The herald., 1896-02-23

Deacon White. Amos himself felt this
SO strongly that it soon troubled him,
and he had many serious talks with
Mr.. Cabot, the great New York lawyer,
who had come to Dalefield for sum-
mer's rest, with his pretty daughter.
This summer was busy one with
Amos and the Cabots. The two young
people were much together, and one
day dreedfully delightful thing hap
pened. This two were walking In a
pasture, when Amos was Mortified to
behold old Barnard's bull coming at
them. He cried out to the girl to walk
quietly to one side aud then run for
her life. Selling her crimson parasol,
he assumed the double task of divert
ing the animals attention and saving
his own life, if it vera possible. He
did both, after fearful race and fight,
and when he came to his companion at
last, safe across big wall, he fell to
kissing her lips, wholly oblivious of
broken ribs, and actually made COM
plimentary address to the baked bull,
thanking the creature for chasing him
into Molly Cabot's heart.
At length they were married, Amos
having survived November 4th, the day
he felt sure he should die. But the
next coming Of this fatal period he did
not survive, but was killed by bur-
glars, who came upon him and his wife
in an old Baltimore home, where they
were visiting. Thus the recital ends
sadly, though not inconsistently.
There is nothing conventional in the
story, not even the adventure with the
bull, albeit Charles Reade made use of
the device in A Woman Halter, but not
half so skillfully and successfully.
The chief charm of literary style lies
in the ease and grace of transition, and
here Mr.. Mitchell is master. There is
complete dominion over the whole
theme and situation; and nothing of
its dimensions and kind has reached
the public for many months that is
quite equal to it in strength and style.
4 y
BAYARD TAYLOR. By ALBERT H. sxIrH.
Houghton, Millin g. Co.
This is the last volume in the popu-
lar american Men of Letters" series,
edited by Charles Dudley Warner
Mr.. Smith is the first Middle States
writer who has appeared in this series,
and he has ventured to introduce a
brief outline of literary history in
Pennsylvania. He declares that his
most difficult task has b cen to limit
the narrative, so much matter was at
hand.
OF course the volume is uniform in
style with the rest, and bears the same
evidences of skill in bookmaking in
every department., even to excellence of
index.
Bayard Taylor was faithful worker
in the world, having nature rooted in
Quaker reason and practice. What
ever he undertook he brought to the
task completely devoted purpose to
do his best. Fired with a desire for
travel. he read widely Of geographical
and historical books, and for some
years after he began his journeyings
abroad, he was perhaps the best-knowp
counts of travel were mostly printed
in the New York Tribune, then the
best known family and literary paper
in the land. Some Of the stories of
early hardship and actual want are pa
thetic and Mr.. Taylor never forgot
this period of his career, when he
came to his own, nor neglected to credit
that tin g with fair share Of the in
fiuence that made strong man of him
at last.
While not great poet or literary
light in any field, like Lowell, Holmes
and the rest of that remarkable race of
| intellects that rendered his race illus
| trious, he did some charming work over
! here, and works that will live
"Till the sun grows cold,
And the stars are old,
And the leaves of the Judgment Book unfold
As an all-around writer and lecturer,
IL vvV0 mil hn Ill
bered, though if he had consecrated
his life to any single department of
letters, no doubt that he would have
found greater, fame. We cannot es.
cape the conclusion, however, that, all
in all, his life was best as he was led by
his needs and moods to live it. The
! example of his great industry, his high
moral standard and the clearness Of
his vision as to all questions of life and
duty will be rich inheritance forever.
CHARLES MI. AND THE COLLAPSE OF
THE SWEDISH EMPIRE:>by K NIsBFr
Balm. G.P. Putnams Sens. New York
for sale by stoll g. rhayer
This fine book, most admirably
edited, being supplied with an elabor-
ate table of contents, several maps, a
full index and beautifully illustrated,
is another OF the Heroes of the Ma
tions series.
The history of Sweden is the history
of her kings, as indeed, is the case
with many Of the smaller and more ad-
venturous peoples. 1t is not claimed
that this volume is an exhaustive
biography of "the Lion of the North" ="
as Charles XII. was everywhere known,
but it does mark the lines and place
the limits which such work should
call for. For our part we think the
statement of the autho: is too modest.
1t is, for all ordinary purposes, an sde-
quate biography Of this great figure in
the worlds history for half century.
The historian who must produce origi-
nal documents, who must tell all the
details Of campaigns and battles,
would not deem the mode of treatment
adequate, of course. Nor would the
scholar, who, sitting in his library with
leisure to study Scandinavian litera-
ture, be able to find such data here as
would enable him to trace the results
to the world of this warlike spirits
career. But only few people want
such biography and such history. The
average reader will have to rely upon
such literary treatment as is found
here. 1t is all he has time for, or
preparation for, and practically, it is
enough. Indeed, it is the quality
which commends itself to him, and
more he could not digest. The plan of
II. IL -