The Portland daily press., 1893-11-27

would sit about until bedtime, amusing
themselves as best they could, the wom-
en- folk knitting or mending, the men
cracking butternuts or dallying with
cider and apples and fried cakes, as they
talked over the work and gossip of the
district and tempted the scorching
impulses of the stove hearth with thei
stockinged feet" But these were war
times and the domestic side of the pic
ture is but the setting to the tragic pass
ions of the soul, the portrayal of these
passions when they are hidden with
stern reticence in the breast of the rug
ged, simple, Woodworking man, causes
an upheaval of sympathy not abespoken
in more demonstrative recitals. Then
Abner, clearing his throat, began SOL
EMMY to read the story of Absalom's re-
volt. He had the knack, not uncommon
in those primitive class meeting days,
of making his strong, low-pitched voice
quaver and wall in the most tear COM
pelliing fashion when he read from the
Old Testament. You could hardly listen
to him going through even the genealogi-
cal tables of Chronicles dry-eyed His
jeremiah and Ezekiel were equal to the
funeral of we'll beloved relative"
We have not.space to linger over these
interesting pages. but we refer the
thinker who wants type, and type
drawn with power and dramatic force,
yet with plenty Of quiet observation and
shrewd humor to MIR. Frederick's "The
Copperhead". 1t is possible, too, that by
its perusal the partisan upon the popular
side (and the side of right and justice
too) may learn something of respect for
the opposite opinion of a good man.
New York: Charles Scribners Sons;
Portland: Loring, Short & Harmon.
Price $1.O0.)
Irish Idyls, by Jane Barlow, author
of Bogland Studies, is a"rale imerald
from the isle!" 1t glows and shines with
the wit and warm heart of the bog
land. Full of fne.bits of description of
land and sky, of winding road and
clouded heavens and sweeping storm, it's
unique spell is exercised in reproducing
for us to the life, the speech and Incl
dent of Connaught and it's original
jewellers therein. 1t may justly be COM
pared to Barrels People O. Thrums,
though our Hibernian set be scarcely SO
firm mentally and maybe a shade less
poetic. But for the genuine article, see
the Widow McGurk, the Kilfoyles and
Sheridans, Mad Bell, the Dummy and
Big Anne Mrs. Brian S quarrel with her
opposite neighbor, anent the children of
the former,is an epic; and the philosophy
all through the book employed at seri-
Gus crises by the "crathurs" is simply
delicious. New York: Dodd, Meadss&y
Company: Portland: Loring, Short &
Harmony
To the student of England and New
England Some Old Puritan 5 Love Let
ters-John and Marg aret Winthrop
| 161s-163s, edited by Joseph Hopkins
Twitchell, will be alluring. They come
from the treasure trove possessed by
| Hon. Robert G. Winthrop through his
| English ancestors, and are worthy to be
culled and separately published in their
present attractive form. Their distin-
gushing trait is the combining a deer
| religious tone with that of fondest con.
| nubial devotion. They are quaint ..in
| spelling, substance and expression and
| hold many charming sentiment simply
set forth. "Nowe my deare heart let me
parlyessa little with thee about trifles,
for when am present with thee my
| speeche SIS prejudiced by thy presence,
web braves my minde from itselfe. y
=. Mine owne, mine only,
| my best beloved, -methinks it, is very
| longe since I save o. heard from my
| beloved. & I miss allreadye the sweet
comfort of thy most desired presence
! but the rich mercye & goodnesse of my
God makes supplye of all wants."
| Mistress Margaret's letters to her hus-
| band are also given. Here is little
domestic postscript to one of them: II
! send up turkey & 2 capons & cheese:
the carrier is payde." Several facsimiles
of letters are introduced into the text
and a likeness of John Winthrop from
| the portrait in the State House, Boston
occupieses the title page New York
Dodd, Mead & Company; Portland:
Loring, Short & Harmony
Paul Jones, by Molly Elliot Seawell,
author of Little Jarvis, Midshjpman
| Paulding, Thrnockmorton! etc., will be
welcomed by Christmas seekers, it is
such good story for boys and girls.
Based upon fact and romanced with
| judgment, the tale of this great naval
hero is thrilling and full of spirit
Young Americans should read just such
presentations of the devotion to oul
country in ZIG, which gave the results
heralded at Chicago in 1893. Here are
the Ranger" aud the "Deake,n the
"Bonhomme Richard" and the Ser