The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-05-15
NEW PUBLICATIONS

The Broughton House. By Bliss Perry.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons; Port
land: Loring. Short & Harmony OF modern
novels there is no end, and the critic is apt to
take up new story by an unknown author
with sigh and an unexpressed wish that
everybody who has half an idea would not
rush into print, as is too apt to be the case
In this age Of scribbling. But here we have
an exception to the general rule, and who
ever lets The Broughton House go by with
cut reading 1t will miss new and most
agreeable sensation. Bliss Perry is, pre-
sumably mere pen-name, and we recog-
nize In the story woman's hand, heart and
brain. all keenly alive, sensitive to imprest
sions, and with positive genius for putting
them into words. Whoever the author may
be, she has written book of which anyone
Of our leading modern novelists might we'll
be proud. The style is delicate, graceful
and charming, where these qualities are ap-
propriate. The characters are as real, as
life-like, as perfectly human as pen and
brain could make them. Clear-cut, we'll
defined, they live and breathe and impress
us with their strong and vital personality.
us-so quietly, indeed, that we fail almost to
realize the power that evolves them, until
the sad and tragic. denouement, which has no
theatrical accessories, but holds in It's depths
the solemn silence and stiffness of death.
The Broughton House is remarkable
book, of which its commonplace title gives
not the faintest suggestion; but we predict
for 1t an unusual literary success, and for
its unknown author place among the lead-
ing writers of modern fiction. We purposely
leave the prospective reader of the volume
to discover for himself the plot and the char
acters Of the story, and are certain of his
thanks for not having spoiled it for him be-
forehand
| Little Saint Elizabeth, and Other Stories.
BY Frances Hodgson Burnett. New York
Charles Scribner's Sons Portland: Lcring,
Short & Harmony 1t may be heresy to say
so, but we confess to feeling of disappoint-
ment in reading these stories by Mrs. Bur-
nett. the first of which gives tie title to the
book. 1t is an adaptation of the old legend
of st. Elizabeth and the roses; but the APP
plication seems forced, the childish figure of
the little Elizabeth is theatrical, and the
whole story is stilted, unnatural and morbid.
One of the charms of Mrs. Burnett's style
has been her bright, fresh way of putting
things, and in the story of Little Saint
Elizabeth we find all these qualities lacking.
Strange and uncanny the child is, and we
should not choose her as an example to pre-
sent to our own children.
The new-old fairy tales are well enough,
but we have said all when we say that the
book is disappointment; which, however,
proves that we expect-as we have reason to
do-a great deal that is bright and charming
from Mrs. Burnett.
The Red Mustang. A Story of the Mexi-
can Border. By William o. Stoddard Illus
trated. (New York: Harper & Brothers !;
Portland Loring: Short & Harmony A
treat indeed for the boys is to be found in
this pretty volume, full of wild exploits,
hair-breadth escapes, and delightful and soul
stirring descriptions of the wild West, with
spirited pictures to match. The fortunes of
Cal Evans and his red mustang, Dick, are in
teresting ones to follow, especially the ad-
ventures with the Indians: and when we
read about the perils which the good horse
brought his master safely through we do not
wonder that all who knew about it were dis
posed to attach an almost human idea to the
uncommon qualities of head and heart dis
played by the red mustang