Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-03-27
NEW PUBLICATION.
ALICE BRAND. A Romance of the Capital.
a: g. Riddle New York; ID. Appleton a

ALICE BRAND. A Romance Of the Capital. B.
A: g. Riddle New York: ID. Appleton a Co.
Through Jos. Shillington
As story this Will not rank with "Bars
Ridgely" and "The Portrait" the previ Dus
tales by Mr.. Riddle; and yet the sale has
been almost unprecedented for an American
novel, for the time ii has been published.
The explanation is that "Alice Brand" is a
good deal more of a history than romance.
and IL deals with that most picturesque and
striking period of life at the Capital immeGli-
ately following the war. Mr.. Riddles can
vas is much too crowded with the remark
able characters of that time to allow the con-
centratiOn of interest upon single pair of
lovers, requisite for a straight-out tale of
sentiment, but he has painted a mastery
picture of men and things here of that pc
Rod. In this spirited portraiture the reader
recognizes readily a large number of promi-
nent figures in Washington life. The DO
rum boarding house." to which we are in
trodueed in the first chapter, is unmis-
taxable; and, By the way. the opening
chapters in Mr.. Riddles stories are
SOMEHOW always the best the most
carefully finished, and at the same time the
happiest in local colOring and the most
graphic in the delineatiOn of character. At
" Borums" we find the heroine, Alice, who
has place " in the Treasury for the time
being Then and there appears her lover,
Col. Frank Worbel; and Mr.. Kramer, OF the
Treasury, who would like to be her lover i'm
a certain way. Mrs. Horbeck, - n woman of
the PERIOD" appears now on the scene, and
also those undOubted +. r. VS., the BiggeS.
The progress of the story now brings to the
front two well-knOwn law firms, " iced d
Tazewell'' and the Bradleys; and in the sue
ceeding chapters we have personages of the
note of Andrew Johnson, Secretaries Stanton
and Seward. Detective Lafayette e. Baker,
the Pardon Broker Mrs. Lucy Cobb, Judge
Cartier, Chief Justice Chase, Treasurer Spin
ner, the Nanes," &" Mr.. Drybo of News
paper Row; "St. Anaud.' 1.-THE King of
The Lobby" etc, etc. To use material so re
cent was difficult task, but it has been
managed by Mr. Riddle with unmistakable
success. To his undOubted skill as a writer
has been added in this case his legal knOwl-
edge, and his acquaintance with the inner
history OF much of which he writes.
PRIVATE AND PUBLIC LIFE OF GEORGE
~. AND HIS COURT. By Robert uish, New
York: Adams, Victor Go. Through the pub
bshers.I
This is what is styled sthe celebrated
Hush Memoirs concerning which the
story has been circulated that on the pr blica-
ton of the book, i'm 1850, soon after Georges
death, il produced a great sensation, ana
such eflectual m easureS were taken TO sup
press 1T that the procurement of copy was
almost impracticaDle. This story of Its sup
preston is doubtless an advertising dodge TO
give this edition larger sale; but IL yet is
rather a curious book, as treating fully upon
subject that Greville, i'm his recently pub
lished memoirs, mentions casually.
SONGS SoE, OF OUR Youth Ry the author of
& Bros. Through J. &. PaTker.l
In this volume some forty songs by Mrs.
Craik are set TO music and presented in
dainty style by the publishers. Anon g
these are old favorites like douglass, ten
der and true,' THE Light at the Window
1.-The River Shore" &c. There are also
several songs, the words of which are by
o.her authors and the music by Mrs. Craik,
as Bryant's death of the Flowers" Shell
ley's "Child OF the Ocean" &c.