The National tribune., 1884-04-03
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

From ID. Lothrop & Co.. Boston. We have
Echoes from Hospital and White House. by
Anna L. Boyden, in which the life aud services
OF Mrs Reoeeca X. Pomroy, one OF the most
faithful and devoted of our hospital nurses dur-
ing the late war. are sketched by a loving and
appreciative pen. Mrs. Pomroy. whose death
at Newton, Mass. in January last was record
ed at the time in these columns. was at tha
outbreak Of the war, widow with an only
son--a lad OF nineteen-who very early enlist
ed IN the army, and so heartily we're her SYM
pathles engaged with the Union cluse that
when, one day in September, 1851 she read a
statement among the dispatches from the 'front.'
that nurses were sadly needed in the hospitals
at Washington, She at once determined to offer
her services, and within a week from the date
OF her letter to Miss Dix, rendering her aid,
reported AZ the capital for duty. She was ina
mediateiy assig gned to Columbian College Hos
pital in the outskirts of Washington, Here
she lab0red for several months, and was ipstru-
mental in reforming many abuses which had
crept into the management OF the hospital. Is
is hard 10 believe that any official in an insti-
tuition like this, surrounded by SO much suffer-
ing, could deliberately rob the poor fellows
uader his charge OF the comforts sent them
from home, but such was the fact in many hos
Pltals, and it required the kecnest watch on
the part Of Mrs Pomroy 90 secure the boxes
which were sent to her personal address or TO
those of her patients. Tke hospital steward
!
held-on several occasions intercepted these
contributions for the purpose of turning them
To his own personal use ami benefit, and even
officials OF higher grade and authority were nOt
averse to drinking the wine and eating tho
good things flehed from the helpless invalids
under their charge.
In the spring of 1862 Mrs Pomrov was se-
leeted from the two hundred and forty Gov
ernment nurses to 90 to the White House, after
| the death of little Willie Lincoln to take care
of the sick members of the Presidents family.
/ Here she came to know Mr.. Lincoln in his own
| family, and she pays many warm tributes in
! her letters TO his goodness and tenderness OF
| heart. After health had been restored to the
Presidents household, she returned to the hos
pital, where she remained until the e.0ss Of the
war
/ Two years later she became matr0n OF a re-
| formatory home for girls at Newton Centre,
/ Mass, and was afterwards the founder and
/ superintendent Of the Home FOR Orphan and
Destitute Gtrls a5 Newton, SO that nearly her
/ whole life was given up 70 the care Of others.
/ The book Is well written. many OF the incidents
extremely touching. and the story OF Mrs
| Pomreys sojourn in the White House and her
/ "reminiscences Of President Lincoln are full of
interest. Altogether it is a most valuable con-
tribHtlon to the literature Of the war; and viii 20
far towards keeping alive the memory Of that
band OF miniseeriDg angels among whom Mrs.
Pomeroy was always 10 be found
Some two years ago, quite a noticeable stir
was oecasioned in literary circles By the ap-
pearaDce of military novel entitled The
| ColoneP5 Daughter" by Captain harIes King
OF the Regular army. The descriptions which
/ it contained Of life at frontier post were 50
! Lfe-Ike, the characters SO skilliully drawn,
! and the plot so well handled that the book was
| at once pronounced q success, and many pleas
| ant speculati0ns were INDUCED in as to the
character of the authors next venture. lt i5
something OF fadsapp0intmeBt. therefore. ofnd
| IN his new novel, entitled g kitfy's Conquest"
| a production IN every way inferior 20 It's pre-
deeessor. The story. il IS true was written as
| the author takes ;easion TO say in his preface,
some twelve years ago, but Yaile that may ac-
count for some OF Its faui5s, it does not explain
why they have been permitted 20 20 unc0r-
reeted 1t shows a lack Of iudgmens-to say
the least-on the part Of Capraisf King, that
after making such strong mark with his first
book he should be willing 20 stake his Tepnsa-
tI0n on the publication of a story that neither
IN theme nor treatment ear compare for mo-
ment with The CoiOneis Daughter" The
fact is that kitty's Conquest. while by no
means totally devoid Of interest. is essentially
sensational IN subject and style. The scene
of the story is laid in the Soush-partly on
plantation near the Tennessee and partly az
New Orleans-and the time is a few years
after the war, when the atrocities Of the
kuklux and the constantly recurring con-
ficts between the reconstructed State gov
ernments and the dissatisfied elements Of the
white population rendered the presence of
o. 5. troops necessary IN many Of the disturbed
localities. Among the troops assigned to this
unpleasant duty is a detachment of cavalry,
: two OF whose Otfieers-Major Vinton aud Lieu
tenant AmOry-arc the heroes of the story.
In the neighborhood where they are stationed
resides certain Judge Summers. who has
given offense by refusing TO wink at the out
RACES committed by the KukIux, and on ona
occasion has only been saved from being mob
bed by the arrival of the Federal cavalry. he
is properly grateful, aud both major and lieu
tenant become frequent visitors at his house,
which is graeed with the presence Of his very
pretty daughter and still more charming niece
The usual result follows, and although the
course of true love does not run smooth az the
outset, matters are satisfactorily arranged in
the closing chapter. There are some stirring
incidents in the story. but the characters are
not sharply defined, the style is slovenly and
; sometimes even coarse, and the plot SO slender
as not even to arouse curiosity. Captain King
has certainly shown that he can write clever
and entertaining story. il he choose. aad it is
! on that account all the more 10 be regretted
that he did not permit this production of his
earlier years 20 remain untouched and address
himself to some new theme mere worthy Of hi:
, talent. The publishers are Messrs. J. B. Lip
pincots & Co, Philadelphia.
i Messrs. G. w CarletOa & Co, announce ths
: publication Of new book by Allan PinkertOn
the famous detective, entitled Thirty Years
Detective" 1t is said to be the authors mas
/ terpiece, containing thorough expose of al
= criminal methods and practices known TO the
present age and embelliShed by Dlamy thrilling
Incidents 1t is sold only by subscription
] Glow Do lou Like Cur Dur,aiess''
{ To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE: