The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-15
LITERATURE.
MAID ELLICE.

''MAID ELLioE." fat
maid Ece" by Theodore Gift is published
In Hollis Leisure Hour Series II Is q story OF
English country life, with just Dash OF London
thrown in by way OF variety. Tho book. by rights,
should have been named either Maid Margaret
Msundsrs,andnga Margaret Herns Is unquss-
tionAby the heroine and the strong characser OF
the book, while the plot 10 made up chiefly OF
msunderslandings Maid Ellicc is u sweet pretty
little blonde. born In South America, OF English
parents, who being both dead she taken by
friend Of her mother, MIS-. herne mother
OF Margaret and Robin Horne. Margaret Is OF
those characters who should never exist out OF
book for there tho writer tell tho for
singular conduct In Ordinary lie II child kills
poll parrot and refuses 10 tell the why we
apt to think that she 10 naturally vicious and punish
her accordingly book child may do this, and wo feel
outraged against the mother WAC punshes her, Tor
the author tells that 1t accident, and that
the child Rugged the empty cage aud wept passionate
tears, but was TOO proud TO toll The truth
after being accused Of cruelty. II We know
girl like Margaret Hcrne who was
always saying disagreeaele ind unkind things to her
parents and every around her, We should be apt
70 think her o common scod rather than heroine
She Is strong character, as drawn by Mr. GIFT, but
somewhat tresoms There is denying that
her life rather mouotonous, but ought not TO
have been unhappy She was the ooI OF her parents.
her brother, charming fellow, kind and good 10
her, notwithstanding tho TACT that she Gagged at
him beyond endurance. and her surroundings
than comfortable. st she mag
med herself unhappy and nursed the feel
Ing until IL grow 70 be monomania Not
withstanding her strength she gave In 10 The
first temptation, bat then again her strength pulled
her out OF tho slough. Maid Ellice does excite
half the interest OF Margaret We like her and think
that she q 'dear httle thing" and, though don't
Ike Margaret a. ALL cannot help being Interested
IN her. There IL great deal oil rustic simplicity
about this story, and not little humor Charlotte
vanning, the London model is very amusing with ner
professional pride Speaking OF models she said:-
'Father was a noticeable man among 'em, you know.
There's folks you may ear now talking Of old
Warnings legs; an he's sat to more r. A. Tor 'is
torso than you could count. grand torso he had.
even when . got olo an 'sd 70 swell 'isself nout
when O. wanted to look big an dignfed. Why,
don't suppose there's hartist worth being spoke
OF as don't know name. got inter
kersompten along o. caichin' colo while settin' to
Keeley Marlborough for 's Lucreetcher; am I've
never boon we enough TO set much since except fur
the sorreriul domestic line. There's young Trcmhies
~ paints arter FAsd; . 'irsd awhile back tor
starvin' mother. kasslu' over dead baby with my
'ands up to ewing but there's nothin so trim when
yer not starvip) kneen' an 'odin' up yer lands"
The story does end should have liked tor
wanted Margaret 10 marry Gordon Maxwell and havea
comfortable c but the author had other ideas In the
copy OF MAID Ellics' sont " for review au-
noysd by the nonsens,cal itacizng OH every page,
and wondered whether the author publisher to
biame The mystery has becn solved by note just
received from Henry Holt l. Co., in which in
formed that the italics due to the courageous
stupidity" Of q now proof reader, and that the
mainder OF the edition has been suppressed and
one gotten ready for the market We mako this
PLANTATION for the benefit Of those who may have read
one Of the first editions