The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-04-27
Especial Cor. STATE CHRONICLE.

A STORY OF SOUTHERN LIFE.
Especial Cor. STATE CHRONICLE.l
have just read for the third time "Ma
rion Harland's Judith A Chronicle oil
Old Virginia." | find that the story grows
more and more enjoyable, each reading
bringing new pleasures. have been sur
prised to find so few people who have read
judith" and can only attribute this tC
the fact that it first appeared in maga
zine which had not an established rtiMta
ton, and one which was little circulated
in the South, esp cially in North Carolina
because OF the feeling of our people towards
its editor. l refer to Judge Tourge. ; un-
successful venture "Our Continent
That marion Harland" made a .rea,
mistake in not issuing her story through
the Century or Harper's, is very apparent
Had she done so, Judith would now be
a great favorite, and Mrs. Terhune would
be woman of greater fame.
Perhaps if the literary porcupines, briSt
ling all over with critical tests. were tC
roll once over this little story there would
be little life left; but it is good that We are
not all literary critics, and that pure, sweet
story has charms for u.s. Whatever the
critics may say, to my mind ''Judith" is
no weak novel; it has dramatic force. it is
pathetic, aid its moral teaching is good
and above all, it is true to life; the char
actels act, talk and think just as people
did in real life. In fact, the novel Is Just
what it pretendS to be, "A Chronicle OF
Old Virginia. collection of true Incl
dents and pictures from old Southern life
III recent letter to the writer. Mrs Ter
hume C'Marion Harland') said:
"Everything in Judith that relates to
Nation nd of inl nd
personal history, is historical. The Incl
dents of Miss Macon's elopement with a
circus-rider is literally true. None of the
characters bear their real names
We all know that there is no better
teacher of the history of a people, of their
manners and customs, than a novel which
abounds in true pictures of every day life:
and | know of no novel that gives one a
better idea of Southern life Of the past
than Judith Many historical incldeuts
are also interestingly treated; such Incl
dents as the burning of the Richmond
Theatre, GabrielS inSurrectiOn. Nat Tur-
ner's insurrection, the propos tion before
the Virginia Legislature for the gradual
emancipation of the slaves, the Preslden-
tial election of 1882 (the date of the story,
and the description of a political speak
ing. All of these inc dents. aud many
more, are worked into charming story,
in which We have given many character
sketches and pen pictures OF Southern
home life. | give only a few:
Aunt Betsy picked up her key basket
from the floor when she had rolled up her
stock ng tightly and stuck the needles into
the ball.
Peggy" she called from the end of the
piazza nearest the kitchen. lit is time to
get out supper" She went across the yard
to the sOre room where barrels of flour,
meal, su gar, rice and salt were kept, with
bags of coffee, tubs of lard, So ap, starch,
candles and other groceries. Nam Peggy
joined her at the storeroom door, bread
tray and sitter IN hand. Presently | heard
from the kitchen the thump of the rolling
pin on the biscuit block.
And another:
Beyond the cedars was as ing with a
grotto of rude masonry over it, built into
the hill at the back Under dry -leaved
oak shadowing the spring branch was a
fire, a monst Gus kettle set on stones above
it. A fiat rock supported tub of steam
clothes, which a woman was washing.
She was tall, sinewy and black, and her
dress of unbleached domestic left neck
and arms bare. She had pulled off her
shoes and stockings and hung them on a
bush. AS she scrubbed with fist and
palms, and wrung out the cleansed linen
she sang plantation melody:
20 young ladies, amt you mighty sorry:
De sun mos down, and | gwine away to
mOrry.'
In the busy intervals of her singing
heard two negro children lying on the
hillside, propped by their elbows, theil
mouths near the earth, calling in swee,
monotone:
Doodle bug, Doodle bug. Doodle bug
Come and git some batter-bread.
And in describing one of the charac
ters:-
This was my Uncle Archie-a simple
God fearing gentleman, who believed il
the Bible and the Confession of Faith
voted the whg ticket, and paid his debts
one hundred cents in the dollar; acknowl
edged no social code but that of right, ant
loved one woman better than aught OF
earth, save truth and honor
These are only fragments. The stor,
abounds in pen pictures; the Christina
festivities, plantation scenes, preaching
Sunday at ''Old Singinviile," and man,
Others Such pictures have always beer
peculiarly fascinating to me, pictures o
Southern life duriug the earlier half o
the century.
1t is great pity that so little of ou
past is emba!med in literature, that w
have so few novels which truthfully depic
the manners and customs of our grand
fathers. This cannot be attributed to tn
lack of material, for in its many neighbor
hood traditions, in the life of its past, ant
in its historical incidents, the South offer
a vast store house of unused material t
story writer's; witness the success of Thos
Nelson Page and the author of ''Don Milf.
| There is a neighborhood in Halifax count
alone which could furnish incidents ant
characters for strong and thrilling story
We young people know too little of tn
past of our fathers. We have heard o
their politics, of their struggles, and O
| their heroism: but there is another past
a lovely old past, which can only come t
US through our grandmothers as they te
US of the people, the incidents, and tn
customs of their young days. For thi
reason, if for no other, we should all ii
crease the number Of our grandmotherS
| H. P.
Personal.
Mr. N H. Frohlichstein, of Mobile, Ala
writes: l take great pleasure in recon
mending DR.. Kings New Discovery fC
Consumption, having used it for a sever
attack of Bronchitis and Catarrh. 1t gay
me instant relief and entirely cured n
and have not been afflicted since ais
| 7 lol <~,~ 18th