The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-16
TIE FIELD OF LITERATURE.

Mr.. Bret Harte has written, and Messrs.
Houghton, Miff1in & Co. have published a new
story by this prolific writer, entitled Snow
bound at Eagles" Like all Mr.. Hartes writ
ings, there are masterful descriptions of persons,
scenes and incidents in this sketch When he
describes locality the reader seems to see 1t.
His people act and talk as though they were
alive and his incidents are strong and thrilling.
But there is O tainted atmosphere over almost
all he does. 1t was SO in the ~Carquinez
Woods" it was so ir "Maruia," and it is present
In this latest sketch. This splendid writer,
SO quick to scent dramatic situa
tions, SO artistic In the appreca
ton of the beautiful and picturesque,
too often forgets himself, and, like q buzzard,
sails over pleasant fields aud sweet, and pure
homesteads, to settle at last on carrion. It is so
in this story. With the materials for lovely
home circle, he vrenches them into very ques-
tionable shapes and leaves doubt in the mind
of his readers of the purity Of all his characters
The skeleton Of bound at Eagles" is
about as follows: John Hale, his wife, her sls
ter and their mother are in possession of a fine
home in sheltered valley of the Sierras, boun-
tifully provided with all the luxuries of cviliza
ton, ana peoped by Boston bred ladies' The
place is called eagles Court. and at the opening
of the story Hale is on his way homo
in stage occupied by three other passengers.
When near one Of the stage stations in the
night, and not more than dozen miles from his
home, the stage is attacked by road agents"
and the passengers are robbed. Making their
way to the station, pursuit of the robbers is
begun, but by the time it is fairly started upon
a very heavy snowstorm, peculiar TO the region.
suddenly covers the mountain trail and blocks
the passes. Hale and his companions are diven
to the ranch of fellow named Henneker, a fell
low not above robbery when occasion offers.
Here he comes in contact with Zenobia Hen
neker, the ranoher's beautiful but lazy and
slangy daughter. a splendid animal of low in
stincts. The writer does not hesitate to make
Hale, presumably a reputable married man,
make overtures to her about as homogeneous bit
of misadventure as could be conceived. Mean
while the storm has also caught the robbers, who
are snow-bound at Eagles Court, and each party
is doomed to keep close quarters for week at
least Here, as at Henneker's, Mr.. Harte takes
liberties with reputable people. OF course the
character of their unwilling guests is unknown
ladies, with the giddy recklessness of her long
gone youth, enthusiastically furthers a
bold Irritation between George Lee,
the robber leader. and Ned Falkner.
his less guilty partner in crime. Kate Scott,
the unmarried sister Of Mrs Halls, may be ex-
cused by stretch of charity for her spooniness
toward Falkner, but great majority of the
readers OF this sketch would much prefer that
Mrs. Hale should not forget that she is wife
and mother, as Mr. Harte allows her to, in order,
evidently. to offset Hales prediction for Zeno-
bia Henneker. who, by the way, Is Lees sweet
heart In about week the snow blockade is
lifted, and the two s'road agents. disappear in
the night. leaving a note Of regret over their
unceremonious departure. Hale reaches his
home the next day, and the plot
is quickly brought to its climax.
The story makes Lee gallant, and brave and
manly, and Falkner about the same. only to
less degree, while those who should be manly
and womanly are smirched to furnish back
ground for this precious pair. Falkner comes
back and marries Kate Scott, Hales sister in
law, and the book closes with an impudent mes
sage from George Lee, that he "hoped some day
to stand again beside Mrs Hale at the windows
at Eagles Court. aud watch you and Kate COM
ing home" The spirit of the story is vicious
and unwholesome 1t is iamentable that a man
of Bret Hartes abilities should not put them to