The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-04-14


characters are drawn at a dash, with no tedious
analyzations and refnements. There is diyorc
ed woman who plays bold game in which she
is foilcd a case ofkidnapping, ala Charley Ross
a rich idiot who buys the heroine Of her noble
but poor father and marries her, to the disgust
of poor baronct, in love with and loved by The
aforesaid heroine, and who, after her marriage, II
properly tortured because her old lover uncX
pectedly becomes rich. Then there is male
villain who gets shot, and female villain who
dies in despair; other obnoxious persons die of
conveniently, and the novel ends conventionallN
and dccorously by leaving only the good people
alive, comfortable and happy.
SIDoNIE. From the French of Aphonse Daudet
Fourth American Edition, from the siXtetl
thousand Paris edition. Boston: Estes " Lau
riat Chicago: Jansen, McClurg IL Co. Otta
wa: Osman II Hapcman. Price sl.5O.
There is an odor of feculence about the very
idea Of a French novel that 1t is necessary Il
apprise the reader in advance that "Sdonie' il
the farthcst, remove from the pernicious tras!
the name ordinarily suggests. This is sufficient
ly attestcd by the fact that il has been crowned
as work OF merit by the French Academy. The
world as the secretary of The Count dc Morny
and as occupying his leisure hours in writing
fcnilctons for the press, in which form Sidonit
was first given TO the world. But 1t was not I'M
til it appeared in book form that its real merit
was appreciated. There is nothing meretriclous
about its style. The writer depicts vice in such
Il way that the reader turns from the picture
with shudder. On the other hand, virtue, puri-
ty and real worth are described with pathos,
poetry and tender sweetness that are altogether
remarkable. The plot and machinery of the story
arc quite simple. The heroine is beauty rails
ed from the lower stratum, who never gets rid OF
her vulgarityo her love Of show and dress, which
arc combined with an utter heartlessness. OPP
posed to ser is a cripple, an emblem OF purity
and swccInrs-. 4 spice Of comedy is thrown IN,
in the shape ~ French Micawber, always
waiting for something to turn up; and then we
have an abused and tortured husband, with rcla-
tivcs friends, &c, varied company, all painted
with a distinctncss OF delineatOn that compel the
conclusion that they are drawn from life. The
book has in less than year had run Of over
sixty thousand in France, and the able and bril-
liant translation before US cannot fail to have an
equal run in this country.
THE JERICHO ROAD. Story of Western Life.
Chicago: Jansen, McClurg x Co. Ottawa:
Osman X Hapeman.
The unusual sensation created by this cleyer
satire on its first appearance having partially
subsidized, we can estimate its qualities with
more dclberation. The fact that its authorship
has been attributed with equal confidence by
critics to the writer of Iclen's Babies,
to Henry Ward Beechcr, Wendell Phillips, Bret
IIarte, Professor Swing and Bob Ingersoll, is in
itself an extraordinary tribute to its merit.
Aside from its high claim on the score OF mere
literary execution, as swiftly moving story of
singular pathos and power" the writer, like the
author of Ginx's Baby, struck popular chord
that at once awakened universal sympathy. No
character is more lovely than that of the genuine
good Samaritan--none more detesfable than
that of the sham Samaritan. The writer depicts
the latter in its most insidious, most odlous,
yet in these days Of multifarious prctence, very
common form. Even In less skillful hands, such
q story must have been more or less popular,
but under the magic touch Of an artist like Hab-
Dcrton Gor We believe the authorship is now
5uar strength and force.
Jansen, McClurg e Co. announce another
anonymous book. 1t is entitled six Little
Cooks; or, Aunt James Cooking Glass" and will
give the summer experience of six young girls
Who, under the tuition Of Aunt Jane, became
killfu cooks
ANNE WARWICK. A Novel. BY Gcorgiana NJ
Craik. author of Mildred" "Sylvia's Choice "
The Cousin from India Miss Morse" &c.
New York: Harper Brothers. Chicago: Jan
sen, McClurg IL Co. Ottawa; Osman * liape- !
man. Price 80 cents
They must be hard to please who will not ind
themselves very agreea5ly entertained by this
novel. Such a beaming, kindly, tender spirit
pcrvadcs its pages that we know good hearted
woman must have written it. The plot is ingc.
lious and well wrought out, and the characters
ire drawn with great skill and distinctncss
Miss Craik will 90 4 round or two higher up the
adder of fame for having written this pleasant
book
VERDANT GREENS ADVENTURES, BY Cuthbert
Bcde. Chicago; Donnelly IL Lloyd, publishers
Price 30 cents.
II "cvcry laugh pulls a nail from ones coffin
undertaken for many long year. Vcrdant has
he happy faculty OF meeting with more "adyen-
.ures," and more amusing ones, than ever before
ell to the lot Of mortal man. And the story Is
made additionally attractive by 80 humorous
THE NuRsEHY.-The April number of this very
popular monthly for the smallest readers is not
only well filled with amusing pictures and sto-
rics, but amusement is happily combined with
There are excellent pictures OF the
seal and buz2ard and enough is said about them
TO enable the youngest readers To recognize and
know all about them ever afterwards. The
music page Is another special attraction.
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Geological curiosity.
The commercial travellers OF Main street
are very much exercised over what they I've.
licve TO be geological wonder. \ lad, wkile
out hunting, neer Scooba, Mississippi, few
weeks ago, shot and killed deer with very
large an,lers, thinking of course, he had set.