The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-27

"a lover of Truth" by Eliza Orne
Wlite-''StOries of the Chero-
lsee Hills" by Maurice Thompson
-''sly this and Legends, ''-"Bob,
SOn of BaftIe"-'eThe Black Cur
Enthusiastically Deane," Etc.
"A Lover Of Truth" is as bright and
readable a book as often comes ones
way. As far as plot is concerned it
is just simple every day love story,
nothing unique or pretentious about It,
the kind that makes a great many
stories in print and-one is glad to be-
lleFe-a vast number more in real life
AS a character study it is very am
bitIouS and as successful as it is
aspiring. The half dozen prominent
people in it are drawn with a delicacy
that does not disguise the firmness of
stroke nor the acuteness of insight
that makes such draughtsmanship pos
Sibie. The authors style is as simple
as her plot, yet bright and clever, at
times quite filed with natural and
amusing conversation.
Both hero and heroine are Lovers of
Truth" They but develop in different
ways. Jean Reycroft's girlhood, it's
philosophy and unhappiness are sum
med up in her ten-year- old misery at a
childrenS party: 1T isn't that ! want
to be kissed; l should hate it; but [
don't like to be the kind of little girl
that nobody wants to kiss" She grows
out Of her awkward girlhood into
beautiful, highspirited woman, but
never quite loses the seIr-consc1ousness
developed by many years Of wall flow
erhood. Her childish hero, 1.-The Lover
of Truth whose principle is absolute
Veracity and -spOkenness, and
Id. 80
heroines. should find in Jean Reycroft
the best fulillment Of his demands; he
marries instead-to the readers relief
for Allen Nicholas soon develops into
a prig-E,lsie, Jeans sparkling, beau
tiful little butterfly cousin. Elsie is a
delightful little creature to whom So
ciety lies are as necessary as the air
she breathes, though at heart she is
true and doglike in her loyalty In
time she loses her fascination for Allen,
and the conflict comes between being
true 10 his promise and true to him
self. In another man the struggle
would he heroic, but in him it loses
it's force. for while he acts in some
sort The devoted husband. he allows
himself all the brutal truth-telling he
wants and it must be admitted it is
usually for selfish ends. Truth broad
ened to include true courtesy, as it APP
pears in the other characters, is more
IoYabIe thing.
"A Lover OF Truth" by Eliza Orne White.
SIPS. Houghton. Mhin e. Co.. Boston
For sale by the 81. Paul Book and Station
cry company
"StOries of the Cherokee Hills"
Magazine readers are familiar with
the stories Of Southern mountain life
hy Maurice Thompson-sto not so
nuIrerons as they are acceptable. Mr..
Thompson was brought up in
shc Cherokee "a HHl district of
Georgia andS served, as boy.
III the Southern army. After
he left Georgia the mountain types ap-
pealed 10 him az possible literary ma
teriel. IT is rather interesting to read
If t he reception granted these sketches
Of disappearing civilization. Albeit
the VAR was ended. politics had taken
the bitterness engendered by the re-
CONSTRUCTION trouble. and. when these
sketches ON the color line written
early in the seventies. were offered t.
editors, they We're promptly rejected
on The ground that fiction in any way
connected With the recent war in the
South and it's results could not fail to
enSender i'll feeling and do injury to
moth writer and publisher" The mu-
liability OF human judgment was never
better shown than in the light of sub
.Sepueht events on TINS editorial dlctum.
In Nay. therefore, Mr.. Thompson
may he regarded as the father of all
the vast collection OF sketches of the
South Just before aud after the war
tirotesgue as are some of the situa-
q ionss Mir, nhompsop assures us in
prefate as interesting as any story in
the book, they are really but the
record Of things coming directly UNI
der his own observation. And so the
sketch Of Ben and Judas'-the mas
Ter and slave through many years of
close association grow so inseparable
that the black man might have been
the ipcarnate shadow Of the white one.
81 much were they alike in everything
but color-being really and truly
true. has an added interest 1t hardly
needs, considering its humor and pa
thos and that delicious situation of the
stolen melons and the Vengeful prayer
over the rich plumber. This story by
the way, is the best among half doz-
en- curious and entertaining sketches.
Stories Of the Cherokee Hills" by Maurice
Thompson. $50 Hough:oH Mitfiin & Co.
Boston. For sale by the st. Paul Book ard
Stationery company.
"MythS and Legends"