The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-05-07

So much so that it does not seem like
book written by woman, but rather by
some man who knows intimately the
searny side of life. Mrs. Foote, 1.-THE
Orangsry" and Percival give us another
view altogether, and the character
sketohing of the book is vivid and re-
mafkable. All the people who
figure in Susannah are types so marked
that not a lay figure steps in or out of
thess pages-all is alive, ind iyidual, pro-
nounced. III suppose that is the differ
ence between relatives and friends.
Friends are sweet and sympathetic, but
they don't do anything; and ones own
people have to do, and they won't be gra-
oious over it,
If there is person I loathe on earth
it is your sprlghtly woman-the frisky
person, you know, who sets out to amuse
you. and who bores you to DEATH
Men have to be such humbugs where
women are concerned. We grmace and
grin till our jaws ache; but all the time
our souls are yawnipr, 1 tell you that,
when woman SPARKS at me | fall at
once into condition Of abject detection.
and curse her from the bottom of my
heart" By which extract even it will
be seen TINT Susannah has no fear as re-
CARDS language or expression.
The only relief the book holds is in
Hartley and his love, and in ono brief
but beautiful descriptions of the country,
out-of-doors, amid flowers and stars and
tangled hedges a nd green lanes. (New
York Harper & Brothers; Portland:
Loring, Short & Harmony
A Flash of Summer. The Story Of
Simple Woman's Life, by Mrs. W. K.
Clifford, author of Mrs. Koith's Crime,
Aunt Anne etc. The authors statement
that her story is a story and does not be-
long to controversial discussion, will
certainly not render the opening of its
pages less inviting; for the reviewer has
oyermuch of the analytic, gruesome aud
weird elem emit in modern fiction to cope
with, as he yields his pencil and under
scores prose and verse. A monotonous
and rather dreary childhood leads to an
uns uitable and unhappy marriage, in
the case Of young girl, whose life's his
tory we are to follow in the present. vol
uIne. Breaking from unbeaar BILE bonds
her emancipation of thought begins, yet
always within womanly and du tiful
lines. The drawing of all the minor
characters is skillful, and A Flash of
Summer Is well written and we'll sus-
tanned throughout. It is what we call
an entirely readable story. One could
wish the flash of summer meant more
sunshine and that tt he sad complications
of this world could be more readi ly
avoided. Yet has anyone the courage to
claim that if they were, our lessons
would be learned? New York: d.
Appleton & Co.; Portland: Loring,
Short & Harmon. Price 100. Town and
Country Library, No. 1897
Tom Grogan, by 3. Hopkinson Smith,
with illustrations by Charles Reinhart.
Boston and New York: Houghton,
Miffiin & Company; Portland: Loring,
Short & Harmon. Price 81. 50.) In tax :
ing up Tom Grogan, F. Hopkin son
Smiths latest book, one is charmed with
the handsome decorative style of tn Q
binding, Remnants fine illustrations,
and the general flush of the volume. Mr..
Smiths old readers are always prepared
for. some new evidence Of his remarkably
versatile talent, and in Tom Grogan they
will not be disappointed. The story
deals with tho trials and vioissitudes of o
woman-for we may as well say at once
that Tom Grogan is a woman-of superb
physique and marked business ability
who struggles to earn a living for her
father and children, and is bitterly op-
posed by hostile members of labor
union. Mr.. Smiths skill in word paint
ing never was more strikingly displayed
than in this, his most recent publication,
and the dramatic situations which he
| knows so well how to create are many
and absorbing.