Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-19

to let her alone, but alasl without avail.
Fortune sends to her an old school friend.
Chloe Van Allen, who has just been di-
vorced from her husband in America for
certain acts Of infidelty, which in reality
che had not committed. To make a long
and wearisome story short, Mrs. Veru-
lam and this dashing grass-widow form
a conspiracy whereby the latter deter
mines 10 masquerade in mans clothing,
and TO impersOnate her husband, who is
supposed 10 be i'm Florida Even the
blondined favorte of the vaudeville foot
lights is disgusting 70 us when she APP
pears in masculine attire, but Chloe Van
Allen, combining immodesty with In
sipidity, is doubly so. And by the way,
IL may be stated here, that his original
idea on tho part Of these worthy ladies
offers Mrs. Verulam a splendid opportu-
nifty for compromising" herself and
likewise gives the trousered Chloe good
chance 70 get into socety-that is, as a
male. Her popular friend had previously
told her, in Chapter l.. when Chloe APP
peared almost before the ink had dried
on the decree for divorce that no di-
vorced woman could get the entree into
the smart set. She was further informed
that had she been fast man instead OF
a woman lacking in circumspection, So
ciety would receive her with open arms.
So here was an additional incentive 10
trousers, or "the tweed suit" as the au-
thor so frequently describes the mascu-
line costume.
Tho disguised woman passes for man
everywhere. and her identity is not dis
covered, though many complications arise
and the tongues OF gossips are very busy
In fact. things get very squally for Mrs.
Verulam toward the last. and the author
finally relieves the pressure with a
Humpty-Dumpty finale. which at least
has the merit Of ending the book.
THE Londoners" has been considerably
discussed In literary circles. and for this
reason IL of course deserves mention,
though the cover Of the book, like the
back OF q goose, is the best part. We
feel sure however that the man who
reads three chapters of this story Will
read It all-out Of sheer curiosity 70 see If
n single one of the succeeding pages
shows scintilla OF merit.
WILLIAM EWART GLADSTONE. His
characteristics as Man and Statesman,
BY James Bryce. 16mo., 10t pages.
with a portrait. New York: The Cen
fury Company. Price, in cloth, ST.
No one is more competent than the
Hon. James Bryce to review the Won
derful career Of England's great states
man. Mr.. Bryce, author of THE Ameri-
can Commonwealth" Impressions Of
South Africa" etc, IS not only trained
writer, but he has been a close friend
Of Mr. Gladstone for many years, serv-
ing with him in Parliament and in two
OF his cabinets. The material for this
book was gathered several years ago,
but ii has been wholly revised within a
few weeks past. 1t is the latest and
best OF all reviews of Mr.. Gladstone's
career. Mr.. Bryce has not filled his
pages with biographical details, but has
given instead a complete, frank, and i'm
partial analysis Of Mr.. GladstoneS char
acter. lie shows the early influences
that moulded his nature, the unmatched
impress that he left upon parliamentary
life, the characteristics and power Of
his oratory. his originality and indie
pendence, his social qualities, and finally,
the deep and abiding part that religion
had in his life.
THE RISE AND FALL OF THE
UNITED STATES. By a Diplomat
Published by f. Tennyson Nicely, New
York and London.
The author. who is unknown, gives here
an interesting retrospect of our history
from our foundation to the present, and
then, assuming a prophets mantle, at
tempts to rend the veil that hangs dark
between the present and the future, and
predicts our disintegration and fall in the
twenty-first century. Considered as an
argument his reasoning from what is TO
what is to be seems logical and plausible
enough. Concentration Of wealth in the
hands of a few and oppression OF the
many causes a revolution, in which
farmers, laborers. and poor scholars. I'M
der a great leader, range themselye
against the rich. The revolution is
great success; the rich are compelled to
disgorge their wealth and turn over their
railroads and other great enterprises and
leave the country
The reyolutionists haven't the brains
and experience necessary for the success
full operation Of these great enterprises,
and disaster follows i'm which the coun-
try smashes TO smithereens, leaving the
Declaration of Independence as the only
enduring work Of the nation.
THE MESSENGER OF RICHMOND
COLLEGE. May, 1898. Contents: Lite
rary-To a Dying Butterfly. William T.
Gladstone, The Niebelungen Lied, My
Thoughts and | at Midnight: Editorials
William f. Gladstone. Support the Mes
senger, Midsummer Issue; Collegiana;
Athletics; Exchange Department; Stars;
For Men Only; The Kiss.
The feature of this number OF the
magazine is the exceedingly pretty little
poem-"To a Dying Butterfly'-by Mr..
Henry Cameron Nicholas, OF this city
Both in sentiment and versihcation the
poem is excellent, and the lines show no
little skill. Mr.. Nicholas has pre-
viously published some OF his verse In
the college ANIMALS, but the lines 10 the
butterfly please US more than anything we
nave seen from his pen
IN THE DEPTHS OF THE FIRST DE-
GRED-A Romance OF the Battle OF
Bull Run. By James Doran, author OF
''Zanthon." &c. The Peter Paul Book
Company. Buffalo, n. Y. 1898. Pages
sol.
This is an unwholesome effort. The au-
thor is not to be envied for the time he
misspent in depicting the characters of
such a set OF villains. who are not only
lin the depths of the first degree" OF
depravity, but in all its degrees, high and
low. Even his hero, Herondine, whom he
rewards for his able and patriotic SER
vices with seat in Congress as a sena-
tor from the Empire State, declined
commission in the Union army. preferring |
an upper position in the secret service and |
acted as spy only up to the time or |
the battle OF the YANKEES run. when he |
was caught, Imprisoned. tried, and con-