Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-08-16

consistent WIN tiuc oSe'''~f''
NIT the existence OF New South. ms
Is like contending that causes do not pro-
duce effects. They most assurediy do'
and powerful causes produce very
marked results. A conquered South. DO
noralized by the evils. horrors. ana IN
eyitably loose practices Of terrible war;
wns something new. When she was
paaslng and had passed through the woes
and throes Of internal reconstruction
her condition was as novel as II was
lamentable. How could matters remain
"a they had been when her whole labor
system was both changed and deranged;
when millions Of slaves were forced into
a freedom for which they were totally
unprepared, sent TO the polls. che hust-
ings. and the public schools. and per-
sistent efforts were made by the con-
ouerors 10 place them. as wards OF the
nation" over the heads and on the top
Of their late masters?
Here was undoubtedly an unaccus-
toned state OF affairs, which called for
special methods for protection, for re-
Ref and rehabilitation. What did all
these things. and those which they re-
arired TO be done, and done Immediate
Iy. constitute, but a new South? AS
a part OF II, we have new virginia,
about which Miss Boggs has given us
verw creditable romance. IT has some
,rnnrobabilities and inaccuracies. but. on
the whole, we commend IT. and hope IT
will be extensively read in the latitude
where II Is published, for It win do good
there.
One OF the leading characters Is the
Yankee. Rebecca Price. the true honest.
and valuable friend of the heroine. Mar
garet Steyne, the orphaned inheritor OF
the old family residence OF Steyne HAM,
and the last one Of her line.
They take possession OF 1t. together
with an old family servant and his wire,
whom it's late owner had retained there
10 its isolation and desolation. But
railroad is projected through Its land'
and needs the right-of-way. and Valu-
able coal-beds are discovered. when are
worked on a royalty. and the orphaheu
Margaret is unexpectedly enriched.
The agent Of the railroad company IS
a gentleman of fine character. named
Thomas Thornes, who aids and befriends
Margaret in these business transactions.
But her man Of business was lawyer
Harris of Richmond, who had been the
confidential attorney Of her cousin
Henry. from whom she had Inherited
and who had acquired and welded an
undue mower over that cousin, ana
wished to keep her under himself also.
He had brought her the news or her
Cousins death. read her his will, ana
mt her in possession Of her property,
and sull held some Of her important
papers.
At length Thorne and Harris meet
they come to consider Magarets inter-
ests with the railroad company, ana
Thorne recognizes him as man whon
he had known by another name IN New
Orleans. Their scornful surprise 10 not
altogether unnoticed, but they manage
10 control themselves Margaret con-
tinues to rely upon Thone, but Harris
conceiyes the idea OF making her his
bride. visits her, and proposes He Is
reiectedly very decidedly, gets furious,
charges Thorn with working against
him. and vows that he VIII be avenged.
Thorne, though married, but not
bappy, falls desperately in love with
Margaret, and contracts strong
friendship with Miss Price. who admires
him exceedingly. He struggles hard
with his new love. but at last confesses
Il to Miss Price Margaret. unexpected
ly overhears the confession, and then
acknowledges for him an intense love
which she had succeeded in concealing.
They hold a charming love-feast, which
the Puritanic Miss Price does not CEN
sure, but resolve that they will not
suffer themselves to be betrayed into
anything unbecoming.
Harris lays his plans for revenge.
Thorne's wife was once his fiancee, ana
was forced by her guardian to discard
him; but she loved him still. He seeks
her. inhames her passion and persuadeS
her to elope with him. During their
voyage she becomes i'll and dies, Just as
they reach the shores OF France. This
Nberates Thorne. yet he goes into
fruitless search for Harris alias Harvey.
Margaret finds occupation and solace
IN building a church and establishing a
school for the people of Walsngham-
After a proper lapse OF time Thorne
reappears, and now there IS no barrier
between him and Margaret, and Miss
Price f. almost as happy as the pro-
spectlve bride.
There IS a thread OF occult influences
In the work and the parties Intimate
that they must have been under them.
The author speaks Of "the divinity OF
circumstances" The Bible says some
thing about "sparrows falling to the
ground" and Shakespeare says: There
a divinity that shapes our ends. rough
hew them as We may"
THE DAUGHTER OF A SToIC. BY
Cornelia Atwood Pratt Macmillan q
Co.: New York and London. 1880.
Pages, 179. Price. $l.25.
This author was fortunate in securing
such excellent publishers. They have
done their part very well; though we do
not at all affect uncut tones. even If
they do have gilt tops. But, even from
the standpoint which the writer seems
to have proposed TO herself, the work is
insufficient and incomplete. There Is
no stoicism in it. Zeno would find very
poor follower in either mother or daugh-
ter. The mother showed bad temper
and bad blood towards her half-brother,
with whom she quarreiled on the day of
her marriage, and had nothing to do
with him for twelve years. when she, on
her death-bed, wrote and asked him TO
take care of her only child. She is said
TO have suffered poverty, Illness, and
anguish Of spirit and yet the daughter,
ARIA James, had an income OF some
$500 year, and received collegiate
education.
The haif-uncle accepted the charge,
and tried TO carry out the mothers in
junction, though his own views and the
course he and his wife intended to pGr-
sue with their own daughter were very
different She wrote him: ''If, for the
sake OF the family. you will see that
she gets a modern education. which will
fit her TO earn her own living in a
few years, 1t will be a merciful thing to
do, and in time she may be able to repay
you. am leaving her little more than
enough TO clothe her.
Her uncle and family treated her kind
ly, and proceeded to give her the edu-
cational advantages which she coveted.
for she professed a desire and an arnbi-
ton to carry out her mothers wishes.
She is not lacking in talent or personal
attractions.