The times., 1898-07-17

.E L
emotions on account of the evident de-
light of the author in writing it. 1t is,
in short, the attempt to crystalline into a
book the memories of delightfully."- good
time. One can read between the lines,
and feel the good time, if one is appre-
ciative, and one finds here and there bits
of description which are dainty, and in
cidents which are suggestive, and that is
about all. The book is not a work OF
art in any sense of the word; it is only
the gossipy journal of bright woman,
The girls who spent the vacation are
called by the euphonious but non-com-
initial names OF Doris, Doto, Dynamine,
Kallianassa and Melite. They kept
house in the parsonage, with the as
sistance of the inevitable domestic,
named, in this case Araminta There is
really some slight excuse for introduce
ing the servant problem In this book,
because Araminta is a story-a half-told
story-in herself. A lively interest is
awakened in the reader by the account
which Araminta gives of herself in the
/ intervals of washing and putting away
the dishes. 1t is like a cameo-a New
England cameo-in its clearness and
brevity.
Read a good deal don't you? I have son that
likes TO read. On, I've had t,n children No
they amt all livin'-only four of EN- No
don't come from about here-lny home was ND
Providence way. ran away with two other girls
and when got 10 Brewster well then they
got married, and thought ! was Just cute enough
10 get married, too. 50 | did. | wasn't but six
teen. SO that's the way my life has JaSsed Tye
never been back q, Providence again. OF anv-
where else. And | amt never liked the Cape"
Some desultory descriptions of the house
are given. and there is wonderful
trunk, which was broHgh, by Doto.
whose performance was always in ex-
cess Of her promise" II was not a very
large trunk. but when opened was found
to contain rugs, a hammock, typewrit-
er, sofa-piiows, vases. novels. two hats
and three dresses, along with the usual
conventional things. In fact ''it con-
tanned everything to make home happy
except a sewing machine and a canary
bird. That trunk Is one of the bits of
distinct individuality in the book. 1t is
a thing which one would like to meet
again-paricularly in the concrete. when
one Is on just such another vacation
The girls. who may be anywhere from
seventeen 10 thirty-fiYe as regards age
but who are all cultured and refined in
that calm, unassuming, matter-of-fact
way peculiar 10 the Boston girl go walk
ing, take rides In blue carts 10 cranberry
/ bogs, row on the river and study the ma
tYes with interest, and, one cannot help
feeling, with opera glasses. The natives
! are pars of the landscape. They are ma
tives, like the natives OF Brittany or Tus-
cany or the South Sea Islands.
or anywhere else that the bachelor girl
+ with her sketch-book and her lorgnette
might chance TO go. Regarded as such
they are interesting and picturesque.
One or two of them are distinct indi-
/ vidualities. which might at some future
4 . H..
a Mrs. Malley. who is something like
Dotos trunk. in the extent and usefulness
/ of her character. The girls find. with a
/ sort of subdued awe gradually creeping
/ over them. that Mrs. Malley can gear up
I a typewriter. develop photographs. used
/ 10 write for the papers, has been on
( whaling voyages. has carved picture
frames, can speak a little Dutch, and
Spanish and Portuguese and was once
! treasurer of the Farmland Manufactur-
/ ing Company. when the accounts used TO
/ bother her some till she learned double
! entry. really bright woman. with ex-
! ecuIiVe ability, can crowd q good deal Of
useful information and many varied ac-
! complishments into her life If she has
never had TO go to teas, or belong TO
! clubs or go through the routine of fash
/ ionable society.
There IS one scene which. for its es-
sentially college-girl atmosphere, is a
/ gem. 1t Is In the last chapter and occurs
/ during the packing up time. Various edi-
bles of a more or less perishable and in
( convenient sort remain from the -chafing
dish feastings and the girls sternly dis
pose of them. regardless OF digestion The
| feminine mind possesses firm and deep
rooted conviction that it is virtuous to
''eat things up TO save them and this
! scene is worth quoting as a Horrible Ex-
! ample of the principle carried to an ex-
treme:
al have eaten all the candied fruit" came the
voice OF Doto. IN mild triumph, from the pantry,
where she had been occupied alone and in silence
for some time. I'VE can burn the box"
The rest of us had had moments of curiosity as
! to what Doto doing in the pantry but we
| knew her too well TO fancy that her labor, what
ever ii might be, was of the kind that satisfeih
~ can't possibly eat another olive said Kal.
lianassa. from the parlor sofa. Il know I'm fond
of them, but really can't finish this bottle Don't
! you each want oneY'
How many are there leftf' asked Doris firm.
ly, as she stood in the doorway. Kallianassa held
the bottle up TO the ligat. With the other hand
had begun 10 read that morning because IL seemed
such pity to have brought it for nothing.
"Three-no, FOUR she counted.
ooh, you can cat those F" said Doris confidently
land then put the bottle with the others, in the
barrel
'oh, do-ee now said Dynamine coaxingly,
or iorkshire-or somewhere, where they speak
English
Well replied Kallianassa. resignedly, "only
can't help wondering if Ruskin would approve Of
just such combination OF art and utility
"a raw egg is excellent tonic at this time
in the morning, said Dvnamine, tentatively. as
she stood with a bulging paper bag in her hand
Beaten up nicely, you know she added, as nc
one responded.
81 will not eat raw egg for any money" said
Doto: who showed an inclination to rest on her
laurels.
Lets make an omelette out of the rest OF the
eggs tonight, suggested Nellie. You've had
that red pepper in your hand for half hour, Dy
namine; whom do you want to have eat that ~
"Dynamine,' said Doto, injuriousy. ''you
haven't eaten any OF the things yourself
81 have" replied Dynamine, stoutly. 81 fin
ished all the potted chicken and the cucumber
pickles right after breakfast
The spectacle of half dozen daintilv-
gowned girls struggling to eat up the
miscellaneous debris of a weeks Bohe-
milan housekeeping, meanwhile perusing
Ruskin. because ut was a pity to have
brought the book for nothing" is one
of the funniest things lately conceived
in human brain, and most people. es-
pecially in the feminine half of creation
Will have "reminiscences in connection
with some such performance on their own
part. and will smile rather shamefacedly
over the memory and the picture com
bined.
There is much sentiment of a frank
and delicate kind in this record, and every
line of it is bright in its own subtle fash
ion. The book is not coherent or con
nected and it has no plan; it is like mis-
cellaneous heap of dainty feminine knick
knacks-water-color sketches bits O
half-fnished embroidery. a German gram
mar, a either and some pretty china
all tossed together in picturesque con
fusion, and painted by still-life artist