The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-02-04
[BY L. BEHYMER. ]


Southworth's best novels. One of the
later issues is "Only Girls Heart"
which is most delightful story, con-
tanning charming pictures of society in
the South and womanly characters of
great beauty. There is charm about
all of Mrs. Southworth's novels. quiet
and imp retentious. and though long
drawn out, as many of them are, she
holds the readers attention and makes
life holiday. They are pleasant books
for an idle day at home or travellers
holiday abroad.
1.-THE Rejected Bride and Gertrude
Haddon" are the titles of the second and
third numbers OF "Only Girls Heart"
These three novels are all connected by
thread of story and deal with the
same characters. The series reads con-
tinuously and is essentially one novel,
although each book forms more or less
q distinct narrative. The interest ofthe
first novel is carried forward with in
creasing power until the close of the
have swayed 30 wide an influence or
held readers with a more sovereign
power than this delightful novelist.
Many readers are gratified to meet their
old acquaintance in the successive
books of favorite author. F.
Marion Crawford owes a great
deal of his popularity to the Roman
family of the Saracinesca, whose for
tunes in succeeding generations are told
in his novels. So this series by Mrs.
Southworth will furnish whole win
ter's reading to her admirers. and all
about the same people. The illustra-
tions of these novels add very much to
their beauty and interest.
Sc
Merrill & Brown have Just issued
new volume from the pen of Albion w.
Tourgee, the title being. Out of the Sun
set Sea. This new book is a romance of
the age OF discovery, which revives the
special period of the first voyage of
Columbus, with its atmosphere OF I'M
rest and daring speculation. 1t repro
duces the society OF that remote time,
with the particulars of manners,
speech, and quaint attire. The youngest
son of an English lord is set apart for
the service of the church against his
will by an arbitrary father. He leaves
home with the prospect OF gaining mill
tary honors in Spain, but he narrowly
escapes the inquisition, and that only
by fleeing in disguise to the shelter of
the Santa Maria. Christopher Column
bus, seeking the completion OF his mot
ley crew, gladly accepts his offer, and
with the "white-hsired wizard' the
young man sails down the "steep of the
westward sea-" The romantic narrative
Is especially appropriate to year of
Columbian festivity, and it has the
merit Of following the most recent his
torical investigation. The chapter heads
and pen-and-ink illustrations Ivy Mics
Tourgee, noticeable for their sim plicity
OF treatment, are source OF distinction
to the volume.
x#x
An interesting book published by Lee
& Shepard company of Boston is Dreams
of the Dead, by Edward Stanton. In
calling attention to such work there is
NO need of falling into the weakness of
cheap superlatives. Friendly and I'M
friendly critics are agreed that in many
ways it is 9 remarkable book. Yet, in
the ordinary sense of the word. it ia not
a novel. either in art, dimension or aim.
1t takes the form of simple narrative.
and purports to give an account of GER
tain Psychic experiences of the author.
The style in which the book is written
this effect. 1t is appropriate and be-
quilting. 1t has none of the falsetto of
the sensationalist rhapsody and rant
are excluded; even the explanatory is
absent. 1t is pervaded by the eomber
gray, the local color, if one might 30 call
it, of the subject. 1t ID sober and or
derby. but with an easy, flowing move.
ment-caught, one would think, from
the gliding ghosts-that gently lifts the
reader of his feet and carries him along
whether he wishes 1t or not. The book
deals with the most abstruse problems
that vex, perplex and fascinate the soul
of man. 1t does not pose as authorita-
tive; IL iH not declarative,, as a whole
but, on the contrary, it is replete with
fine feminine Quality-the delicate yet
gigantic power of suggestiveness. AS
this book shows, there may be sermons
in dreams as well as in stones. 1t is
rare to find a book pretending 80 little
vet lending 80 much in the way of sug-
gestion as this Dreams of the Dead.
x*x
Another peculiar book from Lee &
Shepard's list is Twelve Months in An
English Prison, by Susan Willis Fetch
or. This unique volume embodies the
personal experience of Mrs. Fletcher, a
lady well-known in spiritualistic circles
rs q medium of unusual power, who was
falsely imprisoned in England for a
whole year. The story of this lady's
wrongs has in itself strong dramatic
element, but the main interest in the
book centers. undoubtedly, in the sim
gular phenomena with which all of her
experiences were attended. During her
imprisonment Mrs. Fletcher was fed
with grapes by friendly "spirits :"
though spiritual influence was enabled to
hold converse with distant friends, to
have transmitted letters instantaneously
between London and remote places,
aud otherwise to defy the usual re-
straints of time and space. Whether
the reader is a believer in Spiritualism
DR. not, the novelty of these incidente
cannot fail to fix the attention and
awaken lively interest in the progress
III the story. The book has all the fas-
sination OF clever ghost story, to which
no dlstracting explanation has been
added. 1t piques the curiosity, more
pyer, because the writer is a lady we'll
Known in New England, and go highly
esteemed that her truthfulness cannot
be impeached. The style OF the book ia
llear, concise and pungent, free from
Undue flights OF rhetoric and petty per-
onalities.
XIX
One OF the Scribner's Sons new hooks