The San Francisco call., 1896-04-12

AOai4>llC story Ol peasant lie IN
81 . the southern part of England.
1t holds interest to the end, and
1t Is not one OF the stories of which the out
come is readily predicted from a perusal
OF few opening chapters. Jonas Kink,
the Broom-Squire, is bachelor who pos
sesses small estate in the broom region
between London and Portsmouth, and of
whom the only good word people ever
said was that he was thrifty. The heroine
OF the story, afterward known as Mehita
bel, was wall, found as an infant near the
body OF her murdered father by Jopas
klrk and Iver Nerstage, son of a VILLAGE
lnnkeeper. All that was known of the
waIt was that her father had carried her
10 Inc Inn, stating that the mother was
dead ana that he was searching for rel
auVe To give the baby care. He had gold
In MS pockets, and accepted the guidance
OF some evil men on a Journey TO Ports
mouth, with the result that he was slain
Tor his money. Nobody wants the child,
OF whom so little is known, and at last she
IS taken by Ivers mother on condition
that The county pay for her keeping. This
the county does for fourteen wears. Iyer
the only child of his, aged parents. runs
away from home to study art, much
against the Will OF his father, who, ir con-
sequence, centered all Ills love in the girl
Aehltabei, and declared his intention of
nequeathlng his little property TO her.
hIS angered the wife, and she immedi-
Ately seeks TO get rid of the girl. She fears
iAat Iver and Mehitabel may fall in love-
ana TO prevent such thing she is deter
mined 10 have the girl out of the house
Delore the son returns. About this
time the Broom-Squire asks Mehita-
pei TO be his wife, saying that lie had
never dreamed OF being captured by a
woman, but that he had fallen out
with his sister, and to spite that sister he
was bent on taxing wife. The girl re-
fuses him with scorn. Then Mrs. Verstage
champions the Broom-Squire's suit and
forces Mehltabel TO accept him. Iger, who
loves the girl and whose love has been
reclprocated, returns to find Mehitabel
married to Jonas. These two live in
misery from the beginning. Iyer calls to
see the wife and, with the BrOOm-SQulre's s
permission, 10 sketch her picture standing
at the well. While there he once kissed
MehItabel in spite of her resistance, and
this action was observed bv a sister of
Jonas. The latter secures JOB for his wife
at the inn to earn him money. Iyer seeks
10 make love to her there, and she fees
from him to Thor's Stone, where she makes
the wish that Iver may be taken away.
Meantime the Broom-SQuire's sister has
told him OF the kissing. He is going out for
hunt, when lie runs across his wife
at Thor's Stone, and hears her PRAYING
aloud Take him away" The Broom
Squire thinks she means her husband He
sees lver coming and raises his gun, but a
struggle between man and wife ensues
with the result that the weapon is dis
charged and the Broom Squire IS the in
Iured party. Iyer escapes, and Jonas then
attacks his wife with hammer and throws
her into the marsh to die. She saves her
self and returns home. liver leaves the
village. 4 baby is born to the wife OF the
-Broom-Squire. Almost simultaneously the
!atter's fortune Is swept away by a bank
failure. Then he learns of a sum of money
lett to the baby by the Verstages, with
Iver as trustee. He can only get posses
sion OF that money providing the baby
dies, and he attempts TO kill it. To save
her child, Mehitabel fees with il from the
house. Nobody will harbor her, and her
husband overtakes her in a field on the
edge OF Il limekiln. He springs toward her
TO take the child and she lifts a stone and
strikes him. The Broom-Squire Jumps
back and falls into the limekiln. He dies
and Mehitabel is tried and acquitted OF the
charge OF murder. Strange to say Mehita-
bel does not marry Iver. The latter turns
his back upon her when most she needs
friendship. Nobody will harbor her and
her babe perishes at her breast from cold
and exposure. The picture is sorry one.
Finally kind-heated schoolteacher takes
Mehltabel as an assistant and the latter
wins respect and love and contentment as
q teacher of little ones. liver marries a
girl OF means originally selected for him
by his motter. New York: Frederick A.
Stokes Company. For sale by Doxey;
price 81 25.1