he was talking
fhof Enna nd haa In vvn.
men were not among the arlstOcracy.
The DocroR-Sir Arthur is gracious enough to
see some advantages in our form OF government
over his own cOuntry's
The PROFEssoR-You win find the best thought
put in q very forciple manner in this book. Sir
Arthur Helps Is o bold writer as well as bold
thinker, and where he strikes blow it tells.
When he treats an old subject as he does IN sew
| eral instances 1t ls with so much freshness and
origin ty that IL has all the effect OF being new.
He is always clever and always interesting
A BATCH GOOD STORIES.
81 am very fond OF William Blacks stories" said
! Felicia, holding before her face copy OF the
..Mald OF Kllleena and other Stories" Harper Il
Brothers. SO as to shut out the fierce heat OF the
/ fire.
Miss RACHEL from her rocking chair by the
window)-So am l. 1t Is a real pleasure to get
hold OF book nowadays that you might give to
the veriest child without fear OF harm. Mr. Black
does not think 1t necessary to season his stories
with the doings OF rakish men and iastsh women,
He takes for granted that the taste Of the novel
reading public has not become altogether cor
rupted by the trash that finds its way into print,
and that good men and women are not averse to
reading about their good brothers and sisters in
the world OF fiction.
FELloIA-That sounds as though he might be q
trne mawkish
MISS RACHEL-He is never that only he avoids
the indicate. His men and women are Jolly and
fun-0ving to a degree, ana his humOr ID always
delightful
FELICIA-Although hts stories are never excit.
Ing they are so interesting. that cannot bear TO
! lay them down. They are so homeliKe and salts
| Tying.
! Miss RACHEL As rule prefer his short stories
| to his novels There Is sparkle about his tales,
particularly those in this volume, that Is irreslsti-
ble
| Felicia did not like his "Prlncess OF Thule" as
well as ''The strange Adventures OF Phaeton.''
Miss RACHEL imagine that the excitement
over the FORMER book was more owing to the dis
! cusslon as to whether It's name should be pro-
n0unced Tue, TUE or Thule. than from any supe-
riority over some OF his other novels 1t seemed
to me like very inconsistent story.
FELIcIA-The story OF 'rThe Maid OF Killeenar Is
very charming and pretty, but do not like Mr..
Blacks Scotch well as George Macdonad's. II
sounds too much like broken German.
Miss RACHEI-It Is just the difference In the To-
caifties. Blacks is Northern and Macdonaid's
Southern Scotch.
FELICIA-That delightful Queen Ttta, whom we
enjoyed so much in the "Strange Adventures oil
a Phaeton- runs through these stories. And she
is Just as Jolly, just as funny and just charming
as ever. "a Fight for Vile" is one Of the best
OF this collection. The plot Is very simple, but II
il very natural and amusing. The bad feeling be-
tween the rival suitors Is very well depicted and
so is their mutual chagrin when they find out that
the beautiful American Is already engaged.
Miss RAcHEL-"The True Legend OF Billiard
Clubn is extremely funny. HOW did enjoy the 0is-
comforts oil those i've men and the triumph OF their
wives And the story OF "Tne Man VINO Was Like
/ Shakespeare Is not without moral, besides be-
Jag very humorous.
WORTH READING.
"Kbourne Tompkins a missionary in dis
gui,e,r said Fred, throwing package OF what
appeared to be pamphlets upon the library table.
HE IL sowing seed by the wayside that is bound
to bear good ruit. Now. just glance over this
bundle OF essays. Here are selections from the
best writings Of tine best WRITER'S both ancient and
modern-Goldsm,th, Lamb Swift-and from cur
rent periodicals. And selections from the best
poets-Tennys on, Byron, Burns, Schiller, Brown
ing and host OF others-and All for ten cents a
volume.
FELiCIA-How beautifully they are gotten upi
MIR. Tonpklns displays great taste in the outside
as well az the INSIDE OF books. What could be
more refined looking than these covers And
here are pictures, too, and pretty ones at that.
What a beautiful volume dozen OF them would
make bound togetherl
FRED-They are issued every fortnight and the
newsdealers tell me that they have surprising
large sale among the laboring classes-whicn goes
to prove that working men OF the present day are
past years.
FELIcn-What's in this other package. Fredp
FREEDOM. that's the work OF another mission.
airy, f. b. Patterson, who has recently issued port
folios containing dozen Photographic copies OF