The Portland daily press., 1892-08-16

t'bs AhS L lilies anu InS'A A'NiSAA"OANt
etc. Southerners in spirit of familiari-
ty, Northerners, for the novelty, will
equally enjoy Mr.. Johnston's detailed
and life-like sketches of Georgian days,
of the grim and rude but hearty old
times" to memories of which he dedi-
Gates this volume. DukesborOugh Tales
are here re-published, six out OF the
original sixteen, and revised. Who does
not smile reminiscently over bits like the
following: 1T was the custom of the pu
pills in the Goosepond, as in most of the
other country schools of those times, to
study aloud. Whether the teachers
thought that the mind could not act I'M.
less the tongue was going or that the
tongue going was the only evidence that
the mind was acting, it never did ap-
pear" Something of the nature of Mr..
Meadows, the teacher, may be gained
from watching his method:
''There is too much fuss here. I'm go
ing to drop this pin, and | shall whip
every single one of you little boys that
don't hear it when it falls. Tharn'
Il heerd it, Mr.. Meadows! heerd it.
Mr.. Meadowsn' exclaimed, simultane-
ously, five OF six little fellows.
Come up here, you little rascals.
You are a.liarr' said he to each one. 81
never drapped it; | never had nary one
TO drap. 1t just shows what liars you
are. Set down and wait awhile. I'll
show you how to tell me lies"
The little liars skunk to their seats,
and the recitations commenced, '-etc.
With hearty sympathy does the reader
contemplate the final assault and pun
melting given this Squeers-like instructor
of youth by one of his humblest and
most long suffering pupils. 1t is a temp
tation to quote further from these pages,
as school days merge into more elderly
and advanced sayings and doings, but
space leaves one only the opportunity to
refer lovers of clever pen to the origi-
nal text. (New York: D. Appleton &
Company; Portland: Loring, Short &
Harmony
A Little Norsk or OF Pap's Flaxen, by
Hamlin Garland, author of Main Trav-
eled Roads. A Member of the Third
House, A Spoil of Office, Jason Edwards,
etc. We know Mr. Garland to be asso-
ciate editor of the Arena, writer on
social and economical subjects, and one
of the newer contributors to the Century
Magazine. We are told that his aim in
literature is to portray life exactly as he
sees it. But better than that sort of in
formation is it to read for oneself this
bit of realism, A Little Norsk. The
author has indeed given us live people in
his description of Buster County, Boom
town and Belleplain. Real 'sfolks'' and
human nature unvarnished and in the
rough. Yet whenever was this so given
that it did not reveal qualities to make
the conventional and artificial soul at
least stir uneasily in its worldly wrap
pings and wonder if there might not be a
better thing after all than the rule of
fashion or the prescribed method of deal
ing with existence. Two western camp
ers-tho' the house be of wood, not can
vas-adopted by golden haired little
girl!
''Git her one dress for ev'ry day in the
week, and make her wear 'em in rota-
ton. Hang 'em up an put a tag on each
one-Sunday, Monday, an so on
''Good idea."
'sNow, Bert said Ans one day, 81
don't wan to hear you talk in that slip
shod way any longer before Flaxen.
You know better; you've had more
chance than / have-be'n to school more.
There amt no excuse for you, not an
ioty. Now I'm goin' to say to her, 'Nev-
er mind how | talk, but talk like Bert
does.'"
20, say, now, look here. Ans, I can't
stand the strain. Suppose she'd hear me
swerrin' at OF Barney or the stove?''
That's jest it. You amt goin' to
swear" decided Anson-and so on.
The further education of the Little
Norsk progresses beyond a far-western
capacity to deal with, as the little story
itself shows forth, in it's remaining chap
ters. (New York: D. Appleton & Com
pany; Portland: Loring, Short, & Har-
mon.)
Cynthia Wakeman's Money. By Anna
Katharine Green. The stories by this
author are SO famous and have obtained
such wide reading that the reviewer
does lite more than chronicle their APP
pearance in print. The present volume
is full to the brim of would-be murder,
incendiarism, accident, revelation and
final adjustment to the peaceful and
happy side of things. One goes through
a great deal to obtain repose, and many
readers like the process. (New York
and London: e. P. Putnam's Sons; Port
land: Loring, Short 6 Harmon. Price
so cents.)
Jean de Kerdren. By Jeanne Schultz,
author of the Story of Collette, Straight
On, etc. Gracefully and well told, the
plot of this attractive story turns upon
the misfortunes of fair lady of wealth
and beauty, and the awakened chivalry
of a. Gallant vo11nO co11nt wadded to no