The age-herald., 1897-10-03
THE BOOK CORNER.

Margaret Deland became mere widely known through her novel 'John Ward the Preacher" fhain any of her other works. It appeared, think about the time that Robert ,Elsmere'' ed so much of a sensa tion and being book that tdealt with a similar phase of life that of a discon .en'ted young minister it also received a due proportion of comment and consideration. Since then she has written several other works which have had fairly large sales. Her latest work, just from the press. ''The Wisdom of Fools" a collection of four short stories, though there is connect- ing thread running through them.
 These stories, like her former work, are strangely characteristic of the au- thor, and bear testimony to the unrss. and unquiet of her own mind.
 Mrs. Deland is not averse ito peppering her dialogue with plenty of Puritanic can't and priggishness; and whatever may be the exsent of her own unsettled state of mind, she generally manages through the medium of her characters to keep the reader in an agitated s.ate of mind.
 If it is not Mrs. Deland's pleasure, she. ai least, makes it her business to prorose some knotty problem alorg social, moral or religious lines, and after presenting Ut falrly, concisely and clearly, she leaves the reader to work out his own indiyii- ual conclusions, without any sort of suggestion or solu:ion from herself. If she has any convictions on the matter she ls far too good a wrl;er to indulge in diatribes by the waN
 "The Wisdom of Fools" is surcliargad with restlessness and revolt; and the first story in the book, "Where ignorance is bliss. 'tfs folly to be wise," is a posi- tive example of Mrs. DeIand's method. Her work is more in the nature of tex position" as it addressss the under standing exclusively, and does mt appeal to the bnagination, the feeling or the will. um the second story the quest on of responsibility is boldly attacked in the case of a "strike;" in the fourth s.ory she dwells upon more delicate subject and puts forward more radical views concerning the professional pililam.hro- p-st." Mrs. Deland has a peculiar genius for hitting upon unfortunate, unexpl.ca- ble conifb. ions; yet she offers no enlight- ennnent, daduces no theory, breaches no apparent moral. She treats ,her theme with a rather captious pen and leaves the reader to study it all ouA
 'grhe Parsons Proxy" by Kase w. Hamilton, is a story of New England lsfe, something after the manner of Mis- Murfree's stories of East Tennessee. It deals with characters different from any we ever came in contact with Or have any knowledge of; blM 1t proves c-n- clusively in a well told tale how tender are the hearts of some of those appar- entity rough. uncouth individual Is; how often they yield to the soften.ng, hu- marking effect of sccne kindly impulse and develop beautiful characteristics un- seen. A pretty Ettle love story between Nelson the sister of the "Parson," and Cade Barrow reedeems the work from a proneness to seriousness and a great deal of dialect Although It. is a readable little book, with due proportion of in- oideni- and adventure.
 Speaking of dialect, 1t is said that this subject is before ahe literary grand jury of the world, and one of its juoror's yer dict is as follows: "I never read one of theso dialect stories without learning anew how much trouble people will take to be amused. For my part, good Eng lhsh Is good enough for me-" George w Cable has writ.en an article. on this subject lately in Current Literature. He states the question pthily when hS says.