The Portland daily press., 1897-10-02

thought the author had killed off several
times in several stories. Three Partners
is as full of sensations as dime novel
and it's morals are certainly untram-
meled. The difference we note between
this story and its Predecessors are in the
first place a more modern tone-a period
which leaves the stage coach holding up
to the rear in Californian history; and
secondly a marked advance in ease and
finish in CT style. Bret Harte had always
| JUST the word he wanted, as in this in
stance witness description OF coarse,
curly hair: Ellis short hair and beard
| still chung to his head like curled moss on
the crisp focculence of Astrakhan but
he has added to his natural force and fe-
| licity what it once lacked, grace and elo-
quence. No more beautiful descriptions
| need be sought than these pages hold of
| the changes of scenery or the weird effect
of day or night when studied in the light
of tragic feeling. Bret Harte's stories are
full of human nature, and that is why a
man who has experienced Western pio-
neer life, if but for a few years, will find
in him a wonderful presentation of the
same, a presentation of out-of-doors
scenes and of character and emotion that
sets the blood dancing in the veins and
makes the eye bright and alert. Boston
and New York: Houghton, Miff1n &
Company Portland: Loring, Short &
Harmon. Pricess1. 25.)
| Uncle Lisha's Outing. By Rowland
E. Robinson, author of Danvis Folks,
etc., etc. Our author, who is very popu-
lar and widely read, takes us in the pres
emit volume in the midst of old acquaint-
ance. We are quite at home with Uncle
Lisha, Ann Irvine, Sam Lowell, Pelatiah
Cove and the women folks-we have met
them. before. The delight of Uncle Lii
sha's Outing lies in it's simple, single
hearted devotion to the out-of- door life,
and its keen appreciation of orchard and
Here we find that finely retributive SER
tence "You''ll git you're drutter, = which
must be read in the text to be correctly
interpreted. Further on, Uncle Lishs
thus adjures Antoine: "Du, fer massy s
sake, lie reason BILE If you must lie"
cat shutdown the north wind died,
but the pulse of waves still beat above the
slumberous murmur of distant slops
A company Of bitterns were performing
a farewell rite on the eve of migration.
uttering uncouth squawks as they
wheeled high above the marshes in awE-
ward gyrations, and frequent flights If
ducks were whistling past and splashirg
into channel and marsh" This extract
will show the camper-out that in Unce
Lisha his beloved teal and dusky duck
are being tracked to their watery retreats,
with how constant success is anothsr
matter.
A deal of New England humor MARKS
the story, as where Aunt Gerusha bensy-
oIently fishes with bait for clam shelb,
in order that Hubby may obtain thee
prizes to be used as sugar or -four SCOOP.
Altogether Uncle Lisha's Outing is an
amusing and companionable volume
droll enough and lively enough to tax,
us through Antoine's dialect, which, il
must be confessed, is somewhat arduoui
in the reading, especially as there is (
good deal of "up.country' language, also
to render into average English. A
clever read, however, can give these dia,
lects aloud and quite do away with any
wearing qualities they may possess
| (Boston and New York: Houghton.
Miff1in & Company. Portland: Loring,
Short & Harmon. Price $3.50