Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-19
OUR BOOK TABLE.
SOME OF THE BOOKS RECENTLY OF
FERED TO THE PUBLIC.
Authors-Poetry and Frose-Re-
cent Magazines-Etc.

Productions From Known and Unknown
Authors-Poetry and Frose-Re-
cent Magazines-Etc.
The poems CT Albert F. Kercheysl, we'll
known Californian. have been presented in
handsome royal octave volume of over 500
pages, by A. l.. Bancroft i Co., San Fran
cisco, SIS publishers. under the title a Dolores
and Other Poems" We have no hesitation
whatever in pronouncing Mr.. Kerchevai's
quality to be the truly poetic. His one fault
is his kindly nature, or rather the generous
disposition that has led him to bemesn his
genius by writing on all and for ell occasions.
One gifted with such fertile Imagination
and so vivid fancy does his genius an injury
| BY making It ths vehicle for ordinary car
rage But this testifes to vers Utility and to
inexhaustibie resources. It has been charged,
and we believe unfairly, that Mr. Kerchevsl
is an imitator. In the sense that nothing is
original this allegation may have some foun-
dation, but in the critical examination of his
poems the unbiased judge will discover
! but ia style. In fact it IS so marked as to
mar. 10 soma extent, his work, for the sub
tone IN all his poems is the same. II we
| we're to discriminate we should say
thlt Ksrcheval's best effort is disclosed in his
| descriptive lines, and beside them his sent-
mental poems, He invests narrative with
poetic interest and charm not often attained
| by the modern poet, while bis sentiments are
pure, clearly expressed, appeal 20 the hesrt. |
| Next we would place his humorous poems, |
and beside these his patriotic expressions |
In sentiment and in patriotic power, he rises |
| to an enviable plane and gives evidence Of an |
| ability to fathom the emotions that speaks OF |
! greater possibilities and OF a courage born OF
| the pursst loyalty to liberty and the rights of
men, There are stAnZls numerous and Ia |
differing veins in tue book that are fairly en-.
titled to be ranked with the Hottest msnifes- |
tstions of the best poetic genius. There is |
energy, quickness and vigor in his preduc |
tions, and equally gentlensss, depth of feeling |
| and the evidence of warmly sympathetic |
nature. Unlike some of his eulogists we do |
not place his Dolores" first among his lines. !
| 1t appears to US more labored than most Of |
his shorter poems. Through all his work is
to be noted love for the pure, the gentle
and kindly sentiment, the generous impulse, |
the kindly touch. We fail to discover any
disposition 30 pick out the " thistles in life.
This home poet looks upon this, evidently, IS
life really worth living, and the world as q
thing OF beauty, full of goodness and sweet
ness. despite evil and pain and toll aud weari'
ness We append few selections, typical OF
the style aud thought Of the Granger
poet" who we hold has contributed to the
worlds good by The lsbcrs Ct his pen, since
his lines ara uniformly pure, helpful, cour-
ageoue patriotic ami for the right IN
waveriugly. From Mutations We quote
looked on life glorious plain outspread-
The winds blew soft the blue sky overhead;
Calm slept the seas " How sweet 10 live said.
saw the tares the weary sewers reap,
Saw Hopes sweet flowers crushed by the tempest5
And said, i Oh death, how sweet thy dreamess
Sleep
How vain, o man. thy spirits worldly lus,
Row vain, o soul, thy earthly hopes and trust"
From TIE Vintage We take the opening
starz4:
Soft signs and dreamy purple haze,
And 10 the mellow vintage days
Low droop the cluster-laden vines,
Beneath their burdens common CLEAN,
Like shadowy glimpse Of Bacchus dream.
In glory stretch the seTrisd lines,
From mount to sea DER hill and plain
They spread afar the queenly train
ANA now anear and far around
The sun-browned laborers' joyous strain,
From wales to echoing hills Tesouuds.
From the closing verses iu q tribute to Jack
' ]
depths of the burning Alta mine TO save the
lives of comrades
Out from depths Of deepest pause,
From deaths gaping, yawning jaws
From struggle deadller far
Than the SOLDIER ever braved;
Like ghost, with clinging shroud,
Keeling, swooning, palIid-browed,
To the lights dim-beckoning star,
Came the hero they were saved.
Write his name on glory's page, I
Grandest hero OF the age, l
Blazoned bright on history s scroll,
Simple, stalwart great, sublime
" Jack Van Dusen :" let the name
Echo down the aisles Of fame; Z
Let the whispers throb and roll, /
Through the corridors Of Time. {
From % The River of Death"
Far meath the haze dimy foweth q river,
CLASSY and still with its ruurmuress tide,
Awng the soul with tremulous shiver,
Straning its gaze to the far hidden side;
Yelled in OBiiyion's shadow forever,
Charities as fathomle7s, soundiess as vide
From the poem Illusion y |
wandered by the ocean strand '
ard wrote my naue upon the sand
At early dawn =
When sunset died upon the main,
sought my impress once again
LO it gone t
So Times dark tides that heave and sway
Shall wash Lies footprints faint away, =
Away away.
From the glad song of California Clio :
ries":
0, chosen spot OF Natures God
Thy coming grandeur who shall tell
Uusmitten by His Christening rod, n
Here shali all grace and glory DWELL G
And deathess MINISTRIES yet to be,
Shall sing Of thee, sh al sing Of thee.
From "Alkai Jim"
Il Died with his boots on-game to the last ~ 8
That's what the telegraph said last night
Yes he was always mighty fast
Always into q or fight q
Akali hung: Yes its him !
Somewhere out there about Albuquerque;
jambn' and slOotin That's Just ike Jim, G.
Anything else before honest work c.
Son of q minister-ku him we'll |,
Always full of Old Nick, and wild;
Reckon he didn't believe in he'll d"
Cot too much Of it when child. o.
Went to school with him many day I,
SWore like parrot, aud smoked and chawed; |,
Always dangeTous-like at play -
Mad in minute, and fit and clawed, Ct
Ready Of hand and free If heart, Il
True to his friendships, wrong or right. ri
yhjyalrOUst Always would take the part
OF the dog that was underneath in the fight d
The volume closes with number Of poems "
" RDsalis ". KercheYal, the poets young U
laughter. They are characterized by sweet d
less, and istuctively marked poetic senti- ia
nent Of an order that gives promise of still
letter work. a few examples are given. W
From "Dawnirg:" ii
DINNER wane The tapers b.
Oer the Orient word; 81
Softer wreathe the yap1rs =
Through the silence Curled III
Distant, DIM uncertain, Il
Pae and gray and wan, W
Lifts the musty curtain a.
Ger the rising dawn. VI
Far and faint and tender, d.
Hinged with golden light, oil
Breaks the tide Of spendOr nj
On the shores OF night.
From "Wearine5s = -
BY the stiffness and shadow surrounded A.
lie on the mystical int,
Where the limits of vision are bounded &c
Alone by the confines Of night. tx
Ger the silence of city ard river, re
Nights scntlllnt sp'sndors blaze still, So
Like beacon fires indlcd forever tie
Ger rSmparts Of mJuntziu and hill. ~
Through the infinite spaces upleading, be
Faint silveFed and circed with lisht, re-
Still watch the white pathways recedng -
That traverse the kingdom of night. nj
From A. L. Bancroft & Co. San Fran. ne
isco, we haye Of the press of g. p. Put an
ans Sous, New York. Henry j. Wisner's st
Manualifoi Tourists in TIE Yellowstone Ma te
ousl Park" Il is freely illustrated and be