Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1896-07-15
THE LITERARY LIGHTS
That Shine Forth in New Books and
Magazines.


Magazines.
"Weir Of Hermiston, was the un
i finished masterpiece of Robert Louis
stevenson, when he suddenly passed be-
vond from his adopted home at Samoa,
in the South Seas. The manuscript
ends when he drew his last breath
At his labor, propped up on pillows
and debating to his amanuensis, on
the very morning of his last siezure
and death. The story was unfolded
in his mind, to the last detail, as Mrs.
Strong, his adopted daughter, has
told us in her "Vailima Table-talk, u
and the editor of this richly bound
, volume, Sidney Colvin, tells the story
Of the plot to its conclusion, from
where the hand of death arrested the
narrative. Ina most proper manner,
and yet wierd as the most noted tales
by Stevenson always are, the story
reaches its most dramatic pitch of in
tensity on the very concluding page,
and the awful power of expression
must have burned like "a volcano with
\ in him. This last flash of the fire of
his Imagination, is as clear and illu.
mInating as a bolt from heaven, and
Weir Of Hermiston will walk before
4 the mind OF the reader unto the end.
The Scotch Judge, who could pre- side
at the sentence of his only son, the
rescue Of that son by the Clans, his
escape to the new world with the
bride he had been innocently con-
demned for seducing, all on back
ground Of the century past, forms
fitting material for the most accom-
pllsbed Scotch novelist of the century.
Scrlbner's, New York, are his author
lied publishers, and they have digni-
fed this volume with the most per-
feet letter press and covers.
Summer in Already" a tale of ma
ture by James Lane Allen, the author
Of that delightful "Kentucky Cardi-
nal" is brought out in a most sweet
binding by Macmillan & Co., New
York. In short it Is story to warn
against following the natural inclina-
tlOns In the domain Of the affections
and TO dlspr0ve Pope's Essay on Man,
founded on the postulate that "What-
ever Is Is Right" Daphne and Hi
larry are young people In Kentucky
rural Kentucky,-and they meet with
The usual obstacles to their tender
passion for each other but finally over
come all, as Is the way In stories, but
Daphne also Overcomes her lovers
Wild pleadings and opportunities and
refuses to cross the boundary line OF
pfopriety, as every decent woman
must and as every honorable man
should, before they have crossed the
threshold of matrimony. They cross
lhe Ohio river and are married at the
uretna Green in countryijustice's
once The novel is a wholesome
uahdllng of delicate subject and
could not but arouse the nobility OF
any young man or woman TO a much
needed improved sentiment along the
lines treated by the author.
In adam Johnstone's Son." f..
Marion Crawford's latest novel, we
are shown the human animals under
'ne influence Of culture and repOse OF
more refined social conditions. The
warm blood mantles softly in the fair
gins cheeks. II was perfectly clear
'Hs' ne was beginning to make love
70 ner, ETC., ETC., and with the usual
Vos'acleS and difficulties thrown IN
'ue way We have the novel OF the
'OO'ai world. But three hundred
yea's OF social conditions intervene.
n.ooN and Glare conduct tn emselves
s'h s''h 'he utmost propriety. Their
T,esS aud their conduct are faultless.
ne' only confession OF the tender pas
I'0u Is when at the end she says, 81
can't sn,,l say goodbye TO you" The
~. au.aOr with further good taste does
~ trace the result of that only hu-
NJ. admission. Her mother and
s ,s iather had been married and were
a.'o'9ed' The son makes her ac.
sSalnlahce 10y chance. By further
I,"1' Lance The elders meet at the same
s1.an ian elty-Amalfi. IL Is a fail
mua rilner tale with pretty domestic
d. d.s'ations. But it has not the
S,l',' p'u oi analysis or philosophlc back
ssee sS'iu OF his Casa Braccio, saracin
u.hs' VI SAINT llario. Crawford's pub
,s.ers ss...is IN this country are TO be con.
a'ed on this volume so beautiful