Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-18
EOnk Nniices.

cial Drawings by Sidney =. Hall. New
YORK. Charles Scribners Sons. 3d pages.
Price. 81.
This volume Is fascinating from begin
ming TO end. The conception is most
happy one. The author. the famous war
correspondent. represents that at the
breaking out Of the Russo-Turkish war
he was u youth In partnership with his
father. a merchant of Scottish descent,
who was doing business on the Danube.
lie became acquainted with MacGahan,
the brilliant correspondent OF the London
Daily News. took quasi service under him.
as amanuensis and courier. and, finally,
became correspondent himself. Years
afterwards, while sitting by the fire win
ter nights, he tells the story Of his adj
ventures TO his two nephews. and one OF
these, unobserved by him, takes down
the narrative in shorthand.
The materials for the book are drawn
from the letters of MacGahan and Mil
lett to the News; from the History OF
the War" by Captain T. V. Greene, the
United States military attache with the
Russian headquarters; from H. Memiro-
vitch-Dantchenco's Personal Reminis-
cences OF General Skoboleff' from Nalen-
tine Baker Pashas war In Bulgaria."
and from Forbes's own correspondence.
The volume H. not. az might be inferred,
simply a boys book" Any youth who
picks It up will hardly put IT down until
he has finished 1t. But the same will be
the cas-. with Older persons. 1t is written
In easy conversational style. and with
dramatic action that never flags. The
whole story Of the war, from the crossing
Of the Danube - the treaty OF san
Stefano, IS covered. Dry strategic details
are avoided. but none the less, the gene
raj movements Of the troops are set forth
with sufficient clearness to give "A com
prehensive idea Of their object and i'm
portance. and bring into bold relief the
leading figures of the war on the Russian
side.
The younger Skobeleff. who always
went into the fray dressed In uniform
of spotless white and blazing with deco
rations-the man whom the Car snubbed
at SistOva. but afterwards at the Gorni-
Studen headquarters toasted as the hero
OF Loftcha-is largely the hero of the
book He is made So however not more
by the admiration Of the author for him
than by the historical record of his inagni-
fcent achievements He was the Idol of
his men. the terror Of the Turks. and
seemed to bear a charmed life. In nearly
every chapter he dashes across the pages
like flaming meteor At the same time,
other conspicuous figures are given full
credit for the part they bore.
Valuable information is impaired re-
garding the personnel Of the rank and file
of the Russian army, and the reader
Is thrown into immediate contact win
the Car and most of the higher officers.
The author has "A decided contempt for
the Cossacks Of the Don. and does not
spare the Tcherkesses and hi-Bazouks,
whose fiendish cruelty TO the Russian
wounded and mutiiation OF the Russian
dead is almost past belief There are
twelve illustrations including portraits
OF Skobelen, Grand-Duke Nicholas. Alex
ander H.. the Czarovtch 0he late Car,
Ignatien. Todleben, Gouko. Charles OF
Roumania, ana Osman Pasha. and three
composition pictures. There is only one
thing the book needs to render II COM
plete in its intended scope, and that is
a man of the scat Of war
For sale by j. w Randolph & Co.
THE ROYAL ROAD: OR. TAKING GOD
AT HIS WORD. by Marian Harland.
Emo Cloth Ornamental. $3.50. An
son -. +. Randolph q Co Incorporated,
1S2 Fifth avenue. New York.
"The Royal Road" may be considered
as a companion 10 stepping Heaven
ward" in singleness Of purpose and In
dlrectness OF treatment. ii assumes
throughout and proves from Scripture
and experience that there Is but one
royal road to happiness and that that Is
TO take God simply at His word in living
Ly the day. and trusting Him entirely for
the days to come.
Following this motif. Marian Harland
has written what can hardly be called a
novel. but Is tale of everyday and
real life. full Of incident throughout IN
dealing with people in various ranks Of
society she shows the workings of this
cardinal principle Of practical religion In
Joy and In sorrow. IN distress of mind
body. and estate and proves 1t to be the
philosophers stone that solves the great
mystery Of human existence. the rule
without an exception. She holds that
the very simplicity OF the formula to
take no anxious thought for the NOR
row." but to do what the hand hnds 10
do. to-day as II the daily task were all
OF living. has mislead many as 70 its effi-
cacy. The book commcnds 10 every Chris
tlan a trial Of what may be called a safe
recipe for peace OF mind and active use
fulness for the good Of mankind and glory
Of God
CITY OF RALEIGH, n. c.. AND
VICINITY; CONDITIONS AND RE
SOURCES. Edwards & Broughton.
Printers. Raleigh.
This is very handsome, royal octave
volume of more than 100 pages. which
has been issued by authority Of the Ra-
leigh Chamber OF Commerce and Indus
try Ii Is full Of valuable information
and interesting reading, and contains
many beautiful engravings. illustrating
public buildings, historic residences,
manufacturing and agricultural indus
tries. etc The volume was prepared ana
issued under the superintendent OF w.
T.. Ashley. president. and II. w. Aver,
secretary OF the Raleigh Chamber Of
Commerce.
A MORAL BUSYBODY. An Episode of
New York's To-day. by Alan Dale.
New YORK: The Mascot Publishing Com
pany. 1894. Price. 80 cents
This writer is already known as the
nuthor of seven or eight other WORKS.
This one is suggested by, II not founded
,,non the efforts OF the Rev. DR.. Park
hurst 10 reform the social condition OF
our great imperial city. In 1t the moral
reforrner IS named Or. brickheld. The
defects and shortcomings or moral re-
formers are strongly presented, as are
also the sins OF the man. oftener greater
and more culpable than those OF the
women. Indeed. the best intentioned
efYorts of moral reformers are sometimes
recalcitrant.
THE WAGNER STORY BOOK. Fire
light Tales Of the Great Music Dramas,
NV William Henry Frost Illustrated
by sidney Richmond Burleigh. new
York: Charles Scribners sons. 40 pages
Price. $3.50.
parasoxical as may appear the con-
,ention. the bringing down TO the conpre'
hsns,on OF child OF the legends upon
which wagner based bis great masis
dramas Is an ambitious undertaking. mr
Frost has essayed this. and has been
wonderfully successful. sitting oeIore tn'
fire with little Alice. ne "eas" 49,
tales out of material In Lohensrtn. Tam
hauser. the Tetralogy. and Parsitai. utlnz
Ing the leaping flame. the changing siow