New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-21
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE LIFE TO CONE.


I,ho extraordinary avidity with winch, even III
materialistc period the public turns toward BOOKS
of this class is strong proof of the persistence OF
that innate conviction OF future LIE whlch pIioS
onhers have so often cited an argument for the
immortality of the soul. Speculations upon the
nature of heaven always popular The immense
persOnal importance of the question OF immortality
the most practical of all questions which can ne PIE
scented 10 the human mind, is instinctiYely and
often unconsciously admitted 10y the eoep"cal
themselves; and works which deal with the great
mystery of the future read with an interest
quite independent of their literary merit VIC uo
not mean 10 say that the new book by Miss Phelps
attracts Ms only by its subject; far from it, magi-
nation carries her-aS the title ndlcates-On bold
or fight than when some years ago she ouy looAcu
through "The Gates Ajar" and she tries TO answer
more fully than before the unfOrnulatcd questions
of curious believers but, apart from all tins the
story-as we suppose we may call it's beautiful
niece of art rising at times almost to the DOMAIN OF
poetry.
II would be useless to discuss the reasonablcness
of Miss PhepsS conception OF heaven because every
body,s opinions in that matter must be governed by
temperament, education and religious belief; hut
there will be no dispute about the verisimitude of
her narrative as literary exercise. If the occupa-
tions of the dead are not likely to be what she de
seribes at least we find ii easy TO conceive OF leam
of existence somewhere in which they might DC
such: and her account of the transition from TINS
world 70 the next will TO most of her readers
entirely simple and natural. The story Is toid III
the first person The narrator has been Ill Tor TWO
weeks and is lying at the point OF death. lhere Is
an admirable description of her falling away INTO
a stupor:
I do not remember saying anything more after
This | certainly did not suffer any more. 1 1clt
ouiet and assured. Nothing farther troubled me.
'the room became still that Thought they must
have all gone away, and left me WIN lie hHNt anu
that she finding me so well. llad hcIseIi iaIich
asleep This rested me-to feel that was no lohg5ST
causing them pain-mOTc than any hihS couid
have done and began to think the best tAihg
could do would he 10 take nap myself
With this conviction quietly IN mind turned
over with nv face toward the wall. to 90 To sleep
grew calmcr, and vet more calm, as lay IneiHH'
There a cross of Swiss carving on tlc VAL
hanging over a picture of my father. Leonardo"
Christine from the drawing for Tie !-a>l sup
per that we all knOw-hung above these. owing
10 my position. cou!d not see the other pictures
in the room which was large and hlied with niue
things the gifts of those who had been kin@ 20 h'
in life of many busy years Only these thiee 90
jectS-the cross, the Christ, ana my latngI-cdue
within range of my eyes as the power OF siceP at
yanced. The room darkened, rs II Ind been
since became so i'll, that was not Su'e whether
II werr uigiIt or day The clock was striking.
think ii struck two and perceived inc "doi al inc
mignoactte. think il was the last thing noticed
before going to sleep. and remembered as did so,
the theories which gave to the sense OF Snlc great
er significance than any of the rest and remember
first 10 give way in the diving. u cOud not recall IN
NV confused condition. which, Thought OF TINS
with pleased and de interest e9t du nor asSocI-
ate the thought with the alarm felt by my friends
about my condition.
She wakes, and sees her father in the room. lie
has been dead many years but his presence does
NOT surprise her and at lis bidding she rises and
follows him INTO the wintry treet aud ont upon a
moor:
As we walked together [ felt myself become
roy ~
1t is a good world" cried " II Is 3 good world!
so il is" sad nv father heartily. and yet-my
dear dan Inter lie hesitated; so long that /
looked INTO his face earnestly, and then saw that
n strange gravity had settled upon 1t. II was not
like any look that had ever seen theIe before
:" have better things to show YOU he SAID
gently.
Il do not understand you. sir
awe have only begun our journey, Mary and--ll
you do not understandable thought You W"nid
have done 80 by this time-l wonder II she Is gong
to he frightened after all
ceher on the side of the hill. The town looked iaT
behind MS and Insignificant The earth dWmdiCd
and the SKY grey as we looked rom ON one 10 me
ticed how small portion of our range o. vision Is
filled by the surface of earth and what occupies II
and how immense the proportion OF the heavens.
rs we stood there. il seemed to Overwhclm MS.
" Rise" said my father in voice OF solemn au-
tboritv " rise quickly!"
Struggled al his words for he seemed to slip from
me- and feared to lose him. 1 struggled ana
struck out into the air. felt wild excitement IKE
ming, animals do, and a few men IRON % IA IN
stinct, having never learned Ny father spoke en-
cOuragngly, aud with tenderness. lie never once let
90 my hand felt myself. beyond all doubt, soar
ing-slowly and weakly-but surely ascending above
See there is nothing to fear" he said from time
10 time. did not answer My heart beat fast. ]
exerted all my strength and took stronger stroke
! felt that gained upon myself closed my eyes
looking neither above nor below.
Suddenly as gently the opening Of water lily,
md vet as swiftly as the ceaving of the lightning,
Thought
q FotLeT az DrApgv Ny hands slipped grew
Gizzy-wayered-and luttered. was sure that |
should fall. A. that instant was caught with the
iron of tenderness and held Ike very young enid;
in NV fathers arms. He said nothing. only pattcd
me on the check. we assembled, he seeing, and l
blind; ne strength and weakness; he Who knew
all aud wlO knew nothing, silently with the rising
Sun athwart tine rOse-lt arr.
was awed more than there are words 90 say, but
felt no more fear than used TO do Wien he carried
me on his shoulder mp the garden walk aitei IL grew
DARK when | was tired out with play.
When they came to a halt she lay quite still for
while en- bank of flowers. Sac was in beautiful
MACE. but it was unlike all her anticpa'ionS Of
heaven There were hills and deep forests, shining
water undulating fields, perfumes anG soft tmts ID
The eiuosphere music among the trees, and in the
distance outlines OF architecture denoted large cen
tres OF life She was conscious of a sensation Of
perfect health of untring yigor, OF infinite safety
chiefly OF safety. III my soul drew long breath
Nothing more can happen TO me- Yet a. the same
time felt that was at the outset Of all experience
was as if my heart cried aloud Where shall be-
einP" There is an analogy, even resemblance,
between the life OF the other world and the life of
this Occupations are not so much changed as they
are developed ennObled and glorified The narrator
trayerses beautiful town, and beholds the signs OF
human traffic, philanthropy, art and study. There
are libraries, museums, public gardens, places of
shelter for travellers schools of art and music and
science Tie men and women are busy without
hurry eliicacious without waste, ambitious without
scrupulousneSs. They subject TO nope fear ton,
uncertainty citation, but a ropose that 1t is impos-
sbe to call 10y any other name than divine controls
Tho narrator laS Darated for