The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-06-10
THE CRITICS CORNER.
VERIFY CHIT m GARDIT0 WRIT
ERs md BOOKS.
salem Kittredge"-"Mnry fen"''~'
ughter"-"OutrsGeous Foriu"o
.Red Cap and Blue Jscket'-Notes'

SALEM KITTRIDGE AND oIHEs as
STORIES: BY Bliss Perry. ChaI res
Scribners Sons. New York; 81 eoF
sale by West, Johnston q 60
In this tastefully bound volume from
Messrs. Scribner we find nine snort
stories, which, while not marked by
any special power are distinguished by
a breezy and piquant healthi uIhess w
tone and brightness OF literary s1y1S.
'.Lombardy Poplara' and ~ S"'G the
Three are probably the best Oh .ssS
nine, but all are quite worth tne eod t,.'e
il takes TO read them. Salem klttreustE
is full OF hurnor. and the picture s,,1 n,L;
theologue making his purchase of a fash
ionable summer outfit Is irreslstIp!y
laughable. There Is a clear. sunny pSur ~
in all the stories, and not a touch Oh the
morbid or the coarse; II we are is,, asn.'
to name. in one word, their distinctive
characteristic, We should say hat 1t
was freshness.
MARY FENWICK'S DAUGHTER: by
Beatrice Whitby. Appletons TOWN
and Country Library. ID. Appleton q
Co., New York. 70 cents. For sale py
West, Johnston 81 Co.
In Mary Fenwick's Daughter" MISS
Whitby has told the story that never
grows Did with much swsetness and
simplicity. While the story is in no
sense characterized by special original
fly or strength, it has qualities when
will make IT popular addit TO, , 10 nne
Dab" and its hero Jack are t"o
entirely human and lovable people aho
1t is refreshing, when so many dabDiers
In literature, are endeavor1ng 10 attain attain
notoriety and TO compensate Tor apluty,
by the sensational portrayal OF Whatever
Is abnormal and exceptional in human
nature, to find that here and there
modest story teller finds something IN
teresdng in what is natural, and tells
her story accordingly. Miss Whitby 5
pleasant, If simple story. is far more en-
titled to a place in the Town and COun-
try" series than a number of books We
cOnid mention whose writers are much
more widely known than herself. and
$ entirely free from the FIN de steele
element.
OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE: BY Edgar
Fawcett. Charles Il. Dillingham; &
Co. New York, Agents. 90 cents. For
sale by West Johnston & Co.
This book is more valuable for the
amount of paper in 1t than the amount
Of anything less tangible. If Mr.. Faw-
cett's conception of what is admirable
In manhood is illustrated in "Dr. Mon
crine,' that conception Is notably at
variance with the ideas Of people in
general on the subject. To us he seems
n weak and factle fool, while "Elma'
is an anomaly on the face of the earth
or Is she has prototypes in every day
lie, these prototypes are, for the most
part, under the restraint We impose
upon lunatcs. BlagdOn is wholly over
done and the book is only redeemed
from absolute wOrthlessness by the pic
lures of Mrs. ThirlWau and kloise
There is two decided a flavor of the
battle, murder and sudden death" school
OF literature about the book to entite
il to a reading, its most brilliant feature
being the yellow paper cover.
RED CAP AND BLUE JACKET, a story
Of the time of the French Revolution:
BY George Dunn. G.. i. Putnams
Sons New York. London. For sale by
West. Johnston & Co.
The merits OF this finely told and at
tractive story are presented by an ex-
perienced literary critic as follows:
THE story is laid in Scotland toward the
close Of the eighteenth century when
both England and Scotland were agi-
tated by the principles of the French
Revolution, which agitation is suggested
in II. 1T Is extremely interesting and
dramatic. and abounds in characteristic
Scotch humor, which is delightful.
the characters are clearly and fOrcf-
bly, presented. and the dialogues are
uncommoniy good. There is considerable
Scotch dialect but the author is. skill
ful IN ms use OK It,. and it enhances
story. The author displays literary merit
or nigh order, and. as the story pro-
crosses, the interest increases very great
ly Later in the story, an Irish
character is introduced which seems as
excellent a delineation as his (the auth
or's) Scotch character. This part also
presents vivid pictures Of an impress
ment OF seamen; of Il fight between an
English and French man-of-war; OF a
shipwreck, and Of the closing scenes OF
the French Revolution; all OF which add
much TO the dramatic power OF tile
story; while 50 ceveriy woven i'm are
these exciting incidents that, far from
appearing sensational, they fan natur-
ally INTO the course OF the narrative
The author OF Red Cap and Blue
Jacket belongs TO the group OF dramatic
writers VINO konw how to tell a stirring
To all this the reader viii be PROMPT
to subscribe, for the book is one whose
merit rs OF a most positive and undeni-
able kind. Further criticism, therefore
would be but repetition OF praise.