Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-06-26
THE RICHMOND DIsPArOH.- SUNDAY. JUNE 26, 1892.

Icy il can well be believed TINT ho nursed
in his bosom the ambition to become tho
owner and editor of the Tribune. Fate
10 decreed il. lie passed through all
the intermediary stages OF ridicule and
then abuse. and then enjoyed the sweets
Of adulation which come to those who
succeed. Always afiable, diplomatic,
trained 20 observe and weigh, Mr.. Reid
is we'll qualified to attain and enjoy the
honors In the gift of his fellow-men.
His matrimonial alliance gave him
great social and financial standing, and
with newspaper yielding him q profit
Of at least $500, 600 per year it is not to
be marvelled at that he should seek to
plant himself next door to the presi-
dency. As Minister to France he was
splendid entertainer and he made hosts
of friends. 1t can be seen now that
this ministership was but one step In
the programme OF political advance
ment. Mr. Reid has been more
than fortunate, but itwould be mistake
to suppose that be is in any sense
creature of luck. He owes what he has
to his ability, his foresight and his de-
termination to win. 1t would be diff
cult to find journalist 80 happily placed
as Mr.. Reid. He has charming children,
his town house is a section OF the mil
lon-dollar palace that the wild specu-
lator Willard built en- Madison avenue
some years ago and was unable to live
in, and his country residence is beau
tiful farm in Westminster county, Dor
dering on the sound, which he calls
Ophir.
Here he has n residence which cost
him at least 800. 900 and which Is sup
piled with every luxury known to this
world and climate. His farm was made
famous as the residence of old Ben
Holiday, the mail contractor, whose
ups and downs in life were the theme OF
many good story. MIR. Reid is only
80 years of age. He is splendidly pre-
served, having always led careful and
abstemious life. His hair, once glossy
black, is now we'll tinged with gray. and
he may be said to be rather striking
and handsome man. He is, at least,
called upon to furnish whatever there
is of personal beauty to the Republican
| national ticket.
THE MASTER OF SILENCE.
A weIl-named story is already on the
road 10 success. The recent days OF
fiction have brought forth host of pre-
posteronsly bad titles-sensatlonal, silly.
or inter onally misleadlng-and few
very good ones. Among the best OF
them al is that which | find upon the
cover OF Mr.. Irving Bachelors story,
published by Webster X CO." The
Master al Silence" "Master and
"silence" are strong and posi-
tive words, e1cellently adapted to
the purpose. Together they furnish
fascinating suggestion and apromise
which should attract the readers OF
novels. Turning to the story find the
promise amply fulfilled. 4 remarkable
man, trained to the mastery Of silence,
brought to n spiritual plane above tie
need OF spoken words, is the central
| figure OF the tale. From infancy 70
early manhood tins individual is abso-
lutely under the guidance of a
strange, half-mad hermit who III
habits great country-house and
permits no person but his deaf and dumb
servitors to enter it. Raycl, the hero OIL
the story, as the old phrase went, wa'
kept from any sound OF voices. Ih,
hermit. who had been physician ano
always deep student, by subtle devices
Of his own, trained Rayel TO deal dl
rectly with the mind F; to apprehend and
| understand another's thought unaideC
| by language or gesture, and to cast the
image OF his own thought into another
mind.
There is q touch of the old fascinating
ms icism in the writer's insistance tha
absolute purity must be tho basis of thil
occult power. In su"h purity Rayel wa
reared. and when Il sader meets bin
he has developed q glorhed physica
being to match his beauty OF soul. Sum
moned from across the sea, young
| kinsman OF Rayei iiii6s him IN the her
| mitage, which IL situated IL the interior
of New York State. His entrance int
this abode and his meeting with th'
old philosopher ard the pupi
give opportunity for some excellen
| descriptive work. There are some strOns
incidents of a rather ghostly character
but they are all well managed and do
not pass the bounds Of credibility. Upoi
the death Of the hermit, Ravel, and IN
kinsman 60 out into the world together
| Their adventures could hardly fail TO b,
interesting. Bayel, with q devotion t.
truth so absolute as 10 ignore the exist
ence OF falsehood, naturally uses hi
tongue most judiciously after lie ha
learned articulate language.
1t would be unfair to the author Il
trace the incidents Of the story, but it
course leads us into New York societ,
and shows the result OF reading mind
wherein the records are not clear OF sin
Then comes love, which leads this mas
ter mind as it leads weaker ones, IN it
own way and to the fate prepared. alto
gether the story is strange cbaracte
study, full OF suggestion. earnest II
moral purpose and worthy OF attention