The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-15

nant, as she well might She knew that Matolin
was not living her real lile and sne pitied and
loved ner. Hope had plenty or spirit wlthal' %
aunt Griselda had reason to know
Hiss RACHEL could not help feeling little
sorry for Nllken. He did not go deliberately to
WORK TO WIN Madolins affections. She really
sought him herself, as he afterward told her. And
then after he came back from Australia he might
have worried her a great deal more had he not
had little good in him. He kept ner secret well,
too.
FELICIA-The most CALLING thing to Madolln was
10 md that this man, to whom she had once given
her proud heart aud hand, was only common.
srolling photographer after alone VINO could
enjoy flirting with Tossie, her waiting maid.
think that Madon had enough to make her crazy,
and she must have been al least temporarily In.
sane when she took that money. II would have
been impossible Tor q woman with her bringing up
to have done so otherwise.
Miss RACHEL-To look on the brighter side OF the
story what a splendid fellow Mac was.
FELICIA Did you ever know Mac who was not
a splendid ieowS never did.
Miss RACHEL-Th1s book does not read much
like st Olaves" or 'Jeanle's Quiet Life" No one
would ever accuse 1t Of being by the same author.
although the o her two are powerful stories there
is more dramatic force in this. Madolin's death
is perhaps a trine overweight, yet such things
are far fro N uncommon.
FELICIA don't see why the book should be
called ''Hope Meredith" The story Is more about
Madoin Lauderdale. She Is decidedly the central
figure.
''CALEB KRINKLE."
Miss RACuEL-'Caleb Krinkle" lice Shepnard)
Is a very good chronicle OF life In the average New
England village. and abounds in good consclen-
rious work.
FELIcIA-Then l shall not read 1t, for hate
conscientious worS," or at least the sort that il
known by thar term.
Miss RACHEL-rhen warn you or OF this book,
for If IL Is not that it Is nothing. Mr.. Coffin-
carleton" Is his nom de plas'He-gves the day by
day history of his heroes and heroines, from The
time they babies until their rrtage death.
He describes the conventional village with its
conventional Inhabitants; the storekeeper black
smith, farmers, loafers, &C., &C. He has very
unpleasant way of giving his people allitera'ive
names, such as Moses Meek, Bell Blossom, iona
tnan Jolly and the like.
FELICIA.-Alllteratlon Is bad enough in poetry,
and Sc in prose-
Miss RACHEL rather like 1t IN poetry, when
1t Is not carried too far. Well Caleb is
ononnely young man; he studies haro
&dswftnal s quite beau. Just as he ia
about to enter college his father's health falls
and he refuses TO leave HIM. At last his father
dies and is supposed to owe the rascaly father OF
Moses Meek some SIS, 900. He really does not, and
Meek knows 1t, bur there was no formal
receipt OF the transaction, so he selzes upon the
land Of the orphan and turns him beGgar upon
the street. Caleb has pluck and talent, and he
goes to Boston to study law. While walking
through the streets ne sees young lady in danger
OF being crushed by falling building; he jumps
to her rescue saves her, and is himself badly hurt.
The young lady turns out to be a Boston belle.
and has him carried to her house. where he Is
nursed through tedious sickness. Bertha Way
land, the young lady, OF course falls in love with
Caleb, aud he would PROBABLY return the attention
nad he not already engaged himself to Linda Pair,
the placksmith's daughter.
FELICIA-How unfortunate; but that engage.
ment might have easily been broken, or was the
chain that bound them one Of her fathers
forgings
Miss RACHEL-Caleb was q good young man. and
1t last he married Linda and recovered the prop.
erty out Of which he had been cheated Bertha
was best man at the wedding and ended her days
an old maid.
FEL1cIA-Not an uncommon trick OF Boston
ladies'
Miss RAcHEL-I hear that the book has had an
English edition, for what reason DO not know,
for IL Is a very simple, unpretending story.
FRLICIA-I can see the naughty dowagers toss
their heads as they Say, $50 this Is American
society, is it Y' They will think that because the
sons and daughters OF the butcher, baker and
candlestlckmaker are college graduates ana
intelligent men and women they must DO in
''society." The same orders in England would
never attempt to better their mental condition.
A terrible state OF affairs In this country, they
think.
''THE FAIR PURITAN"
Miss RACHEL call "Tne FAIR Puritanr II. B.
Llppincott & COZ q first rate historical novel.
The MOTHER-And SO do l. the period was Q
fruitful one for the novelist-in the latter part Of
the seventeenth century, when plain record Of
iacts would be exciting enough.
FELIcIA-It seems almost impossible to believe
that only so short a time ago human beings were
burned to death Tor witchcrat. wonder what
we Of the nineteenth century are doing that
posterity VIII look back upon with uplilted handsi
Miss RACHEI-A thousand and one things. Per-
haps not actual cruelties, but other barbaritiss, II
all that the reformers say Is true.
FELICIA-I wonder II Merciul Whalley was q fair
sample Of o Purltan-a man who would commit
the grossest outrages in the name OF God. The
poor Indian girl, fltuba, was about right when she
said to the misnamed MerclfuL "rhe white man IL
tyrant to his slave, dog TO his enemy The
white mans God Is Q devil II white men 90 his
biddiDgw
Miss Reconsideration Whalley was misera-
bic, deluded bigot. Such o man nowadays would
be locked up In a lunatic asylum. He was not 1T
to be at large.
FELICIA-Give me the Cavaliers The very
Thought OF Puritan gives me the horrors. The
Purltans' Coo Is not the one worship. could
not believe In a religion that made me cruel, self
ISM narrow minded and so hopeless as theirs
made them.
The MoTuER-Do not be so wholesale in your re-
marks, my daughter All Purltans were not like
the wretched Whalley, no more than are all Chris.
tans like that Mss Darkslde your aunt was telling
us about.
FELIcIA--I have forgotten what was the story ?
The MorHEe-Your aunt was boarding In the
same house with this lady, who. at bottom, was o
real good soul, though she always carried long
face and never read any lighter literature than
ID nm