New-York tribune., 1895-12-22

gether by an almost arbitrary thread OF circum,
stances. which in this particular case Is furnished
nv the adventures OF the Covenanters Ihat the
narrative is based on solid foundauon OF ''''o''
the authors preface leaves no DOUBT he mas i"
sacked all the records. and has brougnt 10 iis"'
many whose existence was unsuspected here'oio'e g.
There is not a particle OF doubt OF his kno"i"s
nrecisev what he is about, and his statements OF
fact may be taken as seriously as his touches Oh
local color The only trouble is that ne mas NOT
allowed himself enough time ION our 'heoIy "e
could not have afforded to- to let ms accun"a''o'
OF data fuse themselves into conereht "Ho'e 10
Stevenson would undoubtedly have done had he es-
sayed the same theme. In the same manner. me
result IL that we have instead OF nicey balanced
taIc n series OF detached episodes each one. 10 be
sure Illustrating some particular aspect OF tne SUD-
ject I'm hand, but connected by such an a'p'''a's
bond as to make the novel rather a CORRECTION vi
short stories than complete novel However
making allowance for this defect. THE Men OF tne
Moss-Hags" is a stirring work, whicn Is wen
worth reading II for nothing more than LOT ns
beautiful Smiles which are worked out WIN az
most Homerc simplicity, and for the beauty ana
dramatic force of its episodes. 1t Is not we thinH
extravagant to say that the description or any one
Of n half-dozen Of these episodes would be enough
TO make the reputation of lesser writer. Nothihs
wore easier than 10 cite Instances In proof OF this
statement: but we would call the readers attention
pa PARTICULARLY to the superb description OF Margaret
tragic death, as told In Chapter LII a'sa'e'
Lauchlson was condemned to be tied TO STAKE
and met her death. for her fathers sake, by drown
ing az the tide rose on the sands under Wigtoh
town The terrible scene has been descrioed !"
verse but Mr. Crocketts rhythmic prose Is quite as
vivid and Il Is be set down TO his great circuit
that he has avoided the tempting occasion 10 Dc
meodramatic; ne Is simply and nobiy tragic fie
he's written nothing more beautiful than the scene
describing Margarets hair. as when the water rose
tbo not md
made "a fair golden shining in the grimy tide ike
the halo which Is about the sun when 1t rises.
There IS a good deal Of clever dialogue and sew
oral telling episodes in Miss Annie T.. Hodsworhs
THE Years That the Locust Hath Eaten but the
tale itself belongs to that Improbable class OF nc
ton of which there is more than enough on the
bookstalls of the present day. The Dook was pre-
sumably written for the purpose OF showing the
degree of sef-sacrifce of which woman Is capable
without allowing her faith to be shaken In the man
she loves The sautary lesson that virtue Is Its
own reward Is expounded by means Of three main
characters-Dunstane Momerie. a KIND OF common
place Theophrastus Such. who wrecks his lie over
book which he never writes; Priscilla mis- wie VINO
makes copy" and keeps the domestic pot a-bon-
inc and an artist by the name OF Maiden who
represents commonsense and Is more or less In
love with Dunstanes wife. The plot scarcely ad-
mis OF analysis. but the characters are well drawn
Habttual readers of novels may be prepared for a
pleasant evening over Miss Holdsworths volume.
Yorkshire has found worthy historian In the
person of Mr.. J. s. Fletcher. whose historical
romance entitled when Charles the First was
King" Is a highly credtable performance which
might lead one to suppose that the author Is
practised hand instead OF being novice in the
literary craft The story relates the experiences
of a Yorkshire yeoman William Dale by name,
who is pressed into the flood OF civil strife which
overwhelmed the closing years of the reign OF
Charles l. All the prominent figures of the period
pass across the scene and are described with his
torical accuracy The author has drawn freely on
contemporary records and has succeeded by the aid
of vivacious historic ina gnation In lending reality
not only to the characters but TO the general spirit
of the period embraced between the years 1892 and
i64s The narrative includes a mastery description
of the battle Of Marston Moor