Omaha daily bee., 1898-11-16
NEW STORY OF The PLANS
k'oent Works Of Fiction by Well Known
American Writers.
THE BUILDING OF THE RAILROAD
New Novel of Southern Life In the
Days Of Reconstruction-Gii
Parker's Latest work-What
Literary People Are Doing.


Parker's Latest work-what
Literary People Are Doing.
AS the season Of the holidays ana the
long winter evenings Is at hand the pub
fishers are more busy that ever and are
striving TO supply the great demand for
literature incident to the season. How we'll
they are progressing is readily shown by
the long list OF new works announced each
week. The list is daily growing larger ana
cont ns seemingly everything that the
reader could possibly desire. There are
books designed to instruct, books to amuse
and books to be given as holiday presents
to friends. Surely he must be hard to
please who cannot find abundant matter to
while away the idle hours. A noteworthy
book just out is Red Rock" the latest
work from the pen of Thomas Nelson Page,
book that gives full ply to the imagina-
tion and the reader cannot but feel that
the people described are real people who
actually did the things represented. Pass
Ing rapidly over the period just prior to and
during the war Of the rebellion the story
really commences with the return to their
homes OF the confederate soldiers. The
story gives the course OF events in one
county during the reconstruction period,
but II is centralized around the fortunes Of
a group Of the country's represent tive
people. The group is a large one and ever,
man and woman In 1t 10 SO alive and rea!
that almost any one Of them would insure
the interest OF an ordinary novel: yet the
story Is OF the group rather than Of any
individual; the re der cannot give his heart
undoubtedly to any favorte, because the
Jtter 80
ity over whole community, does not per-
mi; 1t. Mr. Page has written nothing be.
fore in which there is such constant and
stirring action CT which Introduces people
better worth knowing than those of RED
Rock" The girls. Blair Cary and Ruth
Welsh. make us love them ana then tan
t-lize us little because they are so genu-
ineiy girlsh that they misunderstood things
which they should understands: but we know
that we can depend upon them always to
be brave and generous, even IL Ruth Is not
always wise. The vigorous Della Dove and
Mrs. Dochet. who gives her northern SON.
in-law to understand that everyone in her
house must dance to the tune of Dixie. are
not prominent char cters. but they are Just
as actual as II they had the whole book on
their shoulders. Miss Thomasia. the trim,
gentle old lady who worships Steve Allen,
and Mrs. Welsh. the unbending and reso-
Lutte reformer, who is rather pleased when
he teases her. are both in their different
ways works Of art. Steve Allen. the organ
izer Of the Ku Klux and the foremost of
the younger men, j. cqueln and Rupert
Gray, Andy Stamper and old Gen sral Legale,
will all be remembered as IL they were liv-
ing people. Although "Red Rock" Is the
story Of a section and OF a time OF the
greatest sectional bitterness and misunder-
standing, 1t is American in the best and
highest sense and American from the first
word to the last. CHI rles Scribner & Sons,
New York. Cloth $3.50.
Gilbert Parker, who has made for himself
an enviable reputa.ic n as a writer OF ro-
nance. is out with new work, .'The Battle
OF the Strong" 1t is safe to say that there
are few writer's In either America or En-
gland that reach larger or more attentive
audience than that which welcomes a new
story from the pen of Gilbert Parker. The
scenes Of 1.-THE Battle Of the Strong are
laid chiefly In the isle Of Jersey. The story
opens early In 1881, when company oi
French soldiers Is sent to capture the
island held by the British. Without giving
the plot, 1t may be said that the time Is
one Of great historic significance; the
French revolution casts Its strong, fierce
hight on the scene. and war, loyalty. treas on,
lcve and devotion lend a most truthful and
almost tragic variety to the tale. The story
Is OF engrossing interest and is told with
power and mastery which will add even to
Mr.. Parker's already great reputation as II
novelist Mr.. Parker will long be remem-
bored as the author OF 1.-THE Seats Of the
Mighty" and when Volmond Came to
Pontiac" The former Is the story Of Que
bee in the years preceding its capture by
the English. Critics have claimed that
when Volmcnd Came to Pontiac" was
his finest and 1t remains to be seen il the
new work will supersede 1t in public favor
Houghton. Mifiin & Co., New York. Cloth,
$3.50
Max Pembertons latest work, fresh from
the press, Is entitled, "Thc Phantom Army
II Is romantic novel, characterized by
continued and increasing interest and stir.
ring Adventures. His hero, an English sol.
dier OF fortune, Is enrolled, through a
strange series Of incidents, in the Phantom
Army" which has its stronghold In the
mountains OF Spain. like certain of the
Carlist bands of a few years since. The
plcturesqueness and dramatic quality Of the
tale will find immediate favor with the
reader. The story Is an attempt, according
to the author. to depict the life OF man
who has the Napole onic idea that he can
go anywhere and do anything. given GER
tain conditions. As a sort OF anticipatory
reply to thoae who might accuse him OF
exaggeration, Mr.. Pemberton claims that
he has consulted many military friends, who
assure him that he has not exceeded the
limits Of probability In the achievement OF
his hero AS a matter of fact, some o: the
incidents are said to be founded upon ac-
tual conspiracies known to the Spanish
civil guards during the last FIVE years. d.
Appleton & Co., New York. Cloth, $3.50.
81 Am the King" being the account OF
some happenings In the life OF Godfrey de
Bersac, Crusader knight. by Sheppard Ste
vcns, is a romantic and often stirring story
Of life in the middle ages. 1t shows great
knowledge OF manners, home customs, dress
and superstitions Of the time, and the style,
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