Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-06-02
LORD OF IIIMSELF."

How many readers are apt TO look upon
newspaper book notices as mere matter of
course! They believe them TO be either
/ paid for or dead head " advertisements.
Certainly the editor must receive some COM
pensation for those long winded, fattering
paragraphs. announcing that such and such
book by one of our most learned schol-
airs y, or most popular novelists," and from
the 'we'l-known publishing house of so and
SO, Is worthy the careful perusal Oft all cul-
tlvated readers. Either the editor gets cash
for such praises at the rate of ten or twenty
cents line, or else has "a copy of said such
and such book to lay upon his centre
table or put away in his library scarcely
notlced IN the hurry Of newspaper life
This may be so in some cases undoubtedly
Is but certainly there are exceptions, and
this one of them. LORD OF HIMSELF,
by Francis II. Underwood, is novel that
should he read by all thoughtful Southern
ers,. though the author wrote it more es-
pecially with view to show Northern
people Southern characteristics. 1t is
/ story OF Kentucky as it was thirty years
ago. The hero, Beauchamp Russell, is a
real southern gentleman, by no means free
from prejudice, but always willing to allow
Others the inalienable right to their own
opinions; His most intimate friend is
Arthur Howard, Il Yankee schoolmaster.
The author says in his preface: 1.-THE
reader who does understand what influences
moulded Southern mep and women will not
expect the novelist to paint an unpreiudiced
hero. Such person would be rs anachron-
istic as an ideal advocate of liberty of con-
science in 1880 in Boston. ..... 1t is not an
unfamiliar, and certainly not an unfriendly
hand that has made these sketches. The
story as whole, is purely a fiction, but
every one of its incidents has its foundation
and parallel in actual events" Mr.. I'm
derwood spent several years in Kentucky.
and during his residence there collected the
material for " LORD OF HIMSELF" which
was published during the past year by Lee
%onepard, Boston. 1t is needless to speak
OF the mechanical work. To mention the
publishers is sufficient. ANY book seller
VIII furnish 1t. The highest recommends
ton that we can give the book is 10 pro-
nounce 1t lge'{ike and natural nothing
Whatever appearing in the 500 pages that
would offend in the least any Southern gen
tleman or lady. We give one extract
from lhe sixth chaptet-which treats of
poor white trash"
Tom Flemister lived about seven miles from
the county town, on road that was very little
travelled. In fact. it was hardly a road At all.
but rather a series of lanes with occasional gates
or bars to keep cattle within bounds, 1t was not
an easy thing for stranger after branching off
from Vie main road, TO find his way to Toms
house even with careful direction. The inquirer
would be told 20 cross a certain pasture. sighting
by clump Of willows, then turning by certain
oaks, past Uncle Pomp's log house then over the
HILL and through Gillie Cochran's oattle-yard.
and from there straight over to Ben Sanderson's
orchard fence. From Sanderson's there was a
bride path. and ii wasn't more than three.ouar-
tiers Of mile 20 Tom's......Mrs. Flemister was
rarely addressed by the ceromonious mama We
have given her. Her hush and and her busband's
unmarried brother Jack. who generally "stayed5'
with them, always called her Cad, though she
had been called Candace. for the Etbiopian
queen. The ehildren's idea OF the fourth CON-
mandment (of which they had heard only yapue
rumors) were satisfied with calling the authors of
their being pap y and "mnmmy " or "mam5
Cad preserved some recOllectiOns of Ler
early reading, especially Of novels and she nd
bestowed the finest names she could reluefnber
upon her offspring. The pressure upon her stock
had been strong and constant, and il was doubt
iul whether she could have furnished any more of
her iaYOrite Kaleidoscope combinations if the
necessity had continued There is a limit In
Spanish needless. 800
Nancy Already Jane do you take the kiyer off
that bake-panl Iighlman Justice, 20 and cut
some wood! and you 0rbuTn Napoleon Bona
part, PICK up some chips Atanty Ameriky
layidiaa wipe Dorothea COrinnes nOsel Calamity
Ellen G9ndaey, you hunt the cowl and Won.
Orblli? IyTene Sandusky, carry them slops to the
hogs" '-S