Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-24
GOSSIP FROM B00KLAND.


 Under the Red Robe" possibly his two best stories. Mir Weynan took his de-
 gree of B. A. at Christ church, oxford.
 in 1878. He began writing stories about
 ten years ago. His great ambition is to
 write historical novels and in this he
 has succeeded to a marvellous degree. 1 for many are the stories woven from the l history of the great cardinal, Richelieu, l but none is better in its way that MT. Weyman's Under the Red Robe"
 While MT. Weyman's work may not 1 suggest Scott or Dumas. he still has no
 superior among living nove1ists, and he
 has long ago proven positive talent for 1 concise, dramatic narrative. From the Memoirs of a Minister of i France" is MT Weymans latest work
 and is a series of short stories of old 1 France. None of these stories bear upon
 any historically important episode but furnish very vivid and correct idea of the human side of the King of France. 1 M. de Rosny was the minister of King l Henry, a courier who had grown old in l service, and as was the custom in those old simple days the Kings minister was
 often literally his personal attendant, and so from this genial, crafty, but very l charming companion. M. de Rosny, we l learn of many of the intrigues of court l life, often involving no more serious an affair than a nasty word or action, and 'f%NN~ 1 consequences.
 Of the many dashing, amusing tales related, perhaps The Tennis Balls" and ''The Open Shutter" are the most dra- matic, but l think most readers will agree in deciding that Two Mayors of Bottitort' possesses the greatest amount of wit and humor and is delightful for its ingenuity.
 "'Now, I do not mind telling you xxrif fN admirably assumed, that l am Simon Grabot. and have the honor to be mayor
 of Bottitort
 "'You@
 "'Yes. monsieur. I; though. perhaps. unworthy. l looked to see an explosion, but the mayor was too far gone. Why, you swindling impostor.' he said. with something that was almost admiration in his lone. You are the very prince of cheats! The king of coz eners But for all that, let me tell you. you have chosen the wrong role this time For I-1. sir, am the mayor of Bottitort; the very man whose name you have takenp
 The mayor looked round him, sudden beads of sweat on his brow.
 Mon Dieum he cried, you are all in 1t. | Here you, do you know this person?" La Trappe, to whom he addressed him. self, shrugged his shoulders. 'I should" he said. 'The mayor is pretty well known dDOuI nefe. ''The mayor?"
 But I am the mayor--I," Grabot an- swered eagerly tapping himself on the breast in the most absurd manner Don't you know me, my friend?" Holy saintsm the poor fool continued, piteously q wish l were at home. And there, for all know. my wife has got an- other man.!
 Miss Grace King author of the Balcony Stories" that aroused so much interest | during their publication in the Century 1 has written charming account Of New Orleans. describing with the utmost ac- euracy that quaintest and most pictur- esque of cities and reproducing, 1t is said, | to 8 marvellous degree the local color and atmosphere. The value of the book | will be enhanced by the addition of char acteristic drawings by Miss Frances Jones. who is also a native of New Or leans.
 Will Carleton is an indefatigable writ er and now has ready new volume of verse amply entitled Rhymes of Our | Planet" In this volume the author has 1 chosen simple themes that will not fail I to touch the hearts of many people. It | contains "The Christmas Tree" "The l Old Reading Class, "Diseontent' and I score of others, attractively Illustrated 1 by A. B. Frost, C. Carleton and others. l There was an amusing little note by a I recent reviewer from the neither world, l who says, in speaking of MT. w. D. How l els writing in Harper's Weekly, that he "prefers the British gobble to the Amer | ican snuhle;" that the British may gob- l ble when they eat, though I doubt it, I and Americans may 'snufiie' when they l have colds in their heads, but how this affects their accent l am at loss to l know" It may be said from a south l erner's point of view that the New Eng l landers accent is so much akin to that | of the Englishman's as to suggest the | old adage that people who live in glass 1 houses," etc.
 John II. Denison has written a work which bears the imprint of the present year, entitled "Christ's Idea of the Super natural" In the opening chapter "Re- 1 lation of God to Nature" the author says: "It is next to impossible for us at 1 this distance. reading the gospels in | eoolly intellectual way, to realize the | tremendous proportion that the super naturalism of Jesus assumed to the men l of his day.
 Tt put him at once in the forefront i expectation hung on him. the whole na- | tional hope stood breathless before him | As he went in and out of synagogues | the representatives of Judaism watched l him with closest scrutiny Nor did they watch in vain: they had not to wait for words: his supernaturalism sat upon his brow; it held out it's quiet, but unyield- | ing claim in his very mien: it came heav- | fly weighted with every act" This gives an idea. in the opening of the work, of | the authors implicit and beautiful trust | in the man who was able not only to say: 10. be of good cheer thy sins be for given thee" but could also command, Take up thy bed and walk" and dis ease obeyed him. Tn showing that the great central truth of Christ's teaching was the unity between the natural and | supernatural the author discourses with | beautiful thought and sentiment, and | says: Thus he rescued morality by | taking it's questions out of the fields of | abstract thought into the realm of nat | ural feeling Instead of arguing with | men. he reached out after their human | sympathies by touches of nature that led them to feel their lSinship with one an- | other and with God"
 | Tn the chapter '"rhe Gospel of the l Body" there are many beautiful truths l which 1t would be well for us to know | and follow. guarding, on the one side, | Ia T .ll. .I.ln aa.