The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-06
Poking Fun at Miss Rives' Book.
9r0W Tie saturday RerleT.

run Ht5 C+ttHfNNY ActLcL.
After all the moEstrOus deal of talk over
the new Anne lean novel, "Ihs Quick or the
Dead" an iHsular reader is APT u be- disap-
pointed by the book. At last it las b en-
bublished cost you 3D. by the Mess s.
Routledge, and is now within the reach of
the humblest purse and the leasI-experieuc d
curiosity. And after all, it Is only the old,
old passionate business" which any one
can study for himself in Miss Br7ughtOn's
early novels. Pernapi 1.-The Quick or the
Dead" is more like the pArOdIes than the
originals Of these romances, but the arms,
the shoulders, the lips, the kisses, the strain
ing, clingiug embraces; the wild, weird,
tearfraught eyes; tie romping, aud the rest
of it are after the ancient pattern.
Barbara Pomfret was the widow Of Val
entin Pomfret q widow but recently be
reaved She had an elastic night-cool cheek
Mr.. Pomfret had bsen accustomed to tell
her that her curled lips were cup, and her
breath wine, and that they made him drunk,
drunk She was eternally posturing, dash
ing herself about, giggling Historically, and
striking attitudes, like a queen in Greek
play. over her marriage bed. She some
times drank three cups of tea, and ate two
partridgss, together with numberless bis
cults, for supper She met ner husbands
cousin, Jock Dering, and ne tied in his arms
in storm, ard he told her that she was a
great, golden, uncanny thing. Style ap-
pears to have run in this gentleman'S fam
ily as wicket-keeping does in others, be-
cause the late Mr.. Pomfrets remarks, as re-
ported, were similar in character. Mrs.
Pomfret was all eyes, and blowse of red
gold hair. She played her graceS in the hall
on wet day with JocS, and, as the piper
said, cit was not in nature there should not
be kissing" kissing there WAS IL was an
eager kiss; it was light as flower leaves, fine
as fire. Her stormy bosom tossed some little
diamond pins she wore into iri-
descent sparkles. She then took
his face into both hands, and
held it near her own, AID remarked that
there was an open grave between them,
which says little for America / cemeteries.
When Mrs Pomfret came to reflect on her
conduct, she says she was a wantoh. She
did penance by sitting up ali night with the
Thermometer at zero. Perhaps we have
forgotten TO mention that she had rathe
arms, padding step, and that she smelt
like sponge that eXquistay fresh fra
GRANGE" Sc wore dense, yet filmy gown,
and delicate foot in a web-like stocking
and riot)us masses Of cOpper-colored hair.
Perhaps it is supar1uous to add marks Of
quotation. The style betrays itself.
The adventures of Barbara and now she
sent her dead husbands cousin away
and called him back again, ADD
the number and variety of their
kisses, and how Barara repented
and Tilted Jock, absolutely for the last time
are written in "Fhe Quick or the Dead :"
They are all perfectly familiar in character
and manner TO the most ordinary student,
and it is hard to explain why they have az
tractsd 50 muca notice in America In one
respect the volume deserves its popularity
Not even Miss Braddon or Ouija has de-
scribe1 more dresses, some with woof Of fire
aud web of smoke. some Of peach-bloo "a col
ored silk, and so forth. Perhaps it was on
account of her varied costume that Barba-
ra's lover, ''now seemed a0iaucei to some
eastern houri, languid in rich embrJdgries
among many Gus ions, and the next fol-
lowed modern Atalanta through the bro Tn
vistas Of her familiar woods On the whole
it seems pity that the Widow Pomfre. did
not marry Mr.. Dering. AS hiss Squeers
remarked of "Tilda Price" it was "most
desirable, from the very nature CT her fail
ings, that she should be married as soon as
possible