The Saint Paul globe., 1897-08-08

Russia, like all the rest Of the world,
is painted in chiaroscuro-that great
light is the fellow of darkness. We
are glad of another view of Russia
view that is neither political nor So
Geological, not filed with the horrors
of the past nor prohesies of the future,
but a view simple and hearty and salts
fled with the gaity Of the moment and
the enthusiasm Of a holiday.
This book" Mr.. Logan says in his
preface, 'is neither a social tract, a
political or economic study, nor guide
book. 1t is the record of a thoroughly
delightful trip to country which to
me- at teast, had all the charm of the
unknown" AS a record of a thorough
ly delightful trip into the unknown,
In Joyful Russia " is a most happy
success. Mr.. Logan diffuses through
the book a spirit Of admiration, which
is really unusual in traveller who lays
claim to even a little Anglo-SaXon
blood; he is open always to the most
favorable impressions and as ready as
q parcel of school girls out on a picnic
to find matter for hearty mirth. Mr..
Logan's high spirits are infectious, and
sia's holiday and Russias hospitality
with the same feelings of surprised
pleasure and qualification that inspire
this book and the occasion that is its
excuse.
Besides being a monument to a
season of enjoyment, incidentally "In
Joyful Russia" is instructive. AS far
as Russia is concerned, the author is
beautifully unsophisticated and does
not mind in the least letting the reader
know it; his curiosity is more prOnounc-
ed than his ignorance, and between the
two he is led to investigations and
discoveries interesting to himself and
the reader, but quite out of the prov
ince Of the usual ''know-it-alI' traveller.
Mr.. Logan's naivete is one of the
charming things about the book; he
tastes, handles and discusses every
thing Russian from raw sucking pig
and fresh caviar, to literature and the
Greek church, and most candidly gives
the reader the benefit of his conclusions.
The book is very satisfactory in print
Ing and binding, and is profusely illus
trated in black-and-white and color.
The accompanying sketch of ToIstoi is
taken from a delightful halftone. re-
produced from the last photograDh of
Russia's thinker; it is one Of the most
interesting illustrations in the book,
and seems to US the most desirable pho
tograph Of Count Tolstoi thus far pub
lished
CIn Joyful Russia" by John A. Logan Jr.
Illustrated D. Appleton & Co.. New Yort,
$780, For sale by the st. Paul Book and
Stationery company.)
'Hell Fer Sartain" is a locality antIv
named, and the inhabitants, for the
most part, fit quite naturally into
their environments. 1t needs hardly
the explanation offered on the first
page TO Justify it: "Jes turn up the
fust crick beyond the bend thar. an
climb onto a stump, an holler about
once. an you'll see how the name
came. Stranger, hits hell fer sar-
tain! Mr.. John Fox Jr., has gathered
together under this euphonious name
q series Of dialect monologues grimly
humorous or grimly tragic, and some
times grimly both as his mood may
be. Some of the sketches, gruesome
though they are, are strong and fine
mastery in its way is 'fThe Senator'S
Last Trade" and "a Purple Rhodo-
oendron" is story worth the reading.
The mountains of Kentucky must be
held responsible for the peculiarities
OF most OF the tales and characters
ana It's really a grievous charge to
bring against them, but we dislike ac-
cusing charitable gentleman with
the deliberate creation of a conmu-
nifty so wicked that the Inhabitants
converse in whispers: 'I reckon thar,9
Jes so much devilment a-goin' on in
these mountains. folks is naturally
afeared to talk out loud"
Hell Fer Sartain. by John Fox Jr. Har-
per & Bros, New York. $1.25 For sale bv