The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1895-07-20
SCENES FROM AN OLD NOVEL

Now that the days are too hct Tor
reading and thinking. or even for skim
ming over the newspapers anil maya
zines, | like to sit by the window ~
the gray twilight and watch the cool,
green willow trees, while there silently
pass before me, rs in the old magicians
glass, scenes from books which l have
read. The real world which Thackeray
painted. love 20 picture it 10 my
self; the boarding school where beckey
Sharp was at the same time pupii
and music teacher; the home OF Amelia
Sedley, where she and Beckey first be-
DIN their social campaign. The COVER
ness. starts out Gin English society,
bent on marrying for money, ana
without !. dear mama to advertise her
attractions. She first tries To capture
stupid old JAS. Sedley. Her bright;
vivacious manners; her wit, sarcasim
and flattery; her style and power OF
scbeming, are all shown in this firaf-
| yentnre--this venture which proves
unsuccessful. Then she goes to the
dismal home of Sir Pitt Crowley.
where she acts as goyerness to his
children. and secretly marries Captain
Rawdon Crowley, The wild. good natu-
raj Younger son of the family. We
follow her career as brilliant, fash
lionable married belle. We are dazzled
by the scenes of wealth. luxury and
| grandeur in which 1ie is always the
central figure. We half hate and hall
admire the obscure tile Miss Nobody,
j who by shere forct of intellect and
deceit, makes such success. There is
something Napoleorie in the way IL
!, which she breaks down all social bar
riers of rank, and money. and man.
ages 10 throw in the shade. to make
appear EsiIly and insipid, women Of
five times the beauty and refinement
She sparkles in the ball room
in the dingy, handsome parlars of thu
} nobility; on the stage OF private theat
, ricals.
say for Il long time we half hat
? and half admire the daring litti
schemer. We half forgive her. to-
y small deceits, the dishonesty about he
debts, the false flattery; but toward TIL
8 end of the book. at the ball whic
: takes place at Brussels on the eve o
e the battle of Waterloo, where all tn
: military of Europe are gathered 10
cether in a wild Kind OF pleasure. an
Beckey is still the star of the evening
. we lose. all admiration for her an
= hate her unulterably for try
70 ing to fasciuate weak attrat
tive George OSBORNE, and allur
HIM from his wife. Amelia, til
woman who has been her best an
most unseliish friend. That scene
the climax of the story. In it; nebe
lie cas- true character is shown. As 81
It stands there talking and laughing
l. realize she has outraged every feiiir
!: of nobility. that she has trampied
lie all laws of friendship, honor and r
ID spectability. How dramatic the boo
is! George Osborne comes from u
n ball flushed with wine. The memo
E. of the love letter he wrote Rebecca
g still in his mind. the music, and t
D. lights and the flowers, are still befo
e. him. Amelia is forgotten. He stan
at the bar drinking. laughing, WI
H. with excitement. Dobbins his G
I'd friend, and one of Thackcray's gent
men comes up to him and touches
IS shoulder. The enemy has passed, I
or Lambre and our left is already cnga
ol ed. Come away. We are to mar
d in three hours! he says" The glass ia
r. FROM Osborne's hand, and be hurr
es home to tell Amelia good bye. l
=, next day the great battle is fought,
Osborne is killed, that night of mi
and wickedness was the last night OF
life.
VANITY Fair" is condensed a
brilliant, but it leaves on the MI
more than any other work OF the q
he tie satirist, a sense of heart wearing
he In it the good and the bad. the just 8
Ike the unjust alike, fail OF their .aims.
to remember the closing words OF
on novel. .Ah Vanitas vaintatam, VIII
of u. is happy in this world? VIII
1t of us has his desire, or having It,,
the satisfied?
are Come children. let us Shut up
tilt box and the puppets, for one our pi
ice is played out"
INC
be