Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-15
THE SANG-DIGGER.
AMeLIE RIVES'S NEW BOOK; A ViR-
GiNIAN THE HEROINE.
She Il an Odd Character. Too-The scene
of the Story Laid In the Warm
Springs valley.

kIyFa. New YORK: Town lopic- uo-
fishing Company, 81 west 1wenty-thud
street. 1898.
The scene Of this story is laid in the
Virginia Warm-Springs VALLEY and noun
tains. The heroine belongs 10 a class It
people who live in huts on the mountain
sides and gain a scanty subsistence by
digging and selling ginseng roots and who
are commonly called Sang -diggers."
1t would seem from Mrs. CHAMBERS de-
scription of them that they are OH exceed
incly primitive people, and by no means
| % moral as they should be. Their speech
IA in dialect far ruder than that en-
ployed by the negroes OF Eastern Virginia,
which fact. we suppose, the author might
possibly account for b. saying that
whereas our negroes have had the advan-
tage Of hearing intelligent whites talk and
are naturally initiative. the 'sang-dig
gers" are cut Of from all intercourse with
cultivated people.
However that nay be. judging from the
samples OF conversation in this book Their
| dialect IS a terrible iargon. The story IS
manly told BY dialogues IN this astound-
| ing dialect. Only here and there does the
! author dash IN some gorgeous descriptive
matter. The story is bold. unique and
/ captivating There is good deal Of kiss
ing IN il. of course, but for tho most part
| the author follows safer lines in her love
making scenes than she did III some of her
earlier WORKS: yet writes boldly OF love,
courtship. marriage and motherhood.
/ Her heroine she introduces as follows:
She was very tall. curtain OF rough,
! eltterIng curis hung 70 her knees. Her
] face cipnr with that clcarness which only
n mounta n wind can bring. was white as
q So2-guirs breast, except where dar.,
vet vivid pink melted into the ulne VEINS
on temples and throat. Her round ire~9
B lDs smooth a. peCny-leat, were parted
in n wide laugh over teeth large and vel
! low-w white, like the grains on an ear OF
/ corn She Wore n loose tune OF blue gray
stun. which reached to the middle OF L"r
legs. covered with grass stalusand patches
Of mould Her bare feet, somewhat
hroadened by walking, were well shapc',
the great toe standing apart from tne
others. the strong, round ankles, aithouL II
/ scratched and bruised. perfectly srmmc-
tr,caL Ter arms. hare almost 10 the
/ shoulder. were Ike those with which. IN
lmagiuatlou. We complete the Milo. ives.
round and colored ike the edges OF broken
glass. looked boldly out irOm under h"r
long. black eyebrows. Her nose wa
straight and w,ll Gu, bUt set iinpefD H.
Dentiv,
1anis by chance makes tho acquaintance
Of Mr. and Mrs Gilman. p good northern
couple living in the valley, who tako hcr
10 live with them. Tanls wishes 20 learn
to be "gooder" 90 that she ma exercise
wholesome influence upon her lover. one
Sam. who is great rough. robust mar
AMI uncommonly gay LothGrio. She ee''
10 be more than halfway civilized and
then wishes 10 tame her lover. He prom
lses her much, but performs little, and she
actually catches him huggIng and kissing
another girl. Ills nearly breaks he'
heart. tor she "a q good. pAlrc woman. anc
she frowns on Sam. Bat the william stu
pursues her aud swcars she shall he hls
but she says may very sternly and mean.
it. 10 bring 1anis to terms Sam bold
resolute, unprinciped, kidnaps Tanis''
mistress and hides her in o cave IN Tho
mountains and 10 save her whom she he.
dearly learned to lOye-IanIs Il reduced
10 mako peace with her big boned, red
whiskerel rascal of lover. Then sh'
parts with dear Mrs. Gilman; bids adieJ
10 her aspirations for civilization AMI r.
Signs herself into tie bands OF the fascl
mating william Of the story, and the follow
Ing IS the cloe,ug : - 'hc clc7ing chap
ter Of the book. descriptive Of lanls's de
parture from the homo Of the Gilmans anC
joining Sam on the mountains.
We'll" sad Sam. this done seem tut
me ike love- Mebbe no two folks loves |
III same way. hut yuh hey changed supp'I
in muh heart. 4 done feel to'd- Nuh eZ
usetah. \ dong feel to'ds nutmn' IN
same. But all iOek yuh good CONAN
Now Gimme 20 arm. somehow mut
breath's shortet'n II use tuh wuz.
They went on climbing steadily To-
about twenty minutes. Inen she muir
INJURED under her breath;
"Aw. Gawd stan by me. A done whu
a thought wuZ night
w hAt's tibet. honey? 2" asked Sam. " !
didu' hyuh YOU good
&" 4 wuZ less sorter thlnkin' out loud
Well, let's stop Ayuh. a reckon Nul
be tired AFTER all tibet thar trapeezn lars
night. sides, wants tub Kiss yul
some
He sat down on moss-GrOwn stone by
the path aud took her upon his knees
She rested inert and listiesS agalns- hun
The sun was now nigh. The lce-clh'
forest flashed and shook forth thousand
of little circular rainbow.
Tho branches of the spruce trees seemet
10 smoke a. the wind blew of the llgh
dust of snow with which they wer'
spnnkled.
From a hole in the tree under which
Snm and Tanis were seated flying squire
and her young ones peeped, shlyerlhG
Icicles hung before the opening OF thel
uest and snow had drifted IN upon them
4 bird uttered its love call. cllnglng witt
numb feet to branch OF rhOdodendrol
bright with ice.
TIE ELEMENTS OF DRAWING. Thre'
Letters 10 Beginners. By joins RusUN
with Illustrations drawn by tne author
introduction by CHARLES ELiOr hORfoN
New York: N,YNARD MERRILL x Go
Il A353 pages. Sl.5O.
<.k>xA knowledge Of correct drawing IS The
- OF all art. and the prerequisite OF ar
81 SKI recitation. he aim OF the preSeh
I1(x il TO teach the student 10 see truly
~ that ann II can hardly fail 20 accom-
<EHish wherever the art faculty exists. M
'Ruoishers are doing good service 10 placln!
III" Tho Elements of Drawing" and othe
IN works of Ruskiu within reach OF those o
y moderate means.
OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS OF TIL
TWFNTY.FIFTH ANNUAL SESSION
OF TIE NATIONAL COUNCIL, JU
NOR q. L. A. NJ, L. 3. A.; held at De
trolt. Mich, June 20. II, ~ aud %, 1893
baltimore: ". II. McC,wLEY ~ CO.
book and job printers, l26 South street
1898.
This is a book Of 300 pages which con
tains matter of great interest to ell mem
|