Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-06

he succeeds In the attempt. All OF Hall
Gaines other books have been gu te in
teresting, but it was chiefly through
their strength and earpestness; in the
new story the earnestness is all there,
in the honest guise of heartiness, and
there is also great deal OF humor such
as never before has come from the same
pen, unless anonymously. Capt. Davy's
honeymoon was not happy. He and his
wife "agreed to disagree" before the
sound OF the wedding bells is we'll out Of
their ears, but both are 30 honest that
everyone to whom the author introduces
them will be sorry for them and hope
there may be a reconciliation. The
couple are finally reunited, and not too
late, by well-meant bit of trickery
which is cleverly managed and des-
cribed.
Mrs. Noteworthy has been SO sue
cessful in writing story books for chill
dren that "grown up" novel from her
pen is certain to be welcomed with in
terest, and it is safe to say that Leona
will create for her friendly circle of de-
voted readers among those, old or
young, who have such pleasant recollec-
tions OF Carrots, Little Mother Bunch
and the rest of the delightful Moles-
worthy company. The story Of Leona
seems at first to be the story of May.
The latter is pretty, comfort loving,
superficial girl, who goes to visit
relatives in London and is made
great pet by her cousin Ger
aldine, not at all for her own good
or for the happiness OF others. Geral-
dine is one of those. aggravating crea-
lures who are always trying to regulate
other peoples affairs, and she tries to
make match between May and grave
and dignified baronet. Here Leona
comes in, for the fact is that Sir Chris
topher is in love with her, and has only
paid what he considered polite atten-
tion to May. But Geraldine fancies,
or makes herself believe, that
May is in love with Christie
pher, so she appeals to Leona
to step aside and leave a free field.
Leona, in her turn, thinks that Sir
Christopher has discovered his affinity
in May, and from this point on the little
comedy OF errors is played out to what,
on the whole, is a very sensible conclus.
'ion. Mrs. Noteworthy always depicts
refined and gracious persons among her
characters, and she delights in exposing
selfish people and giving them their
deserts. Leona contains some charming
studies of individual traits and conveys
useful moral without being the least
"preachy."
x*x
The Atlantic Monthly has many at
fractions in store for the year of 1898,
and the standard of excellence will be
fully up to the high aim of it's editor.
Its historical papers, educational arti-
cles, essays and book reviews are invari
ably of the highest merit and excellence.
The November number is very complete
in good things. We find parts II to IA
of Margaret Deland's serial entitled The
Story of Child. Part fifth of A New
England Boyhood, by Edward Everett
Hale; chapters rs and 26 of F. Marion
Crawford's novel, Don Orsino.
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps contri-
butes beautiful poem entitled
Whittier dying, full of reverence
and glowing tribute to good man. 1t
is almost a Whittier number, as his
friend Oliver Wendell Holmes gave as
his offering abort poem entitled In
Memory of John Greenleaf Whittier.
December II, September 7, 1892.
In prose article by George Edward
Woodbury., entitled John Greenleaf
Whittier, short sketch of his life is
given. His many successes are re-
counted. His early struggles given and
his writings and life analyzed His true
Quaker home life is alluded to, and his
love for Christianity and pureness OF
heart given in a simple, forcible way,
reminding us that on the roll of Ameri-
can poets we know not how he may be
ranked hereafter, but among the hon.
ored names Of the New England past
his place is secure.
Probably the article OF most interest
to local readers will be the beautiful
little pastoral piece OF fiction, in two
parts, entitled The Withrow Water
Right, by Margaret Collier Graham of
South Pasadena. 1t is an idyl of the San
Gabriel valley, the principal scenes of
which are in and near Sawpit caflon in
the shadow of old Cucamonga. The
character and dialect resembles Charles
Egbert Craddock MARY N. Murfree) and
the principles and morals involved those
of Helen Hunt Jackson in Ramona and
A Century of Dishonor. The graphic
description of the scenery, the shadows
of evening and the bright huee of morn
ing, the reference to insect life and the
minute descriptions of the actions
VI Aer CudIdCtcIS, nuoWs buc du-
thor to be keen student of
nature in her many phases and
a close observer of the little things that
go to make up the routine OF our daily
life. She also shows close acquaint.
ance with the early troubles of the
poorer and ignorant class of settlers who
were forced to contend with the wealthy
ranch holders in regard to water rights
and boundary lines of their own small
farms, to keep them from falling into the
rapacious hands of the ranch kings of
early California days. Perhaps actual
experience may be one of the reasons
why the story is so cleverly written and
seemingly or true to nature.
All the above books for sale by the stoll-
Thayer company, 139 South Spring street.
x*x
BOOK CHAT.
From the unpublished current ex-
pense books of Thomas jefferson, kept
May, 1771 to 1890, Paul Leicester Ford
has unearthed number of most inter-
esting facts which reconstruct, in man
ner the evarvdav life of the great atates